When it comes to fitting out an industrial warehouse, our clients have one burning question – what is an ESFR sprinkler system and why do I need one?
When an ESFR sprinkler system is required within an industrial warehouse, there are many things to consider when assessing the area for a complete fire safety fit-out, and it pays to talk to experts, like us, from the outset.
With industrial warehouses often posing various flammability risks, having an effective fire protection system and fire management solution in place is not just vital for the protection of employees, but also the material assets contained within it.
In our experience, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, especially when it comes to ESFR sprinkler systems installed within industrial facilities. As an Australian fire safety supplier, one of the main things we work with our clients on is a bespoke fire safety system.
ESFR sprinkler systems utilise an Early Suppression Fast Response and are predominantly installed in industrial warehouses or areas where a large quantity of goods are stored at height.
In most circumstances, installing ESFR sprinklers in warehouses at ceiling level, removes the need for in-rack sprinklers, reducing the risk of pipes or sprinklers being ruptured by material handling equipment moving throughout the facility.
They also provide increased flexibility when it comes to moving goods and storage racks in and around the warehouse without disrupting the fire safety system set in place.
It’s important to understand that although ESFR systems provide flexibility within the warehouse, there’s no one universal solution across a multitude of industrial storage facilities.
When assessing a warehouse for an ESFR installation several factors must be taken into consideration:
It’s critical to ensure that adequate attention is given to the commodities that are being stored within the warehouse, both in the short and long-term time frame.
Careful consideration of storage commodity classification will prevent limitations down the track as a higher level of protection increases flexibility in what can be stored.
Another thing that is important to determine is if the commodities are cartoned or uncartoned, as this can place limitations on what can be stored.
It may be that 95% of the stored goods fall into a lower commodity classification, however with even as little as 5% of the goods falling into a higher classification (such as spirits and aerosols), provision for storage if these should be factored into the initial design.
Even when moving into a warehouse that has an existing ESFR system installed, it’s always essential to review the system to ensure it will provide the required level of fire protection for the commodities that you intend to store.
Once your warehouse has been deemed as requiring an ESFR installation in accordance with the National Construction Code (NCC), the ridge height of the warehouse along with how high the commodity is being stored will both need to be assessed and examined. This will ensure the correct sprinkler and operating pressure is selected for your industrial facility.
The Australian Standard (AS2118.1) deals differently between goods that are stored in open-frame racking vs solid-piled, palletized, shelf or bin-box. If possible, it’s ideal for our team to know how the commodity is being stored in advance.
When it comes to the type of ESFR sprinkler head, there are various K-factors designed to protect a vast array of storage goods from fire damage.
The K-factor signifies the amount of water permitted through a sprinkler, in this case, it’s the sprinklers discharge coefficient.
For example, a lower K-factor such as K-16.8 has a more restricted water flow than a higher K-factor such as K-25.2 which permits a greater amount of water flow.
Having the correct K-factor ESFR sprinkler, along with the correctly sized pipe work, pump sets and water storage tanks capable of providing the required sprinkler operating pressure ensures the system can protect the stored goods in the occurrence of a fire.
Your system must then be maintained in accordance with AS1851 to ensure it can be relied upon.
Not to worry though, this is where we step in, with decades of fire safety knowledge our team will assess your warehouse, as well as your storage supplies and deliver the correct K-Factor ESFR sprinkler head for maximum fire safety protection.
If you’re in the process of developing a new warehouse or are taking on a lease for an industrial facility, you’ll need to make sure you currently have or have plans to install an adequate fire safety system and management solution.
Get in touch with us and we’ll provide a full assessment, and if needed, develop a tailor-made plan specific to your industrial facility needs.
Whether we’re designing a new system from scratch or making changes or upgrades to an existing system, we bring the same attention to detail, professionalism, and integrity to every project we design.
By Dean Weston I’ve talked a lot about Progress Fire Co.’s new company values of late – agility, professionalism, gratitude, integrity, quality, collaboration, and reliability. These values represent who we are and what we stand for. They are at the heart of every decision the company makes and help to drive all choices made in […]
We recently created a new strategic plan for Progress Fire Co., and as part of this process, we reviewed and updated our vision statement.
I’ve always been a values-driven human. I believe that values are part of the moral code that guides our actions and defines who we are. They are what we consider important, the things that matter to our well-being and happiness.
