Engineering judgments and alternate means and methods are important concepts in the field of fire
protection engineering. Engineering judgments refer to decisions made by a fire protection engineer
that may not be specifically spelled out in the building code or fire code. The experts at TERPconsulting
can determine if an engineering judgment may be necessary when dealing with a unique building design
or materials, or when applying the code to a specific situation that is not covered in the code.
Alternate means and methods refer to proposals for achieving a level of fire protection that is
equivalent to that required by the building code, but that may not conform to the specific requirements
of the code. The fire protection engineers at TERPconsulting can determine whether alternate means
and methods may be necessary when dealing with innovative building designs or materials, or when the
strict application of the code would result in an unreasonable or impractical outcome.
In both cases, the fire protection engineers at TERPconsulting will use their expertise in the field and
skills and professional judgment to assess the risks and benefits of the proposed approach and to ensure
that the proposed solution will provide an appropriate level of fire protection for the building and its
occupants.
The licensed fire protection engineers at TERPconsulting will document their engineering judgments and
alternate means and methods and seek approval from the appropriate authority having jurisdiction
(AHJ) before implementing any changes to the design or fire protection system. This helps ensure that
the proposed approach is appropriate and in compliance with applicable codes and standards.
