Essential Fire Codes & Standards: A Safer Environment for the Public - Research Paper

Introduction

Fire codes and standards are among the essential building concerns today. As a result of several fire incidences that have led to the death of many f people, fire codes were developed. Even though this code has helped to reduce the number of deaths, there are controversies concerning the implementation (Allen & Iano, 2019). The codes and standards are, therefore, essential to creating a safer environment for the public and the people whose work is to respond to fire incidences. Based on event experience and observations that have been made concerning the risks and life-endangering building techniques, the fire codes have a role to play. Among the best fire codes are those established by NEPA, these codes have significantly influenced building process as they never get outdated, NEPA has always kept the codes up to date in order to control the emerging trends in building engineering. NEPA codes and standards have, therefore, changed how construction in modern societies is conducted; this being a safety concern, the codes face implementation challenges. One of the most common codes that have been adopted by many construction agencies is life safety code, which was initially referred to as building exit code. The code has evolved with time; new changes in the construction sector is one of the factors contributing to continuous update of the codes. This paper analyses the impacts of fire codes on modern construction; this will include a description of some of the safety codes and the updates that have been implemented to meet the ever-changing world of construction engineering.

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Background

Historically, fire codes had developed since the early 1890s when safety concerns began to gain more concerns from the public, the government, and the building agencies. Many fire hazards in the United States of America were experienced and as a result, safety codes and standards were established. Fire incidences have led to many deaths, in 2003, a nightclub at West Warwick fire occurred at night killing 100 people and 200 injured, it is one of the most documented fire incidents (Providence 2018). In 1984 fire outbreak at a haunted Castle caused enormous damage, the house was built in plywood partitions, and plastic materials were used for decorations. The fire spread as a result of the inferior materials and the design of the house (Corbett & Brannigan, 2019). It had no fire alarms, sprinklers, and safety equipment. At the time, there were no fire codes, and as a result of such incidences, the government established fire codes (Corbett & Brannigan, 2019). Building reticulations to control fire outbreak have developed over the years with many changes targeting the new construction technologies and furnishing operation that may influence fire incidences in the building from both the interior and exterior construction process. Fire regulations, such as consideration of inflammable equipment and restrictions to excess heights of constructions as well as fire escape protocols, have significantly impacted modern construction (Vaughan, Turner, 2013). The impacts are experienced as both negative and positive effects. Positive impacts involve quality buildings, increased safety considerations, and environmental conversant. On the other hand, fire codes have raised the cost construction and limitations to constructions based on location, Hight, and furnishing operations.

Fire Codes and Their Impacts on Modern Construction

The NEPA 101 code on safety concerns evolved through several stages, and the changes involved adding other requirements following some of the life-endangering experiences that the firefighters went through (Vaughan, Turner, 2013). Some of the changes in code include the incorporation of additional rules such as the need for integration of alarms, sprinklers, and auto-detection systems. These changes, therefore, have considerably changed the way construction engendering operates. House plan designers, for instance, have been subjected to more technical operation. As a result, the incorporation of sprinklers and other safety codes (Vaughan, Turner, 2013).

After numerous fire incidences in New York City, which spread as a result of densely constructed timber houses, they have triggered more concerns for rebuilding the city and this into primary consideration of fire set issues. In modern society, fire codes and standards are the most critical factors to consider in construction. The influential parties in the changes in the codes include public health, environmental protection agencies, and government safety rules and regulations. The codes ware established through deliberative and democratic approaches that required improvement of construction techniques to address the value of investment and cost-efficiency. However, from an economic point of view, fire codes have significantly increased the cost of construction as the rules and regulations require additional equipment and designs to ensure safety concerns are incorporated in a building.

The codes have increased the quality of the buildings in modern society by providing the minimum requirement for constructions. It involves an operation to protect firefighters, members of the public, and observe safety protocols, especially at the time of fire incident. Residents fire in the USA are among the most common incidences in which death of fighters is reported, and as a result, building and construction, as well as furnishing operation, have dramatically changed (Vaughan, Turner, 2013). Fire codes, therefore, require construction agencies to use specific materials and equipment to construct buildings in order to have positive impacts on fire fighting operations. Also, the codes determine the design of the building; this is because of the additional requirements, such as the installation of fire safety equipment (Coleman & Council 2014). The need to address material use and design of the building, therefore, are some of the most influential factors affecting the modern construction operation.

