Fire Detection Systems - nohmibosai-india

22/07/2022

Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Detection Systems

Hotel Fire Safety Requirements: What Property Managers Need to Know

Hotel fire safety is a necessity. As a property manager or hotel owner, you want to keep your guests safe. But, with changing code requirements, a range of fire protection technologies, and a number of fire sprinklers, fire alarms, intercom systems, fire extinguishers, and more to keep track of, it can be tough to remember every aspect of your hotel fire safety requirements.

Whether you’re trying to figure out when to have your sprinkler system inspected, or what kind of fire extinguishers you need, this article on hotel fire safety requirements will provide you with the information you need to know to keep your hotel safe.

Basic Hotel Fire Safety Best Practices

While hotel fire safety requirements can differ depending on your hotel’s location, the size of your building, and the amenities you offer, there are a few basic hotel fire safety best practices that every hotel needs to follow. Some of these basics include:

Ensuring hallways, doors, and stairwells are kept clear of obstructions
Evacuation plan. Your hotel evacuation plan should be established and posted throughout the building. Learn how to develop an effective fire evacuation plan.
Employee fire safety training. Employees should be trained on emergency response protocol. Fire drills should be practiced regularly and according to your local code requirements.
Hotel has an established fire response team on call. Staff is familiar with contact information for the fire response team and knows who to call in the event of a fire.

In addition to some of these simpler features, your hotel will require building-wide fire prevention technology. Larger-scale fire protection and prevention tools like fire extinguishers and fire sprinkler systems must be regularly tested and serviced to ensure they are able to function properly in the event of a fire. Here are the basic guidelines for these systems in regards to hotel fire safety:

Portable Fire Extinguishers

Every hotel requires portable fire extinguishers. The type of fire extinguisher your building needs will depend on the fire hazards present. For example, you’ll require kitchen-specific fire extinguishers for restaurant areas and a different fire extinguisher class for places like hallways and meeting rooms. Use this guide to choose the right fire extinguisher for each location in your hotel.

In addition to choosing the right fire extinguishers for your hotel, you’ll also need to ensure they are installed properly. Portable fire extinguishers should be correctly placed in either a wall cabinet or hung on the wall to ensure they are easily accessible in the event of a fire. Fire extinguishers should not be set on the floor.

Fire extinguisher training for employees
It is important to ensure that employees receive periodic hands-on fire extinguisher training. Basic training ensures that employees know how to properly use fire extinguishers, and can respond appropriately to a fire hazard, helping to keep your guests safe.

Fire extinguisher testing, inspection, and maintenance.
Your hotel must follow regular fire extinguisher testing, inspection, and maintenance requirements. If your fire extinguishers are not properly maintained, you are potentially putting your staff and your guests in danger. For a full list of code requirements for fire extinguisher testing, inspection, and maintenance, see Vanguard’s Code Requirements Guide, and check out this blog to determine when to replace your commercial fire extinguishers.

Hotel Fire Sprinkler System

Hotels are also required to implement a fire sprinkler system. Fire sprinkler systems are remarkably effective at suppressing hotel fires. They’re designed to activate as soon as a fire starts, and they work to stop a fire before it grows out of control, providing the time your guests need to evacuate the building safely, while also working to contain any damage to your building.

But, fire sprinkler systems only work if they are implemented properly, and regularly tested and serviced. Your hotel fire sprinkler system should be:

Installed with sprinklers in every room
Installed in compliance with NFPA standards
Regularly maintained by qualified technicians

If you’re new to hotel fire safety, this blog helps explain the different types of fire sprinkler systems. Depending on the type of fire sprinkler system installed in your hotel, you’ll need to meet certain testing, inspection, and maintenance requirements. To help keep you on the right schedule, here’s a guide to How Often to Have Your Fire Sprinkler System Tested.

Special Hazard and Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems

The final component of your hotel fire safety system that we’ll discuss today is any special hazard or kitchen fire suppression system.

Most hotel fire sprinkler systems are wet systems, which means they use water to cool and prevent the spread of fire. But, if your hotel has a restaurant, kitchen, or any other special hazard, you’ll also need a special hazard or kitchen fire suppression system.

