Fire Safety Level Research Articles

SCIENTIFICLY BASED CALCULATION METHODS AND EXPERIMENTAL DATA BASES FOR THE PREVENTION OF PREMIUM FIRE EXPLOSIONS AND UNSAFE EXPLOSIONS OF PYROTECHNIC MULTICOMPONENT NITRATE-METALLIZED MIXTURES UNDER EXTERNAL THERMAL

Problem statement. Methods of preventing the occurrence of forced fire-hazardous destruction of products in the event of exposure to external thermal actions are of great practical importance. At the same time, they should be based on scientifically based methods for determining the critical values of parameters of thermal effects on products and technological parameters of mixture charges, the excess of which leads to premature fire-hazardous destruction of products. To develop such methods, it is necessary to have the results of theoretical and experimental studies of the processes of heating the shells of mixture charges for various external heat flows and their thermoreaction times, as well as the processes of ignition and development of their combustion under different external conditions. Purpose of the article. To form the results of theoretical studies in the form of scientifically based methods that allow preventing and controlling the premature ignition of mixture charges, the explosive development of their combustion process and the fire-hazardous destruction of products under conditions of external thermal effects, as well as the compilation of the results of experimental studies into a single database with determination of the influence of the technological parameters of the mixtures on the characteristics of their ignition processes and the development of combustion, the use of which allows reducing the number of fire-explosive destruction of products in conditions of elevated heating temperatures and external pressures. Conclusion. Scientifically based methods of determining the critical values of the parameters of external thermal actions for the quantitative assessment of the level of fire safety of pyrotechnic products based on multi-component nitrate-metallized mixtures have been developed. A scientific and technical base of experimental data was created to determine the regularities of the influence of a wide class of technological parameters of mixtures on the main characteristics of the processes of ignition and development of combustion of mixtures (ignition temperature, induction time, speed of combustion development) under conditions of external thermal actions (elevated heating temperatures, external pressures, etc.), which makes it possible to determine the probability of fires occurring at facilities where products are stored.

Development of a Zr-Based Metal-Organic Framework (UiO-66) for a Cooperative Flame Retardant in the PC/ABS.

Polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) blends are widely used as engineering plastic alloys; however, they have a low fire safety level. To improve the flame-retardant property of PC/ABS, a zirconium-based metal-organic framework material (UiO-66) was synthesized with zirconium chloride and terephthalic acid and used as a flame-retardant cooperative agent. Its flame-retardant performance and mode of action in the PC/ABS blends were carefully investigated. The results showed that UiO-66 had good thermal stability and delayed the pyrolysis of the materials, thus significantly enhancing the efficiency of intumescent flame retardants. By compounding 7.0 wt% hexaphenyloxy-cyclotri-phosphazene (HPCTP) with 3.0 wt% UiO-66, the PC/ABS blends reached a limiting oxygen index value of 27.0% and V0 rating in the UL-94 test, showing significantly improved resistance to combustion dripping. In addition, UiO-66 enhanced the smoke and heat suppression characteristics of the intumescent flame-retardant materials. Finally, the flame-retardant mode of action in the blends was indicative of UiO-66 having a cooperative effect on the flame-retardant performance of PC/ABS/HPCTP materials. This work provides good ideas for further development of the flame-retardant ABS/PC.

A Comparative Study of Fire Code Classifications of Building Materials

Whether noncombustible or combustible construction is used, the presence of combustible materials is likely to be used for various reasons, such as interior finishes, flooring, and insulation. Consequently, how regulations consider the degree of combustibility in their fire classifications will influence the level of fire safety provided in these buildings and the exchanges between all actors in the construction sector. In North America, the regulation of combustibility is primarily governed by surface flame spread assessed through the Steiner tunnel test. While there is a growing prevalence of calorimetric methods globally, their incorporation into North American building codes remains notably limited. Based on ISO 5660-1 cone calorimeter test results of twenty commercially available North American building materials, a comparative study was conducted between the Canadian flame spread classification and the classifications in Japan, New Zealand and the European Union (Euroclass). The tests and their limitations are described herein, as well as the conceptual frameworks. The results suggest that as materials’ combustibility levels increase, the level of agreement between classifications decreases and remains binary. The choice between the material and system scales is crucial for determining the effective development and implementation of regulations.

