The BS 9999 Handbook

Effective fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings

Key Points (Tomado de la BS9999, pág. 31.)

The risk profile associated with a space is a combination of the ‘occupant characteristics’
and the ‘fire growth rate’ and is the principal driver for the development of the fire safety
design and provision of a suitable package of fire safety measures within BS 9999.

Background

There are two fundamental inputs to the design of a building that drive the specification of
the fire protection measures and the approach to fire safety management. Every other
input is a decision made by the designer, an operator/end user/client, or the approving
authorities. The two inputs are associated with the intended use and are as follows:

1. The ‘occupancy characteristics’. The principal variables are whether the majority of
occupants are familiar with the building or whether there is a sleeping use. Occupant
characteristics will also influence the approach to design for disabled people.
2. ‘The ‘fire growth rate’. This is derived from the use and management of the building,
and encompasses:
a. the growth rate of a fire, which is a key factor in the means of escape;
b. the severity of the fire that affects the performance of the structure,
construction and the compartmentation.

Tabla del perfil de riesgo de incendio. Tomado de la BS9999, tabla 3 pág. 34.
Tabla con ejemplo de los perfiles de riesgo según la ocupación. Tomado de la BS9999,
tabla 4 pág. 35.