According to DIN 14096, a fire safety policy is a summary of rules and measures for fire prevention and the action to be taken in the event of a fire which is written for specific premises. It may consist of the following 3 parts:
Part A (for public display) is aimed at everyone who is present on the premises (this part is often displayed together with an escape and evacuation plan).
Part B is aimed at people who are not just temporarily present on the premises (e.g. residents, staff) and who have no special fire safety role.
Part C is aimed at individuals who, in addition to their ordinary duties, have been assigned special responsibilities (e.g. fire safety officer or staff with control functions).
A fire safety policy must be drawn up in particular if
- a large number of people congregate in a building or if certain types of people may be present (e.g. children, people with mobility needs)
- the premises are large and complex, or
- there are particular risks associated with the premises (outbreak and spread of fire, special considerations for escape and evacuation routes, etc.) or objects and valuable assets are at great risk.
A fire safety policy must be regularly reviewed to keep it up to date and must be communicated to employees in the form of instructions.

Fire safety policy (in German)

DIN 4844-3 describes the drafting and display of escape and evacuation plans. Depending on the size and extent of the building, an escape and evacuation plan is to be displayed at least in the entrance area, and if necessary also on other floors and sections of the building in order to provide orientation for visitors to a public building (museum, theater, government agency, etc.). It includes the necessary public notice detailing the action to be taken in the event of fire which has been drafted in accordance with the fire safety policy Part A (see above). The prescribed uniform format and contents are intended to increase recognition and improve orientation. It must be regularly reviewed and kept up to date.

Escape and evacuation plan (in German)

Site plans contain property-specific information to which the fire service can refer for speedy orientation and for assessing the situation when the need arises. This information can be provided in the form of
- overview or site plans
- floor plans and/or
- descriptions of the property.
DIN 14095 Part 1 applies to the drafting of such plans and descriptions. Fire service site plans do not form part of the construction plans for a building, but they may be required for a building permit. Even if they are not required by the authorities, having up-to-date site plans is always advantageous to help firefighters combat fires and avert threats.

Site plan (in German)

The time that elapses before an incipient fire is detected is a crucial factor for the safe evacuation of people, the success of firefighting efforts, and consequently the extent of damage caused. Modern automatic fire detection systems are able to detect an incipient fire at a very early stage and sound the alarm. Moreover, the advantage of fire detection systems is that they provide round-the-clock monitoring, i.e. even at night and when the institution is closed.

Fire detection systems (in German)

Regular inspection and maintenance are essential to main reliable trouble-free operation of an automatic fire detection system. As well as minimizing the number of false alarms (and the concomitant financial expense if the fire service or site security firm are called out unnecessarily), this ensures that safety is maintained at a uniformly high level (and this is therefore not a false sense of safety).
According to DIN 14675 and DIN 0833, maintenance must be carried out at least once a year, while the operator should perform routine checks quarterly. See the links for detailed information on the scope of inspection and maintenance.

Maintaining fire detection systems (in German)

German Workplace Ordinance 13/1,2 contains stipulations for the provision of portable fire extinguishers in public buildings and workplaces. The BGR 133 rules stipulated by the employers' liability insurance association set out how to calculate the number of fire extinguishers required, taking the fire risk, fire class, extinguishing agent and floor area of the premises concerned into account. The fire risk of a building or area is categorized as low, medium or high. The substances requiring to be extinguished are categorized in fire classes according to DIN EN 2:
A = solid combustible materials
B = liquid or liquefying substances
C = gaseous substances
D = flammable metals
F = cooking oils and fats in kitchens.
The following types of extinguishing agent are usually used: dry powder, foam or water (also with additives to improve the extinguishing effect). Carbon dioxide extinguishing agents are especially suitable for liquid fires. As they do not leave any residue, they are also ideal for electrical fires and for use in data processing areas. However, only special foam extinguishing agents are suitable and permitted for high voltage equipment. The size of the extinguisher and its volume are less important than its actual fire extinguishing capacity. This is expressed in units so that the different extinguishing agents and brands can be compared.