These fire suppression systems are designed to combat the unique fire hazards presented by things like kitchen or grease fires. They are another essential component of your hotel fire safety plan, and require different testing, inspection, and maintenance schedules.

There’s a lot that goes into an effective hotel fire safety plan, but every precaution and fire safety requirement is essential to ensuring you’re providing a safe, comfortable environment for all of your guests. If you’re new to hotel fire safety, and just aren’t sure where to start when it comes to scheduling regular inspections and maintenance, the Nohmi Bosai team is here to help walk you through. From designing & provisioning of your fire sprinkler system to fire protection system trainings and more, we can be your go-to resource for hotel fire safety.

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19/07/2022

Fire Detection Systems

Fire Protection Systems for Industrial Building Hazards

Specialized Fire Protection Systems required for Industrial Building Hazards?

There are numerous types of industrial buildings and applications, all with unique products and fire hazard. While a few require very robust fire protection measures, while others require unique solutions for fire extinguishment. To name a few high-risk and/or sensitive industrial applications include following buildings:

Data center
IT/Telecommunications facilities
Power plants
Fuel oil storage facilities
Energy storage systems (ESS)
Museums and art galleries
Manufacturing facilities
Warehouses

This is by no means an exhaustive list of industrial buildings with unique fire hazards, but it does give a fair picture of the types of hazardous materials and high-risk operations involved that require robust fire protection system.

What Unique Fire Hazards Do Industrial Buildings Face?

The type of fire hazards that industrial buildings face is heavily dependent on each one’s specific application. Some industrial buildings are most concerned with protecting the products housed within them (e.g. data center protecting data servers from fire damage, but also water damage from water based fire extinguishing system). Others are most concerned with safely managing housed materials that are highly flammable or explosive in nature (e.g. energy storage systems with lithium-ion batteries).

Recommendations for provisioning Fire Protection in Industrial Buildings

What can you do to best protect your industrial building and occupants from fire risk? Although there are some unique steps you should take depending on your specific application, there are a few basic recommendations that all industrial facilities should be aware of:

Design Your Fire Protection System compliant to NFPA Standards requirement
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an international non-profit organization that’s committed to reducing property damage, economic loss, injury, and death due to fire hazards. The association has established an extensive list of codes and standards that provide guidance on how to best prevent and respond to fire hazards in the workplace — and they even have a special set of standards and trainings for fire protection in industrial buildings.
By understanding NFPA standards and designing your fire protection system in compliance with them, your building and all those within it will be better protected against fires. If your team doesn’t have the time or resources to research and implement those standards, contact a local fire protection specialist to help you with systems design in accordance with NFPA standards.
Understand Clean Agents & Which May Be Best for Your Application
Some specialized industrial fires can’t always be extinguished with basic, water-based fire suppression systems. Instead, they require a different approach: clean agents. A clean agent is any type of fire extinguishing agent that’s electrically non-conductive, volatile, or gaseous, and that doesn’t leave a residue upon evaporation.
There are a number of clean agents based fire extinguishing systems available, but depending on your application, you may find that one would be more suitable for your facility than the others. Some of the most common clean agent based systems include:

・FM-200 – A non-toxic, colorless gas that uses heat absorption to extinguish fires and leaves no residue.
・INERGEN – A combination of three inert gasses (nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide) to lower the oxygen content in a room below the level that supports combustion, while still allowing people to breathe.
・Novec 1230 – Another non-toxic, colorless agent that extinguishes fires without leaving residue and disrupting high-value assets.
・Water mist: Water mist consists of very small water droplets. The superior fire suppression capability of water mist is based on evaporation: when tiny water mist droplets turn into vapor, a great amount of energy is absorbed from the fire.

The main consideration here is to explore which clean agent system is best suited to protect your facility, the materials that are stored there, and the people who work there.
Regular Inspection, Testing & Maintenance of Fire Protection Systems
No fire protection system is complete without a plan for regular & periodic inspections, testing, and maintenance. So once you’ve invested in the fire protection systems and technologies you need to keep your assets safe, you must also commit to put in place inspection testing & maintenance plan to keep them functioning well.

NFPA provides various standards related to inspection, testing, and maintenance protocols. You’ll find that some system components need to be inspected or tested every day, while others may only need to be tested every 5 years.

