PROS AND CONS OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS....

The intended function of any type of fire protection system is to stop the fire in the initial stages and to prevent the fire from spreading further to mitigate losses and provide enough time for emergency personnel to respond. Fire protection systems are a combination of systems used to detect heat, smoke or fire, to activate the alarm, to extinguish or control a fire, to alert the required personnel and other auxiliary support functions. Different types of Fire protection systems are installed based on proper planning considering the requirement and kind of protection. Different type of Fire protection systems are

·        Portable Fire extinguishers

·        Yard hydrant systems and riser systems

·        Automatic sprinkler system

·        Water spray and water mist systems

·        Foam based systems

·        Gaseous based system

·        Dry powder-based system

·        Fire alarms system

Every system is installed based on many variables taken into account for that working environment, every system has its advantages and disadvantages.

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

PROS:

·        They are manually operated and can be easily carried or mounted on a trolley and pushed.

·        Different fire extinguishers can be used effectively based on the classes of fire  

·        They are useful to stop small fires before they become big and are very handy.

CONS:

·        Since these are handled manually, required training to be given for all the personnel on important aspects of portable fire extinguishers like correct usage, proper handling, storage, re-filling methods, regular inspections etc.

·        Limited usage

YARD HYDRANT SYSTEMS

PROS:

·        Fire Hydrant Systems have a long-range and they are spread out which makes it easier to attack the fire from different angles.

·        This entire system requires low maintenance and virtually, does not leak water.

·        Fire hydrant systems are very strong and they can be used on medium and large-scale fires. 

CONS:

·        The flow of water through Fire Hydrant System is so strong that during operation hoses are to held tightly by two trained personnel to counter the pressure.

·        Hose reels getting damaged during operation or storage.

·        Fire Hydrant System water can cause damage to the instruments and sensitive pieces of equipment during fire fighting.

·        The source water supply system like pumps and water source, should continuously work during the entire time of operation

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM

PROS:

·        Automatic sprinkler system functions without the intervention of personnel so human safety is not compromised.

·        Automated fire sprinklers substantially mitigate property damages and property loss because fires in buildings with automatic fire sprinkler systems were contained to the room most of the time thus preventing the fire from spreading to other rooms of the facility which prevents property damage on a larger scale.

CONS:

·        Fire sprinklers can become defective due to damage occurring either intentionally or accidentally.

·        Sudden disturbances in Flow and pressure of the water may not produce the desired sprinkling effect.

·        Over spraying can lead to some Water sensitive products getting damaged

WATER SPRAY AND WATER MIST SYSTEMS

PROS:

·        Water is a natural source and available in abundance, and it is non-toxic, it provides much higher cooling capability.

·        Water mist systems are less to sensitive to openings and ventilation, hence they act effectively in open rooms than gas systems 

CONS:

·        Water mist systems come with a complex piping system and are less efficient for shielded fires

·        Water mist systems have larger and more complex piping configurations. 

·        Since heat is required to vaporize water mist, small fires in enclosures may not be extinguished

·        Water mist systems may take longer time to extinguish the fire.

DRY POWDER BASED SYSTEM

PROS:

·        They can be used in situations where live electrical equipment is present.

·        In conjunction with the foam-based system, they are extremely effective in stopping running fuel fires

·        They act as a good heat shield against radiated heat

CONS:

·        They leave a residue and the powder can damage sensitive equipment more the fire itself

·        Due to high dusty nature, they create visibility problems for firefighting personnel and due to the lightness of dust, it can spread to a larger area creating breathing problems if inhaled.

FOAM BASED SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

PROS:

·        These are very useful and effective against fuel spill fires especially in facilities like hangars

·        These systems can automatically and effectively extinguish a fire by smothering it. 

CONS:

·        Damage to sensitive equipment and other assets like tools and support equipment requiring costly replacements of components

·        Accidental foam discharge can impact operations

·        Environmental contamination can occur if the discharge is on a larger scale

GAS BASED SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

PROS:

·        They are very quick in extinguishing the fire 

·        They do not leave any residue and are easy to maintain and occupy lesser space

CONS:

·        They can be used only in enclosed spaces

·        They are relatively costly when compared to other suppression systems

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

PROS:

·        Early fire detection leads to faster response times in fire fighting and other control/evacuation measures

·        Life safety and property safety or two important considerations for any business organization,  Fire alarms systems protects assets from the spread of fire

·        Fire alarms systems trigger alarms and necessary auxiliary functions like activation of sprinkler systems in the event of fire helping the business to get protected from the loss of life and property.

CONS:

·        Photoelectronic Detectors have sensing chambers that detect smoldering fires (which have little visible smoke) better than flaming fires. Ionizing-type sensing chambers tend to detect fast flaming fires better than smoldering fires

·        Neither type of detector is necessarily best and a given type of detector may not provide adequate warning of a fire, because fires develop in different ways and are often unpredictable in their growth, Dusty and steam environments may cause a smoke detector to give false alarms, false alarms unnecessarily create a panic situation    

·        Heat detectors are designed to protect property not life

·        Inadequate maintenance of the entire system leads to failure of any component like sensors or transmitter

Fire detection systems often falsely get activated or fail during an emergency due to Improper system design, Lack of proper commissioning, Inadequate maintenance, Lack of proper testing, Lack of proper training. A well-maintained fire detection system will go a long way in protecting life and property.

Hence it is very necessary to incorporate the required fire protection system based on the nature of fire hazards and a detailed fire risk assessment study.

Article by PJ Mohan

Sr.Faculty, NIFS