FOCUS
Taken for granted? Is wiring for life safety and firefighting systems up to code in our buildings, and is this enough to ensure safety? Richard Hosier discusses
been drafted by experts and embedded in regulation, and therefore that they will ensure a minimum level of product and system performance – but will they? All reputable manufacturers of life safety equipment, such as smoke and heat extraction fans; pressurisation fans; hydrant and electric sprinkler pumps; firemen’s lifts; fire alarm and emergency warning and intercommunication systems rigorously manufacture to regulations and codes, and supply products and systems that comply with them. Many of these products and systems
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exceed minimum code requirements, so we feel comfortable specifying, purchasing and installing them in buildings, believing those we buy will work reliably when needed. We design the electrical reticulation system – again all strictly to code – and purchase and install the essential protected circuits (cables) to ensure that the life safety and fi refi ghting equipment will work when most needed. In addition, these cables must be made,
tested and installed to code. We believe that all should be well because we have selected
36 OCTOBER 2019
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E ASSUME that the standards we use for cable selection and installation are appropriate because they have
reputable products which are tested, certifi ed and installed correctly to code. However, this also relies on the codes we use for determining the correct design, product choice and installation providing the desired performance. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
What’s required
For most classes of buildings requiring life safety and fi refi ghting equipment, this essential equipment must be connected to a reliable electrical supply, often with secondary power supply backup, and with an unfailing ‘protected circuit’ (which most often means a fi re rated cable). These cables are required to be made, tested and certifi ed to code. The whole purpose of using these special
fire rated cables is that these circuits will continue to function reliably during a fire, even when the cables are exposed directly. Putting aside the fact that there are many different qualities and performances for fire rated cables – from cheap polymeric designs to more expensive mineral insulated designs – the minimum requirement is compliance with the respective British standards and building regulations.
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