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For which structures should a fire scenario be developed?
The fact that a new regulation on agreeing building designs has been published is rather well known to everyone interested in the topic of agreeing designs. But not everyone has noticed a certain change regarding fire scenarios.
The question from the introduction of this text may be trivial, but practice shows that opinions on this matter tend to vary greatly. In the opinion of the author of this text, a scenario should be developed—sometimes in a more or less simplified form and sometimes in a very extensive form—for every facility where automatic fire protection systems are provided. After all, this is a document that describes how such automatic systems are to function and outlines the elements at the interface between the automatic operation of the fire safety system and organizational elements, procedures for personnel responsible for facility safety, and response to hazards. However, some people took very literally the previous wording of the regulation governing the agreement of building designs in terms of fire protection, which stated that agreeing a building design consists, among other things, of "developing a fire scenario for a building structure subject to the obligation to use a fire alarm system." At the same time, these individuals interpreted this provision very narrowly, treating a building structure subject to the obligation to use a fire alarm system as a facility listed in the regulation on fire protection of buildings, other building structures, and areas among facilities subject to mandatory use of fire alarm systems. It is hard to agree with such an approach because, firstly, the obligation to use a fire alarm system may stem from various other regulations, alternative solutions, the need to control equipment provided in the facility, etc. Secondly, it is not as if when a fire alarm system—or fire automation more broadly—is not required by regulation in a facility, yet is installed and intended to perform specific functions, it does not have to operate according to a specific logic tailored to the facility. Of course, one could connect devices with wires and leave them at factory settings, but that is hardly the purpose of using fire protection, let alone when applied voluntarily. So the assertion that when a fire alarm system is not required by regulation, a fire scenario is not necessary, is rather off the mark. However, for people sticking to such an approach, the new regulation on agreeing building designs clarifies the provision in this matter. According to the current wording of the provision, agreeing a design consists, among other things, of "developing a fire scenario for a building structure or a part thereof constituting a separate fire compartment, in which the use of a fire alarm system, fixed extinguishing systems, smoke control systems, or smoke prevention systems is provided." So I can summarize in the usual way - I told you so :). A scenario is needed wherever the operation of safety equipment must be specified so that it implements a specific fire safety concept, regardless of whether these systems are required by a specific regulation or not.
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