Publishing and copyright information

The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.

The following BSI references relate to the work on this document:
Committee reference FSH/14
Draft for comment 19/30370288 DC

Foreword

Publishing information

This British Standard is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 30 April 2020. It was prepared by Technical Committee FSH/14, Fire precautions in buildings. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

Relationship with other publications

The British Standard is intended to be read in conjunction with BS 9999:2017.

Information about this document

The British Standard is intended to be used by:

railway owners, operators and infrastructure managers;
train operating companies (TOCs) – safety managers, station and tunnel managers and engineers;
design houses (single and multi‑disciplinary) – project managers, project engineers and fire safety engineers;
architects of railway infrastructure;
building and construction contractors;
system design contractors (engineers);
suppliers and installers of fire protection systems in railway infrastructure (fire detection and fire alarm systems, fire suppression and extinguishing systems, smoke control, pressurization and extract systems, fire‑resisting structures and separating elements, materials with fire performance requirements);
regulators; and
maintainers.

This British Standard provides recommendations and guidance on the provision of measures to control or mitigate the effects of fire. The primary objective is to ensure that an adequate standard of life safety can be achieved in the event of fire in the premises. A secondary objective is to provide a level of protection for property, the operation of the railway and businesses against the impact of fire, e.g. in close proximity to other premises or as part of the same premises or complex. These objectives can also have the effect of assisting the fire and rescue service and/or of providing environmental protection.

There are references throughout this British Standard to occupant safety, firefighter safety, and business and property protection, to draw attention to the different issues these could raise. It is, however, important to be aware that provisions solely for life safety are unlikely to provide the full level of protection for buildings and property in a fully developed fire scenario.

This British Standard complements BS 9999 and varies from it only where appropriate to support the particular ways in which railway infrastructure is constructed or operated. Where recommendations are not explicitly included, then the default is that BS 9999 be referred to for relevant guidance.

A fire safety engineering approach as detailed in BS 7974 might be more appropriate in the design of some complex railway premises.

This publication can be withdrawn, revised, partially superseded or superseded. Information regarding the status of this publication can be found in the Standards Catalogue on the BSI website at bsigroup.com/standards, or by contacting the Customer Services team.

Where websites and webpages have been cited, they are provided for ease of reference and are correct at the time of publication. The location of a webpage or website, or its contents, cannot be guaranteed.

Use of this document

As a code of practice, this British Standard takes the form of guidance and recommendations. It should not be quoted as if it were a specification and particular care should be taken to ensure that claims of compliance are not misleading.

Any user claiming compliance with this British Standard is expected to be able to justify any course of action that deviates from its recommendations.

It has been assumed in the preparation of this British Standard that the execution of its provisions will be entrusted to appropriately qualified and experienced people, for whose use it has been produced.

Presentational conventions

The provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its recommendations are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “should”.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute a normative element.

The word “should” is used to express recommendations of this standard. The word “may” is used in the text to express permissibility, e.g. as an alternative to the primary recommendation of the clause. The word “can” is used to express possibility, e.g. a consequence of an action or an event.

Notes and commentaries are provided throughout the text of this standard. Notes give references and additional information that are important but do not form part of the recommendations. Commentaries give background information.

Where words have alternative spellings, the preferred spelling of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is used (e.g. “organization” rather than “organisation”).

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

Section 1: General

0 Introduction

1 Scope

This British Standard gives recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of railway buildings and the permanent way to achieve reasonable standards of fire safety for all people in and around rail infrastructure (railways and guided systems).

It covers:

stations (surface, sub‑surface and enclosed);
platforms;
tunnels;
viaducts;
elevated rail;
train care depots and maintenance facilities;
training facilities;
sidings;
signalling/control facilities; and
ancillary buildings.

This British Standard is primarily intended for life safety but also gives guidance on protection of property, business and operations.

This British Standard is applicable to the design of new premises, and to material alterations, extensions and material change of use of existing premises.

This British Standard does not cover fire safety of rolling stock, or fire safety design strategies for extreme events such as terrorist actions.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 General recommendations and background

Section 2: Management of fire risk

5 General management procedures

6 Fire risk assessment

7 Emergency planning

8 Failure or non‑availability of equipment

Section 3: Integrating management within fire safety design

9 Operational concept

10 Management input during the design process

11 Trial operations and testing

12 Designing for the management of means of escape

Section 4: Designing means of escape

13 Principles of means of escape

14 Means of escape from areas of railway stations which have public access

15 Means of escape from non‑public areas of stations

16 Means of escape for persons with restricted mobility (PRM)

Section 5: Access and facilities for firefighting

17 General recommendations for firefighting facilities

18 Firefighting shafts

19 Vehicle access

20 Water supplies for fire and rescue service use

21 Communications systems for fire and rescue service use

22 Drawings for fire and rescue service use

23 Heat and smoke control

24 Isolation and earthing of traction power

25 Access and facilities for specific types of railway buildings or infrastructure

Section 6: Tunnels and viaducts

26 General recommendations for tunnels and viaducts

27 Ventilation and smoke control systems

28 Means of escape from tunnels and viaducts

29 Tunnel and viaduct fire resistance

Section 7: Railway train care and maintenance buildings

30 General recommendations for railway train care and maintenance buildings

31 Risk profile

32 Means of escape from train care depots and enclosed maintenance buildings

Section 8: Signalling control and electrical control centres

33 Control centre facilities

34 Design and construction of control centres

Section 9: Reaction to fire (materials and finishes)

35 Surface locations

36 Sub‑surface locations

37 Enclosed locations

Section 10: Fire safety during construction

38 Construction planning

39 Means of escape during construction

40 Fire protection measures

41 Facilities for firefighting during construction

42 Use of acetylene below ground

Section 11: Fire safety systems design

43 General recommendations for fire safety systems design

44 Passive fire protection

45 Fire detection and fire alarm

46 Fire suppression and extinguishing systems

47 Emergency lighting

48 Station smoke control

49 Emergency signage and fire safety notices

Bibliography

BS 9992:2020

Fire safety in the design, management and use of rail infrastructure. Code of practice

Current

Published:

30 Apr 2020