Fire protection solutions manufacturer, Advanced, has published a free e-book that explores fire safety in high-rise residential buildings and how it can be improved.

‘Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings: BS 8629 and Beyond’ is a resource for fire industry professionals who are facing changing regulations, ever-evolving technologies and an array of competing options for protecting high-rise residents from fire.

The e-book examines the impact of Grenfell upon the fire industry and the reasons for the introduction of the BS 8629 Code of Practice covering evacuation alert systems. It outlines current fire safety options and speculates on developments shaping the future of fire safety in tall residential buildings.

Covering a range of measures, from compartmentation and cladding to fire and sprinkler systems, the paper also addresses the question of competency. In a chapter, supported by BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment), the importance of robust fire risk assessments, high-quality equipment, and installation by qualified, third-party-certified contractors is explored.

Ken Bullock, Business Development Manager for Evacuation Alert Systems at Advanced, said: “The Advanced team has extensive knowledge and experience built through decades of developing fire protection solutions for sites of all sizes and uses across the world. As a business, our purpose is to create a safer future, so we were keen to share knowledge, spark discussion and contribute to the ongoing debate about how we can best work together to improve fire safety – both now and in years to come.”

Click here to download your copy of the Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings e-book.

BS 8629:2019 is the new code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of evacuation alert systems for use by fire and rescue services in England.

In place since November 2019, this code of practice recommends the installation of a dedicated evacuation alert system intended for the sole use of the fire and rescue services and separate from the building’s fire alarm system. Although not yet a legal requirement in England, evacuation alert control and indicating equipment (EACIE) installation is already mandatory in new buildings containing flats over 18 metres in Scotland. It is considered best practice by a number of fire and rescue services.

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC, protects a wide range of prestigious high-rise buildings across the globe – from London’s Shard to Dubai’s Landmark Group HQ and Miami’s Sands Pointe development.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Advanced’s reputation for performance, quality and ease of use sees its products specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations, to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging, false alarm management and reduction systems as well as emergency lighting.

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.