Performance assessment of stairwell smoke prevention techniques in a model high-rise building

The complexities of construction and increased fuel loading in high-rise buildings implied engineers to shift towards performance-based design (PBD) instead of prescription design to ensure a higher level of fire safety. Since PBD is an iterative process, so engineering models and tools based on numerical techniques are generally used to evaluate the trial designs. In the present study, various methods of stairwell smoke prevention have been analysed and compared using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) in a model high-rise building. Optimization is done by defining critical values of smoke layer height and maximum pressure differential as 2 m and 55 Pa, respectively. Results demonstrated that natural and cross ventilation in the stairwell are not fully effective for smoke prevention due to the enhanced stack effect observed in them. Further, the pressurization of stairwell at a minimum differential pressure of 25–30 Pa seems to be effective only when all windows in the stairwell are closed. Effectiveness of single and multiple injection pressurization techniques are also assessed. The single injection system fails to maintain the required pressure differential when multiple doors are opened and causes high-pressure differentials at the top stories. Open windows in the stairwell reduce the effectiveness of the pressurization method. Placing an exhaust duct near windows enhances the effectiveness of the PPV method, even at lower capacities of supply vents, and proves effective when stairwell windows are open by creating a higher stack effect in the exhaust duct. The current research involved a comparative analysis of various stairwell smoke prevention methods, as outlined in NFPA 92 and in accordance with the National Building Code of India. The findings may have broader applicability beyond the studied context.

Метод оценки критериев оптимизации системы электробезопасности в инфраструктуре села

The article provides an analysis of the state of energy availability and equipment of electric installations for infrastructure facilities in rural settlements. The main type of technogenic hazards is marked – the electrical hazard that occurs in emergency modes of operation of electrical installations. The conditions for solving the safety problem and choosing the optimal variant of the electrical safety system are given. The indicators of the technical efficiency of the electrical safety system are determined, characterized by the likelihood of electrical injury to a person and the likelihood of a fire in electrical installations at facilities. The choice of the most appropriate options for the use of electrical protection equipment, providing for the joint use of automatic switches and protective shutdown devices, was made as a result of comparing the likelihood of electrical injury and fire with a normalized risk level of electrical and fire safety. A method for optimizing the electrical safety system is considered according to two particular criteria representing the average values of the probabilities of electrical injury and fire with the equivalence of their values. The task of optimizing the security system is indicated, which consists in constructing a vector criterion of optimality and converting it into a scalar criterion using the "assignment" method to obtain a normalized partial criterion. The normalized private criteria of electrical and fire safety are determined using a scalar criterion for the selection of electrical protection options for an agricultural facility. An algorithm for evaluating the effectiveness of the electrical safety system in dangerous situations of electrical injuries has been built. The description of the construction of an algorithm for modeling the state of fire safety of the system in the event of fires in electrical installations is given. A comprehensive assessment of the normalized criterion for optimizing the electrical safety system was obtained according to two normalized criteria for electrical and fire safety and the choice of optimal electrical protection options at the studied facility. Keywords: TECHNOGENIC HAZARD, ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION, ACCIDENT, ELECTRICAL INJURY, TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY, EVALUATION CRITERIA, OPTIMIZATION OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL PROTECTION

Evaluating 900 Potentially Harming Fires in Germany: Is the Prescriptive Building Code Effective? German Fire Departments Assessed Fire Safety Measures in Buildings Through On-Site Inspections

