North Wales IOSH meeting Oriel Hotel St Asaph Ritchie O’Connell Ba(Hons) BSc(Hons) BSc( Hons) MSc MIFire E Protecting people, property and the environment
Discussion Topics • How sprinklers work • Sprinkler myths • Sprinkler legislation in Wales • 9251 versus 12845 • Sprinkler reliability and effectiveness • Third party accreditation
How Sprinklers work
The sprinkler head The threaded end of the head is • screwed into the water pipe The sprinkler head orifice is sealed • with a plug, which is held in place by the liquid filled glass bulb The bulb contains a small air • bubble to allow for normal liquid expansion If a fire occurs the liquid in the bulb • expands, at a predetermined temperature the bulb breaks and the plug is forced out by the water The water hits the deflector plate • and deflects to create suitable spray pattern
Sprinkler Myths Myth Every time I burn the toast • my sprinklers will ‘go off’ Fact Sprinklers are heat actuated • they will only operate when the actuation temperature is reached e.g. domestic systems 68 0
Myth: When there is a fire all the • sprinkler heads go off at once. Fact Each head is independent and • only the head(s) adjacent to the fire go off. US experience shows than 98% • of all fires in sprinklered dwellings are extinguished with only one sprinkler head operating.
Myth The sprinklers will leak causing water • damage Fact You are far less likely to suffer water leaks from the sprinkler system than other plumbing Accidental discharge of water • from all causes is 1 in 500,000 (per year of service) Source: LPC Accidental discharge of water • due to manufacturing defects is 1 in 14,000,000 (per year of service) Source: FM (USA) and LPC
Myth Sprinklers cause Legionella • Fact There is no recorded case • of legionella caused by a sprinkler system Water droplet size is too • large 5mm as compared to 5µm
Myth The fire service don’t like • sprinklers because when they go in the floor is wet and slippery Fact A Typical sprinkler discharges • 55 litres per minute. A firefighting hose discharges over 600 litres per minute.
The Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011 • The Measure requires the provision of automatic fire suppression systems (such as a fire sprinkler system) compulsory in all new and converted residences and enables Welsh Ministers to introduce regulations setting out the requirements for such systems.
Introducing the measure From 30 April 2014 Care homes( As defined in the Care Standards Act 2000) • Children’s Homes • Hospices • Student accommodation • Boarding Houses • Hostels (other than those used for short stay leisure • accommodation)
Introducing the measure From 1 January 2016 All new houses and flats, including: • Registered group homes • Adult placements • sheltered housing Where Regulation 37(a) applies
Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Regulations 2013 Introduced the intent of the Measure into the Building Regulations New part 7A Provision of Automatic Fire Suppression systems which applies to Wales only Comprises new Regulations 37(a) & (b)
37A Part 7A Provision of Automatic Fire Suppression systems 37 A - (1) this regulation applies where building work consists of the erection or material change in use of a building in relation to- (a) care homes as defined in section 3 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (b) rooms for residential purposes other than rooms in- (i) a hostel; (ii) An hotel; (iii) A prison or young offender institution; and (iv) A hospital (c) Dwelling houses and flats
37A (2) For the purposes of this regulation a material change of use comprises or includes a change of use within regulation 5 (a), (b), (c), (d), (g), (h) or (i).
Material change of use Meaning of material change of use • 5. …where there is a change in the purposes for which or the circumstances in which a building is used, so that after that change— – (a) the building is used as a dwelling, where previously it was not; – (b) the building contains a flat, where previously it did not; – (c) the building is used as an hotel or a boarding house, where previously it was not;
Material change of use (d) the building is used as an institution, where previously it was not; (g) the building, which contains at least one dwelling, contains a greater or lesser number of dwellings than it did previously; (h) the building contains a room for residential purposes, where previously it did not; ( i) the building, which contains at least one room for residential purposes, contains a greater or lesser number of such rooms than it did previously
37A • (3) A building to which this regulation applies must be provided with an automatic fire suppression system which is installed and operates in accordance with the requirements set in regulation 37B.
37A 4) This regulation does not apply to – (a) Section1 Listed Buildings – (b) in a designated conservation area – (c) Ancient monuments Where installation of a fire suppression system would unacceptably alter their character or appearance.
37(a) • (5) This regulation does not apply to temporary buildings with a planned time of use of two years or less.
What does it mean? If you build a new dwelling or residence where none previously existed If you create a new residence by material change of use If you create a new residence by knocking one or more existing residences into a greater or fewer number of residences Sprinklers will be required
What does it mean? Regulation 37A brings in a mandatory requirement for automatic fire suppression systems in all new premises of Purpose Groups 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a and 2b constructed in Wales with the exception of hospitals, hotels, prisons, and short stay hostels used for leisure purposes.
What does it mean? The new Regulations will not apply to • Hospitals • Hotels • Schools • Prisons
Does automatic water suppression mean sprinklers? Welsh SI no 2730 The Building Regulations &c. ( amendment no.3) and Domestic Fire Safety Wales) Regulations 2013 – For the purposes of regulation 37A(3) the requirements …are the requirements set out in any document approved and issued under section 6 of the Building Act 1984 for the purpose of providing practical guidance as to the requirements of 37A – Translation ADB Vols 1 and 2 (Wales)
ADB Vol 1 (Wales) Calls up two standards only – BS 9251 :2014 – BS9252 :2011 Equivalent technical standards also allowed Where an alternative technical standard (to BS 9251 or BS 9252) is used the guidance of Section 2.5 and Appendix A should be followed.
Automatic water suppression systems 2.5 There are many alternative or innovative fire suppression systems available. Where these are used it is necessary to ensure that such systems have been designed and tested for use in domestic buildings and are fit for their intended purpose . – Water Mist BS 8458-2015 – Other national standards/ codes e.g. NFPA 13R 13D – Where an automatic fire suppression system is provided, it is normal practice to provide protection throughout the building to cover all areas required by the relevant technical standard.
ADB Vol 2 (Wales) For dwellings and residential buildings, BS 9251: 2005 Sprinkler systems for residential and domestic occupancies - Code of practice. For non-residential buildings or dwellings and residential buildings outside the scope of the relevant technical standard, the requirements of BS EN 12845:2009, including the relevant hazard classification
BS EN 12845 Wet type sprinkler systems permanently charged with water used in heated buildings, where there is no possibility of the water freezing. Dry pipe installations are appropriate for applications where there is a danger of freezing. The pipes are charged with air under sufficient pressure to prevent the entry of water into the delivery pipework. Once a sprinkler head operates the compressed air escapes through the head and water flows. Alternate wet and dry systems can operate as either type and the normal configuration is of protecting with a wet-pipe installation in the summer and a dry-pipe installation in winter.
12845 continued Tail end alternate or tail end dry-pipe systems are wet-pipe installations in which a part of the system, the tail end (for example, where it is liable to freeze), is dry or alternate wet and dry. They are commonly used in loading bays and under canopies. A pre-action sprinkler system is a dry-pipe system linked to an automatic fire detection Operation starts when a heat or smoke detector in the detection system activates, (which will usually happen quicker than a sprinkler head). At this point a ‘pre-action’ valve opens to allow water to flow into the sprinkler pipework before the first sprinkler head operates. Discharge of water will not occur until a sprinkler head operates. Often used in water sensitive areas such as electrical equipment rooms and computer suites.
•Analysis completed April 2017 •Foreword by CFOA and NFSN •65 pages including graphs and explanations •Sub division of certain premise types into separate sections •Summary page highlighting relevant facts
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