FEATURE HEALTH & SAFETY THE FUTURE OF FIRE PROTECTION


variety of options that can cope with everything from cold stores and temperature controlled environments, to the storage and production of volatile chemicals. As the design and aesthetics of a building are now just as important as the function it was first intended for, some modern factory buildings are being designed with irregular features, so it’s imperative that the safety features installed are able to work reliably in the era of modern work places. What’s more, as technology develops,


Oliver Burstall, managing director from global design and world-class detection product manufacturer, FFE, explains how the world of optical smoke beam detection is evolving to provide solutions for both historic and modern architecture, to provide optimum fire protection whilst maintaining aesthetics


O


ver the past 10 years, there have been real advancements in the fire


prevention and protection industry, reflecting emerging technologies and the changing requirements in the marketplace. This progress in innovation is now emerging in the fire alarm industry too, particularly within beam detection solutions. Fire alarms have been falling behind the technological times with limited adoption of new technologies. Modern building design has also provided a challenge for those innovating in this area of fire protection.


WHAT’S CHANGING? Traditionally, beam detector systems – which work by detecting light obstruction to identify a fire – are used within large buildings such as warehouses, factories, atriums or venues. This is due to standard spot smoke detection units having a limitation to the height in which they can detect smoke and, therefore, not being suitable for buildings with high ceilings. However, there are other benefits beam detection units boast compared to traditional systems including accuracy, the area coverage, their compact size and the ease of installation. Even though these


24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 | IRISH MANUFACTURING


innovative devices have many benefits, there were restrictions on the type of building in which they could be installed, due to an array of design difficulties. These include buildings with glass ceilings and large skylights or areas that use strong artificial lights, such as a laboratories and classrooms, due to light obstruction causing false alarms. For those responsible for larger


warehouses, factories or storage facilities, maximizing and protecting every square foot of space and the people working in it, is paramount. FFE experts recognised that traditional beam and spot detection units may not offer sufficient protection in specific situations, so they designed a system that could combat these issues, the Fireray One. Utilising FFE’s patented Light Cancellation Technology™ and One Minute Auto-Alignment Technology™, buildings that traditionally weren’t suitable for smoke beam detection units, can incorporate this technology without fear of false alarm. FFE’s smoke and flame detection


solutions are optimized to perform across large areas and require very little wiring, making installation easy with costs kept under control. These solutions come in a


/ IRISHMANUFACTURING


FFE’s smoke and flame detection solutions are optimized to perform across large areas and require very little wiring


Right: The Fireray One


society’s requirements for quick, seamless and simple systems is increasing and workers, including factory facility managers and maintenance staff, want easy installation. Complicated systems that require endless wiring, time-consuming maintenance processes and lengthy set up are becoming a thing of the past.


FFE www.ffeuk.com T: 01462 444740


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