The FPA’s Assembly Point podcast continues its second series with a deep dive into sprinkler and water-mist standards.
In the latest episode of Assembly Point, the FPA’s suppression systems expert and Principal Consultant, Dale Kinnersley facilitate a technical discussion on sprinkler and water mist standards.
existing and new standards
He is joined by Adrian Kay, Head of Technical Compliance and Quality Fire Suppression at Johnson Controls; Alan Crichton, Design Course Training Facilitator and Technical Committee Chairman at BAFSA; and Stuart Lloyd, Global Practice Leader – Fire Protection with Zurich.
Between them, the panel offers an insurer, a trade body, and a contractor’s perspective into existing and new standards, competency, training, and weigh-in on the sprinkler versus water-mist debate.
Impact of BS 9251:2021
We need the industry to embrace new standards and it has to come with training"
The discussion opens with the impact of new standard BS 9251:2021 for residential sprinkler systems on the industry at large, which includes the increased demand for training, and understanding of the intended use of the standards.
Dale summarises, saying, “The fact [is] that a new standard has come in and we need people to be trained up and understand the use of it, the limitations of it, the expectations from it. So, we need the industry to embrace it. And this embracing of it has to come with training. We've got to get the right people on the right courses to understand it.”
EN 12845-1 and EN 12845-2
The panel then moves on to the introduction of EN 12845-1 and EN 12845-2 for automatic sprinkler systems, and their impact on competence in the industry. Alan sees there being both positives and negatives to the new standard but was eager to highlight one key point: “How it's going to affect your sub-party schemes."
"Because level one, two, and three companies who don't necessarily have the expertise and full hydraulic calculations are going to struggle, and [it will] potentially put some of them out of business. That has to be rewritten.”
Training
Adrian was more critical, saying: “I think there's a hell of a lot of retrograde steps within those standards from what I can see."
"I think the changes have been too radical, it has been virtually a total rewrite for training within the industry, and it's going to require a hell of a lot of work from everyone.”
They also consider the three available water mist standards and the training is carried out.
sprinkler versus water-mist systems
Stuart explored the risk-based approach insurers take when it comes to standards
Our guests finish by sharing their thoughts on sprinkler versus water-mist systems, looking at the current trend in the industry for selecting the most appropriate water-based standard, some of the benefits, and how some of the issues of these technologies are being overcome.
Stuart explored the risk-based approach insurers take when it comes to standards, saying, “Sometimes it doesn't always have to meet the standard."
risk-based approach
"Sometimes it may have to exceed the standard, it is a risk-based approach. We look at the LPC rules as being a minimum design guide. But we've got a level of tolerance, sometimes it's a little less, sometimes it's a bit more, but that depends.”
Adrian also stresses the importance of early engagement with contractors, “If the fire engineer gets in touch with the contractor at an early stage, it can save a whole lot of heartache further on down the line.”