Fire statistics mirror the outcome of fire prevention. Most fire statistics in Germany deal with the loss of life, value, and fire department actions (number of interventions, nozzles used, or alarm category like a false alarm). However, these results also represent the safety level the legislator has set through the prescriptive building regulations. The current statistics cannot evaluate the level of fire safety and the fulfillment or necessity of fire safety precautions. Today, expert judgment from firefighters is necessary to fill this gap. Here, we show the first evaluation of fire prevention and hazard protection measures by evaluating 900 potentially harming fires throughout Germany. In contrast to minor fires, these fires have advanced to the extent that they could potentially violate the protection objectives outlined in building regulations. The fire department association developed a questionnaire to evaluate the fire safety level and possibly reduce unnecessary fire safety regulations. One hundred twenty-three fire departments carried out the questionnaire, which are responsible for 25% of the German population. Fire prevention officers of the fire departments went to the scene after the fire was extinguished, and the fire safety concept of the building could be evaluated. We found a high rate of injuries, smoke spread, need for rescue by firefighters, and higher than expected firefighter response times after arrival at the scene. Surprisingly, smoke spread rates correlated with building height and not with building age. It was even possible to assess the risk of multiple casualties. Overall, the questionnaire results give insight into the current level of fire safety in existing buildings. Ways and rates for smoke and fire spread prove the importance of second escape routes and the influence of human misconduct. According to these results, current building code regulations are sufficient to prevent fire spread. On the other hand, smoke spreading is a severe threat to people’s safety. For example, the data shown can be applied in Bayes nets or other risk calculations to optimize individual building designs or even governmental building codes concerning fire safety engineering. Based on our observations, science, and building codes, authorities could in the future establish a performance-based building code instead of the current prescriptive code. This paper presents the first approach in Germany to quantify the expert judgment of fire departments and use it as a source of knowledge for fire prevention.

Replacement fire protection solutions for a pick tower building - case study

Polish construction law and technical and building regulations allow for deviations from the requirements with appropriate alternative solutions. Modern buildings often require an individual approach due to the fact that the current regulations do not keep up with the constantly emerging modern technical solutions. This requires the development of engineering design documentation in the form of a technical opinion on the state of fire protection, prepared by building and fire protection experts. This documentation, previously agreed with the locally competent Regional Fire Chief of the State Fire Service, is submitted through the local building authority to the Minister responsible for construction issues. The subject of the article is the development of a justified set of alternative solutions for a warehouse building equipped with pick tower racks. Modern computer methods, simulations of evacuation, smoke extraction and construction were used to justify the solutions used. Determination of the mutual influence of the applied solutions on the expected level of fire safety allowed to confirm the validity of the adopted design concept. As a result, a complete fire protection concept was obtained, which, after its application to the documentation of the construction project, will allow safe use of the building. The analyzed building was implemented in Poland and, using the described fire safety concept, passed all stages of the investment process.

Features of Organizational and Technical Measures to Increase the Level of Survivability and Explosion and Fire Safety of Potentially Dangerous Objects

Purpose. The work is aimed at studying the peculiarities of organizational and technical measures to improve the level of explosion and fire safety of potentially dangerous objects. Methodology. To achieve this goal: 1) a study was conducted to identify possible hazards and risks at potentially hazardous facilities; 2) practical organizational and technical measures to improve the level of explosion and fire safety of hazardous facilities were analyzed; 3) the composition and capabilities of the system of early detection of the threat of emergencies and warning, as well as the possibility of implementing this system at the relevant facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were assessed; 4) the main types of automated warning and the principles of their operation were considered, and the available technical solutions were analyzed. Findings. The peculiarities of organizational and technical measures to improve the level of explosion and fire safety of munitions storage facilities are summarized. The key stages of the implementation of technological solutions to ensure the survivability of potentially hazardous facilities are identified. Originality. For the first time, an analytical justification for the need to use hazard monitoring systems and timely warning of possible emergencies at munitions storage facilities and other potentially hazardous facilities was carried out. The features of design and technological solutions to improve the level of explosion and fire safety of munitions storage facilities through organizational and technical measures are considered. Practical value. The implementation of effective design and technological solutions for the use of hazard monitoring systems and timely warning of possible emergencies will allow to move from damage localization measures to the forecast and prevention of disasters and reliable protection of munitions storage facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other potentially dangerous facilities and critical infrastructure of the state.

