Architectural Services

Where it all starts . . . . .

Fire safety engineering starts long before people occupy a building or a process is installed in a factory.

As the old adage says:

Chimera offers services to architects, project managers, developers and so on. These customers usually call on us to assist them with the design of buildings to ensure compliance with the legal fire protection and occupational health and safety requirements.

With new buildings, we consider the following main factors in our design:

• Occupant protection and safe evacuation.
• Controlling the spread and intensity of fire.
• Preventing structural failure.
• Minimising the generation and spread of smoke.
• Providing adequate means of access, and equipment for detecting, fighting, controlling and extinguishing a fire.
• Ensuring the occupational safety features installed are appropriate for the intended use and envisaged occupancy profile of a building.
  

Making the plan work

On completion of the designs, we offer our services in compiling performance specifications, tender documents, bills of quantities and so on in order to ensure the correct systems (eg. Smoke detection, sprinkler systems, locking devices, emergency lighting, etc) are installed. We then collaborate with the selected contractors to assist them to ensure the quality of the end product complies with specifications and the final design.

System integration

The design of any system, be it security, occupational safety, fire or otherwise works best when it is done in conjunction with the other systems which are provided. In most cases, it is best to integrate the various systems to ensure the best possible solution. This not only ensures occupant safety and security, but also reduces costs as a result of such integration.

Design Services

All staff at Chimera are fully qualified to design and implement the following fire safety services:

• Sprinklers
• Detection
• Gas Suppression
• Evacuation
• Firewater
• Smoke Ventilation

We thus offer a fully integrated design, procurement, installation supervision and financial control service.

Audit Services

Maintenance

Unfortunately, one only gets one chance in an emergency situation--either the equipment, systems, procedures, training et cetera perform as they're supposed to and lives and property are saved or they don't.

How sure are you that your fire protection measures are in working order?

Owners of buildings and businesses often request us, to assess their premises regarding the existing fire protection measures. These include active systems like, smoke detection systems, automatic sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, hose reels, hydrants, etc. Passive systems such as, fire walls, escape doors, locking devices, emergency lighting, etc.

We conduct a survey and compile a comprehensive written report detailing the existing fire protection and safety equipment, what the legal requirements are, required remedial work, suggested methodology, options and recommendations.

The age profile of many buildings particularly in city centres, the poor original safety measures and the lack of maintenance to these systems has resulted in ever increasing life risk in these buildings. Increasingly Chimera is involved in consulting in this area, and advising on fire protection strategies.

Improvement

It is our view that the only way to upgrade the safety in buildings is through small but consistent improvement and not necessarily by large, expensive changes and replacements. The concept of Kaizen a Japanese term implying "constant improvement", applies to any improvement strategy.

Similar to the maintenance of existing systems, we also offer our services in advising our clients as to possible options for improvement. We conduct cost versus benefit analyses for them in order for them to decide whether a new or upgraded system is justified and beneficial or not.