THE newly-released 2020 version of SANS 10400-T, ‘The application of the National Building Regulations – Fire Protection’, still does not adequately address all of the issues related to fire-safety designs.
This caution comes from ASP Fire CEO Michael van Niekerk, who notes that informal settlements and wildland urban fire interfaces, to mention a few, are not addressed. The acute lack of water and effective options to deal with it are also not included, albeit in commentary form.
“Our latest sprinkler code is in draft format, and is currently in circulation for comment. However, that is also not, to the best of my knowledge, a comprehensive standard like the American NFPA 13 standard for sprinklers,” van Niekerk points out.
Meanwhile, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has collaborated with a coalition of over 70 international organisations to develop a new fire safety global standard. The project aims to bring reassurance to people across the world that the buildings and infrastructure they use follows the best worldwide expertise on fire safety, RICS reported in a statement.
“I believe that international collaboration makes perfect sense, because unlike politics or cultural differences, fire burns everywhere in pretty much the same manner. The development of a standard that includes knowledge, experience and skills from across the globe can only be of benefit to all,” van Niekerk adds.