There are many components (hydrants, fire sprinklers, fire detection & alarms, etc.) that require different levels of attention — and while you can definitely manage that on your own, you may find it easier to contact a professional that can help keep track of and carry out those inspection, testing, and maintenance tasks for you.
Train Employees on Effective Fire Prevention & Response
It’s not enough for just one person to know the fire hazards in your industrial workplace; your whole team must also be aware of them. Fire safety training aims to educate your employees of those hazards and how to best prevent them. Have a fire prevention expert visit your facility one or two times a year to make sure best prevention practices are consistently communicated to all employees.

And while it’s important to do your best to prevent fire emergencies in the first place, it’s also critical that your employees know how to respond in case a fire does happen. Things like hands-on fire extinguisher training and a thorough evacuation plan should all be implemented to prepare your team for a calm, safe, and efficient response.

Industrial buildings can pose special fire risks, which means they usually require specialized fire protection systems. If you’re concerned that your facility isn’t outfitted with the adequate fire protection systems it needs to keep your property, products, and people safe, contact our experts at Nohmi Bosai. We’ll listen to your needs, then design & provision fire system solution that will best protect your assets in unforeseen emergencies.

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09/07/2022

Fire Detection Systems

Emergency Evacuation Plan

Emergencies happen every day. Unfortunately, the workplace isn’t spared from these unforeseen incidents. Whether its natural disasters like fires, earthquakes, or flooding, or a security breach that puts employees and guests on your premises at risk, it’s always better to be prepared. Emergency situations invariably cause panic, and not having a plan in place will only lead to added chaos and confusion.

Fortunately, workplaces are now taking a more proactive approach to managing and mitigating emergency situations in the workplace. In addition to making sure they have proper evacuation procedures. Take note of these four key elements to ensure a fast and effective emergency evacuation plan.

Key elements to consider for an emergency evacuation plan in the workplace

Evacuate or Shelter: Carefully Assess the Emergency
There are numerous scenarios that can be considered an emergency situation. Not all of these situations will require evacuation. Remember, an evacuation tends to cause alarm and panic, especially if employees aren’t properly informed of the reason behind the evacuation. Before evacuating, make sure that you carefully assess the need to evacuate.
Start by considering what type of emergency you’re facing so you can respond appropriately to the emergency at hand while minimizing alarm.
Clearly Mapped Out Evacuation Procedures
Different emergencies will require different action from employees. For example, what steps are your employees required to take once an evacuation has been confirmed as necessary? Will you require employees to gather at one location within the premises before evacuating to an outdoor location? Is it safer to do it a certain way? Or would it take too much time? To determine all these factors, consider the following:

・Are the routes and exits on your premises clearly marked to indicate where people should go in case of an emergency?
・Do you have an alarm system that can easily notify employees and guests of an emergency?
・Are your employees familiar with the different procedures they should take for different types of emergencies?
・What systems are in place to ensure that everyone is accounted for and everyone was successfully evacuated?
・Do you have assigned personnel who are tasked with key duties and responsibilities such as rescue and medical tasks?
・Is there a clear chain of command? Identify the people who are in charge of notifying emergency services, for example.
Access to Necessary Safety Equipment
There are some emergency situations that require personnel to use special safety equipment to facilitate a safe evacuation. These can include:
・Safety glasses, goggles, and face shields
・Hard hats and safety shoes
・Gloves
・Chemical suits or hoods
Ensure that your employees know where these are located and can easily access them if needed.
Accounting for Visitors and Employees On-Site
In an emergency, you need to be able to account for everyone on your premises in the fastest and most efficient way possible. To do this, make sure you include these steps in your evacuation plan:
Designate assembly areas within and outside the premises where you can gather all your employees during an evacuation.

Make sure that you take a headcount once all employees are gathered in your designated areas. The right technology can ensure that you will successfully and accurately be able to account for all the employees and visitors on your premises. A centralized visitor log can ensure that personnel in charge of facilitating the evacuation have an accurate list of everyone on site.

If there are guests or employees that are unaccounted for, take note of their last known location. If there are any employees or personnel that need to stay behind, make sure they know exactly when to abandon their task and evacuate themselves from the premises.

