Paul Pope, business innovation manager EMEA at Apollo Fire Detectors, explains how manufacturers are crucial to the success of any fire detection system, and highlights why they should be involved in a building’s design process
Developing an effective fire safety strategy which gives an early fire warning allowing the safe exit of occupants from a building or an area is a complex process. This process requires the input of experienced specialists, right from the initial consultation and design stage all the way through to the commissioning, installation and ongoing building management.
Once installed, a fire detection and alarm system may provide one method for the early warning and evacuation strategy to begin. But, before this, a lot of work has taken place to develop the specialist products, communication protocols and system strategies to ensure that all elements come together giving all occupants the best possible chance to exit the premises safely and quickly under a number of unforeseen scenarios.
Fire detection manufacturers are experienced in understanding the complex markets, international standards and the technicalities of the fire detection and alarm industry in order to identify where new product and system enhancement opportunities exist.
Any new fire detection product which is subsequently brought to market will firstly have been through stringent third party testing stage for the appropriate certification, for example, EN54, before heading to manufacture. The whole testing and certification process can take anything from three months to two years to complete.
By working together, manufacturers and those involved in the evolution of buildings can provide effective protection, as Adair Lewis, Technical Manager at the Fire Protection Association (FPA), explains:
“Fire safety planners need to be working with manufacturers to ensure that they are recommending certified detectors and sensitivities to their clients which are fit for purpose. Each installation can be subject to different environmental conditions, for example, there may be a factory environment where excessive heat and steam is produced, and a manufacturer is a crucial point of reference for clarification of the best type of detector to use.”
Adair’s final point is one that is crucial to any effective fire detection system and is an area where the expertise of a manufacturer should be utilised by building designers to give advice and guidance. It is vital that all areas of the building are assessed to ensure the appropriate type of detection is used for the differing fire risks. Understanding the type of fire risk, materials present, fire load, environment, sensor technology and the best detector locations are critical for early and reliable fire detection.
It is also imperative to protect life that any fire detection system operates and monitors the fire protection measures correctly according to a building’s fire evacuation strategy. Examples include, simultaneous or phased evacuation, closing fire containment doors, grounding lifts to a safe area relative to the fire and fire and smoke damper control.
In addition, occupants may be unfamiliar with their surroundings, possibly orientated to a different time zone and understanding different languages. All of these issues need to be accounted for in the event of an incident. In addition to advising on the most appropriate fire detection equipment to use, manufacturers can also play a key role in recommending to architects how their products can be best implemented within a strategy and design to accommodate any potential future works or changes at a site, a point which is vital to ensuring the longevity of a fire detection system within a building’s design.
There is a vast array of legislation and standards that govern the protection of buildings and their occupants and the consequences of not bringing all these together and ensuring the highest levels of fire detection, safety and evacuation can have tragic results. Those involved in building design and fire safety planning process should also not be afraid to draw upon the knowledge and expertise of reputable fire manufacturers to help them assess what products are best, and how the use of these products can be maximised well into the future.