The need to have fire extinguishers inspected and maintained is prescribed in various rules and regulations, for instance in German Workplace Ordinance 13/1,2, DIN 14406 Part 4 (Portable fire extinguishers - maintenance), BGR 133 or in DIN EN 3. The inspection interval is usually at least 2 years, but it may be shorter in some states. A test sticker should be affixed to the extinguisher to document the inspection. This must show the inspection date and the name of the person who performed it.

To comply with approval requirements, all fire/smoke control doors must be self-closing (without assistance) and must engage with the latch. They must not be damaged, nor be modified, drilled through or doubled or otherwise altered, otherwise the approval will be void and they would have to be replaced. Permitted and impermissible alterations to fire/smoke control doors are set out in the guidance leaflet published by the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt). The functioning and integrity of fire doors should be checked regularly in accordance with the recommendations stipulated in the approval, and should be maintained with simple maintenance measures if necessary.

Doors are often the weak point that allow a fire to spread from one room into other areas of the building. The quality of the doors is based on the fire resistance of the wall: the door does not require a higher rating than the wall into which it is fitted; as a rule it may be one category lower. Taking the structural situation, fire risks and protection requirements into account, at least fire-resisting doors (T30 according to DIN 4102) should be used for rooms that present special fire risks. In areas of high fire loads (e.g. restoration or carpentry workshops, air conditioning centers), appropriate fireproof doors (T90) may be expedient. The fire-resistance rating, approvals and certifications are shown on the identification label (affixed to the door frame or door leaf). The primary aim is to prevent a fire spreading from one room into other areas of the building.

Fire and smoke control doors

As well as exhibition spaces, storage rooms in museums, libraries and archives usually require the highest level of protection. The respective state building regulations provide a guide to the individual requirements for the quality of walls and ceilings depending on the type of building, position of the floor, etc. but there are no standard binding specifications for storage rooms and other rooms that require extra protection. Depending on the level of protection required, it is advisable to protect/separate storage rooms from the rest of the building and provide them with the best possible fire resistance (usually F90 ? fireproof to DIN 4102).
If no other requirements are applicable, at least F30 - fire-resisting - walls and ceilings should be provided. If no suitable structural elements are present, it should be investigated whether reinforcing is feasible (covering with fire-resistant panels or similar).

Doors are often the weak point in rooms that are otherwise well protected against fire by solid walls and ceilings. The quality of the doors is based on the fire resistance of the wall: the door does not require a higher rating than the wall into which it is fitted; as a rule it may be one category lower. Taking the structural situation, fire risks and protection requirements into account, at least fire-resisting doors (T30 according to DIN 4102) should be used for storage rooms, workshops etc., and fireproof doors (T90) should be used if possible and expedient. The fire-resistance rating, approvals and certifications are shown on the identification label (affixed to the door frame or door leaf). The primary aim is to prevent a fire spreading into a storage room from other areas of the building.

Firewalls are designed to prevent large-scale fires spreading to other buildings or other parts of same the building. This also applies to the risk of fire spreading from an adjacent building to the premises to be protected. Exterior walls are always also "exterior fire walls". A higher specification is however only necessary if there is not sufficient clearance between adjacent buildings. The requirements for firewalls are specified in the model building code. See the respective state building regulations for more detailed specifications (see link).

Model building code/state building regulations

There are many ways to seal penetrations for the purposes of fire protection depending on the type of media, the structure of the walls and ceilings, the size of the openings, diameter of the cables/cable looms, the required duration of fire resistance, the materials or necessity for subsequent access. The requirements are set out in the relevant building inspectorate approvals. Fire-stopping seals are only necessary where the building regulations define fire safety requirements for walls and ceilings, or where there is a defined protection objective, usually for rooms sealed on all sides. There are normally no fire-stopping seals required for walls and ceilings within connected spaces (e.g. intermediate levels in a multi-story hall or within a stairway). Fire-stopping seals must be provided with an identification label stating the fire-resistance rating, the date of manufacture and the installing company.

Guidelines

An "anti-panic lock" is a lock which opens a door lock either mechanically and/or electromechanically by one touch on the handle.