A poorly prepared evacuation plan could result in a disorganized evacuation or emergency response, which could be catastrophic in emergency situations. Without the proper procedures in place, executing your plan could result in confusion, injury, property damage, or worse. Using the right technology, such as a visitor management system, can ensure success and seamless execution of processes, as well as help ensure the safety of your employees and guests.

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08/06/2022

Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Detection Systems

Fire Safety Systems Essential for Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System

Does your facility have an energy storage system (ESS)? If yes, your facility might be at a higher fire risk, so we recommend you to put in place effective fire detection and protection system which can prevent future mishap.

Various aspects including fire detection & fire suppression related to installation of stationary energy storage systems are covered in NFPA 855. From the various types of battery energy storage systems (like: lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, etc.) we’re going to focus mainly in this blog to ESS that have lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion battery energy storage systems have been known to pose the greatest fire risk for facilities where these are installed. Here’s a little more information as to why, as well as to how you can protect your facility and people against fire risk posed by Li-ion battery ESS.

Fire Hazard Associated with Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems:

As long as lithium-ion batteries are stored and maintained properly, they don’t pose significant fire risks. However, for many facilities, it becomes easy to forget about them or keep up with regular inspections and maintenance and of course, there’s always a chance that something unexpected happens. That’s why it’s important to understand the potential hazards and do your best to prevent and prepare for them.

Thermal Runaway:

The main fire hazard associated with lithium-ion batteries is thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction that occurs as heat builds up in a lithium-ion battery faster than it can be dissipated. Here’s a more detailed run-through of how thermal runaway works:

When a lithium-ion battery malfunctions or suffers physical damage, it will likely experience an increase in internal temperature, which can be either gradual or sudden.

As temperature increases, the battery releases a toxic and explosive gas, which is what causes thermal runaway to occur.

Then, the chain reaction leads to an explosive release of all thermal and electromechanical energy stored in the cell, and the ignition of the toxic gas that’s been released.

Fire Safety Tips for Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems:

All that being said, it’s wise to dedicate time, energy, and money to figure out a plan of action to protect your facility from the threats that thermal runaway can bring. To do this, you’ll have to consider the following safety tips for fire safety of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems:

Build Your Battery Energy Storage System In Accordance with NFPA 855
NFPA 855 is a standard that discusses a list of requirements to ensure fire safety, and it’s critical to read and follow them carefully. By building your battery energy storage system in accordance with NFPA 855, you can ensure you’re doing the best you can to prevent any risk and protect your property, products, and people.
It’s important to note here that NFPA 855 is updated fairly frequently, often on an annual basis. Industry experts are continuously learning more about lithium-ion batteries and the risks associated with them, so you should refer to the most current safety standards available for adequate protection.
Develop an Emergency Operations Plan in Conjunction with Your Local Fire Department and AHJ
If you’re planning to install a lithium battery energy storage system in your facility, you must consult with your local fire department and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to develop an emergency operations plan. This plan should be different from your emergency operations plans for other fire hazards, as lithium-ion battery energy storage systems pose different, often more severe, fire risk. Your local fire department and AHJ will likely have a greater understanding of lithium-ion fire risks, and will therefore help in creating a more successful plan.
Create Signage to Identify the Contents of Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System
As you install your lithium-ion battery energy storage system, you should also implement some signage around it. This signage should include information about the contents within your system. This helps to alert facility operators or first responders of the potential risks associated with the installation.
Equip Your Facility with Explosion Protection Devices
NFPA 855 requires that any facility with a lithium-ion battery energy storage system should be equipped with an adequate special hazard fire protection system, namely an explosion protection device. While there are a variety of explosion protection devices to choose from, explosion vent panels are some of the most popular. These panels are installed on the top of the battery energy storage system to safely direct the explosion upward, away from most of your people and property.
Install a Sprinkler and/or Suppression System
Sprinkler system and suppression system are essentially required to prevent risk posed from fire in protected space. These systems effectively combat fire, or at least control the fire until local fire department can reach to your facility. If your facility doesn’t currently have one, you’ll want to invest in one (or both!) of them.
What’s the difference between sprinkler systems and clean-agent gas suppressions systems? Sprinkler system releases water, while suppression system releases clean-agent gases like (IG-100, IG-541, NOVEC 1230 etc.), or chemical powders, or foam agent. In most cases, it’s recommended that facilities with highly combustible substances install a fire suppression system since water isn’t as effective as compared to clean-agent gases/chemical powder/foam.
Install Specialized Hazard Detection Systems
One of the most important choices you can make for limiting fire and explosion damage from battery energy storage systems is which specialized hazard detection system you install. There are a variety of detection options that can detect the conditions that precede thermal runaway from temperature increases to off-gasses, smoke, or flames.

