Automatic sprinkler systems can help tenants escape heavy smoke stairwells.
Automatic sprinkler system in building.
The employer shall assure that every automatic sprinkler system is provided with at least one automatic water supply capable of providing design water flow for at least 30 minutes.
Automatic sprinkler system means an arrangement of piping installed in a building with outlets distributed approximately uniformly in such a manner that water can be discharged in a spray indirectly from special outlets termed heads for the purpose of extinguishing an incipient fire and protecting the building and its contents with pumps tanks and other equipment as necessary to provide an adequate supply of water to the heads.
An auxiliary water supply or equivalent protection shall be provided when the automatic water supply is out of service except for systems of 20 or fewer sprinklers.
Choosing the right automatic sprinkler system can ensure that your building is up to code and well protected building and fire codes often require installation of automatic sprinklers in a building based on certain factors such as occupancy group height size of the building fire area and occupant load.
In the case of groups a 1 through a 4 automatic sprinkler coverage is required for the area itself as well as any floors between the group a occupancy and the level where building exits are located.
An automatic sprinkler system is also required throughout all occupancies containing storage commodities classified as group a plastics in excess of 5 ft 1 5 m in height over an area exceeding 2500 ft2 232 m2 in area.
Any building or area of a building classified as group a must have automatic sprinklers.