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Background Firefighters in F&RNSW and other fire services have suffered injuries and fatalities as a result of wall collapses. These incidents have occurred during both internal and external operations, meaning that choosing a defensive strategy alone is not sufficient to control the risk of wall collapse.

Walls of buildings that have been affected by fire, storm and tempest, or other impact can collapse without warning, resulting in firefighter injuries and fatalities. This bulletin provides information about the risk of wall collapse and the requirement for an exclusion zone to be maintained wherever a risk of wall collapse is identified.

Critical message All firefighters must observe exclusion zones of 1.5 x the height of any wall affected by fire or other impact. Firefighters must:

• Maintain situational awareness at incidents to identify and proactively report hazards to commanders

• Identify where exclusion zones are established or required and not enter them.

Incident Controllers must:

• During size-up, assess the risk of wall collapse to firefighters and other persons

• Regardless of wall construction, where a risk of wall collapse is identified, establish an exclusion zone of 1.5 x the height of the wall, clearly identified with barrier tape and communicated to all crews

• Consider appointing a Safety Advisor to review strategies and tactics. Hazards

Walls of buildings at incidents may collapse with little or no warning. Any change to other structural components, such as damage to support structures, is likely to affect stability. Fire presents a particularly high risk because heating of internal surfaces may cause internal expansion and displacement of wall materials, columns and beams, which can increase the risk of the wall collapsing.

OPERATIONS BULLETIN Bulletin Number 51 | Structural Wall Collapse | 2015

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Walls may collapse hours after impact or fire extinguishment, so the length of time a wall has remained standing should not be used as an indicator of stability. Wall collapse may also cause additional hazards such as detached power lines and other utilities. No level of personal protective equipment or clothing can protect a firefighter from wall collapse. In order to minimise risks, exclusion zones are required to be established with barrier tape and communicated to everyone at the incident.

Factors to consider Risk factors for wall collapse include:

• Type and duration of the incident

• Intensity of a fire or magnitude of impact such as explosion, storm or vehicle impact • External loads on the wall such as parapets, chimneys, awnings, signs and electrical

connections • Internal loads or changes that apply lateral force to the wall, such as water, heavy

plant, floor or joist displacement • Environmental factors such as wind.

Additional structural risk factors include: • Construction type, size and wall materials • The age, condition and height of the building • The size and location of openings such as windows, roof and floor design and any

engineered load systems • Pre-existing structural damage or deterioration, which may be indicated by the presence of

wall anchor plate distortion • Renovations or modifications to the structure • The presence of passive and active fire protection • Weight of firefighters and water used for extinguishment • Other impacts of our operations, including water jets or ladders pitched against the wall.

Parapets

Parapets are non load bearing, often decorative walls that extend above the roof line. They present a particular hazard because they generally have limited bracing or support.

Double brick wall collapse at a structure fire

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Examples of parapet walls

For buildings involved in fire, additional risk factors include:

• fuel load • location • behaviour • duration of the fire.

Firefighters need to be aware of the common wall construction types that include :

• Tilt slab • Sandwich panels • Single/double brick.

Each of these wall types will behave differently when impacted by fire.

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DISCUSSION POINTS 1. Do your response plans identify hazards and pre-determined assembly or parking locations

for fire appliances and other support agencies?

2. When responding to fire alarms in buildings, do you position fire appliances within the 1.5 exclusion zones just because you observe no fire activity or it is only a report of a fire alarm?

3. What other factors may increase the exclusion zone beyond 1.5 x wall height?

SACFS currently reinforces working principles and the hazards associated with structural collapse through Defensive Firefighting, Compartment Fire Behaviour and Basic Fire Fighting 1 training courses.

References: F&R NSW Safety Bulletin Wall Collapse March 2015 SACFS Training manuals

Distribution: All CFS staff, Groups and Brigades

Created by: Mark Thomason Manager Risk and Lessons Management

Authorisation: Chief Officer

Approved: (sign) Date: 29/07/2015