The earlier your malfunctioning battery is detected, the sooner you can notify first responders, sound your alarms, evacuate the premises, and activate fire sprinkler system and/or gas suppression system. Depending on your unique application, some detection options may suit your facility better than others. Consult with a fire detection expert to help make the best choice.

Lithium battery storage is essential to your facility’s operations, but it can also present significant fire hazards, especially if you don’t have the right fire protection and detection solutions in place. Contact our team to get help discovering, implementing, and maintaining the fire protection and detection systems that will ensure safety of your premises & people.

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20/05/2022

Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Detection Systems Maintenance News

Tragic Fire Incident in Commercial Building at Mundka, New Delhi

A tragic fire incident again strike the capital city of India. A massive fire broke down in a four story commercial building in Mundka, New Delhi claiming more than 27 lives. According to the fire officials, fire started at the first floor of the building due to the suspected explosion in an AC unit, which became uncontrollable due to the storage of flammable materials in large quantities on the floors with in short span of time and it took more than 6 hours of regress operation by 125 fire personnel and 30 fire tenders to control the fire.

Unavailability of fixed fire-fighting systems (sprinklers, hydrants etc.), no alternative escape route, no evacuation plan, and rapid spread of fire due to presence of highly combustible materials led to higher casualties in the tragedy at the building. Single entry and exit point made it difficult to escape and became the reason for the high number of deaths.

In order to avoid instances like Mundka tragedy, necessary measures are required to be taken care for fire resistance of the structural and non-structural components and other restrictions and requirements necessary to minimise danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic before the buildings can be evacuated.

In keeping the view to minimise the loss of lives & property due to fire, fixed fire fighting system like: fire hydrant system and sprinkler system (at-least as per National Building Code (NBC) and Indian Standard) is recommended for the commercial buildings and office/business spaces.

Fire hydrant system is a safety measure or emergency system required in buildings that comprises a series of components that when assembled together provide a source of water to assist firemen. Fire hydrant installation consists of a system of pipe work connected directly to the water supply main to provide water to each and every hydrant outlet and is intended to provide water for the firemen to fight the fire. The dedicated fire water tank/reservoir serves as supply for the fire water pumps through which water is discharged into a network of pipes connected to hydrants & sprinklers which allows the spray of water in the area under fire.

A sprinkler system consists of pipes along a ceiling that contain water under pressure, with an additional source of water for a constant flow. Attached to the pipes, automatic sprinklers are placed at select locations. Sprinkler systems detect a fire through rising temperatures. As the temperature at the sprinkler head rises to 30^oC to the ambient temperature, the liquid inside the glass bulb expands and breaks the glass, thus activating the sprinkler head and releasing the water from the sprinkler head to extinguish the fire.

Escape route is another important aspect to consider for the safety of personnel working in the building. An escape route is a predefined path of travel that has been designed to provide employees with a safe and predictable means of evacuating their workplace in the event of fire or other emergency that makes the stairways inside a building inaccessible.

Many precious lives could have been saved in this scenario if fixed fire-fighting system as mandated by the NBC and IS Standards was taken in to account. An unfortunate incident cannot be avoided all the time but we can reduce the magnitude of disaster occurred due to that by implementing and taking proper measures to counter the problem.

View the case article >

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18/05/2022

Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Detection Systems Maintenance

A FIRE INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR PROPERTY OWNERS

As a building/factory owner, facility or property manager, referring the following fire inspection checklist will help verify the fire safety & security of the property and occupants inside the building. Primarily, it will enhance your awareness of fire safety and its effectiveness, and will serve as immediate means to protect lives and property.

