XN000022-1982-07-11 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 1982

AN AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER INSTALLATION COMPRISES A SYSTEM OF PIPES ERECTED AT OR NEAR THE CEILING. AT INTERVALS IN THE PIPEWORK AT VARYING DISTANCES ARE SPRINKLER HEADS SEALING DROP-PIPE OUTLETS WHICH EMBODY A DEVICE WHEREBY A RISE IN TEMPERATURE TO A PREDETERMINED LIMIT, USUALLY AT 68 DEGREES CELSIUS, CAUSES THE SPRINKLER TO OPERATE AND WATER TO BE DISCHARGED IN THE FORM OF FINE SPRAY OVER AN AREA DIRECTLY BELOW IT.

+CONSEQUENTLY, ANYTHING WHICH OBSTRUCTS THE SPRINKLER HEADS WILL EITHER PREVENT OR DELAY THE SYSTEM FROM BEING ACTIVATED BY THE HEAT OF THE FIRE OR OBSTRUCT THE DISCHARGE OF WATER SPRAY,+ MR LO EXPLAINED.

*ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MALPRACTICES IS THE ERECTION OF A NEW MEZZANINE FLOOR WITHIN THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE BUILDING WITHOUT THE PROVISION OF A NEW LAYER OF SPRINKLERS UNDERNEATH THE FLOORING OF SUCH NEW STRUCTURE TO DETECT AND PROTECT FIRE RISKS BELOW IT, HE ADDED.

TO AVOID COSTLY MODIFICATIONS, MR LO ADVISED THAT THE NEW PROJECTS DIVISION OF THE FIRE PROTECTION BUREAU (5-281122) SHOULD BE CONSULTED IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT AS TO THE EFFECT ANY BUILDING ALTERATIONS MAY HAVE ON EXISTING SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS.

AN EFFECTIVE SPRINKLER SYSTEM IS USUALLY +COST-EFFECTIVE+ BECAUSE SOME INSURERS PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL REBATES ON THE PREMIUMS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES.

ONE INSURER SAID THAT THE REBATES, WHEN CALCULATED OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, COULD IN FACT COVER THE ORIGINAL COST OF THE INSTALLATION.

SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG IN 1934 TO PROTECT STAGE AREAS IN THEATRES. BUT THEY WERE NOT IN GENERAL USE UNTIL THE 1960'S WHEN CONDITIONS AND HEIGHTS OF BUILDINGS FORCED MAJOR CHANGES UPON BOTH DEVELOPERS AND THE FIRE SERVICES.

FROM 1964, UNDER THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE CODE OF PRACTICE (MINIMUM FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS AND EQUIPMENT), ALL BOWLING ALLEYS, GODOWNS, COMPARTMENTS (INCLUDING DEPARTMENT STORES) EXCEEDING 7 000 CUBIC METRES, NON-DOMESTIC FLOORS OF COMPOSITE BUILDINGS EXCEEDING 15 STOREYS IN HEIGHT WERE NORMALLY REQUIRED TO INSTALL AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLERS.

IN MARCH 1973, ALL INDUSTRIAL TYPE BUILDINGS OF MORE THAN TWO STOREYS AND ALL COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND COMMERCIAL PORTIONS OF COMPOSITE BUILDINGS OF ABOVE 30 M IN HEIGHT OR MORE THAN 10 STOREYS WERE ALSO REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS.

FROM MAY 1, 1976, AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS HAD TO BE EXTENDED TO COVER ALL INTERNAL STAIRCASES AND COMMON AREAS FORMING PART OF REQUIRED EXIT ROUTES IN RESPECT OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, SUCH MODIFIED REQUIREMENTS HAVE PROVED THEIR VALUE IN THAT MANY INDUSTRIAL FIRES LOCATED AT COMMON AREAS AND INTERNAL STAIRCASES WERE SUPPRESSED OR EXTINGUISHED BY THE ACTION OF ONE OR TWO SPRINKLER HEADS.

UNDER

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