Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has announced it offers the products and services, backed by rigorous standards, outlined by the UK’s national fire safety organisation, the Fire Protection Association (FPA). The FPA published a guide for sprinkler owners and specialist sprinkler maintenance contractors to inspect, service, test and maintain sprinkler systems to meet the required standards.
The UK fire-suppression industry is a fragmented market, which was lacking a sector-wide benchmark. The lack of clear guidelines leaves many businesses open to risk; using contractors who do not fully comply with the FPA’s guidelines, which are critical to safety. The FPA released its guide to provide best practice and further educate property developers, facilities managers, contractors, building owners and occupiers on the importance of compliance and the quality-of-service provision required within sprinkler-protected buildings.
The service and maintenance routines outlined in the FPA guide are the minimum tasks necessary to comply with the legal requirements of both BS EN 12845 and ‘LPC Technical Bulletin TB203 – Care and Maintenance of Automatic Sprinkler Systems’.
Sprinkler systems are considered to provide a high degree of reliability to safeguard both life and property against the effects of a fire, but to ensure this protection is available when needed it is imperative systems are routinely serviced and maintained in accordance with these relevant standards. Poor standards in maintenance can range from issues like sludge coming from the sprinkler itself through to the less visible issues such as whether the sprinkler system is adequately attached to a water pipe. Johnson Controls, who manage design and installation of sprinkler systems, also offer service and maintenance, and operate under a strict procedural checklist of standards approved by the FPA.
‘Johnson Controls developed the first ever sprinkler and over the last 130 years we have developed a world-class end-to-end fire detection and suppression product portfolio. We fully support the compliance guidelines the FPA has introduced,’ said Adrian Kay, Head of Technical Compliance and Quality at Johnson Controls UK&I. ‘All non-residential buildings should regularly maintain their fire safety systems to comply with the law. This means more education is needed by those who operate and maintain these systems and it’s part of our duty of care to help our customers achieve compliance. For some building owners and occupiers required to achieve net-zero targets, maintaining fire suppression systems may also provide benefits beyond protecting the lives of those who live, work and play in those buildings.’
For more information on fire servicing and maintenance, please visit Johnson Controls.
For more information on the FPA guide for sprinkler owners and specialist sprinkler maintenance contractors, click here.
