London, United Kingdom: Business standards company, BSI has announced revising ‘BS 9999: 2017 Fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings – Code of practice’ to ensure that a reasonable standard of life safety can be achieved for building occupants and fire-fighters in the event of fire in a building.

The revised standard, the announcement said, provides recommendations and guidance on the provision of measures to control or mitigate the effects of fire, including business continuity and the environment. It is applicable to the design of new buildings, and to material alterations, extensions and material change of use of an existing building, the announcement added.

The company informed that BS 9999 has been revised to align the standard with current good practice, new technology and in consistency with other recently revised fire safety standards, namely BS 9990 and BS 9991. It also features updated recommendations for smoke and heat control, fire curtain barrier assemblies, mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems, shopping complexes, and ducting.

BSI said that the following changes have been included in the standard:

• An inclusion of a flowchart showing the sequential steps in the design process, to assist users in the application of the standard
• Revised clause on fire safety management with references to PAS 7
• Inclusion of watermist fire suppression systems
• Expansion of the guidance on voice alarms
• Expansion of fire growth rates table to provide more information

The British Standard, the company said, will be of use to architects, building managers, fire safety engineers, fire risk assessors, building control personnel, fire and rescue personnel, installers of fire and smoke alarms, sprinklers and smoke and heat control systems and inspectorate for certification and installation schemes.