Fire risk assessment

The project

Fire risk assessment

The main subject of this consultancy concerns the updating of the fire risk assessment for an industrial site in Turin, following changes to the layout of areas used for the storage of avionics equipment, various equipment and furnishings, as well as for the archiving of paper documents.

The final assessment forms an integral part of the Risk Assessment Document (D.V.R.) and is drawn up in accordance with Legislative Decree. 81/2008 and subsequent amendments and additions, and in accordance with the provisions of Annex I of Ministerial Decree 10.03.1998.

Activities carried out:

• Determination of fire load
• Classification of activities and areas subject to analysis according to the classes set out in Presidential Decree 151/2011 and the subclasses defined in Annex III to Ministerial Decree 7/08/2012.
• Verification of escape routes, correspondence between the escape routes provided for in existing evacuation plans and minimum regulatory requirements, and updating of the respective evacuation plans.
• Determination of the fire resistance classes of structures
• Verification with audit reports from the firefighting equipment inspection log
• Application of a “semi-quantitative” calculation model (also known as the “grid method”)
• Quantification of fire risks and definition of necessary measures to be taken
• Definition of the maximum amount of material that can be stored within the areas under analysis
• Update of the floor plan showing fire-fighting and evacuation equipment in the factory.

A complementary activity supporting the verification of escape routes was the performance assessment of the escape routes through the application of fire safety engineering (FSE) principles. This analysis enabled a quantitative assessment of the level of safety for proposed fire scenarios in the project and an analysis of its effects, evaluated according to pre-established performance thresholds. The results obtained, translated into numerical values (quantitative analysis), were compared with the performance thresholds prescribed by the Fire Prevention Code.

The simulations were carried out using FDS+EVAC software.

Assessment of risks from atmospheric discharges

The final part of the consultancy concerned the updating of the lightning risk assessment document for some buildings on the site in question, in accordance with Legislative Decree. 9 April 2008, no. 81.

The assessment was carried out in order to verify whether the buildings under analysis are self-protected against atmospheric discharges or whether suitable protection measures need to be implemented.

Activities carried out:

• Assessment of risks due to lightning
• Definition of protective measures to be adopted where necessary

The risk assessment calculations were performed using the ZEUS programme, produced by TNE Srl – Tuttonormel.

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