Fire safety assessment for alternative cruise ship design based on BWM and DEMATEL by linguistic Z‐number

AbstractThis paper proposes a risk assessment method based on the best‐worst method (BWM) and decision‐making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to evaluate the fire safety level of alternative design schemes for cruise ships relative to the standard‐based options. Firstly, the analytic hierarchy model of fire safety assessment is constructed by analyzing the passive fire protection system, active fire protection system, and evacuation and escape capability of cruise ship large cabins. Then, the linguistic scale functions and Z‐numbers are used to deal with the fuzzy evaluation of fire safety factors by experts, and the maximizing consensus technique is adopted to determine the weight of each expert to enhance group consistency. Considering the influence degree of each factor on fire safety and the correlation between factors, the BWM is combined with DEMATEL to establish the risk source weight calculation model. The fire safety level of alternative cruise ship designs is further determined by the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation approach. Finally, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, a fire safety assessment is conducted on the alternative design scheme of a luxury cruise passenger restaurant. The results confirm that the proposed method can effectively evaluate the fire safety of alternative design compared to the standard‐based scheme.

ПОВЫШЕНИЕ ВЗРЫВОПОЖАРНОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ПРОИЗВОДСТВЕННЫХ ПОМЕЩЕНИЙ С ВЫДЕЛЕНИЕМ ОРГАНИЧЕСКИХ ПЫЛЕЙ

The stability of the work of enterprises of dust-forming areas of industry critically depends on the ability of enterprises to ensure the required level of explosion and fire safety of production, which increases the relevance of improving the traditional methods used, as well as the introduction of new and additional explosion prevention measures.
 In the article, using mathematical and computer modeling methods, the main factors and patterns of the formation of an explosive dust situation in ventilated industrial premises with the release of combustible dust are investigated. On this basis, the possibility of using permanent general exchange ventilation to reduce the likelihood of the formation of explosive situations and prevent the occurrence of explosions and fires in dusty industrial premises is shown.

О ПОВЫШЕНИИ УРОВНЯ ВЗРЫВОПОЖАРОБЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ТРУБОПРОВОДОВ

It has been shown that the use of various physical methods in the process of examination of the state of process pipelines involves working with a significant range of measuring instruments and a variety of document formats. In the course of the study, a model
 of information support for the process pipeline life cycle was formed, based on the CALS concept, which, within the framework of the information space of the «Process Pipeline», can provide uniform methods of effective interaction between employees of control and supervisory bodies, enterprise personnel and specialists of expert organizations, taking into account the content of the current regulatory framework. To host resources, a private cloud infrastructure is offered in the form of a cluster of MS Windows Server DataCenter running Hyper-V. The local scheme of information interaction between the enterprise, the expert organization and the control and supervisory body, as well as the algorithm for loading the technical report into the database, have been developed and implemented.

Нормативно-технические документы, регламентирующие предремонтную подготовку нефтяных резервуаров

Purpose. One of the most important stages in working out measures for reducing fire and explosion safety of fire and maintenance works on tanks is a qualitative analysis of regulatory documentation containing fire safety requirements for cleansing tanks. Generalization of fire statistics indicates that half of fires connected with pre-maintenance make-ready occur on tanks after they have been cleaned during hot works. This conclusion determines the need for analyzing technical guidance documents and experience in pre-maintenance make-ready in practice. Methods. The article analyzes technical guidance documents in the field of fire and explosion safety of pre-maintenance make-ready and hot works, presents statistical data, and also summarizes practical experience. Findings. The results of the analysis of technical guidance documents regulating the pre-maintenance make-ready of oil tanks led to the conclusion that it is necessary to develop new regulatory documents containing the correct sequence of pre-maintenance make-ready work of oil tanks for ensuring their fire and explosion safety. Research application field. The analysis and elaboration of the regulatory and technical framework will allow finding a new approach to the methods of pre-maintenance make-ready and hot works for improving fire and explosion safety of oil tank farms. Conclusions. Generalization and analysis of scientific and technical documentation indicates that fire and technical requirements are contradictory and do not fully reflect the necessary issues of ensuring fire and explosion safety. The generalization of practical experience shows that the empirical approach does not allow achieving the required level of fire and explosion safety established by GOST 12.1.004-91. To increase the level of fire and explosion safety, a comprehensive study of fire hazard of pre-maintenance make-ready, an experimental and theoretical justification of the quantitative criteria for tanks readiness for hot works, an analysis of fire and technical requirements for the most common in practice technological operations (ventilation, steaming, hydraulic cleansing) and development of fire and explosion safety requirements for hot works on tanks without their preliminary cleansing are necessary.

