Sprinklers & Fire Safety and Climate Change CFOA Conference Galway 8 May 2008
Fire Death Statistics
Fire Death Statistics UK 2005 491 fire deaths no data on presence of sprinklers! 376 fire deaths in dwellings 28% in dwellings with working smoke alarm 35% from fires that start in living/dining room 30% from fires that start in bedroom 22% from fires that start in kitchen And 52% of fire deaths occur in the room of fire origin 27 fire deaths in other buildings
Fire Death Statistics USA 2005 3,695 fire deaths 3,030 fire deaths in dwellings (third above UK rate) 26% in dwellings with working smoke alarm 29% from fires that start in living/dining room 26% from fires that start in bedroom 16% from fires that start in kitchen 85 fire deaths in other buildings (half UK rate)
Statistics Influence of Sprinklers NIST: Smoke alarms reduce home fire deaths by 52% Sprinklers reduce home fire deaths by 69% Both combined reduce home fire deaths by 82% NFPA: Care homes 84% reduction in fire deaths Hotels 100% reduction in fire deaths Warehouses 100% reduction in fire deaths
Statistics Influence of Sprinklers Scottsdale: Sprinklers in all new construction since 1986 Lowest fire death rate in USA 60% of city sprinklered One fire death in a sprinklered building in 21 years Average of one fire death each year in the rest
37% of all housing has sprinklers Sprinklers in all new housing, hotels, hospitals, etc
Sprinklers and fire safety
How do Sprinklers Work? Glass bulb contains a liquid with a vapour bubble Liquid expands as the temperature rises and compresses the vapour bubble At a set temperature, usually 68 C, the bubble has gone and the bulb breaks, releasing the water seal
Sprinklers do not: React to smoke from toast or a cigarette Open all at once (usually 1 or 2 sprinklers operate) Cause major water damage (system sprays less water than a single fire hose) Operate without reason (this is very rare)
Fire Safety Performance of Sprinklers Sprinklers react to heat and at a set temperature open to release water onto the fire below Systems are designed to control or extinguish fires and statistics show 98% success Europe has never had a multiple loss of life from a fire in a building protected by a sprinkler system
Benefits of Sprinklers in Room of Fire Origin Sprinklers sensitive to heat and respond quickly before conditions become life-threatening Prevent fire growth and so reduce evolution of toxic gases Keep temperature at survivable level Often extinguish fire Report for UK Government showed sprinklers usually maintain tenable environment in room of fire origin => Sprinklers offer the only hope to those who do not leave the room where the fire starts
Sprinklers Aid Escape Prevent growth of fire and evolution of smoke People can then more easily follow escape routes Sprinkler system can send an alarm to fire brigade
Sprinklers Prevent Flashover In a fire flammable vapours reach auto-ignition Ingress of oxygen => spontaneous combustion with fireball and shockwave Sprinklers cool vapours so they do not ignite when oxygen enters room Important contribution to safety of occupants and fire-fighters
Sprinklers Reduce Fire Damage Respond before arrival of fire brigade Fire is still small and is not allowed to grow Less water is needed to deal with a small fire Average fire damage is reduced by 85% This includes water damage which is also reduced
Sprinklers Make Economic Sense Allow architectural freedoms so buildings are more attractive and cost less to build Prevent loss of life and reduce injuries by 85% Reduce property damage in a fire by 85% Low maintenance costs throughout life of building Jobs are saved => sustainable communities!
