Sprinkler head failure, forwarded

[Richard Boyden <richard.boyden@sanbruno.nara.gov>]

cross-posted from the disaster planning listserv:

Recently there has been quite a bit of coverage about the high failure
rate of sprinkler heads, specifically the Omega fire sprinkler head has
failed in tests at UL and by the Fairfax County Fire Prevention Division.
The National Institutes of Health calls the problem with these heads a
serious life safety problem. These heads have failed in numerous fires
and the UL testing showed a performance rate of only 65%. The
manufacturer has stated that the failure is due to improper installation
wherein the installer using a cutting oil on the metal piping contaminates
the rubber O-ring thereby chemically damaging the rubber seal. Other
installers have used a "Stop-Leak" substance to insure clean installations
but this substance causes a failure of the head to open during an actual
fire occurence.

This question about the installation of the heads brings into question
many more sprinkler systems than just Omega since most heads contain
some type of rubber O-ring to seal against water leaks. 

Since the Disaster Recovery Industry has had an almost blind faith in
sprinkler systems as a means to insure business continuity, maybe this
List Serv should take some time to determine what the effects would be
to your organization if your system contains defective heads.  A warning
to your facilities group also lets them know you are knowlegable about
what is going on in the industry.

Hugh Smith
Firelock Data Protection Systems
firelock@early.com
__________________________________________________________________________
This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list
server.  If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the
message body of "unsubscribe bap" to majordomo@lists.stanford.edu