Changes in fire incidences and outcomes as well in the modern world have influenced more focus on how to handle these events, and as a result, safety rules and regulations are of considerate stake. The codes require new construction and the use of material to consider safety protocols. NEPA designed the rules and regulations in response to numerous hazards in handling frightening fire operations because firefighters are considered as at the most risk situation during an event of a fire. National Fallen Firefighter Foundation is one of the organizations that has dramatically influenced construction in modern society (Coleman & Council 2014), some of the most critical factors that the organization has established to regulate modern construction includes installation of rescue equipment. The need to observe rescue operation as an element of construction has dramatically impacted the design and the quality of the buildings today. It involves observation of the operations and the equipment that are necessary to remove people from the scene of the fire from an involved construction or any other life-endangering situation to a safe place. Secondly, is the requirement for exposure consideration; this involves the installation of materials that helps to control the fire from further extending to other buildings nearby. The strategy is essential as it helps to reduce risks of deaths and damage caused by fire. Exposure, therefore, is one of the most considerate standards that fire codes have established to reduce risks of fire, and it has influenced the quality, nature, and the economic requirements in the construction process.

Furthermore, fire codes require modern construction operations to consider confinement factors, and this involves the incorporation of equipment's and tools that prevent exposure of fire to uninvolved parts of a building. The strategy was developed to reduce further damage and loss of lives in the event of fire incidents within a building (Coleman & Council 2014). It has, however, impacted the way buildings are designed in order to incorporate such requirements of equipment in a building; financial and technical factors, therefore, play a vital role in meeting such requirements.

Fire extinguishers are also some of the equipment required by the fire codes to be considered in modern construction (Providence 2018). Extinguishment involves consideration of some of the operations that are required to extinguish the source of fire as soon as it is identified. This helps to reduce rekindling and ensure the safety of the building. Modern construction of a building has significantly observed this strategy and incorporate fire extinguishers as part of the furnishing process. Fire codes require construction agencies to consider installing equipment that determines what facilitates fire occurrence, whether it is ventilation or fuel-driven.

Ventilation requirements are also one of the considerations of fire codes, and it requires construction engineers to design and construct a building the safety protocols in a team of heat emotion and confined atmosphere. This involves the construction of ventilation frameworks in a building to ensure reasonable air condition (Corbett & Brannigan 2019). Modern construction is requiring to consider the operations taken by the firefighters in the time of fire incident and how the ventilation can have an effect on the flow of putting off the fire. It has been found that the operations of firefighters have a more significant effect on fire control and outcomes. However, their efforts are determined by the design and safety protocols considered in construction. Fir codes provide strict rules and regulations for constructors to observe the ventilation requirements of a building.

The fire codes regulate the size, the location, and the heights of the buildings. There is a limitation that concerns these factors, and this is a result of safety issues, including reducing challenges involved in fire fighting operations. The codes require building constructors to consider the size of building per floor, the location concerning the nearby buildings, and the Hight of the building based on feet (Corbett & Brannigan 2019). Building classification divides constructions into five types; these include type 1(fire-resistive), type 2 (noncombustible), type 3 (ordinary), type 4(heavy timber) and type 5 (wood frame) (Corbett & Brannigan 2019). The types also have sub-categories indicated later, such as type1A which refers to the first resistive building. NEPA adopted the types of construction to designer fire codes for each of the construction.

The five types have specific fire codes that regulate construction operations, and other safety protocols considered. Fire code, for instance, provides Hight restrictions to type1-V as well as occupancy construction type to a limited height to enable the reach of free fighting equipment at the time of fire incident (Corbett & Brannigan 2019). The installation of automatic fire sprinklers in modern types of construction strictly requires installation. The strategy is costly; however, it essential for preventing the spread of fire and further damage.

Conclusion

Fire codes have greatly impacted modern construction in many ways, and these include increased restrictions on Hight, location, and area of the structure and cost of construction and, more importantly, increased safety concerns in the process of cognition. Fire codes provide safety and regulation protocols to be followed by construction companies in order to reduce risks of fire outbreak and prevent extensive damage of fire incidences. NEPA has dramatically contributed to modern construction and safety operations, and it has...