However, in this checklist, you will find that some of the items may be handled internally, while others require a certified fire alarm or fire safety professional or related consulting company. The below-mentioned checklist can be followed to ensure that you are doing what is necessary to mitigate the risk from the fire emergencies.

Is your fire alarm system being maintained as per IS 2189 Indian Standard or NFPA 72 Standard Codes?
Are you maintaining your fire protection system (like Fire Pumps, Hydrant System, Sprinkler System etc.) according to latest IS 13039, IS 15301, 15105 Indian Standard or NFPA 25, and following your insurance company’s requirements?
Are your stored items being housed in accordance with the relevant Indian Standard?
Are your fire extinguishers being inspected consistently under IS 2190 Indian Standard or NFPA 10?
Are you safely storing flammable materials away from combustibles?
Are you or you personnel(s) trained on the evacuation program in the event of a fire emergency?
Is your Fire Safety Plan kept in an approved Fire Safety Plan Box?
Are all your fire extinguishers suitable for different types of fires in accordance with IS 2190 or NFPA 10,
Are the extinguishers are mounted appropriately, and are accessible & conspicuously visible?
Are all occupants/employees and personnel trained on the proper use of your portable fire extinguishers?
Is that the area around your property’s fire hydrant free from obstacles, debris, and vegetation, and has it been inspected within the last 12-months?
Can you quickly and efficiently provide the last two years of fire inspection records?
In the event of a fire in your garbage bin, is it located at a safe distance from any combustible building structures?

If you answered “no” or are unsure about the answer to any of these questions, we encourage you to consult with a qualified fire safety professional. They will enable you to bring your processes up to fire safety standards to meet the code (Indian Standard or NFPA Standard) compliance, and to minimize the risk of potential harm to occupants and property.

If you have any concerns about fire safety or you’re looking for a fire alarm and security system company to help facilitate the fire safety inspection on your building, reach out to the experts at Nohmi Bosai (India) serving businesses across India. Our inspections and maintenance contracts are based on the requirements of applicable Indian Standards or NFPA Standards, and National Building Code. We use exhaustive checklists to ensure a thorough review of the fire safety systems and a track record of excellence.

To learn more about our services, please click here. If you have any questions about fire alarm or fire safety surveys or want to discuss our fire inspection checklist, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us here.

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08/05/2022

Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Detection Systems Maintenance

Fire Safety Surveys

A fire safety survey is a detailed and methodical assessment of fire risk in a building/factory premises, and the activities it carries out in the premise, to determine ways in which the risk from the fire can be minimised or mitigated. Until recently they would be performed by the Local Fire Department, to adapt with recent development in configuration of buildings and processes in the factories with reduced fire risk or fire instances it is the responsibility of all building or business owners to get the fire safety survey conducted in their premises and provision suitable fire protection, detection & alarm measures, escape plan for people in the premises to minimise the risk from fire instances which may occur unfortunately in any building/factory.

Five Steps Approach for conducting effective Fire Safety Survey:

A successful fire safety survey can easily be broken down into five steps approach which is mentioned as below:

A properly functioning system will warn the people to evacuate before the fire spreads. Therefore, installing the right fire protection system can protect people and property in and around the facility.

1. Identifying Fire Hazards

This includes possible sources of ignition (especially places where heat builds up over time), materials and substances that could act as fuel and potential sources of oxygen (such as the ventilation system). Fire Hazard can be best identified basis the material safety datasheet, drawings, and technical documents.

2. Identifying Individuals at Risk

These are people who spend time in and around the premises, paying particular attention to those who a fire would be especially incapacitating (such as asthmatics) and those who would be least able to escape from the facility (employees with physical disabilities).

3. Evaluating and Protecting the Life & Property

The first part of this step is to evaluate both the risk of a fire occurring in each part of the premises, and then what the associated risk to people would be. For example, a piece of machinery which gets very hot would be a fire risk, so calculating the threat this poses to staff would involve working out how likely they are to be near it when in use. The fire protection & detection measure that’s been deployed to counteract with these fire hazards, either by removing the heat or cutting of the oxygen or removing object which is hazardous. Ways of reducing the fire risk to the people should also be investigated, possibly by involving some of the following:

Fire Detection & Alarm Systems (such as smoke/heat/flame detectors and audible/visual alarms)
Fire Fighting System (such as fire hydrants, fire extinguishers etc.)
Evacuation Plans/Escape routes
Emergency Lighting System
Fire and Escape Signage
Regular maintenance of all the above systems mentioned above

4. Reviewing

The fire safety survey should be performed once a year and revised where necessary, with all relevant employees kept up to date with any changes to the fire safety arrangements which affect them.

