NOTE If there is cause to store or use dangerous substances or preparations,

i.e. substances or preparations that are explosive, oxidizing, extremely flammable, highly flammable or flammable, or such substances are liable to be produced, the attention of building designers and management is drawn to the Dangerous Substances (Explosive Atmospheres) Regulations 2002 [33] and specifically in the case of petroleum spirit, i.e. petrol, to the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 [34].

36.1 Engineering services installation rooms

COMMENTARY ON 36.1

a) Engineering Services Installation Rooms:

Include spaces like:

· Electrical switchgear rooms

· Boiler rooms

· Fuel storage spaces

· Mechanical ventilation and air conditioning plant rooms

· Rooms with fixed internal combustion engines

· Rooms with refrigeration plant using flammable/toxic refrigerant (non-domestic)

· Battery charging rooms

b) High Fire Risk Areas:

Require additional precautions as outlined in section 13.4.Top of Form

36.1.1 General

a) Siting of Service Installation Rooms:

Must not compromise escape routes by the risk of fire.

b) Rooms with Flammable Liquids/Gases:

Should have imperforate sills at doorways.
Drainage systems must include interceptors.

c) Ventilation:

Required for safe equipment operation and heat management.
Must not compromise fire resistance of the rooms.

36.1.2 Walk-in refrigerated cold rooms and associated systems

COMMENTARY ON 36.1.2

a) Cold Rooms and Cold Warehouses:

· Cold rooms are part of another building; cold warehouses are standalone buildings.

· Typically constructed with insulating core panel systems (see 34.3).

b) Refrigeration Systems Guidance:

· Refer to Institute of Refrigeration codes of practice:

· Cold Store Code of Practice, Part 1: Enclosure Construction.

· Cold Store Code of Practice, Part 2: Refrigeration Systems Design & Construction.

· Safety codes for refrigerating systems with:

· Carbon dioxide

· Ammonia

· Groups A1, A2, and A3 refrigerants.

c) Additional Design and Safety Information:

· Design and fire management guidance: IACSC publication [60].

· Fire behaviour of insulating panels: Building Regulations 2010, Approved Document B, Appendix F.

· Refrigeration systems must comply with BS EN 378.

36.1.3 Boiler rooms

a) Oil-Fired Installations:

Must comply with BS 5410-1 and BS 5410-2.

b) Gas Boiler Installations (Town, Natural, Liquefied):

Must comply with BS 6798 or BS 6644.

NOTE In the design of a boiler room and ancillary spaces, the possibility of a future change to other fuels might need to be taken into account.

36.1.4 Fuel storage spaces

a) Oil Storage and Supply:

Must comply with BS 5410-1, BS 5410-2, and BS 799-5.

b) Solid Fuel Storage:

Should be stored in bunkers with non-combustible walls thick enough to prevent heating from boilers or steam pipes.

c) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Storage:

Follow guidelines from LP Gas Association Codes of Practice:
- No.1, Parts 1, 2, and 4.
- No.7.
- No.24, Parts 1 and 2.

36.1.5 Medium and high voltage transformer rooms, switchgear rooms and battery rooms

a) Siting of Transformer, Switchgear, or Battery Rooms:

Should be adjacent to an external wall.
Access should be from the open air, unless on the roof or in a separate enclosure.

b) Ventilation:

Required for all medium or high voltage transformer rooms, switchgear rooms, and battery rooms.

NOTE BS EN 50272-1 gives advice on this for battery rooms using lead-acid stationary batteries.

36.1.6 Rooms housing fixed internal combustion engines

· Classified as places of special fire hazard.

· Must be separated from other building parts by 60-minute fire-resisting partitions.

· Should be separated from protected stairways by a protected lobby or corridor.

36.2 Waste storage and treatment

COMMENTARY ON 36.2

a) Waste as a Fire Risk:

· Especially risky if bulky.

b) Guidance and Standards:

· BS 5906 provides advice on waste collection, storage, disposal, and on-site treatment systems (e.g., compactors, balers, incinerators) to reduce fire risk.

c) Regulations for Solid Waste Storage:

· Controlled by:

· Building Regulations 2010 (England)

· Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004

· Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

d) Design and Construction:

· Waste storage chambers, on-site waste treatment, and chute systems should follow BS 5906.

36.3 Storage areas (including receiving and dispatch areas)

COMMENTARY ON 36.3

a) Storage Areas Include:

· Goods for sale/dispatch, furniture, stationery, waste paper/packaging, and similar combustible materials.

· Receiving and dispatch rooms, packing, and sorting rooms.

b) Smoke Ventilation for Basements:

· Refer to Clause 27.

c) Location of Storage Areas:

· Ideally adjacent to an external wall for clean air inlets and smoke extracts.

· Smoke extracts should discharge at or above ground level and not jeopardize escape routes.

· Should avoid placement near public-accessible escape routes.

d) Office and Sales Areas:

· Should be free of dangerous substances (e.g., highly flammable materials).

· Dangerous substances should be stored in stock rooms inaccessible to the public to prevent designation as high fire risk areas (see 13.4).

36 Accommodation ancillary to the main use of the building