BS 9999:2008

After 10 years in development, BSI British Standards has published BS 9999:2008 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.BS 9999 gives recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of buildings to achieve acceptable levels of fire safety for all people in and around buildings.BS 9999 is applicable to the design of new buildings, and to alterations, extensions and changes of use of an existing building, with the exception of individual homes and with limited applicability in the case of certain specialist buildings. It also provides guidance on the ongoing management of fire safety in a building throughout the entire life cycle of the building, including guidance for designers to ensure that the overall design of a building assists and enhances the management of fire safety. It can be used as a tool for assessing existing buildings, although fundamental change in line with the guidelines might well be limited or not practicable.BS 9999 contributes to the protection of people in buildings by:

• Working to prevent fires occurring in the first place
• Being aware of the types of people in the building and any special risks or needs (such as disabled people, see BS 8300 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people. Code of practice)
• Ensuring that all of the fire safety measures in the building are kept in working order, and in particular that the means of escape are always available
• Training staff and organizing the evacuation plan, to ensure that occupants leave quickly if a fire occurs
• Taking command in the event of a fire until the fire and rescue service arrives.

The standard builds on government guidance to legislative requirements, providing an advanced approach to fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings. It promotes a more flexible approach to fire safety design through use of structured risk-based design where designers can take account of varying human factors. The guidance on means of escape for disabled people (in respect of both design and management) is greatly expanded within BS 9999 from that in DD 9999 to reflect the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and the principles of inclusive design.Who should use BS 9999?

• Architects
• Designers
• Surveyors
• Facilities/building managers
• Fire and rescue service
• Building control officers
• Fire safety engineers
• Fire risk consultants
• NRAC and other qualified access consultants.

Cross References:BS 476BS 799-5BS 1635BS 3251BS 4533BS 4790BS 5234BS 5266-1BS EN 1838BS 5306-0BS 5306-1BS 5306-2BS 5306-3BS 5306-4BS 5306-5BS 5306-6BS 5306-8BS 5395-1BS 5395-2BS 5410-1BS 5410-2BS 5438:1989+A2:1994BS 5499BS 5651BS 5655-6BS 5656-1BS 5656-2BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2008BS 5839-3BS 5839-9:2003BS 5852:2006BS 5867-2:2008BS 5906BS 6180 BS 6262-4BS 6263-2BS 6644BS 6798 BS 7036BS 7157:1989BS 7176BS 7273-4 BS 7346-3BS 7346-4BS 7346-6BS 7346-7:2006BS 7671BS 7807BS 8214BS 8300BS 8313BS 8414-1BS 8414-2BS 8486-1BS 8486-2BS 9251BS 9990BS EN 54-7BS EN 54-11:2001+A1:2006BS EN 81BS EN 115BS EN 378BS EN 671BS EN 1125BS EN 1154BS EN 1155BS EN 1363BS EN 1364BS EN 1365BS EN 1366BS EN 1634-1BS EN 1634-3BS EN 12101BS EN 12150-1BS EN 12416-2 BS EN 12845BS EN 13501BS EN 13823BS EN 14179-1BS EN 60702-1BS EN 60702-2BS EN ISO 306BS EN ISO 1182BS EN ISO 1716BS EN ISO 12543-2BS EN ISO 14122-4BS ISO 10294-5BS ISO 14520ISO 834-1BS 2782BS 4422BS 4514BS 5255BS 5516-2BS 5655-11BS 5655-12BS 6133BS 6187BS 6266BS 6336BS 7974BS 25999-1PD 6520PD 7974-1PD 7974-3PD 7974-7BS EN 179BS EN 1021-1BS EN 1021-2BS EN 1158BS EN 1366-7 BS EN 1991-1-2BS EN 1993-1-2BS EN ISO 13943 BS EN ISO 9000DD ENV 1187:2002CEN/CENELEC Guide 6Replaces BS 5588 Parts 0, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and DD 9999:2005 which remain current.