Fire Vocabulary

1.60

Maintained emergency lighting
Lighting system in which all emergency lighting lamps are illuminated at all material times

1.61

Mandatory sign
Safety sign that indicates a specific course of action is to be taken

1.62

Manual call point
Component of a fire detection and fire alarm system that is used for the manual initiation of a fire alarm signal

1.63

Material alteration
Alteration that changes (usually lowering or with the potential to lower) the standard of fire protection originally provided

1.64

Means of escape
Structural means whereby a safe route in the event of fire is provided for persons to travel from any point in a building to a place of ultimate safety (see 1.72) (without external assistance)

1.65

Non-combustible
Not capable of undergoing combustion under specified conditions

1.66

Non-maintained emergency lighting
Lighting system in which all emergency lighting lamps are illuminated only when the supply to the normal lighting fails

1.67

Occupant especially at risk
Building occupant(s) who, as a result of their physical or mental state, age or location in the building, are at greater risk from fire than an able-bodied, fully alert adult afforded adequate means of escape and other fire precautions, whether on a short-term or long-term basis.

1.68

Panic bolt
Mechanism, consisting of a minimum of two sliding bolt heads that engage with keepers in the surrounding door frame or floor for securing a door when closed, which can be released by hand or body pressure on a bar positioned horizontally across the inside face of the door

1.69

Panic latch
Mechanism for securing a door when closed, with a latch bolt that can be released by hand or body pressure on a bar positioned horizontally across the inside face of the door

1.70

Phased evacuation
System of evacuation in which different parts of the building are evacuated in a controlled sequence of phases, those parts of the building expected to be at greatest risk being evacuated first

1.71

Place of relative safety
Place in which there is no immediate danger, but in which there could be future danger, from the effects of fire.

1.72

Place of ultimate safety
Place in which there is no immediate or future danger from fire or the effects of fire

1.73

Products of combustion
Solid, liquid and gaseous materials resulting from combustion

1.74

Protected (corridor, route or staircase)
Corridor, route or staircase enclosed in fire-resisting construction