Sprinklers in Building Codes Country Shopping Centres Warehouses Hotels Offices Residential Austria >1,800m 2 >32m >32m >32m Czech Republic >1,000m 2 Only in postal stores Denmark >2,000m 2 >2,000m 2 or >5,000m 2 Perhaps France >3,000m 2 >3,000m 2 >28m (draft) >1,200m Germany >3,000m 2 2 or >7.5m high >30m >30m Perhaps >28m (draft) >22m (draft) >22m (draft) >60m (draft) Netherlands >1,000m 2 >1,000m 2 >70m >70m >70m Norway >1,800m 2 >800m 2 >800m 2 >1,800m 2 >800m 2 Spain >1,500m 2 >2,000m 2 >28m >80m >80m UK >2,000m 2 >20,000m 2 >30m + phased >30m + phased >18m Scotland >30m England
Sprinklers in Care Homes Old or disabled people need assistance to evacuate in a fire cannot respond to alarm At night inadequate staffing for evacuation Fire sprinkler system cheaper than extra staff Several multiple death tragedies NFPA data show over 80% reduction in care home fire deaths with sprinklers
Sprinklers in Care Homes contd. Required in new large care homes in Denmark Often required in new and existing care homes in Finland after a risk assessment Retrofit encouraged in Norway Swedish performance codes lead to 50% of new care homes being fitted with sprinklers All new care homes in Scotland Netherlands looking at sprinklers
Two Hotel Fires
Penhallow Hotel, Newquay UK, August 2007 3 Deaths!
Utne Hotel, Norway
Hotel saved by a single Sprinkler Utne Norway, February 2008
European Parliament and Hotels Debate in European Parliament in Strasbourg on hotel fire safety 10 December 2007 Commissioner Kuneva for Consumer Safety met major hotel chains 8 February 2008 Commissioner Kuneva met EFSN 4 March 2008 Discussed collection of statistics and preparation of a code of practice recognising sprinklers! Further meetings planned
Sprinklered European Hotels See www.eurosprinkler.org for a list of almost 500 sprinklered European hotels 15 in Ireland
Two Office Fires
Windsor Building Madrid, 12 February 2005
The next day... Insurance payout 300 million 2 metro lines closed 30,000 people unable to get to work Olympic bid damaged
Six months later...
Another Office Fire in Madrid January 2002
Sprinklers in High Rise Buildings New requirements for sprinklers in high-rises in: Austria 2004 Scotland (residential buildings) 2004 Netherlands 2005 England (residential buildings) 2006 Germany (all buildings) 2008? France, Portugal (commercial buildings) 2008?
Sprinklers in UK Schools Largest annual insurance loss (> 100 million) New policy announced March 2007 Almost all new and refurbished schools to be sprinklered (over 5,000 by 2020) Initial civil servant opposition Success achieved by concerted effort
Sprinklers in Housing Campaign in Glasgow by City Council for sprinklers in all new housing Will make it a condition of planning permission 1 st pilot sale of Council land for residential development with sprinklers Backed by fire service, Scottish politicians and unions Campaign in Welsh Assembly to obtain jurisdiction over fire safety to impose sprinklers Overwhelming Welsh political support
Sprinklers in Housing Stockholm in 2008 fire service campaign Finland Worst fire death statistics in Western Europe Government committed to 70% reduction in fire death rate by 2012 Accepts that sprinklers will play a role Expectation is that sprinklers will be required in all new social housing but may go further
Sprinklers in Warehouses Warehouses are getting larger and larger Warehouse fires grow to an unmanageable size by the time fire-fighters are ready to attack them If fire-fighters go into such buildings they are in great danger from building collapse But what if someone is trapped in the building? Fire in Sofa Super Store, Charleston USA on 18 June 2007 killed nine fire-fighters fighters no sprinklers! Fire in vegetable warehouse in UK on 2 November 2007 killed four fire-fighters fighters no sprinklers!
Legislation Across Europe for Sprinklers in Warehouses Austria (>1,800m 2 ) Denmark (>5,000m 2 or >2,000m 2 + high fire load) France (>3,000m 2 ) Germany (>1,200m 2 or >7.5m storage height) Netherlands (usual solution when >1,000m 2 ) Norway (>800m 2 ) Portugal (>850 MJ/m 2 ) Spain (>2,000m 2 & >850 MJ/m 2 ) Sweden (usual fire engineering solution) Ireland 14,000m 2?
