Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department
Instructions for designers and builders
Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department
Information and forms related to construction and construction planning.
Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department guides construction planning to ensure personal safety and the operating conditions of rescue services and emergency care. This ensures, for example, that those who live and work in the building are able to leave safely and quickly in an emergency. In addition, it is ensured that the operation of rescue and emergency personnel in the building is possible and safe. We cooperate closely with municipal planners and building control units.
Contacts related to construction planning guidance:
The contact details for construction planning guidance by region are shown below.
Notify everyone who manages the area. Please tell us in your message the basic information about the construction project (what is being built, possible fire safety design difficulty class, etc.). You will then be contacted as soon as possible for further action. We appreciate your patience as our processing times have increased due to limited resources.
Regional division:
Projects in the exceptionally difficult class, the whole of Länsi-Uusimaa:
Jukka Saari (jukka.saari(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Anssi Kuhlman (anssi.kuhlman(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Espoo, Kauniainen:
Nina Piela-Tallberg (nina.piela-tallberg(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Kirkkonummi, Raseborg, Hanko, Ingå:
Marcus Hindersson (marcus.hindersson(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Rasmus Fredriksson (rasmus.fredriksson(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Lohja:
Jukka Saari (jukka.saari(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Anssi Kuhlman (anssi.kuhlman(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Vihti, Karkkila. Siuntio:
Rasmus Fredriksson (rasmus.fredriksson(a)pelastustoimi.fi)
Planning phase
Instructions for water supply network designers
This publication is a guide to extinguishing water planning. The guide is intended to be applied in the area of Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department.
LUP extinguishing water instructions, in Finnish
Issues to be taken into account in the statement on the town plan
This publication deals with the issues to be taken into account in the statement on the town plan. The publication is intended to be applied in the area of Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department.
Issues to be taken into account in the statement on the town plan, in Finnish
Design phase
The fire safety design and implementation basis form is intended to be attached to building permit documents, and similar information must be presented in the main drawings.
Basis for fire safety design and implementation, in Finnish
Notification of a civil defence shelter
Notification of a civil defence shelter, in Finnish
Submit the completed and signed form to the building supervision authority.
Topten cooperation
The Rescue Department cooperates with building control units and uses Topten instruction cards to guide design.
Instructions for designers
The purpose of this guide is to facilitate the planning of construction projects as early as the project planning stage. It is aimed at those who launch building projects as well as main and special designers. In addition to instructions, the publication contains good practices.
Instructions for designers and builders of residential buildings and garages, in Finnish
Emergency access road planning guide
The emergency access road is a driveway or other means of access enabling emergency vehicles, in the event of a fire or other emergency, to come sufficiently close to the building and to the outlets for extinguishing water.
Property owners and occupants and business and industrial operators must, for their part, ensure that emergency access roads are kept serviceable and free of obstructions and that they are also otherwise in such a condition that they can be used in a safe and efficient manner.
The emergency access road is specified as early as the building permit stage. An area cannot be marked as an emergency access road by just anyone. An emergency access road must meet certain criteria, which can be found in the instructions for planning and implementing an emergency access road.
LUP emergency access road planning guide, in Finnish
Instructions for the design of emergency access roads for future sites at the design stage that do not yet have a building permit:
HIKLU emergency access road planning and implementation instructions, in Finnish
Design and implementation of fixed extinguishing water pipelines
The design and implementation of fixed extinguishing water pipelines installed in buildings and other premises must comply with the principles of this guide:
Design and implementation of fixed extinguishing water pipelines, in Finnish
Public safety network to be upgraded
In buildings and structures that currently contain equipment ensuring the operability of the public safety network, the operability of the public authority communication service referred to in section 109 (15.7.2021/739) of the Rescue Act (379/2011) must also be ensured.
It has previously been laid down that the operability of the public safety network must be ensured in buildings and structures with an unusually high risk to the safety of persons. Such buildings include large meeting spaces and commercial premises, underground spaces (excluding normal basements) and premises equipped with fire safety equipment.
In addition, the rescue authority will contact those owners in whose buildings and structures the operability of the public authority communication service will be required.
The transition to the public authority communication service will take place in 2025, and the old public safety network will then be closed. Until then, the public safety network and the public authority communication service must operate in parallel. Suomen Erillisverkot Oy is the operator responsible for the public authority communication service.
Further information on the website of Erillisverkot Group (in Finnish)
Public authority network VIRVE indoor coverage (ensuring reception in buildings) (in Finnish)
Virve indoor network needs assessment form (in Finnish)
Fire safety of the chimneys
Guide to chimney structures and fire safety, in Finnish
Construction phase
A special fire inspection
A special fire inspection is a fire inspection carried out on the construction site before the commissioning inspection of the building. A special fire inspection is carried out by the rescue authority. The commissioning inspection is carried out by the building supervision authority.
The inspectors must have access to all required authorisation documents stamped by the authority, including the fire technical plan or memorandum.
Instruction for responsible supervisors for special fire inspection, in Finnish
Key deposits
If a building has a fire alarm system, its owner must also install key deposits in the building.
The key deposits must be installed according to the security instructions published by Finance Finland: Key deposits for rescue services.
Fire safety of the site huts
This guide sets out key aspects of fire safety in the siting of large sets of site huts on a construction site.
Fire safety guide for site huts and sets of site huts on major construction sites
Notes for the placing of waste containers
In the prevention of arson, it is important that rubbish bins in the yard are placed or protected in such a way that a fire in them cannot spread to buildings. According to Section 9 of the Rescue Act, the building and structure and their surroundings must be kept in such a condition that the risk of a fire, the risk of a fire being started deliberately and the risk of a fire spreading is low. Finance Finland’s safety guideline for protection against arson also obliges the insured person or policyholder to take care of the prevention of arson.
Safety distances of rubbish bins from the building eaves line
4 metres
- single 240- and 600-litre rubbish bins
- metal rubbish bins
- deep collection bins/deep tanks
6 metres
- rows of multiple rubbish bins
- cardboard roller cages
8 metres
- unpartitioned waste collection points
- skips containing flammable material
Waste collection point placed next to a wall
It is not always possible to meet the safety distance target for waste collection points (8 m). In this case, the structures must be divided into fire compartments. The most important thing about waste collection point structures is that the entire structure of the wall and roof can withstand the stresses of a fire under the roof according to the fire class, except for the ventilation wall (it must therefore be ensured that a fire does not spread from the waste collection point to other buildings).
The ventilation wall of the collection point must be placed away from the building and at least four metres away from the building. Other walls and the roof must be built in accordance with the requirements of the fire class of the building. The safety distance of the open ventilation wall to the adjacent building must also be considered.
More about the subject:
Finance Finland’s publication: Prevention of arson, in Finnish
