ADAPTABLE FIRE DETECTION
Fire detection therefore needs to work within a temporary and constantly evolving operational environment. As walls, floors and structures are completed, risks move and access changes, requiring a detection strategy that can adapt throughout the construction programme.
This is recognised within UK construction fire-safety guidance. HSE guidance identifies the construction phase as a period in which permanent fire protection may be incomplete, while the Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation includes specific provisions for automatic fire detection on higher-risk projects. For timber-frame construction, the Structural Timber Association's 16 Steps to Fire Safety provides further industry-specific guidance on managing fire risk during the construction phase.
Ciqurix develops and manufactures video flame detection technology for these demanding operational environments. CORE uses visual and near-infrared analysis to identify the physical presence of flame directly, rather than relying on the byproducts of fire — smoke and heat — travelling to a detector.
Why Ciqurix Is Suited to Construction Sites
Detects the physical presence of flame using visual and near-infrared analysis
Suitable for indoor, outdoor and partially enclosed areas
Designed for dusty and demanding operational environments
Can detect fire at distances of up to 180 metres, subject to application and system design
Operates during day and night across all light levels
Can monitor large areas from suitable detector positions
CORE is designed for compliance with BS 5839-1
Ciqurix was the world's first company to achieve product certification to LPS 1976
Integrates with fire alarm, remote monitoring and automatic suppression systems
Detector positioning can be adapted as the construction project develops
Fire Detection for Changing Construction Environments
Unlike a completed building, a construction site is continually changing. Walls and compartments are created, access routes move, temporary structures are installed and removed, and the location of equipment, materials and active work areas can change throughout the project.
These conditions can make permanent-style fire detection difficult to apply during construction. Dust and debris can affect some traditional detection approaches, while open or partially enclosed spaces allow smoke and heat to disperse rather than behaving as they would within a finished building.
CORE uses video flame detection to identify the physical characteristics of flame directly. Because detection does not depend on smoke or heat travelling through the space and reaching a ceiling-mounted detector, it can provide greater flexibility in temporary, open and evolving construction environments.
Detectors can be positioned according to their view of the fire risk and repositioned as the site develops. Changing structures, stored materials and construction equipment should be considered as part of ongoing system design to maintain appropriate coverage.
This need to adapt protection as construction progresses is reflected in industry guidance. HSE's Fire Safety in Construction states that fire precautions should be installed early and developed as the build progresses, while the Joint Code contains specific requirements for detection to be extended as work progresses on certain higher-risk projects
Fire Detection in Dusty and Partially Enclosed Areas
Dust and airborne debris are normal features of many construction activities. Cutting, drilling, demolition and movement of materials can all create conditions that make some forms of smoke detection more difficult to apply reliably.
Buildings under construction may also move through several stages of enclosure. An area that begins as an exposed structure may later become partially and eventually fully enclosed, changing the way smoke, heat and airflow behave.
Video flame detection provides a different detection principle by looking for flame itself. This makes it particularly suited for consideration where dust, open spaces or changing levels of enclosure create challenges for detection technologies that depend on smoke or heat reaching a detector.
Fire Detection During Hot Works
Hot works such as welding, cutting, grinding and roofing activities can introduce temporary ignition sources into construction environments.
Where video flame detection forms part of the site's fire strategy, defined work areas can be monitored for flame from suitable detector positions. This can provide an additional layer of automatic detection during periods when hot works or other higher-risk activities are taking place.
The appropriate arrangements should always be determined by the site's fire risk assessment, hot-work procedures and applicable fire safety requirements.
Construction fire guidance places particular emphasis on controlling hot work. On timber-frame sites, the current Joint Code states that hot work should be minimised and, where it cannot be avoided, specified hot-work controls should be strictly followed.
Maintaining Protection as the Project Develops
Fire detection requirements can change significantly between the early structural phase of a project and the point at which the building's permanent fire detection system becomes operational.
A temporary detection strategy therefore needs to account for changing risks, changing access and changing building geometry.
