Fire Protection Systems

Fire protection should be considered under two headings: detection and alarm systems, and firefighting systems. Detection and alarm installations must be designed specifically for the protected area using suitable equipment. Early warning systems must be integrated with the fire detection and alarm systems and designed around the fire scenario. Examples include monitoring airborne concentrations of gases, fuel vapours, flour dust and other substances that could cause a fire. These warning systems must be integrated into the overall fire detection and alarm installation.

Fire detection and alarm systems comprise detectors that monitor smoke, heat, gases and other signs of fire; manual call points activated by people who discover a fire; and fire alarm panels that initiate the fire scenario using signals from the detectors and call points.

Periodic inspections of fire detection and alarm systems must be performed by electrical engineers, electrical and electronics engineers, technical teachers with electrical qualifications, electrical technicians or higher electrical technicians. The system design and the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire provide the references for these inspections.

Under the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment, fire detection and alarm systems must be inspected at least once a year.

Detectors must be tested with equipment suited to their characteristics. Their addresses and suitability for their installed locations must be checked. Manual call points must also be checked for suitable positioning, correct addressing and proper operation.

Emergency lighting and escape route signage must be installed to enable occupants to reach emergency exits and evacuate during a fire. They must be designed with regard to the building's physical layout, occupancy load, distances to emergency exit doors and other relevant conditions.

Periodic inspections of emergency lighting must measure and check factors such as illumination levels, activation time, layout and positioning. Emergency lighting is essential for helping people leaving a building find their way and identify obstacles and hazards during a fire.

Periodic inspections of escape route signage must check sign positioning, dimensions and other relevant factors. Signs must be positioned to avoid confusion, particularly when occupants may be panicking during a fire.

Fire detection and alarm systems must undergo periodic inspections under Article 84(1) of the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire and the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment. Inspections must take place at least once a year.

Stairwell pressurisation and smoke extraction systems remove or control smoke during a fire, helping occupants find their way and minimising smoke exposure. Periodic inspections must be performed by mechanical engineers, technical teachers with mechanical or metalwork qualifications, mechanical technicians or higher mechanical technicians.

A normal ventilation system may also be used for smoke extraction if it is made from fire-resistant materials and meets the requirements of the fire scenario. Enclosed car parks with a total area of 2000 m² require a smoke extraction system, while buildings higher than 51.50 metres require a smoke control system.

Stairwell pressurisation systems are ventilation systems installed to keep smoke out of escape stairs. Fresh air is supplied to escape stairwells, escape routes and similar areas to raise the pressure and prevent smoke from entering.

Periodic inspections of smoke extraction systems verify compliance with the design and fire scenario. Signals are sent from the fire detection and alarm systems to examine the response of stairwell pressurisation and smoke extraction systems according to the location of the fire. Checks cover duct materials, supports, air velocities, air pressures, the force required to operate emergency exit doors under pressure, and other system characteristics.

These systems must undergo periodic inspections under Articles 85(3) and 85(4) of the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire and the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment. Inspections must take place at least once a year.

Fire pumps are at the heart of a firefighting system. They require regular maintenance and periodic inspection at least once a year. Where a building has only hose cabinets and is not classified as high hazard, a dedicated fire pump system is not required, provided that the necessary water flow, pressure and volume can be supplied. In this case, the hose cabinets may be connected to the building's domestic water system, and the pumps used do not have to be dedicated fire pumps.

Fire pump systems are used where fire protection requires high flow rates and pressures. Inspections cover the pumps and their ancillary equipment, including control panels, expansion vessels, automatic air-release systems and circulation relief valves, as well as the physical condition of the pump room. Periodic inspections must verify that the pumps meet the design specifications and achieve their stated performance in testing, that connections are correct and operational, and that the pump room meets requirements for size, thermal insulation, ventilation, drainage and floor slope. Electrical panels, power supplies and other relevant elements must also be checked.

Each fire pump must undergo a separate performance test. Pressure, flow, current and voltage must be measured and recorded at the rated pressure and flow, at 150% of the rated flow, and with the discharge valve fully closed.

Water tanks must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. Required capacity is calculated according to the building's hazard classification and the firefighting equipment installed. The firefighting durations are 30 minutes for low hazard, 60 minutes for ordinary hazard and 90 minutes for high hazard. Total tank capacity is determined from these durations and the equipment served, such as sprinklers, hose cabinets and hydrants. Capacity must comply with Article 92 and Annexes 8A and 8B of the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire.

Periodic inspections of fire water tanks must check capacity, the filling system, compliance with the relevant conditions if the reserve is also used for other purposes, and the tank's position in relation to the characteristics of the fire pumps, among other factors.

