Keywords
Citation
(2000), "EU legislation forces major change in fire protection", Facilities, Vol. 18 No. 13/14. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2000.06918mab.011
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
EU legislation forces major change in fire protection
Keywords Fire safety, Government legislation
Imminent European legislation is set to have a major impact on the management of risks that are protected from fire by halon gas systems.
The widely-used halon systems are being phased out for environmental reasons and, under EU Regulation 3093/94, can only be used until 31 December 2002. After this date, if a fire occurs and the halon is released, the system can not be refilled. This means an entirely new system will have to be designed and installed, during which time the risk will be without protection. In any case, under the Regulation, all halon installations have to be replaced by 31 December 2003.
A number of alternative fire-fighting agents have been developed to enable current halon users to protect critical areas – areas where, if a fire should occur, the damage to vital assets would have a serious effect on the viability and survival of the business itself.
In the light of widespread concern over which halon alternative should be chosen to protect critical areas, Wormald Fire Systems has produced a definitive CD-ROM guide which includes information and guidance on critical area fire suppression systems.
Fire Suppression for Critical Areas helps management to define a critical area, and examines which halon alternatives are most suitable, including the market-leading INERGEN and high and low pressure water mist. The CD-ROM supersedes Wormald's 1999 CD on Halon Alternatives, 2,000 copies of which were produced to satisfy demand following a nationwide series of workshops on the subject.
Copies of the new CD-ROM can be obtained free of charge from Ken Bishop, Wormald Fire Systems, Wormald Park, Grimshaw Lane, Manchester M40 2WL. Tel: +44 (0)161 205 2321; Fax: +44 (0)161 455 4665; e-mail: kbishop@tycoint.com