Оценка пожарного риска на производственных объектах в информационно-аналитической системе «Probit»

Purpose. The article substantiates the need to develop the information and analytical system (IAS) “Probit” designed to justify the sufficiency or development of additional systems for ensuring fire safety of industrial facilities based on the calculated determination of fire risk values. The capabilities and features of the program are described. Methods. The methodology for determining the computed values of fire risk at production facilities, approved by the Order of EMERCOM of Russia dated July 10, 2009 No. 404. served as a methodological and regulatory base for writing the IAS “Probit”. The programming languages JavaScript, PHP, Vue.js and Laravel frameworks were used directly for the development of the IAS as well as a MySQL relational database. Findings. The proposed scientific approach allows not only evaluating the effectiveness of using a particular fire protection system on the same equipment, but also comparing fire hazard of different process equipment, that is, to predict, for example, how many times a tank is more dangerous than a distillation column, and a distillation column than a pump or compressor etc. This approach can be used not only to assess the technological equipment fire hazard, but also when insuring production facilities. Research application field. The IAS “Probit” is intended to be used in the activities of EMERCOM of Russia, expert organizations, research and design institutes, as well as higher educational institutions and other educational organizations, when dealing with the issues of confirming the compliance of industrial objects protection with the required level of fire safety, including implementation of final qualifying works, the development of technical specification and company standards. Conclusions. The “Probit” information and analytical system application in educational process can significantly improve the quality of training specialists who are competent in the following areas: methods for assessing the compliance of the object under protection with the requirements of regulations and normative documents; methods for determining fire risk estimated values; fire safety systems for protecting facilities aimed at reducing fire risk.

Влияние ограждений вертикальных стальных резервуаров с бензином на снижение потенциального пожарного риска

Purpose. The article discusses the procedure and features of developing logical event trees, which are an integral part of the fire hazard analysis in the assessment of fire risks at industrial facilities and are widely applied at various facilities to be protected, using the example of emergency situations at typical vertical steel tanks (VST) with gasoline. The authors demonstrate the effect of the standard earthen embankment and the enclosing wall with a wave deflector for a VST on reducing the potential fire risk. Methods. The methodological and regulatory basis for developing logical event trees and assessing fire risk are the requirements of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation No. 123-FZ dated 22.07.2008 “Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements”, as well as the “Methodology for Determining Estimated Values of Fire Risk at Industrial Facilities”, approved by Order of EMERCOM of Russia No. 404 dated 10.07.2009. Findings. The paper presents complete logical event trees that can be implemented on RVSs with gasoline, and provides information on the justification of the frequency rate of a fire hazard, even if its standard values are absent. The efficiency of using an enclosing wall with a wave deflector in tank farms is substantiated. For the considered RVS-20000 with gasoline, the use of such a barrier can reduce the potential fire risk in the range from 10–6 to 10–8 year–1 at the corresponding distances from the tank from 7.7 to 13 times, compared with the application of a standard earthen embankment. Research application field. The developed logical event trees and proposals for constructing enclosing walls with a wave deflector in tank farms can be used in activities of EMERCOM of Russia, expert organizations, research and design institutes, as well as higher education institutions and other educational organizations, when resolving issues of confirming the compliance of industrial facilities to be protected with the required level of fire safety based on fire risk assessment within the framework of performing final qualification papers and developing special technical conditions. Conclusions. The use of the obtained results in the educational process will improve the quality of training students who are competent in the following areas: methods of assessing the compliance of the facility to be protected with the requirements of regulations and normative documents; methods for determining the calculated values of fire risk; systems for ensuring fire safety of facilities to be protected aimed at reducing fire risk.

