Fire protection system for a manufacturing plant

The challenge

A manufacturing plant with production areas, a raw material store and a finished goods warehouse needed a complete fire protection system to comply with local regulations, its insurer’s requirements and the corporate standards of its parent company. Operations could not stop during installation.

The risk analysis identified ordinary and extra hazard occupancies depending on the type of storage, with rack heights of up to 7.5 m in the finished goods warehouse.

Technical scope

We developed the full detailed engineering and delivered a turnkey installation:

• Automatic sprinklers (NFPA 13): wet system with ESFR sprinklers in the warehouse and standard response sprinklers in production and offices.
• Fire pump room (NFPA 20): electric main pump, diesel backup pump and jockey pump with listed controllers and a 480 m³ storage tank.
• Hose cabinets and hydrants (NFPA 14 / 24): class III cabinet network indoors and a perimeter hydrant loop.
• Detection and alarm (NFPA 72): addressable panel, smoke and heat detection, manual pull stations and audio-visual notification throughout the plant.

Execution

1. Assessment and risk analysis: site visit, survey of areas and occupancies, and definition of the applicable codes together with the insurer.
2. Engineering: hydraulic calculations, shop drawings, equipment specifications and test protocols.
3. Supply and installation: direct import of listed pumps, valves and sprinklers; phased installation coordinated with production so operations never stopped.
4. Testing and commissioning: hydrostatic test of the network, fire pump performance test and acceptance test of the detection system, all documented.

Results

• System accepted by the local authority and the insurer without observations.
• Zero production stoppages during 14 weeks of installation.
• Delivery of operation manuals, as-built drawings and an annual maintenance plan.

“A fire protection system is not just another installation: it is the guarantee that the plant keeps running tomorrow.” — HWDE Engineering