Technical rules for workplaces - Escape routes, emergency exits, escape and evacuation plan

Technical rules for workplaces - Safety and health protection signage

New rules for escape and evacuation plans (2010/2011)

The signage and design of escape and evacuation routes is covered in detail in the German Workplace Ordinance and in Workplace Regulation ASR A2.3. The signage must conform to Workplace Regulation A1.3 (see links below). The requirements include the stipulation that the signage must not be concealed.

Technical rules for workplaces - Escape routes, emergency exits, escape and evacuation plan

Horizontal (corridors) and vertical (stairs) escape routes must not be obstructed or otherwise improperly blocked. Any doors along escape routes must not be locked. In practice, these rules stipulated in the Workplace Ordinance are often ignored due to lack of space, negligence, habits, etc. Doors that are designated as emergency escape routes are often locked with the intention of separating the exhibition or public area from internal areas.

According to the state building regulations and the Workplace Ordinance, rooms occupied by people must have at least two separate vertical (stairs) or horizontal (corridors) escape and evacuation routes into the open air (1st and 2nd escape route). Depending on the height of the building, the number of staff or the scope of special building regulations, these routes must be provided for in the structure of the building. In certain circumstances, windows, balconies, roof terraces etc. may be used as the 2nd escape route in conjunction with fire service rescue equipment (turntable ladders). This is conditional on the local fire service having such equipment and agreeing to its use in this way.

First escape route

As specified in their approvals, fire and smoke control doors must be self-closing in order to perform their protective function. Wedging and tying back doors or other similar ways of preventing self-closure that are often encountered in practice are forbidden, and in the event of fire damage may void the insurance. The only practicable solution is the use of tested and approved hold-open devices which during normal operation hold doors open by means of magnets or devices integrated in the door closer. The doors are then automatically released and self-close when smoke is detected by smoke detectors fitted in the lintel or in the ceiling if necessary (drops over 1 m).

Guideline for hold-open devices

Fire protection closures encompass doors, gates, shutters or curtains, the design and characteristics of which enable them to prevent the ingress of fire through openings in the walls or ceilings of a building for a certain period of time. They may also be smoke-proof. The designation T30 or T90 indicates the tested duration of resistance in the event of a fire (30 and 90 minutes respectively). These two ratings are the ones most often used in practice. Fire-resistance ratings are specified in DIN 4102, also for other building products and elements. Depending on the length of time integrity is maintained, the following designations are used:
"fire-resisting" - 30 minutes
"highly fire-resisting" - 60 minutes
"fireproof" - 90 minutes.

Literature on fire protection closures

Different user areas are associated with different fire risks and protection requirements. In the event of a fire, there is a risk of it quickly spreading and damaging or destroying large collections. It is therefore highly advisable to separate areas with different levels of fire outbreak risk and protection requirements by means of fire-resisting walls at least. Evaluating and categorizing walls for the purposes of fire protection is not always easy - especially in historic buildings - and this cannot always be done solely on the basis of their thickness. Unawareness of the quality of walls can lead to a false sense of safety, and to considerable damage in the event of a fire. The quality of the walls is a determining factor for a whole range of other fire precautions, such as the fire-stopping seals required for pipe and cable conduits, the fire rating of doors and sealing of other openings.

Unfinished attics must be kept free of combustible items in order not to further increase the already high fire load constituted by the roof trusses and make firefighting more difficult. In the past this was generally required by building inspectorates, and - modern firefighting methods notwithstanding - it still remains very important today.

Lightning strikes on a building usually cause considerable damage and also often ignite fires, especially in buildings with wooden roof trusses. Climate change has influenced the frequency and intensity of storms with lightning strikes, and the damage caused is rapidly increasing because of the ever more complex technical systems used. Comprehensive lightning protection requires a variety of measures, of which fitting a lightning rod to the exterior is the most fundamental and crucial. The risk of a lightning strike depends on various factors, including the position and height of the building. Free-standing and smaller buildings in particular should have a lightning protection system. A system is mandatory for larger buildings in city centers. A lightning protection system is only effective if the rods are installed right down into the ground. A "little bit of lightning protection" is useless. A lightning protection system must be regularly inspected and maintained by a specialist firm every three years.