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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 4șC the
properties of water start to change, with it
becoming solid (ice) at temperatures nominally
below 0șC. 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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