Requirements for cables as categories of construction products and thermal resistance of power cables

Introduction. One of the main driving factors of the demand for cable and conductor products is the modern trend of urbanization, which leads to an increase in cities with significantly increased requirements for electrical networks of transportation and distribution of electrical energy. This requires the development of appropriate infrastructure with significant demand for electricity in the commercial, industrial and residential sectors. The construction industry uses a wide range of cables with an appropriate set of electrical and mechanical properties, resistance to the influence of external climatic factors, and, first of all, must meet fire safety requirements. Increasing construction activity is stimulating the market for fire-resistant cables in the construction industry. According to the Construction Products Regulation, power, telecommunication cables, data cables, control and management, fiber optic refer to construction products in the EU member states. These cables are intended for the supply of electrical energy and communication, which are permanently installed in buildings and other engineering structures. Power, telecommunications, data and control cables are considered construction products, and are the only electrical products classified as construction. Over the next 15 years, Eastern Europe is expected to see increased growth in the construction industry, as the end of the war in Ukraine requires nearly $1 trillion in reconstruction. A strategic task in the reconstruction of the country is the use of cable and conductor products with increased operational properties, including in the construction industry. Significant efforts and investments in innovation and certification of cable and conductor products require manufacturers to create construction products of the «Power, control and communication cables» category with a high level of fire safety in accordance with the Euroclassification of cables in terms of reaction to fire depending on the level of safety. Purpose. Analysis of fire safety requirements for cables as a category of construction products and determination of thermal resistance of power cables based on experimental thermal studies of modern electrical insulating compositions. Methodology. The thermal stability of power cables with a voltage of 0,66/1 kV was determined, depending on the design, based on the conducted experimental studies of the thermal stability of electrical insulation materials, between the core filling and the polymer sheath, removed from the cable samples. On the basis of the conducted correlation analysis between thermal resistance and fire load, which are important parameters for confirming the quality and safety of the entire cable, it has been proven that the efficiency of halogen-free compositions to meet fire safety requirements increases with the increase in the cross-section and number of cores in the cable. Practical value. Determining the heat load and fire resistance of cables of various designs and areas of application based on the obtained experimental data on the heat of combustion of polymer cable materials is necessary and justified at the stage of mastering and determining the prospects for the production of cables with modern halogen-free electrical insulation compositions in accordance with fire safety requirements.

Дослідження методик розрахунку прогресуючого обвалення

Modeling of the progressive collapse of buildings under fire conditions was carried out using the LIRA-CAD software environment in order to increase the level of fire safety. Scientific works and standardization of requirements for the progressive collapse of buildings in fire conditions are analyzed, the causes of progressive collapse in fire conditions, modern methods and approaches to calculating progressive collapse in fire conditions in the USA and Ukraine are considered. It has been established that currently there is no single methodology for calculating "progressive collapse". Ensuring (development of calculation methodology) the necessary resistance of objects to progressive collapse under various combined special effects of fire and explosion is an urgent scientific and practical task. A numerical model of the progressive collapse of the building under fire conditions, which can lead to the progressive collapse of the building, has been developed. For this, the LIRA-SAPR software complex was used. A finite-element model of a three-story parking lot was created. The applied differential equation of thermal conductivity takes into account radiation-convective heat transfer from the gas medium to the heating surfaces of the column, heat transfer by thermal conductivity in the column. Stiffness types and corresponding characteristics were determined for the model. As a result of the numerical modeling, the place of the fire was established, the consequences of which will lead to the loss of the load-bearing capacity of the structures, and, as a result, to the loss of the overall stability of the parking building. It has been established that approaches to increase the area of reinforcement take place in the design of buildings and structures, but are generally not acceptable in the operation of already constructed buildings and in the case of the need to increase the fire resistance limits of reinforced concrete structures to standardized values.

