Preventive fire protection is one of the key safety aspects that every company should consider in detail. The following ten questions should help you to gain a comprehensive overview of the necessary measures. We would also be pleased to inform you about our services in the area of Fire item and fire watches.
Preventive fire protection is one of two sub-areas of fire protection. In addition to preventive fire protection, there is also defensive fire protection. Defensive fire protection refers to all those measures that have to be taken to combat a fire that has already broken out. These tasks are largely the responsibility of the fire brigade.
In contrast, preventive fire protection refers to Measures taken before a mThe risk of a possible outbreak of fire can be minimised.to improve the security situation and thus prevent a potential fire before it starts and spreads. Preventive fire protection measures can be categorised into three classes:
In general, every employer must fulfil the requirement to provide a workplace that is safe from a health and safety perspective. The specific measures required for comprehensive fire protection in the company are stipulated by the Industrial Safety Ordinance and the Workplace Ordinance, among others. In addition, insurers and employers' liability insurance associations routinely issue fire prevention regulations to provide guidance.
Good to know: When taking out a company-related fire insurance policy, proof of compliance with the statutory fire protection requirements must generally be provided.
Preventive fire protection begins with a and proper construction or adaptation of the building and theudes - i.e. structural fire protection. This includes all measures relating to the structural systems and architectural concepts. It is essential to ensure that the fire brigade has easy access to the building in an emergency and that external access is possible with the help of extinguishing water.
The construction of fire compartments also plays an important role. For this purpose Fire walls whose protection objectives are to decisively delay and contain the progressive spread of fire. The building materials for load-bearing walls and particularly fire-prone building sections must be selected in terms of fire resistance and fire behaviour depending on the building class.
In order to evacuate people in the building as quickly as possible in the event of a fire, it is necessary to draw up and implement an evacuation plan. Concept for escape and rescue routes required. Ideally, the Principle of the second escape route can be realised; escaping persons have the choice between two different escape routes at each location in the building.
Technical or system-related fire protection includes operational facilities - such as smoke and heat extraction systems (SHEVS), fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire doors and extinguishing water supplies - including Preventive systems, such as fire alarm systems, manual sirens and visual and audible alarm systems.
The installation of appropriate systems, devices and aids for the early detection and initial suppression of fires is an important step in preventive fire protection. In order to ensure the functionality of the technical equipment, the Installations carried out on time by qualified personnel, The fire protection system must be inspected and tested by a qualified fire safety officer.
Organisational measures are also part of preventive fire protection and serve the extremely relevant purpose of guiding affected persons quickly and safely out of the danger zone in the event of an emergency. Training, instructions and evacuation drills help to prepare the workforce for a smooth and controlled process in the event of a fire. It is also recommended:
Important: The provision of professionally trained specialists for preventive fire protection is essential, especially for work involving a fire hazard.
5. what measures can be taken to minimise the risk of fire in buildings?
Preventive fire protection is made up of several elementary sub-areas. To minimise the risk of fire and fire hazards, the fire protection concept should include the following measures, among others:
Cyclical inspections are of great relevance for preventive fire protection. To this end, the following measures should be carried out at regular intervals:
The structural fire protection requirements that buildings must fulfil are set out in the Building regulations of the federal states and the Model Building Code (MBO) are defined. The requirements differ in terms of the building class. The building classes (GK) are primarily determined by the height of the top floor level (OKF) and the number and area of the utilisation units (NE).
The following table is based on the MBO and provides an overview of the Overview of the respective building classes and their properties as well as extracts of the requirements. Important note: Please note that the information is further specified or adapted by building regulations and fire protection requirements at state level.
| Building class | Properties | Requirements |
| GK 1a | Free-standing ≤ 2 NE Total area of all NE ≤ 400 m2 OKF ≤ 7 m | 1. fire-retardant ceiling in the basement |
| GK 1b | Free-standing, agricultural or forestry use | 1. fire-retardant ceiling in the basement |
| GK 2 | Not free-standing ≤ 2 NE Total area of all NE ≤ 400 m2 OKF ≤ 7 m | 1. fire-retardant interior walls and ceilings 2. exterior walls: fire-retardant from the inside to the outside, fire-resistant from the outside to the inside |
| GK 3 | Other buildings with an OKF ≤ 7 m (e.g. total area of all NE > 400 m2) | 1. fire-retardant interior walls and ceilings 2. exterior walls: fire-retardant from the inside out, fire-resistant from the outside in 3. fire-resistant ceiling in the basement |
| GK 4 | NE area per ≤ 400 m2 OKF ≤ 13 m | 1. highly fire-retardant walls and ceilings 2. fire-resistant ceiling in the basement 3. external walls: Highly fire-resistant wall under additional mechanical stress |
| GK 5 | Other buildings, underground buildings | 1. fire-resistant walls and ceilings 2. external walls: fire wall under additional mechanical stress fire-resistant |
Note: Only the gross floor area is to be used to calculate the floor area. Areas in basements are not included.
In the The architects and engineers of the building are responsible for the planning phase.for preventive fire protection. They are responsible for designing appropriate and necessary structural concepts in terms of an effective fire protection concept. In doing so, both firefighting and evacuation scenarios must be taken into account and reliable statements must be made about the fire resistance duration of the load-bearing components. The planners are also responsible for planning the fire extinguishing systems and organisational fire protection measures.
As a fundamental pillar of preventive fire protection, structural fire protection is subject to strict regulations throughout Germany and Europe. Existing protection targets and required measures are regulated by various standards.
While for the Reinforced concrete construction, for example, DIN EN 1993-1-2 applies to Timber construction, DIN EN 1995-1-2 must be observed. Structural fire protection for industrial buildings, on the other hand, is regulated separately in DIN 18230.
In addition, with regard to the structural measures for buildings DIN 4102 and DIN EN 13501 vThe fire safety standards are important because they break down the flammability and fire behaviour of all building components, building materials and building products. The different materials are classified and categorised according to their fire behaviour.
A fire safety officer is a fire protection officer who Employees who are specially trained to perform operational fire protection tasks. A trained fire safety officer should recognise hazards at an early stage and initiate and coordinate suitable protective measures. Of course, preventive measures also play a decisive role in avoiding fires and blazes in advance.
A There is no general obligation to appoint a fire safety officer for most companies in Germany; However, insurance policies, building regulations or other ordinances may require the appointment.
Good to know: Regardless of whether a fire safety officer is appointed or not, responsibility for the fire safety of the company remains with the company management. The fire safety officer merely provides support.
The specialists of the Paffen Security Service are reliably at your side when it comes to ensuring that your company is Fire protection as well Site security to provide.
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