SUNDAY, JULY 11, 1982
SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS AUTOMATIC FRONTLINE DEFENCE AGAINST FIRES
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THE LITTLE NOZZLES OF AN AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM HANGING FROM THE CEILING MAY BE CONSIDERED AN EYESORE BY SOME PEOPLE, EUT IF FIRE CONSCIOUS PROPRIETORS VALUE THEIR POSSESSIONS - THEY MUST NOT BE RENDERED INEFFECTIVE BY INTERNAL DECORATIONS.
FOR THE LITTLE NOZZLES, EACH WITH A TINY GLASS BULB OR A SOLDERED AND FUSIBLE DEVICE BUILT IN, ARE THE VERY FRONTLINE OF DEFENCE AGAINST FIRE.
LAST YEAR, 56 FIRES WERE TACKLED AND CONFINED IN THEIR INCIPIENT STAGES BY THE OPERATION OF THE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER INSTALLATION. IN MOST CASES, THE FIRE WAS SUPPRESSED BY THE ACTION OF ONLY ONE OR TWO SPRINKLER HEADS.
THESE REMARKS CAME FROM AN EXPERT WHOSE JOB IS TO GIVE ADVICE ON ANTI-FIRE INSTALLATIONS - MR RICHARD LO, THE DIVISIONAL OFFICER IN CHARGE OF FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS, FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
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+THE EFFICACY OF THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN, AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY BUILDING WITH A PROPERLY INSTALLED, MAINTAINED AND OPERATING SPRINKLER SYSTEM WHICH HAS EVER BEEN COMPLETELY BURNED OUT, HE SAID.
GIVING ADVICE ON THE USE OF THE AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM TO PROTECT PROPERTY AGAINST FIRE, MR LO SAID THAT ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN MADE MANDATORY FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF NON-DOMESTIC BUILDINGS SINCE 1964, MANY PROPRIETORS STILL DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE WORKINGS OF SUCH A SYSTEM.
+AS A RESULT WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE WHO, THINKING THAT THEY ARE IN NO DANGER SINCE THEY HAVE ALREADY COMPLIED WITH THE LETTER OF LAW, PUT UP A DECORATIVE FALSE CEILING AFTER WE HAVE INSPECTED THEIR PREMISES.+
+THE FALSE CEILING NOT ONLY OBSTRUCTS THE SPRINKLER HEADS, IT ALSO RENDERS THE TEMPERATURE SENSING AND SELF-ACTIVATING DEVICE INEFFECTIVE. THE CEILING COULD SHIELD OUT HEAT FROM A FIRE RIGHT BELOW THE SPRINKLERS UNTIL IT HAS BURNT THROUGH THE FALSE CEILING, MR LO POINTED OUT.
*WE HAVE DISCOVERED INSTANCES WHERE STRUCTURAL CHANGES, SUCH AS VENTILATION DUCTINGS, CABLE-TRAYS, INTERIOR DESIGN OBJECTS AND OVERHANGING MACHINERY PARTS WERE ADDED ON AFTER OUR INITIAL INSPECTION TO CERTIFY A BUILDING WORTHY FOR OCCUPANCY, HE ADDED.
+HOWEVER, A METHOD TO OVERCOME SUCH SITUATIONS IS THE PROVISION OF AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SPRINKLER HEADS UNDERNEATH THE FALSE CEILING IF THE DEPTH OF SUCH FALSE CEILING IS OVER 0,8 M OR THE ADDITIONAL PROVISION OF SPRINKLER HEADS DIRECTLY BELOW SUCH OBSTRUCTIONS,+ HE REMAKRED.