Having a code or standard that regulates fire protection systems is of vital importance because its main objective is to safeguard human life. It is for this reason that these must be designed following technical foundations that establish clear and precise rules that allow the construction of safe spaces, where the risks of a fire occurring are minimal and, in the event of one, it is quick and easy to mitigate.
In this way, the codes are essential so that the actors involved in fire protection have parameters with which to proceed in each of the processes that are developed in fire protection engineering, from the characteristics of the components, design criteria, good installation practices, basic maintenance parameters and the necessary reception, inspection and acceptance processes.
Codes or standards
With this, the given standards do not leave security to subjective criteria that may not offer sufficient guarantees to qualify as appropriate to achieve effective and efficient protection.
In this sense, the role of codes or standards is to be an instrument to establish the necessary requirements to achieve a reasonable level of fire safety and adequate protection against the dangers created by fires, thus achieving proper development, regulation and enforcement.
Risk assessment
Code or standards should involve risk assessment that helps design systems
Another key aspect that is to be taken into account when talking about fire protection codes or standards is that they involve risk assessment that help design systems that guarantee the construction of safe buildings.
Likewise, it ensures that all the parties involved work together for the benefit of a common good: protecting life.
This, in turn, allows strict parameters to be applied based on scientific and technical criteria, thus reducing the probability of fire occurrence.
Advantages of codes
With regard to their application, regulations are usually related to increases in costs; however, this is a myth, since having an adequate fire protection code provides advantages that are of great benefit to the sector, including the following:
- It reduces the risk of accidents occurring in buildings and thereby protects life, property and
- It promotes the creation of efficient and safe building designs.
- Generates improvement in the quality of products and services related to the fire protection sector.
- Allows proper control.
- Reduces the generation of unfair competition.
- It allows working hand in hand with technology to create innovative
Strict standards setting
Each country to be strict when setting its standards with scientific and technical foundations
For these reasons, it is necessary for each country to be strict when setting its standards. These must have scientific and technical foundations that explain the reason why they should be applied.
The case of Peru, has a series of regulations that regulate fire protection systems according to the sector. The case of construction within the National Building Regulations (RNE) has Standard A-130: safety requirements. Generalities , which is based on the NFPA standards and it specifies the standards that fire protection systems must follow.
It includes detection and alarm, suppression with water and even fire walls and passive protection in general.
Needs for update
Although the A-130 standard is correctly structured, it needs to be updated because, in some cases, the specifications need to have greater detail and be consistent with the advances that both engineering and architecture have had.
Taking into account how important it is to make changes to the standard to guarantee safety, the SNPCI – a non-profit organization created by the initiative of a group of professionals who lead companies that have the protection of life as a common point, who came together with the aim of promoting a culture of safety and prevention in the work, social, business and government environment - has worked hard to raise fire protection standards among the different sectors.
Active participation
The SNPCI has been very actively participating in technical review committees of standards
The SNPCI has been very active participating in technical review committees of standards that regulate fire protection systems, offering proposals validated by recognized experts in the field; however, as in much of Latin America, political instability and private interests have not allowed it to be approved.
The unfortunate thing is that only small progress has been made in the presence of large fires that have triggered loss of life; Some examples are the cases of Mesa Redonda and the Utopía nightclub, fires caused by negligence in handling the fire and that ended the lives of more than 400 and 29 people, respectively.
Deficiencies
Despite this, there are still deficiencies that could be corrected with the approval of the standard and, in this way, there would be sources of information that allows achieving uniformity in the way workers act in certain circumstances or conditions, allowing behaviors and appropriate actions.
Taking this last point into account, it should be noted that in Peru there is no fire protection specialty, the universities have not created a specialized school or course that allows professionals who want to dedicate themselves to the field to acquire the necessary knowledge to act judiciously.
In this sense, since its formation, the SNPCI has developed free specialized courses so that both technicians and inspectors can be trained. In conclusion, the codes and their constant improvement together with professional training are key to executing better projects, thus building a safer society.