Recently, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has raised objections to proposed amendments to the National Building Code of Canada that would allow woodframe construction of up to 12 storeys. Concerns brought up to the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes included;
- The lack of resources of many Canadian Fire Departments to respond safely & effectively to these combustible high-rise structures.
- The building code doesn’t reference or require any measurable level of fire protection for any given structure, such as in NFPA 1710
It is believed that more closely related fire-ground performance testing is needed for these “encapsulated mass timbers” that the building code proposes for tall wood construction. As more explosive developments & growth continues to occur in major cities across Canada, it is becoming ever more important to implement & maintain a healthy loss control program. Let us here at Premium Risk Services assist you in identifying these types of structures, and provide recommended treatments to reduce your likelihood & impact of these potential hazard risks on your organization.