Fixed fire protection systems (FFP) such as sprinklers are one of the most effective ways to prevent a major fire loss to a property or business enterprise. Commonly recommended by property insurers, systems can detect a fire in its initial stages and deliver a fire-fighting agent where it is needed, reducing the risk to people, property and the environment.
To ensure the maximum benefit from the investment in fire protection, it is important systems are designed and installed to meet insurer and other stakeholder needs. This Inside Risk edition explores the main considerations when selecting fire protection systems.
Why consider fire protection systems?
FFP can be specified and installed for a variety of reasons including life safety, property protection and to improve business resilience in the event of a fire. Compliance with life safety regulations does not automatically ensure an enterprise’s resilience to fire or other perils. Insurers and businesses can look beyond regulatory compliance to encourage a fire strategy which also protects the property. Businesses can benefit from a well-designed fire strategy through smaller property damage loss estimates (in normal conditions) and / or improved fire risk quality ratings during insurance assessments - these can positively impact factors such as premium, capacity or underwriter appetite.
Where should fire protection systems be installed?
Broadly speaking, FFP should be considered wherever combustible construction or combustible occupancy is present. However, there are a wide range of additional considerations:
Potential fire hazards
Building construction features
Potential loss to property and business from a large fire
The criticality of business operations and any business continuity options available
Environmental considerations
Practicability of installation (retrofitting systems into an existing building can introduce additional costs, compared to a new build)
FFP can be installed in a range of applications to provide:
Building protection (such as providing sprinklers throughout a facility)
Compartment protection (such as installing specific protection in an IT or utility room)
Local protection (such as installing protection to a specific item of equipment such as a printing machine)
Building protection provides the most extensive coverage, reducing ‘normal’ loss estimates. Compartment or local protection can also be considered to provide an additional level of protection to specific hazards (such as in-cabinet protection to critical electrical panels) or where building protection is not practicable or technically feasible.
It is important to note that FFP technologies do not necessarily extinguish the fire. Some systems are designed to control or suppress a fire, limiting its size and providing time for the responding fire brigade to arrive and conduct final extinguishment. As such, a robust approach to provide manual fire water and access to extinguish the fire is also required as part of the fire strategy.
What type of fire protection should be installed?
There are many different FFP technologies available, each with their own applications, advantages, and limitations. Some common systems include:
Sprinkler systems | Well-established water-based technology recognised to provide robust property protection by controlling or suppressing a fire. To do so it uses sealed sprinkler heads which operate based on heat released locally from a fire. Some sprinkler systems such as residential sprinklers are installed for life safety purposes and may not be considered sufficient for property protection purposes. |
Deluge systems | Water-based technology using open delivery nozzles to discharge water (or foam) to a specific area simultaneously. It’s typically used in high-hazard environments such as chemical plants, storage tanks or transformers. |
Water mist | Water-based technology providing finely divided droplets of water to suppress or extinguish a fire. Such systems may be designed for local, compartment and potentially building protection but generally need to be based on full scale fire testing to demonstrate performance. |
Foam | Foam systems provide a foam blanket to seal off vapour generation and cool the fuel. They are used for specific hazards such as where ignitable liquid is stored, processed, or transported. There are wide ranges of different application methods which can deliver very low, low, medium and high expansion foam depending on the situation. Foams containing fluorine products are currently being phased out for environmental reasons and existing foam equipment may require replacement or upgrading for use with non-fluorine-based foams. |
Gaseous fire suppression | Gaseous systems could be either inert gases (which reduce the concentration of oxygen through dilution and displacement) or chemical gaseous systems which remove the heat from the fire though chemical reaction. Such systems are typically used for compartment protection. Carbon dioxide is another gaseous fire suppression option, functioning in a similar way to inert gases. It can be quickly lethal to humans, requiring strict controls for health and safety risks. |
Kitchen systems | Designed specifically for kitchens, these systems deliver wet-chemical agents to cooking equipment such as deep fat fryers, cooking ranges, grills, and extraction hoods. The agent reacts with the burning oils and greases to form a soapy layer to extinguish the fire. Systems can be interlocked to isolate fuel supply on activation. |
Oxygen reduction systems (ORS) | ORS are a technology which reduces the oxygen concentration within a specific area to reduce the likelihood of ignition and fire. They are not considered a fire suppression or extinguishing system but use an ‘inerting’ approach to help prevent ignition. The selection of the oxygen concentration is an important consideration to ensure the effectiveness of the system. |
Selecting a fire protection solution
When considering FFP options, engage early with your broker and insurer for property risk control advice and use fire protection companies who provide a wide range of FFP solutions to help identify the most appropriate system for the specific application.
During the process also consider:
Recognised standards: Select an appropriate property protection standard or guideline in collaboration with your broker/insurer for the design and installation. Common examples include NFPA codes, FM data sheets and LPC Sprinkler Rules.
Independent third-party certification: Seek suppliers, products or systems which have a third-party certification recognised by property insurers to demonstrate suitable standards have been applied.
Approvals: Seek the use of approved equipment such as UL, FM, VdS or LPCB.
Plan review: Engage with your broker, insurer, or risk engineering provider for plan review of proposed installations.
Environmental sustainability: When assessing FFP options, consider the environmental features of the proposed technology and the ongoing supply of replacement parts and extinguishing media.
Considerations following installation and commissioning: Systems should be implemented following commissioning to ensure FFP remains available, reliable and adequate throughout its working life. A fire protection impairment programme can help sites to identify, manage and notify situations where fire protection is not in service. Inspection, testing and maintenance programmes (such as in accordance with NFPA 25) help ensure systems remain reliable and operate when needed. Management of change processes can help ensure fire protection systems remain adequate, ensuring any planned changes do not compromise installed fire protection.
Fixed fire protection systems are an effective way to reduce the risk of a large fire, the impact of a fire on the environment and to improve property risk quality. A suitable technology should be selected, designed, installed, and maintained to ensure the system remains available, reliable and adequate to deliver when it is needed.
A series of Active Fire Protection Guides have been prepared by RISCAuthority (opens a new window) providing information on the main types of fire protection technologies available.
For further information, please contact a member of our team or visit the Lockton Risk Control page (opens a new window).
