Fire Safety Guidance Note No. 70, LFB Premises Information Boxes

FIRE SAFETY GUIDANCE NOTE

Number: 70

LFB Premises Information Boxes

GN_70 (Rev 0, 30/07/04)Page 1 of 17making London a safer city

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority runs the London Fire Brigade Ken Knight CBE QFSM MIFireECommissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning

INTRODUCTION
Increasingly fire-engineering is being incorporated in building design to enable developers to meet functional building requirements specifically with regard to means of escape and fire fighting. Attending crews may have to interact with these systems and therefore need accurate, concise and up to date information when developing firefighting tactics.
This voluntary scheme encourages the building occupier in consultation with the local fire safety officer (FSO) to provide up to date information at the point of use. Occupiers/Employers are, after all, best placed to maintain such information and carrying out this exercise will assist in their fire risk assessment process. The system is intended to be simple, developed as part of the building design and risk assessment process and easily maintained. It is essentially a box containing plans and information about the building in a standard format.
This Guidance Note gives advice on the system for maintaining premises information boxes (plans boxes)and is intended for buildings that have one or more of the following :

fire engineered solution,

complex layout,

complex fire-fighting facilities and/or controlling equipment,

or where the provision of such information is agreed as necessary.

The information in the plans box is not intended to replace the normal information gathering and familiarisation carried out by fire crews but may assist in this process.

INFORMATION BOX CONTENTS
The plans boxes will provide information which should be simple and useable but contains key information needed by operational crews at the time of an incident. The following are the essential items:

Operational Contingency Plans (Appendix A).

Simple plans and or schematic representations of the building and any relevant information relating to equipment/fixed installations design and operation provided for means of escape or fire fighting operations. (Appendix B-D).

Basic operating instructions for fire protection and fixed firefighting equipment.

Simple single line plans should be provided of typical floor plan layouts and any relevant fire resistance, access, fire-fighting facilities, equipment, services and hazards etc should be shown. Schematic fire system plans may also be necessary dependant on the complexity of the building. Consideration should be made at an early stage whether or not an isometric or cut away type view is necessary as the best means of illustrating the building (see Appendix D).
Note that systems on any of these plans should be labelled.

Where plan symbols are to be used they should follow the system outlined in Appendix B&C, and

Include a key with a suitable description alongside.

When one or more of the same type of system is installed they should be individually identified

When information is to be separated e.g. instructions on how to operate the controlling equipment in a fire-fighting shaft, and then the shaft should be shown on the plans with a suitable key (see Appendix C).
It is preferable that only fire service information is stored in the box

SITING AND IDENTIFICATION
A photo-luminescent fire brigade identification sign should be provided centrally to the outer face of the box door. This logo must remain prominent so that should the buildings lighting fail, the photo luminescent sign will clearly indicate the location of the information box. These can be obtained from a safety signs suppliers.
The Plans Boxes should be sited such that they are readily accessible to attending fire crews. Where site security is an issue boxes can be sited internally and if a 24-hour site presence is maintained it may be acceptable for the boxes to be sited within a security/fire control room. A standard photo-luminescent fire brigade identification sign (see Appendix H) should be provided in a prominent position on or alongside the primary fire brigade access points into the building. This sign will indicate to attending fire crews that there is a premises information box located within the building.
When the boxes are sited externally, they should be in a prominent position preferably sheltered from inclement weather.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING/MAINTAINING THE CONTENTS
As a general principle the person responsible for fire safety matters for the building will be responsible for installing the boxes and providing, agreeing the contents with the local fire safety officer and maintaining the information. The responsible person should be formally identified in the FP workplace regulations risk assessment.
The contents of the box should be reviewed whenever any changes that will affect the information have been identified. It is anticipated that this will occur annually or alongside the building’s fire risk assessment. Any changes should be agreed with the local FSO.
Operational fire crews and Fire Safety officers will have the option to check the contents of the plans boxes when visiting the premises.
The diagram opposite shows the anticipated sequence of events for obtaining fitting and maintaining the information for a plans box.
POINT OF NOTE
This system should provide information for the fire service relating to your building. The provision of such information doesn't in any way negate any statutory obligations, on any responsible person nor will it prevent a fire from occurring and or spreading. It is provided in accordance with current guidance in good faith, so that the information is available to the fire service to be used as required.
APPENDICES

AA4 Example of London Fire Brigade Operational Contingency Plans

BA3 Site plans with example of relevant British Standard symbols for items directly accessible from outside being included.