Method of information technology for structure analysis of urban network fire-rescue units

The subject of this study is the process of analyzing the structure of the network of fire-rescue units of the city in the context of optimizing their spatial distribution. The purpose of this work is to increase the objectivity of decisions made while forming a city network of fire-rescue units by creating an information technology (IT) method for analysis of its structure based on the use of spatially distributed data. Objectives: to find ways to improve the level of fire safety, analyze existing approaches to the formation of a network of fire-rescue units, considering the peculiarities of building and organizing a network, and adapt the classical problem of placement; to propose a method for solving it to minimize the distance between the fire-rescue unit and the possible place of fire while ensuring maximum coverage of the territory by fire service; and to develop IT structure for its implementation based on the information flow model of the process of analyzing the fire-rescue units network using a geospatial approach. The following results were obtained. The study of the classical location problem and its adaptation to real problems arising from the analysis of the urban network of fire-rescue units made it possible to represent it as a set of independent complete bipartite graphs. To search the location of network nodes while solving an adapted problem, an IT method is developed, which, based on the p-median model, combines the author’s methodology for studying information processes and methods of geospatial analysis. Summarizing the requirements of the current legislation, a set of input and output IT data and a set of operations have been formed. The representation of the IT structure in the form of a data flow diagram explains how the set of factors is processed and generalized when making decisions on the creation and / or improvement of the existing city fire department. Conclusions. The results of the bibliographic search confirm the need to consider the spatial features of the area where it is planned to create a fire-rescue unit, as well as the spatial configuration of the urban network of existing fire stations, to evaluate its effectiveness using an integrated indicator. This requires the development of specialized methods focused on the use of geo-information systems for their implementation in decision support systems. Scientific and methodological support for IT has been developed, which gives local authorities a tool for analyzing fire safety in the city to create and / or improve the existing fire protection. An experiment to study the capabilities of the proposed method based on volunteered geographic information on Kharkiv city showed the effectiveness of its use for solving classical problems of placement, considering the accepted restrictions on the spatial availability of fire-rescue units. At the same time, additional opportunities appear in the formation of options for improving the network of fire-rescue units, considering their spatial distribution, workload, accessibility, and the resulting areas of coverage / non-coverage by the fire service. For example, the fire service coverage area of the existing structure of fire stations has been assessed. During the regulated time, it reaches 70% of the Kharkiv city area, and depending on the real road traffic, it can vary from 64.61% to 73.44%. It is illustrated that the creation of two additional fire and rescue units in the northern and southern parts of Kharkiv will increase the coverage area by approximately 5%, on average increasing it to 75.1%

MATHEMATICAL MEANS OF DETERMINING THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE LOCAL AREA

The paper addresses the topical issue of fire safety concerning optimising the number and territorial location of fire departments. The ultimate goal of this optimisation is to minimise the cost associated with creating and maintaining fire departments within a particular administrative territory while ensuring the required level of fire safety for all users, whether residential or industrial facilities. In solving this problem, we consider options for different functional capacities of fire departments involving various combinations of specialised firefighting vehicles and equipment. To determine the minimum necessary number of fire units, we have developed a mathematical model based on models of simultaneous parallel calls. The model uses a probabilistic approach to estimating the number of calls per unit of time. In our effort to optimise the deployment of fire units within local areas, the article introduces an optimisation geometry model, which searches for conditions that cover the entire range of potentially suitable deployment points. To address this complex issue, we propose a method known as the weighted p-median problem, which allows us to represent the array of potential fire incident locations and the potential points for deploying fire units using two matrices. The determining criterion is the distance between the caller and the fire department, as it is the distance that determines the time of arrival of the department to the place of call. The arrival time of the fire department to the call location is the key indicator of the quality of service per most regulatory documents from different countries worldwide. The use of the proposed mathematical models as a theoretical basis for designing new buildings in cities and administrative districts or for checking compliance with safety standards will allow the administrations of the respective territories to reduce the costs of creating and maintaining fire departments while preserving the required level of fire safety. Furthermore, to simplify the use of the obtained theoretical results, there is potential to develop an automated software package based on the proposed models. Such a tool would extend the accessibility of our results to a broad audience, including practitioners and decision-makers. Keywords: fire departments, fire safety level, call flows, optimal placement, functionality.