Fire hose cabinets are among the most common firefighting provisions. Two hose types are used and assessed under different standards: semi-rigid hose systems, with cabinets complying with TS EN 671-1 and hoses complying with TS EN 694; and lay-flat hose systems complying with TS EN 671-2.

Fire hose cabinets must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. Checks cover positioning, compliance with the design, spacing between cabinets, pressure and flow tests where necessary, connections, installation quality and other relevant factors.

Every hose cabinet must be individually and carefully examined. Records of weekly visual and functional checks and the pressure test reports prepared every 5 years are reviewed.

Sprinkler systems respond to fires automatically. They are classified by their operating arrangements, including dry-pipe, wet-pipe, pre-action and deluge systems. Design takes account of building characteristics, internal conditions such as production processes, machinery and stored products, and climate; dry systems, for example, are preferred in cold conditions. Sprinklers provide effective suppression by delivering water to a defined area at a specified density for a specified period.

Sprinkler systems must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. Checks cover sprinkler positioning, compliance with the design, installation quality, supply pipework and supports. The condition of flow switches and isolation valves, and their correct monitoring at the fire panel, must also be verified. Sprinkler installations more than twenty-five years old and sampled sprinkler heads must undergo pressure testing. The installation test pressure must be 1.5 times the working pressure or 12 bar, whichever is higher.

Foam suppression is used where water alone is insufficient, particularly in areas containing flammable or readily ignitable liquids. Typical applications include aircraft hangars, paint and solvent production or storage facilities, and petroleum product storage or processing plants. Foam consists of air, foam concentrate and water. Entrained air expands the foam, which separates the fuel from the air and suppresses liquid evaporation to extinguish the fire. Designs include total flooding for spaces such as aircraft hangars, local application, and portable arrangements using foam tanks positioned beside hose cabinets.

Foam systems must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. Checks include nozzle positioning, compliance with the design, foam concentrate properties and shelf life, pipework, foam generators, monitors and other relevant components.

Another form of automatic fire suppression is CO₂ and clean-agent suppression. These systems are particularly suited to enclosed areas containing sensitive equipment or processes where water is undesirable, such as server rooms, the interiors of paper-making machinery and machinery with painting lines. Their operating principle is to separate the combustible material from oxygen at the fire location. These gases, which are heavier than air, suppress the fire by smothering it.

CO₂ and clean-agent suppression systems differ in some respects because of the standards and agents involved. For example, clean-agent systems may have a button to stop automatic discharge, whereas CO₂ systems do not require a stop button under their standard: once the countdown has begun, the gas is intended to discharge.

These automatic suppression systems must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. The fire panel, the general condition and pressure of the cylinders, and their fill levels must be checked. Inspections must also cover nozzle positioning, compliance with the design, pipework, cylinder connections and detectors. Activating one detector should verify the alarm response; activating a second should verify the countdown and solenoid valve response. Manual and electronic discharge systems must also be checked. The complete operating scenario must be tested, including the connection to the main alarm panel.

Fire brigade outlets are standardised connections from which firefighters can draw water during a fire. They are positioned throughout a building with no more than 60 metres between outlets. Water supplied through the fire brigade inlet can be drawn from the outlet nearest the fire, allowing a faster response without running hoses along the entire route.

Periodic inspections of fire brigade outlets must check compliance with the design, spacing, pipe diameter, valves, positioning and other relevant factors.

Fire brigade inlets are connections provided on a building's fixed pipework so that firefighters can supply pressurised water during a fire. These standardised connections, also known as Siamese connections, must be placed in a visible location that a fire engine can approach to a distance of 18 metres.

Periodic inspections of fire brigade inlets must check the building and its connections, compliance with the design, positioning, pipe and connection diameters, non-return valves and other relevant factors.

Fire hydrants are connections installed outside a building and linked to the main fire water supply. They provide access to water and are classified as above-ground or underground hydrants. Above-ground hydrants are installed for rapid response, particularly in high-risk areas, and are the most common type. Underground hydrants have their outlets below ground level, with covers that maintain a level surface.

Fire hydrants must undergo periodic inspection at least once a year. Checks include spacing appropriate to the building's hazard classification, height above ground, installation quality, hydrant diameter, outlet diameters and condition, water pressure and flow where necessary, compliance with the design, the drainage system and other relevant factors.

Portable extinguishers are among the most frequently used firefighting tools. Periodic inspections cover pressure, suitability of the type and capacity for the location, refill date, spacing and other relevant factors.

Under the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment, portable fire extinguishers and the suitability of their positioning must be inspected at least once a year.