Smoke is a dangerous mixture of gases that during a fire can be much more harmful than fire. It is from carbon monoxide poisoning and vapors of toxic substances that people most often die. The law spells out the basic rules for equipping buildings, working enterprises, production sites with specialized smoke protection systems. The main task of such devices is to protect a person from smoke that spreads throughout the room during a fire. The smoke protection system in the building is installed on escape routes, as well as in safe rooms.
What functions should the system perform?
Depending on the functionality of the enterprise, its architectural differences and certain conditions, smoke protection may have different mechanisms and functions:
- limiting the spread of smoke, as well as combustion products that poison the body;
- prevent the spread of fire beyond its source;
- removal of smoke and gas from the premises;
- creating favorable conditions for the work of firefighters.
Where are they installed?
Installation of smoke protection systems for the building is carried out in:
- hotels;
- public places;
- in residential buildings with many floors;
- in medical institutions, boarding schools and schools;
- in hostels;
- shops and office space.
Next, consider the features of their service.
Maintenance of the smoke protection of the fire extinguishing system
Creating and mounting such a system correctly is only part of the journey. Only proper maintenance and care of the automatic smoke control system will help keep it in constant working order.
Smoke control inspection procedures include monthly inspection, visual inspection, and weekly system startup. This will help make sure everything is working properly.
When operating the automatic smoke protection system, pay attention to the following factors:
- speed and efficiency of smoke exhaust fans;
- alarm speed;
- The performance of smoke exhaust valves.
Inspection of the system and verification of its functioning are carried out by workers at the enterprise every week. The inspection schedule is drawn up by the management itself, which is responsible for the work carried out.
Monthly check
Checkeach month includes:
- analysis of the functioning of switchboards, circuits and other power components;
- analysis of the quality of operation of fan shutter drives and valves responsible for smoke removal;
- control of the fire system as a whole.
Once a quarter, you need to carry out the following work:
- visual inspection of the nodes that make up the system, checking the integrity of the coating, determining the presence or absence of damage in the system;
- monitoring the state.
Testing and maintenance of the anti-smoke system
Protection of objects with smoke protection systems is checked by the following specialists:
- housing and communal services workers when checking is carried out in a residential multi-storey building;
- individual units if the quality of service of the system is tested in an industrial plant;
- special organizations dedicated to buildings for various purposes.
It is recommended to draw up an agreement for the annual technical inspection of the smoke control system with one company that has been performing its duties with high quality for several years and has a good reputation.
Maintenance requirements
Maintenance is a prerequisite for the efficient and high-quality operation of the PD system. It is carried out in accordance with an agreement with an organization that conducts installation and commissioning work monthly and quarterly with registrationresults.
The requirements for smoke protection systems are as follows:
- Depending on the space-planning and design solutions, the supply and exhaust smoke ventilation systems of enterprises should be carried out by a mechanical or natural method. Regardless of the method used, the supply and exhaust smoke ventilation system must have an automatic and remote manual drive with an actuator and devices that are responsible for smoke ventilation during a fire. Space-planning decisions of enterprises should prevent the spread of combustion products to neighboring premises, fire sections and compartments.
- Depending on the architectural features of the building and its purpose, supply and exhaust or exhaust smoke ventilation should be built into it.
- It is forbidden to use supply ventilation to expel gases and products of combustion outside the enterprise where the fire occurred, without natural or mechanical exhaust. It is also strictly forbidden to use common systems in order to protect premises with different functional fire hazard classes.
- The hood responsible for removing combustion products from the room during a fire must work properly. Its main purpose is to eliminate smoke from halls, corridors and rooms in which there was a fire, on evacuation routes.
- Inlet ventilation of smoke protection of buildings and enterprises should ensure the flow offresh air and the creation of excess pressure in rooms located near the source of ignition, on landings, in elevators and airlocks.
- The design and structural features of all elements of smoke protection, depending on the purpose of their use, must necessarily ensure the effective functioning of the supply and exhaust ventilation throughout the entire period of time for evacuating people from the danger zone or for the duration of the entire burning.
- Automatic activation of all actuators in the equipment should occur when the fire extinguishing installation is activated.
- Manual drive of execution mechanisms operating remotely must operate from triggers located near emergency exits and in rooms intended for dispatch personnel and fire stations.
- During the activation of supply and exhaust ventilation at the enterprise, the general exchange and process ventilation systems, as well as air conditioning, must be turned off (this rule does not apply only to installations that are responsible for process safety at the facility).
- Simultaneous operation of automatic installations of powder, aerosol or gas fire extinguishing and smoke ventilation is prohibited according to the rules.
People warning and fire source detection system
Warning systems in case of fire at the enterprise and management of the evacuation process must comply with the following standards:
- servesound and light signals to all parts of the building;
- provide the playback of voice messages, which will contain detailed information about the evacuation;
- transmitting to certain places of the building a message about the area with the ignition source, about evacuation routes and actions to ensure personal safety;
- Escape lighting must be activated in the event of a sudden power failure;
- providing communication with all premises and departments in which the personnel responsible for the correct evacuation of people from a burning building work.
The alert system includes the following mechanisms:
- fire detectors that are activated by temperature changes, smoke and fire;
- block responsible for broadcasting messages;
- digital storage media with recorded messages;
- alert mechanisms (microphones, screens, speakers, sound alarms.
How to equip a building with an anti-smoke system?
From the very beginning, a fire safety system design for the building should be developed. It is important to remember that any structure, even of a typical nature, has its own distinctive features, which must be taken into account during design.
When installing the system, you will have to prepare special documents for the construction, reconstruction, and overhaul of the facility. Provide project development servicesfire protection system is allowed only to legal entities that are members of a self-regulatory organization and have a certificate of admission.
Design and calculation of smoke protection systems
Designing the protection of objects with smoke protection equipment consists of the following:
- main part, which includes a description of objects and schemes responsible for the technical solution and layout;
- set of documents;
- used devices and materials;
- estimate, which will determine the total cost of all work and materials used in the work;
- explanatory instructions for each individual item of the project.
Installation of fire protection systems is allowed only to specialists with a license from the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Providing security
It is important to remember that in case of unlicensed editing, administrative liability may be imposed on the head of an enterprise or organization, and in case of receiving a large income, criminal liability (illegal business).
The choice of a fire safety system should take into account all the characteristics of the object - the number of floors, its area, ceiling height, as well as functionality.
It is also important to determine the risks of fire in the enterprise, its possible type and technical conditions, for example, the availability of fire extinguishing water and the temperature that is maintained in the building throughout the working day. The complete fire protection scheme includes several items.