Video flame detection can provide flexibility because detectors can monitor large defined areas from suitable positions and can be repositioned as the project develops.
This can be particularly important on higher-risk projects and outside normal working hours. The Joint Code states that on high-rise construction projects, automatic fire detection should be considered on a risk-based approach where practicable, particularly to support early detection and response outside normal working hours.
For large timber-frame structures, the requirements go further: automatic fire detection must be installed and extended as work progresses, with the system linked to an alarm receiving centre unless there is a 24-hour security presence on site.
When evaluating temporary fire detection, the practical cost of installation, relocation, access, remote monitoring and eventual removal should therefore be considered alongside the cost of the detection equipment itself.
SPECIALISING IN FIRE DETECTION
Video flame detection technology, like Ciqurix’s FCam System, provides an essential solution to the challenges of fire detection on construction sites. By using advanced algorithms and video and infrared analysis, video flame detection can visually identify the presence of flames in real-time, even in difficult conditions like low visibility or in open areas. This technology adapts to the constantly changing environment of a construction site, providing reliable fire monitoring where traditional systems fail.
Typical Construction Applications
Timber frame construction combines combustible structural materials with an operational environment that can remain open and exposed for significant periods during the build. Before final fire protection, compartmentation and external finishes are complete, a fire can develop and spread very differently from one in the finished building.
The Structural Timber Association's 16 Steps to Fire Safety provides specific guidance for managing fire risk during timber-frame construction and is widely recognised across the structural timber sector. Its guidance includes enhanced site security and fire-warning measures, including the use of CCTV imaging technologies for fire detection where appropriate.
This approach is reinforced by the current Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation. For large timber-frame structures, the Joint Code requires automatic fire detection in enclosed spaces, extended as construction progresses, with the system linked to an alarm receiving centre unless there is a 24-hour security presence on site. The Code also notes that the risks and mitigation measures described are broadly applicable to timber-frame structures regardless of size.
Video flame detection is particularly suited to consideration within this type of temporary fire strategy. It can monitor defined areas for the physical presence of flame without depending on smoke accumulating within a completed enclosure, while detectors can be repositioned and coverage adapted as the structure develops.
Commercial construction sites can include large floorplates, atria, plant areas and partially completed internal spaces. Detection requirements can change considerably as the building moves from structural works through fit-out towards completion.
High-rise construction can create particular challenges for early fire detection and response while permanent fire-safety systems remain incomplete. The Joint Code specifically identifies early detection and effective response as important for both life safety and property protection, and recommends automatic detection on a risk-based basis where practicable, particularly outside normal working hours.
Temporary covered areas and structures may not behave like permanent buildings from a fire detection perspective. Airflow, open sides and changing configurations can influence the movement of smoke and heat, making direct flame detection suitable for consideration.
Voids and defined construction risks can require temporary protection before the building's permanent fire detection strategy is fully operational. Appropriate detector positioning can allow specific risks to be monitored where an appropriate view can be maintained.
Hot-work areas can involve welding, cutting, grinding and other temporary ignition sources. Video flame detection can form part of the wider fire-watch and response strategy for these defined areas where appropriate.
Combustible material storage areas can introduce substantial temporary fire loads during construction. The Joint Code states that, where combustible materials are stored inside the building, they should either be within the area covered by the site's fire detection system or included in regular fire checks. This creates another potential application for adaptable temporary detection as materials and storage locations move through the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is fire detection challenging on construction sites?
Construction sites are temporary and constantly changing operational environments. Dust, debris, exposed areas, temporary electrical installations, hot works, combustible materials and changing building layouts can all influence the fire risk and the suitability of different detection technologies.
Permanent fire detection systems may also be incomplete or not yet operational, creating a need for temporary detection that can adapt as construction progresses.
Industry guidance recognises this changing risk. HSE guidance requires fire precautions to remain under review as a project progresses, with additional precautions applying to higher-risk construction such as timber-frame and high-rise projects.
Can video flame detection work on dusty construction sites?
