Smoke control

For smoke control areas in the United Kingdom, see Clean Air Act 1956.

In the event of a fire, a smoke control system is used to keep a building's escape routes and access routes free from smoke, assist fire-fighting operations and delay or prevent flashover, thereby reducing the risk that the fire will escalate. ^[1]

In the United Kingdom, the Smoke Control Association operates as a professional and advisory organisation in this field. ^[2]

Standards

Within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Technical Committee ISO/TC 21/SC 11 is responsible for the development of standards concerned with smoke and heat control systems and components. ^[3]

In Australia and New Zealand, joint standard AS/NZS 1668.1:2015 aims to provide:

standardized minimum requirements for mechanical air-handling and mechanical smoke control systems for use by designers, installers, inspectors and regulators of these systems. ^[4]

Requirements for the maintenance of smoke control systems fall outside this standard. ^[4]

References

1. Smoke Control Association, FAQs: Your Questions Answered, accessed 20 September 2021
2. Smoke Control Association, accessed 20 September 2021
3. ISO, ISO/TC 21/SC 11: Smoke and heat control systems and components, accessed 6 October 2021
4. Victorian Building Authority, Australian/New Zealand Standard: The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings - Part 1: Fire and smoke control in buildings. Updated AS/NZS 1668.1:2015, published March 2016, accessed 6 October 2021