Sprinklers in Warehouses Side by Side Video
Warehouse Fires Extinguished by Sprinklers ICI Paints 15 Feb 2006 2 sprinklers put out fire Birmingham 2004
A Warehouse without Sprinklers Matalan, Birmingham 2 March 2006
European Parliament Community Strategy on Health & Safety at Work (2007/2146(INI)) MWhereas there are no statistics available regarding the negative effects of fires on health and safety at work 53Calls on the Commission to undertake research into the feasibility and benefits both to health and safety at work and to society as a whole of requiring all new buildings intended to be workplaces to install fire sprinklers where it is safe to do so
Sprinklers in Prisons Netherlands has sprinklered all container prisons and will sprinkler many others New policy in Switzerland UK looking at benefits of sprinklers in prisons
Sprinklers and the Environment
Warehouse Fires Abbey Produce, Whittlesey, 25 Feb 2008 8,000m 2 vegetable packing factory in Fens Contents were vegetables, packing materials Fire visible for 20 miles Rail services disrupted Fire service allowed fire to burn out for environmental reasons!
Some Questions Where does firewater runoff go? What does firewater runoff contain? Are toxins released into the air from a fire? Can we measure airborne toxins and do we? Where does the ash left by a fire go? Does it contain toxins or other materials which cause environmental issues? Could they get into the food chain?
Tyre Fires 2005 tests for Michelin and others found: Extinguishing water demand reduced by 97% with sprinklers Hazardous material release reduced by 98% Soot release reduced by 99.995% 2003 fire in Vredestein tyre factory, NL: Firewater contamination of Twente canal, which supplied potable water to city of Enschede Canal shut to goods traffic for 9 months
Rubber Fires March 2004, Goodyear, Phillipsburg, Germany Fire visible for 20 miles, massive water usage December 2005, Granutyre Recycling, Sheffield Stench from fire; residents had to stay indoors March 2006, Cooper Tyres in Melksham Four sprinklers control fire in rubber mixing area April 2006, Rubber factory in Hyde Sprinkler controls fire and staff complete extinguishment
Windsor Tower Fire Fire brigade used water that would fill six Olympic swimming pools. What was in it?
Bartoline Fire, Beverley May 2003
Bartoline New Building
Bartoline English Case Law Environmental damage not insured! Bartoline small company manufacturing adhesives and packing hydrocarbons 600,000 bill for clean-up not covered by public liability insurance for damages in respect of accidental loss of or damage to property Royal Sun & Alliance won case vs. Bartoline
Environmental Liability Directive, 2004/35/EC Out for consultation before transposition into UK law by December 2008. Aim is prevention and remedying of environmental damage to: Habitats and species protected by EC law Species or habitat on a notified site of special scientific interest Land contamination threatening human health Damage to water resources
Environmental Liability Directive Key Features Expected to cover all significant cases of environmental damage Comprehensive liability regime for environmental damage Polluter pays principle will be the norm Soil must be decontaminated until no longer poses a significant risk to human health If a damaged site cannot be restored enhance another site No financial limit to liability and in UK it is not insured!
Sprinklers and Climate Change Estimate by GMF&RS that in the UK preventable fires emit at least 2 million tonnes of CO 2 each year That is the about the same as 65,000 cars In addition there is the CO 2 emitted to manufacture the replacement construction materials Add the CO 2 emitted during the construction process And the CO 2 emitted to clear the site and recycle the fire damaged materials
Sprinklers and Climate Change Every avenue must be explored to achieve the UK target of 60% reduction in CO 2 emissions by 2050 Sprinklers reduce fire damage by 85% A building is not sustainable if it readily burns down
Sprinklers Save Lives, Property, the Economy and the Environment Thank you for your attention Alan Brinson brinson@eurosprinkler.org +44 20 8877 2600