Feature Engineering FIA Guide to the UK Fire Safety Industry
FIA Fire Engineering Council
Fire engineering is an essential element of building design. Far more so than the
application of prescriptive guidance, the practise of such engineering provides
invaluable protection that can safeguard not only the built environment, but also
the residential and economic communities it serves. Here, Will Lloyd outlines the
diligent work of the Fire Industry Association’s (FIA) Engineering Council
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THERE ARE several definitions in
existence in relation to the fundamental
meaning of the term ‘fire engineering’.
Many commentators are in favour of
referencing the one proposed by the
Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).
Specifically, that fire engineering can be
said to be the application of scientific
and engineering principles, rules and
expert judgement, all based on an
understanding of the phenomena
around – and the effects of – fire, and of
the reaction and behaviour of people to
fire, in order to protect people, property
and the environment from its
destructive impact.
Here at the FIA’s Fire Engineering
Council, our own definition is
somewhat shorter, but nevertheless very
similar in nature. It defines fire
engineering as the application of
scientific and engineering principles to
protect people, property and the
environment from the risk of fire.
Across the years, fire engineering has
necessarily (and understandably)
developed into something of a complex
field, but the fundamentals still ring true
in that the fire engineer’s role
encompasses a detailed understanding
of how fires start, how they behave in a
host of different scenarios and how
those fires may be nullified.
The IFE has noted: “These principles
apply regardless of role, whether you are
designing buildings or fire protection
systems, commissioning and specifying
fire safety systems, signing-off on
procedures, carrying out inspections
and audits, maintaining equipment,
assessing risk, planning emergency
responses, investigating the causes of
fires, creating new standards and Codes
of Practice, training and drilling
workforces or communities or if you’re
on the front line activey tackling fires.
They also apply whether you’re dealing
with fires in the built environment or
the natural environment.”
Continuing this theme, the IFE states:
“Fire engineering involves combining
knowledge and understanding,
experience and know-how in terms of
both practice and ethical and
professional conduct and in a way that
solves problems and builds trust.”
Achieving objectives
The practise of fire engineering can be
transacted in numerous ways. Some of
the activities involved here include an
assessment of hazards, an evaluation of
the potential risks posed by fire and its
impact and the mitigation of any
potential fire damage through the
specific design, construction and layout