Yes. Ciqurix video flame detection identifies the physical characteristics of flame using visual and near-infrared analysis rather than relying on smoke reaching a detector.
This makes the detection principle well suited to consideration in construction environments where dust and airborne debris form part of normal site activity.
Can CORE be used outdoors on construction sites?
Yes. Ciqurix video flame detection technology is designed for both indoor and outdoor applications.
This can be particularly useful during construction because buildings may remain open or partially enclosed for significant periods, while materials, equipment and temporary work areas may also require external protection.
Can the detectors be moved as construction progresses?
Yes. Video flame detectors can be positioned according to the fire risks and operational conditions present at a particular stage of the project and repositioned as those conditions change.
Any changes should form part of the site's fire detection design so that appropriate coverage of the relevant fire risks is maintained.
This ability to evolve with the project is particularly relevant where guidance requires fire precautions or detection to be extended as construction progresses.
What is the STA's 16 Steps to Fire Safety guidance?
The Structural Timber Association's 16 Steps to Fire Safety provides industry guidance for managing fire risk on timber-frame construction sites.
The guidance recognises the particular vulnerability of timber structures during construction and sets out measures covering site planning, fire prevention, security, fire detection and warning, and emergency arrangements. It specifically identifies imaging technologies as a potential method of fire detection and includes enhanced out-of-hours security arrangements for higher-risk sites.
For projects using structural timber, video flame detection can therefore form part of a wider fire-safety strategy developed around the site's fire risk assessment, the STA's 16 Steps guidance and other applicable requirements, including the Joint Code of Practice.
Is automatic fire detection required on timber-frame construction sites?
Requirements depend on the project, its fire risk assessment and the applicable contractual and insurance requirements.
However, the current Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation contains specific requirements for large timber-frame structures. Automatic fire detection must be installed and extended as work progresses, and the system must be linked to an alarm receiving centre unless there is a 24-hour security presence on site.
The Code also states that the risks and mitigation measures in its large timber-frame section are broadly applicable to timber-frame structures regardless of size.
Can video flame detection support out-of-hours fire protection?
Yes. CORE can be integrated with remote monitoring systems so that fire detection does not depend solely on personnel being present on site.
This can be particularly relevant to construction projects where protection is required outside normal working hours. Current construction guidance specifically considers 24-hour security, remote monitoring and automatic detection as part of the risk-control arrangements for higher-risk sites.
The precise monitoring and response arrangements should be determined by the project fire strategy and fire risk assessment.
Can video flame detection be used during hot works?
Video flame detection can form part of a wider fire detection and fire-watch strategy where hot works such as welding, cutting or grinding are being undertaken.
The appropriate arrangement will depend on the site-specific fire risk, hot-work procedures and other protection measures in place.
Can CORE integrate with other site fire protection systems?
Yes. CORE can integrate with fire alarm, automatic suppression and remote monitoring systems.
Programmable alarm and fault outputs allow the system to form part of the wider site cause-and-effect strategy, enabling a detected fire event to initiate the appropriate response according to the construction site's fire plan.
Fire Detection in Dusty and Contaminated Environments
Dust and airborne particulates are common across many manufacturing and processing operations. Timber, aggregates, minerals and other materials can generate significant levels of airborne contamination, while some industrial processes also produce steam, fumes or legitimate smoke.
These conditions can influence the suitability and maintenance requirements of traditional smoke detection technologies.
Video flame detection identifies flame directly rather than relying on smoke reaching the detector. This provides a different detection approach for operational environments where dust, dirt, fumes or other airborne contaminants form part of normal operations.
DETECT IN SECONDS
ALL LIGHT LEVELS
INDOORS & OUTDOORS
DETECT UP TO 180M
Implementing Ciqurix’s FCam System on construction sites enhances safety by enabling rapid identification of fire hazards, allowing for immediate intervention. This early detection capability not only helps to prevent small fires from escalating but also protects workers, equipment and the overall project from devastating losses.
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