Fire Safety Operational Requirement Questionnaire:

Initial Fire Safety Information for Proposed

Occupation of New or Altered Premises

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).
Introduction

This document is designed for use whereby changes/alternations are planned to take place in British
Council premises or operations. The questionnaire is also to be completed for any potential premises
required for British Council use.

If there is more than one building option then the questionnaire must be completed for each building.

The reason for the questionnaire is to ensure that adequate fire safety measures are provided for the
building or part of the building for British Council use.

Once the form is completed an assessment of the existing fire safety arrangements can be made.
Additional fire safety measures can then be recommended if these are required.

The completed form should be returned to the British Council Fire Protection Manager.

Author Anthony Jones (ERM)

Created on June 2008

Last saved by The British Council on 24 August 2010

Document status Final

Revised 4 April 2012

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 Fire Safety Operational Requirement Questionnaire:

Initial Fire Safety Information for Proposed

Occupation of New or Altered Premises

In order to assess the fire safety of any proposed occupation of new / altered premises the
following information will be required. Once completed the form should be emailed to
Anthony.Jones@britishcouncil.org

Person Compiling Information Building Details

Name Address
Telephone
Email
Date

Country
Question Answer
When was the building constructed and if
known, which building codes were
applied.

Total number of floors from ground level

and above (including ground floor)

Total number of floors below ground level,

including basements, and underground
car park areas.

Which floor or floors are to be occupied by

British Council

Total floor area to be occupied in m² in

British Council area

How many escape stairs are provided and

is escape available in more than one
direction from the BC demise.

What are the travel distances to a storey

exit or final exit?

Is there a fire lobby at each floor level?

(Two sets of fire-resisting doors) leading
onto the staircase on each floor.

Is an automatic fire detection & alarm

system installed / proposed in all areas of
the building?

Is a sprinkler system installed or proposed

in any areas of the building. If yes – in
which areas are they provided? (All areas
of the building or parts of the building).

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).
Are rising fire mains provided to the
building for fire department use? Are they
located on each floor or in each staircase
landing? (These may be fire department
inlets to the building, where fire trucks will
connect to at street level, and outlets on
each floor whereby, fire department
personnel will connect hoses to for fire-
fighting operations.)

Is emergency escape lighting provided or

proposed on all escape routes to which
British Council will have access to in an
emergency evacuation of the building?

Is any part of the building provided or

proposed to have smoke extraction or
smoke ventilation. If yes – where?

Are any staircases provided with or

proposed to have pressurised staircases.
If yes – where?

What is the proposed use of the British

Council operation, i.e. office, library,
teaching centre or a mixture of each?

What is the expected number of British

Council staff members at any one time?

What are the expected maximum number

members of the public at any one time,
including students and visitors?

How many persons are likely to occupy

the building overall, including British
Council staff, students and visitors?

Is evacuation of the building phased or

simultaneous evacuation of the building?
(single evacuation at the same time or
evacuation in stages)
Will persons under the age of 18 years
regularly use the British Council occupied
area? If yes – state maximum numbers at
any one time.

Are there any BC staff, visitors or students

who are likely to have restricted mobility,
sight or hearing impairment, and who may
need assistance during an evacuation of
the building?

Are there breaches in fire compartment

walls, ceilings or floors where services
pass through?

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Are fire-resisting barriers intact above
false ceiling level, or have they been
breached by the passage of electrical
wiring, plumbing or other services. This
will permit fire and smoke to spread over
the top of fire resisting doors and
partitions.

In addition to the above, the following must also be provided:

Requirement Date Provided

Scale plans showing floors to be occupied by British Council

CAD or other scale plans showing floors where fire exits If you
discharge to open air and a place of final safety require
further
Digital photographs of the area to be occupied, including: advice or
 Entrance onto fire escape staircase information
 Exits from fire escape staircases at ground floor or on this
document or
other floor where they discharge to a place of safety
its contents
 Final exits from building please
 Any other factors that may affect fire safety contact :
In the case of multi-occupied and multi-storey buildings, a set Anthony
of floor plans should be provided, particularly where there are Jones| Fire
floors below the British Council occupied floor. Other specific Protection
fire risks within the building should also be identified, i.e. Manager |
shopping malls, underground car parks, retail catering units, Enterprise
furniture stores and other commercial units, which may have Risk
an impact on evacuation from the British Council demise. Management
| British
Council |
10 Spring Gardens | London SW1A 2BN |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7389 4780 | Mob: +44 (0) 77795 603291 | F: +44 (0) 20 7389 4115 |
E: anthony.jones@britishcouncil.org

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