5. Advice for a Useful Fire Safety Survey

It’s important that whoever undertakes the survey obtains all their information by physically going around the premises to inspect it, and obtaining the knowledge from any respective area manager, rather than simply predicting things or relying on personal experiences. The survey should have time bound to it and should be performed in a systematic manner, with larger premises being broken up into more manageable areas that can be considered in detail on their own, bearing in mind that they must be covered in their entirety, including outdoor areas and spaces that are seldom used.

An important technical point is that fire safety comes under the larger umbrella of workplace health and safety law, so the measures that have been taken towards it will be enforced by the Health and Safety Executive or local authority.

Fire Safety Survey Companies

If a business doesn’t feel it has anyone that’s qualified enough to perform the fire safety survey on its existing staff then it is possible for them to pay one of a number of companies that exist to provide this service so that it will be done for them. Having a reputed professional conduct the survey should ensure it is undertaken with a high level of expertise, whilst also preventing existing workers from being distracted away from their normal tasks by it.

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06/08/2021

Fire Detection Systems

Introducing NOHMI’s Fire Alarm Panel

When it comes to a genuine alarm raised through the main control board, it becomes very important as to how the situation is understood and taken care of by the panel administrator to help control the situation and save loss of life and property. In recent years, fire alarm systems have become sophisticated and functionally more capable.

What is NOHMI Integlex FAP N-3060?

The Integlex Multicrest UL 864 9th Edition Listed – N3060 state-of-art Fire alarm control panels (FACPs), comprises the main control unit that functions as the controlling component of the fire alarm system. The FACP receives information from detectors/sensors designed to detect any variation in factors associated with fire such as smoke, heat, and flame. It also monitors their operational stability; allows automatic control of equipment and transmission of alarm notification necessary to prepare the facility for the safe evacuation of occupants. It requires the application of a fire suppression system based on predetermined programming done in the FACP. Moreover, the FACP supplies electrical energy to operate all the associated detectors/sensors, manual call points, input and output modules.

Advantages of NOHMI Bosai N3060

Nohmi Bosai N3060 fire alarm control panels are unique, as it offers a revolutionary 10.4” colour touch screen LCD having the capability to provide more information to the first responders and facility managers. Besides, it can do more than just informing that there has been an alarm in the building; operators can be directed by FACP about the kind of alarm and the location of the alarm through in-built voice message functionality.
On the occurrence of any type of fire event (alarm, trouble, device activation, supervisory, or fire suppression agent discharge) the panel sounds the pre-recorded voice message for the type of event to attract the attention of the operator. In addition to pre-recorded voice messages, the FACP offers an action guidance message display feature to “Guide” the operator to take appropriate action during the occurrence of a designated fire event. It shows the details of the categorised event like the number of total events, outbreak time, event type, event location. The device messages are displayed on the single window LCD coloured display which enables the operator to immediately get complete information. One-touch zone activation functionality activates all the outputs formed in a zone by touching the corresponding button on the LCD. This function is useful for testing, authorizing and maintenance periods. Thirty-six sets of one-touch activation buttons can be formed per system.

The N3060 fire alarm control panel has the unique address map feature which allows the operators/facility managers to collectively monitor the status of at least 128 devices. These devices are connected to one fully loaded loop on a single screen of the touch screen display. When there is a change in the status of the device, the colour of the address icon changes to represent the status with a predefined colour code. Detailed information of a particular device can be viewed by selecting the device address on the address map display. The sensor monitor graphically displays the sensed smoke/ heat analogue value of the selected analogue detector for the past 3 minutes or the past one week. This function facilitates the monitoring of the analogue value of a particular detector. All these features come in handy and provide ease of access during a fire emergency. Moreover, the panel comes with an in-built two-way talkback telephone system. It enables the operator in the control room and fire-fighter on any floor of the building to communicate by inserting the telephone handset in the telephone jack provided on the Nohmi manual call box. Hence, the two-way talkback system becomes an essential part of a fire alarm system when a fire emergency occurs in a building with multiple floors.

