Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems

Inspection, Certification & Ongoing Compliance 

Automatic fire sprinklers are the best form of fire protection for most facilities.

It is imperative that these installations be designed, installed, inspected and maintained to a suitable standard to ensure the satisfactory performance and compliance of the system.

New Zealand has one of the highest recorded successful operations of fire sprinkler systems. This can be attributed to the relatively rigorous Standards and associated legislation to which systems are installed and maintained.

Due to this reliability, the New Zealand Building Code identifies compliant fire sprinkler systems, and permits relaxation in other aspects of building construction subject to an approved fire sprinkler system being installed. This provides trade-offs in building design and construction, but puts additional emphasis on the performance of the fire sprinkler system, both at the time of installation, and ongoing for the life of the building. Every Fire Sprinkler System must be installed as part, or whole of a Building Consent

Building insurers may also have an interest in the installation of an approved fire sprinkler system. In years gone by, set discounts were applied by insurers for clients who had an automatic fire sprinkler system installed. With some of the higher risks that the insurance industry is called upon to provide insurance cover for, it may not be how much discount they are willing to offer, but will they provide insurance cover at all, if an approved fire sprinkler system is not installed.

So, what defines an “approved” fire sprinkler system?

Firstly, there are three New Zealand Standards which cover fire sprinkler systems.

The two core Standards for the installation of fire sprinkler systems are NZS 4541 (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems) and NZS4515 (Fire Sprinkler Systems for Residential Occupancies), both of which have the following design, installation, commissioning, inspection and certification criteria, to ensure satisfactory performance when installed, and for the life of the building.

The following relates only to systems installed to NZS 4541 & NZS 4515.

These Standards both require systems to be approved by a Sprinkler System Certifier (SSC).

Currently in New Zealand, there are two SSC's:

- Verifire Ltd,

- AON Sprinkler Certification

NZS 4541 identifies the responsibilities of an SSC. They include, but are not limited to:

(a)   Auditing design;

(b)  Auditing installation;

(c)  Auditing commissioning;

(d)  Approving contractors;

(e)   Approving listed components;

(f)    Approving equivalent variations in design and/or components;

(g)  Maintaining records;

(h)  Certification that the system complies with the Standard.

NZS 4517 is the New Zealand Standard for Houses. It is primarily a life safety Standard, to ensure that the occupants of the protected house can evacuate safely. This Standard is specific to these types of occupancies, permits only partial protection of the buildings, permits interconnection with the building’s plumbing system, an has minimal requirements for installation, commissioning and inspection.

How are these achieved?

Auditing Design

The installing contractor is required to submit Design Parameters to the SSC before installation is commenced. The Design Parameters are an overview of the system, and the facility into which the system is to be installed. Submission & review of the Design Parameters is intended to ensure that the installing contractor has all the basic design concepts identified and correct, such as water supply adequacy, occupancy, storage configurations, extent of protection, and separation from any unprotected fire loads.

Auditing Installation

This feature is undertaken by Fire Protection Inspection Services Ltd (FPIS), and involves staged inspections of the system as installation proceeds. Pipework which will be concealed in ceiling spaces, etc, upon completion, needs to be inspected prior to concealment.

Auditing Commissioning

This feature is also undertaken by FPIS, and involves inspection and functional testing of the systems as necessary. This also includes review of as-built documentation for the system.

Approved Contractors.

The SSC maintains a list of approved contractors. Only listed contractors can install & maintain certified systems.

Approving Listed Components.

As the environment that automatic fire sprinkler systems are installed under, where they may sit for many years without having water flowed through them, or infrequently or never called upon to activate in anger, the equipment installed must be designed and approved for these conditions.

A lot of equipment installed in NZ is sourced internationally. It may also be approved by international agencies, but must still be reviewed for compliance with NZ conditions and compliance with the NZ Standards.

Approving Equivalent Variations in Design and/or components.

The NZ Standards do not cover every type of building configuration or occupancy. Other reputable international standards may cover these, or give guidance. The respective SSC reviews these proposals as applicable.

Maintaining Records

As buildings change owners, tenants, occupancy and the like, it is imperative that a history of the system is maintained. Although the Territorial Authority may also have some responsibilities in this field, they are not party to all documentation, right from the Design Parameter stage.

Certification that the system complies with the Standard.

The most important document pertaining to an approve fire sprinkler system. It is the assurance to all parties that the system is compliant to a recognized Standard. If a Certificate of Compliance has not been issued by a SSC for the system, then it shall be assumed that the system is non-compliant.

Both Verifire Ltd & AON Sprinkler Certification are accredited by International Accreditation New Zealand to ISO17020 as competent to certify Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems to NZS4541 and NZS4515.

At this point we now have a compliant fire sprinkler system installed.

You need to ensure that the system remains compliant in the future, both for the requirements of the respective Fire Sprinkler Standard, but also to meet with requirements for compliance of the building that it is installed in.

Additional to the regular testing undertaken by a maintenance contractor, the systems must have a Routine Inspection of the entire system, including functional tests of some equipment, all by an approved contractor.

These Routine Inspections (surveys) are undertaken annually on NZS4541 systems, and biennially (every two years) on NZS4541 systems. Any non-compliance identified in these inspections shall be promptly corrected.

This inspection can only be undertaken by a body accredited to ISO 17020 as a Type A inspection body, they can then recommend to the SSC that a new Certificate of Compliance be issued, once all, or any non-compliances are satisfactorily attended to. Once again, this Certificate of Compliance is assurance to all parties that the system complies to the Standard.

Some myths that exist about fire sprinkler systems.

A large number of action films and television programs show a single sprinkler head being broken, and all the sprinklers in the building operating. This is not so for an automatic fire sprinkler system. Only the sprinkler head(s) affected by the heat of the fire will activate. A sprinkler system is designed to operate only a specific number of sprinkler heads, and/or a specific area of operation.

Sprinkler heads and pipework are susceptible to leaks and/or false operation, so these should not be installed over computers, electrical equipment, etc. This is also not true for an automatic fire sprinkler system. Yes, the pipework is permanently full of water for most systems, but is monitored for pressure loss. Only sprinkler heads affected by the heat of a fire will operate, except for a couple of other affects. These being:

        i.  Mechanical damage. Forklift trucks and other vehicles may damage and break sprinkler heads and pipework when they come into contact.

      ii.   Sub-zero temperatures. At temperatures below 4ºC the properties of water start to change, with it becoming solid (ice) at temperatures nominally below 0ºC. The expansion of the ice may cause activation of the sprinkler heads and/or damage to the pipework.

In these, and any other similar locations, fire sprinkler systems shall be engineered to be suitable for the environment in which they are installed. Additional safety measures can be designed and installed to eliminate these concerns. They should not preclude the installation of automatic fire sprinkler protection.

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