What Determines the Fire Risk of a Commercial Building?

5 days ago

3 min read

Commercial fire risk assessment of an industrial building in the Western Cape

No two commercial buildings present exactly the same fire risk.

Even buildings of a similar size and construction can require very different fire protection solutions depending on how they are used, what happens inside them and what materials or products they contain.

Understanding these factors is an important first step in determining the appropriate fire protection requirements for a building.

The factors that influence commercial fire risk

Fire risk is influenced by a combination of factors.

Occupancy and use

How a building is used has a significant impact on its fire risk. An office, warehouse, retail environment or manufacturing facility will each present different considerations.

What is stored

The type of products and materials stored within a building, including their combustibility, can materially affect the level of risk.

How much is stored and how it is stored

Quantity, storage configuration and storage height can materially change the fire risk. A product stored at floor level may present a very different protection requirement when the same product is stored several metres high in pallet racking. Changes to racking layouts, storage heights or the products being stored can also change the risk within an existing building. Fire protection should therefore be considered against how the facility is actually operating today, not simply how it was originally designed.

Building geometry

The size, height and layout of the building influence how fire and smoke could spread and how fire protection systems need to be designed.

Operational processes

Manufacturing processes, machinery, heat sources and other activities taking place within the building may introduce additional hazards.

Packaging materials

It is not only the product itself that needs to be considered. Cardboard, plastic, polystyrene and other packaging materials can contribute significantly to the overall fire load.

Water supply

The availability and capacity of the water supply is an important consideration where water-based fire protection systems are required.

Exposure hazards

The surrounding environment also matters. Adjacent buildings, activities or high-risk areas can influence the overall fire risk.

A warehouse is not simply a warehouse

In South Africa, storage buildings can fall into different occupancy classifications depending on the level of fire risk. A warehouse storing relatively low-risk goods is not necessarily treated in the same way as a facility storing highly combustible or hazardous materials. This is why the word “warehouse” alone tells you very little about the fire protection solution required.

What is stored, how it is packaged, the storage configuration and height, and the activities taking place within the building all form part of understanding the risk.

It is the combination that matters. These factors should not be considered in isolation. A large warehouse does not automatically represent a greater fire risk than a smaller one. Similarly, two warehouses of exactly the same size may require different fire protection solutions. It is the combination of occupancy, products, storage methods, operational processes, packaging, building geometry, water supply and exposure hazards that determines the overall fire risk.

This is why ANDEC starts by understanding the building and how it is actually used before determining what the project requires.

Can the fire risk of a building change over time?

Yes. A building's fire risk is not necessarily fixed. A change in tenant, building use, manufacturing process, products stored, packaging materials, storage height or racking configuration can change the risk within the building. Alterations to the building or its services may also affect existing Active and Passive Fire Protection measures. This is why an existing fire protection system should not automatically be assumed to remain appropriate when the way a building is used changes.

Why conduct a commercial fire risk assessment?

A Fire Risk Assessment helps identify potential fire hazards, understand the factors influencing the building's risk and evaluate the fire protection measures already in place. This helps determine whether improvements may be required and informs the appropriate approach to Active Fire Protection, Passive Fire Protection and ongoing maintenance. Most importantly, the fire protection requirements are considered in the context of the actual building and how it is used, rather than being based on assumptions.

Start by understanding the risk

Effective fire protection begins with understanding the building, how it is used and the risks associated with it. For commercial property owners, developers and project teams, this provides a stronger foundation for determining the appropriate fire protection solution.

Every building is different. ANDEC assesses how a building is used, what happens inside it and the factors that influence its fire risk to help determine the appropriate Fire Protection approach for commercial and industrial buildings across the Western Cape.