Choose NOHMI and get the optimal solution!

The features like the 10.4” intuitive LCD display, Address Map, Voice Message, Sensor Monitor present in Nohmi Bosai N3060 FACP will benefit the occupants during a fire emergency and will enable the operator to plan evacuation and fire suppression systems in a very efficient manner.

For complete technical data of the N3060 Panel kindly refer to the technical datasheet or Nohmi Bosai product brochure.

11/04/2021

Fire Detection Systems

Case Study: The Need of Installation of Safe Fire Protection and Detection Systems

Electrical short circuit caused an undesirable fire incident.

On 24 May 2019, a distressing incident shook entire India as a fire engulfed a commercial complex in Surat, Gujarat. According to India Today’s news article, twenty-two students died and several others were injured in an academic coaching center located on the third and fourth floor of the building. Almost 70 students were present inside the center when the fire broke out. Moreover, 19 fire tenders and two hydraulic platforms were pressed into service to douse the fire. It took an hour to contain the blaze. As reported, the fire started due to an electric short circuit on the ground floor which rapidly spread to other floors. Students in the coaching center were trapped because of the destruction of a wooden staircase. Also, there was no escape route available for the students who got trapped on the top floors, and students were seen jumping from the third and fourth floor amid the thick smoke. An electrical short circuit is reported to be the most common cause of fire incidents in buildings.

Consequences of dreadful fire break out

During the investigation the loss of lives of people and loss of property was reported, it was revealed that 16 students died due to fire or asphyxiation, 3 students died after jumping off the terrace of the building, and 3 succumbed to the fire-burns they sustained. Later it came to light that the building did not even follow the basic fire protection rules and no systems or equipment was installed to handle fire in the building.

Safety guidelines laid by the Indian government

The Indian government and fire experts through NBC (National Building Code) have laid down mandatory safety measures which need to be installed in any type of building depending on the type of occupancy/building/hazard. As Per NBC, Commercial complexes come under the moderate risk category. Independent Pump houses with suitable water storage tanks, External hydrants, internal hydrants for all levels, first aid hose reel, automatic detection system, and fire extinguishers are a few of the mandatory measures suggested by the NBC. In the above case, the fire safety regulations were ignored and poorly enforced in commercial buildings and none of the fire safety requirements were fulfilled.

Prevention is Better than Cure

Suitable Fire extinguishers should be strategically placed to encounter small fire incidents. A fire safety plan is very important in case of such incidents. A fire safety plan helps identify routes through a building in the event of a fire or other emergency. Additionally, it outlines how people should escape a burning building or evacuate when a fire threatens the area.

At Nohmi Bosai India, we are committed to saving human lives and property with effective fire protection which can prevent or minimize such unfortunate incidents. Nohmi India team is fully expertise in designing all types of Fire Protection and detection systems as per the law. Moreover, we follow all rules and regulations and offer a wide range of services which includes designing fire fighting systems, risk assessment, fire fighting systems training, Annual maintenance contracts, etc. Nohmi India has successfully installed and demonstrated various fire protection and detection systems all across India including similar lethal categories. Early detection of fire is very crucial in suppressing fire at the initial stage. By preventing fires at an early stage, damage can be minimized.

We commit to making the world a safer place

Nohmi Bosai being a pioneer in the fire industry with more than 100 years of existence in Japan has a wide range of products for protection and early detection. Nohemi’s various Fire Alarm panels are user-friendly, faster and easier system operation. Nohemi’s protection view (Smoke Aspiration) system provides early detection. This system constantly sucks the air in the monitoring area from a large number of sampling holes and optically monitors the environmental air in the entire area. In addition, the sensor monitors at a Hyper-sensitive level that accurately captures normal environmental changes. Nohmi NN100 Gas based (Inert Gas) Room flooding system is one of the most recommended systems for electrical rooms. Hence, the system is 100% safe for humans as well as the environment.

Reference:
Surat fire: 22 killed in coaching centre blaze, horrific visuals show kids falling off burning building

LINK OF Safety guideline