Fire risk assessment using FRAME method - Case study of the head office building of South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company

High-rise buildings are often the sites of storage and execution of critical documents and records, as well as the hubs of planning and decision-making, for organizations with extensive subsidiaries. Hence, ensuring their functionality in both normal and crisis situations is a major concern for the authorities. Applying the principles and foundations of fire safety can mitigate the vulnerability of high-rise buildings. This study aimed to assess the fire risk of the headquarters building of South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company (SZOGPC) in Shiraz and analyse its vulnerability. This investigation employed the FRAME method, a descriptive-analytical fire risk assessment technique, to evaluate the fire risk of the south Zagros headquarters building and its occupants. Data were collected using a checklist and entered FRAME, an Excel-based formula program. The fire risk of the building and its contents, as well as the people and activities, was calculated and the floors were ranked according to the risk level. Out of ۴۵ evaluated cases, ۴۷% were at an unacceptable level. Height and fire load were the main factors affecting the fire risk, resulting in higher fire risk with increasing height, despite the same fire alarm and extinguishing systems on each floor. Based on the risk level (acceptable, improvement required, or unacceptable) of each floor, the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluated floors were determined. It is recommended that appropriate corrective and managerial actions be implemented to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, prioritizing safety programs.

Keywords:

High-rise buildings , Fire , Safety , Fire risk assessment , FRAME