FIA Guide to the UK Fire Safety Industry Suppression Feature
ISO/TC21/SC 6 Foam and Powder
Media and Firefighting Systems Using
Foam and Powder (ISO World) and
ISO/TC21/SC 8 Gaseous Media and
Systems Using Gas (ISO World).
Current standards work
Current standards work includes BS
5306-0: Fire Protection Installations and
Equipment on Premises – Guide for the
Selection of Installed Systems and Other
Fire Equipment (UK), BS 5306-8:
Portable Fire Extinguishers Selection
and Installation (UK), BS 8489:
‘Commercial Watermist Systems’ Series
(UK), BS 8458: Domestic and
Residential Watermist Systems (UK), BS
4663-1: Watermist Nozzles (UK), BS
5839 Series: Fire Detection and Alarm
Systems (UK), BS 6165: Small
Disposable Fire Extinguishers (Aerosol
Type) (UK), BS 7273 Series: Code of
Practice for the Operation of Fire
Protection Measures (UK), BS 9990:
Hydrants and Risers (UK) and BS 9991:
Fire Safety in the Design, Management
and Use of Residential Buildings (UK).
In addition, there’s ISO 14520
‘Gaseous Extinguishing Systems’ (ISO
World), ISO 6183 ‘CO2 Extinguishing
Systems’ (ISO World), ISO 21805
Guidance on the Design, Selection and
installation of Vents to Safeguard the
Structural Integrity of Enclosures
Protected by Gaseous Fire Extinguishing
Systems (ISO World).
On the EN front, there’s EN 15004
‘Gaseous Extinguishing Systems’ (CEN
Europe), EN 12094 Series ‘Gaseous
Extinguishing System Products’ (CEN
Europe), EN 14972 Series ‘Watermist
Systems – Design and Installation and
Test Protocols’ (CEN Europe), EN 17450
Series ‘Watermist Components’ (CEN
Europe), EN 17443 ‘Kitchen Suppression
Systems’ (CEN Europe), EN 1568 Series
‘Foam/Media’ (CEN Europe), EN 13565
Series ‘Foam Systems’ (CEN Europe),
ISO 7203 Series ‘Foam Systems’ (ISO
World), NFPA 11 ‘Standard for Low-,
Medium- and High-Expansion Foam’
(US), EN 16763 ‘Services in Fire and
Security’ (CEN Europe) and EN 50710
‘Remote Services’ (CEN Europe).
Leading guidance
In addition to the standards work,
there’s the drafting of industry-leading
guidance which includes (but is not
limited to) the Halocarbon Recycling
Guide, Fact File UNECE R107 Bus
Suppression Systems, Block Plans for
Gaseous, Foam and Watermist Systems,
Extinguishing Systems Activation Delays
and Pre-Discharge Timers, Training and
Certification Scheme for Gaseous
Extinguishing Systems Installation
Technicians, Guidance Note for an
Introduction to Vehicle Fire Suppression
Part 1: Industrial Vehicle and
Equipment Firefighting Systems,
Guidance Note for an Introduction to
Vehicle Fire Suppression Part 2:
Passenger Service Vehicle Firefighting
Systems and the Guidance Note on
Cabinet Fire Protection Systems.
Further, there’s the Guideline to
Determine Agent Quantities for
Extended Discharges of Inert and
Halocarbon Extinguishing Agents,
Guidance on PED, Guidance on the
Periodic Inspection of Containers,
Guidance on Fixed Gaseous Fire
Extinguishing and Fire Suppression
System Signage, Guidance on the
Selection of Fire Extinguishers in
Businesses Without Premises (eg for
railway rolling stock, petrol forecourts
and farms), Guidance on Watermist,
Selection of Appropriate Class B foams
and also the Use of Non-Aspirated
Foam in Sprinkler Systems.
Collaborative efforts
These Councils take part in
collaborative work with similar
associations and organisations in the
UK, among them the British Automatic
Fire Sprinkler Association, the Passive
Fire Protection Federation and the
National Fire Chiefs Council.
In Europe, the FIA is a key member
of Euralarm (the European fire and
security Trade Association) where it
participates in the Fire, Extinguishing
and Services Sections and Working
Groups. The FIA also has strong
representation on the Euralarm Board.
In a post-Brexit landscape, this ensures
the FIA’s continuing ability to exert an
influence on European legislation.
Further afield, and as alluded to
earlier, the Extinguishing Council has
good relationships with the Fire
Suppression Systems Association in the
US as highlighted by the joint research
project on high airflows as well as taking
both organisations’ guidance on venting
of gaseous extinguishing systems into
the international standards area. FIA
members also participate in various US
National Fire Protection Association
Standards Committees. This allows for
shared knowledge and ‘exports’ the FIA
brand around the world.
UK and international agreements and
legislation impact FIA members’
businesses. With this in mind, the FIA’s
Extinguishing Council and Services
Council are working with UK and EU
(via Euralarm) legislators on key
subjects such as revisions to the UK and
EU F-Gas regulations governing the use
of fluorinated global warming gases.
Here, the FIA is working to represent
members’ interests in addition to
protecting the environment.
Similarly, the FIA is working with
regulators to manage the impact of
proposed restrictions on perfluoroalkyl
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
This legislation will have an immediate
impact on the use and availability of
fluorinated firefighting foams and
follows on from the restrictions on
PFOS and PFOA already in place.
The PFAS restrictions have the
potential to go further and impact
gaseous extinguishing systems. The FIA’s
key aim is to support its members and
maintain firefighting capabilities. •
Robert Thilthorpe is Technical
Manager at the Fire Industry
Association (www.fia.uk.com)
These FIA Councils cover the interests of members involved in
gaseous, foam and watermist systems, portable extinguishers
and similar hardware, while the Service Council also
represents the service-focused interests of the FIA’s fire
detection and alarms-focused members
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