Reconciling chemical flame retardant exposure and fire risk in domestic furniture.

Evidence suggests that standards for resistance of furniture to ignition may lead to an increase in use of chemical flame retardants (CFRs). This is motivating the development of new approaches that maintain high levels of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in use of CFRs. However, reconciling potential fire risk with use of CFRs in relation to specific policy objectives is challenging. To inform the development of a new policy in the UK for the fire safety of furniture, we developed for domestic furniture quantitative models of fire risk and potential for CFR exposure. We then combined the models to determine if any lower fire risk, higher CFR exposure categories of furniture were identifiable. We applied a novel mixed-methods approach to modelling furniture fire risk and CFR exposure in a data-poor environment, using literature-based concept mapping, qualitative research, and data visualisation methods to generate fire risk and CFR exposure models and derive furniture product rankings. Our analysis suggests there exists a cluster of furniture types including baby and infant products and pillows that have comparable overall properties in terms of lower fire risk and higher potential for CFR exposure. There are multiple obstacles to reconciling fire risk and CFR use in furniture. In particular, these include a lack of empirical data that would allow absolute fire risk and exposure levels to be quantified. Nonetheless, it seems that our modelling method can potentially yield meaningful product clusters, providing a basis for further research.

ADDRESSING THE FIRE SAFETY PROBLEMS IN SHOPPING CENTRES OF DHAKA CITY: A CASE STUDY ON SOME SELECTED SHOPPING CENTRES IN MIRPUR AREA

The city of dhaka has been seeing a significant number of fire incidents. The exacerbation of the crisis is mostly attributed to a combination of institutional incompetence, insufficient equipment support, poor preventative measures, and a lack of awareness among people. The occurrence of fires in various shopping malls has become more prevalent in contemporary times. In the event of fire incidents inside shopping malls, there is a potential for both human casualties and property damage to occur. Contemporary shopping practices include the use of ornamental materials that possess a heightened susceptibility to combustion, hence amplifying the risk of fire incidents. The objective of this research is to assess the state of fire safety management in retail complexes. This research focuses on conducting a survey to assess fire safety in four high rise retail complexes located in the Mirpur region of Dhaka city. This study aimed to design a checklist methodology for assessing the fire safety standards of retail complexes. The assessment of fire safety levels in shopping malls by the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense directorate involves assigning varying weights to several parameters related to fire safety management. A study has shown that the majority of shopping malls exhibit characteristics of being high rise and mixed use, hence exacerbating their susceptibility to fires and subsequently increasing the associated fire risk. The majority of the shopping centers that were assessed are situated next to important roads, which are often broad enough to accommodate fire engines. However, a recurring issue arises as these roadways often experience congestion or occupation. Out of the shopping centers surveyed, only Mirpur Shopping Center possesses an emergency exit and some essential fire signs and symbols. Conversely, the remaining three shopping centers, namely Shah Ali Plaza, Muktobangla Shopping Complex, and Shah Ali Shopping Complex, do not have designated emergency exits, signs, and symbols altogether. This deficiency causes these shopping centers to be more vulnerable to fire hazards and reduces their overall level of safety. These shopping malls are extensively encompassed by various electric poles and transformers. The fire safety score of Mirpur Shopping Center is 56.57 (excellent), Shah Ali Plaza is 33.55 (average) and Shah Ali Complex and Muktobangla is 25.44 and 26.75 (poor) respectively. The Fire hazard vulnerability score of Mirpur Shopping Center is 11 (less vulnerable), Shah Ali Plaza is 26 (moderate vulnerable), Muktobangla Shopping Complex is 31 (highly vulnerable) and Shah Ali Shopping Complex is 35 (highly vulnerable). A lot of people are talking about how the fire brigade in our country doesn't have the right tools or the most up-to-date training, and they aren't keeping an eye on safety measures closely enough.