We guide town planners and people undertaking construction projects on structural fire safety.
Our team of experts provides guidance during the planning, design and construction phases to help prevent accidents and ensure the conditions for rescue and firefighting operations.
1. Local detailed planning phase
During the detailed planning phase, the rescue authority comments on issues such as the conditions for rescue and firefighting operations, the arrangement of emergency access roads and the need for extinguishing water.
2. Design phase
Approval of plans by the rescue authority
Plans are approved through the Lupapiste service. The planner is obliged to inform the rescue authority when the fire safety plan is available for approval in Lupapiste.
First-aid extinguishing equipment must be selected according to the needs of the activities, users and premises. The size and shape of the premises affect the number of extinguishers required. The selection must also take into account
the suitability of the extinguishing medium for the activities carried out on the premises,
the fire extinguishers’ extinguishing effect (fire and effect classes),
the suitability of the extinguishers for the weather and environmental conditions of the premises (e.g. temperature, humidity, vibration), and
the possibility and prevention of malicious use and the reduction of damage caused by it.
Waste containers and bin shelters are common targets for arson. The spread of fire to buildings must be prevented by using sufficient safety distances or structural solutions. Read more in the instructions about placement of waste containers (only in Finnish).
Design and implementation of fixed extinguishing water pipelines
A building must be equipped with fixed pipelines for the conveyance of extinguishing water
in premises above the entrance level when the distance between the floor of the top floor and the entrance level of the building exceeds 24 metres.
in premises below the entrance level when the distance between the floor of the basement floor and the entrance level of the building exceeds 14 metres.
The space requirement for stretcher transport from the inside to the outside of a dwelling (600 mm x 2600 mm) is based on the RT card ‘Paarikuljetuksen tilantarve’ (Space requirements for stretcher transport) RT 103117. When dimensioning for stretchers, it must be taken into account that each dwelling must be accessible to stretchers. The stretcher must be able to manoeuvre unhindered in the premises.
Emergency access road design and implementation
An emergency access road is a driveway or other route that allows rescue vehicles and emergency medical service units to get sufficiently close to the building and extinguishing water supply points in an emergency. The conditions for extinguishing the fire and saving people in and around the building must be taken into account in the design. Read the emergency access road instructions jointly prepared by the rescue departments of Uusimaa.
Rescue services’ equipment
The information and advice team for builders and designers provides guidance and advice on fire safety equipment for new construction and renovation projects. Select a contact person according to the regional division and in the first instance, contact the fire inspector who approved the fire safety plan. The services of the Rescue Department include, among other things,
a fire alarm and emergency response centre connection for new or renovated buildings,
an information card,
the dismantling of the fire alarm and/or emergency response centre connection in a building that will remain in use,
the dismantling of equipment in connection with the demolition of a building,
the disconnection of equipment and
matters related to the information card and key storage of an existing site.
It must be possible to remove smoke from all premises of the building directly or through other facilities. As a rule, smoke ventilation is sufficient if it can be managed through manually opened windows, hatches or doorways. For justified reasons, it may be required that smoke be removed by means of smoke control dampers or smoke ventilation windows, for example. For more information on smoke ventilation design, see RT card RT 103310 ‘Rakennusten savunhallinta ja savunpoistolaitteistojen kunnossapito’ (Building smoke management and maintenance of smoke ventilation equipment) or RIL 232-2020 ‘Rakennusten savunhallinta — Suunnittelu, toteutus ja ylläpito’ (Building smoke management — Planning, implementation and maintenance). Also read the Building Control Services’ guide ‘Savunpoisto rakennuksista’ (only in Finnish).
The operability of the VIRVE public authority network must be ensured in buildings, structures and traffic and service tunnels with a higher than usual risk to personal safety. In particular, the operability of the public authority network must be ensured in the building’s main areas, access routes and stairwells. In addition to these, operability must be ensured in lifts intended for rescue and firefighting work, as well as fire alarm, sprinkler and smoke ventilation centres and their access routes. Here you can find instructions for the design and installation of VIRVE in new construction.
Shared civil defence shelters are bedrock shelters reserved for the use of housing companies, businesses, departments and institutions. In several areas of Helsinki, shared bedrock shelters have been built instead of building-specific shelters. These civil defence shelters are mainly intended for the properties that funded the shelter. This means that shared civil defence shelters generally do not have space for the needs of any later construction projects.
A special fire inspection (now called a statement on the commissioning of a building or part of a building) is carried out at the construction site before the commissioning inspection of the building, if necessary. This is carried out by the rescue authority, while the commissioning inspection is carried out by the building control authority. Read the instructions on when you need a special fire inspection (only in Finnish).
The inspection is particularly used to ensure that the building and its yard areas follow the standards of the building permit decision and any fire safety plan with regard to personal and fire safety and that the prerequisites for rescue and firefighting operations have been secured. The prevention and control of arson must also be taken into account. Read the instructions for supervisors on special fire inspections (only in Finnish). Also take note of the emergency access road instructions.
The pages below provide information on matters related to structural fire safety. Please note that the contents apply to all Finnish rescue departments. In matters concerning Helsinki, you can contact our experts.
Pelastusviranomainen ohjaa kaavoittajia ja rakennushankkeeseen ryhtyviä rakenteelliseen paloturvallisuuteen sekä pelastus- ja sammutustoiminnan edellytyksiin liittyen.
The on-call fire inspector 09 310 31203 palotarkastaja@hel.fi
The on-call fire inspector answers Helsinki residents’ questions about fire safety Mon–Fri at 9.00–11.00 and 12.00–14.00 and by email at palotarkastaja@hel.fi Mon–Fri at 9.00–15.00.
If you have any questions about a specific fire inspection, please contact the fire inspector who carried out the inspection directly. You can find the contact information in, for example, the fire inspection report.