CA3 Typical floor plan view with example of relevant British Standard symbols pertinent to internal items included.

DA3 Typical isometric plan layout with items drawn and confirmed in type.

EList of typical items to be considered for inclusion on site plan.

FList of typical items to be considered for inclusion on floor plans etc.

GList of typical items to be considered for inclusion on isometric/cut away plans etc.

HPremises Information Box specification.

Note that the information depicted in appendices A - G is intended only as an guide and should not be taken as an exhaustive specification for any particular building. Depending on the situation more or less information may be appropriate.

For display purposes Appendices B - D are shown in A4, however, these should be supplied in A3 format for installation in the Premises Information Box.

Data Protection Act 1998:The information you have given on this form will be processed by LFEPA for the purpose of fire and emergency planning and control. We will keep your details secure and will not disclose them to other organisations or third parties (except contractors or suppliers working on our behalf) without your permission unless we are legally required to do so.

For more information about how we use your personal information, see our notification entry (Z7122455) or visit:

If you require any further guidance on the advice given in this Guidance Note please contact your local Fire Safety Office

Making London A Safer City

GN_70 (Rev 0, 30/07/04)Page 1 of 17making London a safer city

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority runs the London Fire Brigade Ken Knight CBE QFSM MIFireECommissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning

Appendix A London Fire Brigade Incident Information

* This information box is to be completed by the London Fire BrigadeInitial Information

Site Information:
Name:
Address:
Route Card:
CRR: / PDA
RVP: / JESCC:
Marshalling / Other Services:
Council, First Aid etc.
Operational Planning:
Initial Actions by IC/On Site Action/ On-route Considerations:
Contact/s:
Initial On-Site Contact/Location/Contact No.’s & Names of Key Personnel
Site Profile:
Access & Security Arrangements:
Hydrants/Water Supplies:
Evacuation Strategy:
Communication:
Hazards & Risks

GN_70 (Rev 0, 30/07/04)Page 1 of 17making London a safer city

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority runs the London Fire Brigade Ken Knight CBE QFSM MIFireECommissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning

London Fire Brigade Incident InformationDate: 10/06/2018

Fire Fighting Provisions

Controls Room/s:
Fire Control Centre Location, protection,
Access,
contents
Fire Fighting Shafts:
Locations, access Floors served, type ventilation, lift?
Type of mains
Sprinklers:
Purpose/MOE/ Save Building locations
Coverage, Type, standard, valves/monitoring location
Water, top up requirement
Other Active Suppression Systems:
Water mist, Gaseous, Drenchers etc,
Details, locations, coverage.
Dry/Wet/HR mains
No., location, access, type, floors inlet serves
Alarm System
Type, coverage, standard, panel location, mimics, deviations, delays, links too other systems
Smoke Control/Clearance Systems
Locations
Type, design parameters, control facilities and protocol
Evacuation Strategy
Type, refuges, lifts ?, estimated time, No. people, rondevouz point/s, roll call.

GN_70 (Rev 0, 30/07/04)Page 1 of 17making London a safer city

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority runs the London Fire Brigade Ken Knight CBE QFSM MIFireECommissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning

London Fire Brigade Incident InformationDate: 10/06/2018

Building Layout/Fire Safety Provisions Additional Information Construction

Shafts Within Building/s
No., location, protection, use, access / Type Of Building Construction:
Brief detail of general building structure adopted
Service Intakes
Location, capacity, type, including generators / Load Bearing Elements
General size and construction of columns, beams, foundations.
Type of reinforcement and fire protection afforded therto
Basements
No, location, access, depth, ventilation, separation. / Floor Slab Details
Type, fire rating, supporting members and connections used
Compartmentation/Separation
Detail and rating of both horizontal and vertical separation between floors, shafts, basements etc / Outer shell
Type, fixing, size panels, openable? Time equivalence accepted
Unusual features
Particular design features, special hazards, methodology adopted.
Security arrangements (if obstructed) / Deviations
Fire engineering adopted, e.g time equivalence etc
Alternative Access e.g. tunnels/shafts
Location, access, facilities, protection / Salvage Considerations
Arrangements, priorities, etc