Elite Fire Protection conducted vital fire protection maintenance for multiple warehouses around South Africa. The scope included diesel fire pump sets, sprinkler control valves, and handheld fire equipment inspections. Despite challenges, successful maintenance ensured optimal safety and smooth insurance claims.
Description of Project
Elite Fire Protection was contracted to perform maintenance at various warehouses throughout South Africa for a retailer of household appliances, furniture, technology, and electronic goods.
Sufficient fire protection and the maintenance thereof is crucially important to ensure the sprinkler system activates to reduce the damage fires cause, as well as improve your chances of smooth insurance claims.
Fire protection maintenance involves routine inspections, testing, and upkeep of fire safety systems to prevent malfunction in the event of a fire. This includes fire sprinkler systems (including valves), smoke detectors, fire alarms, hose reels, hydrants, and fire extinguishers.
In this case study, we discuss the routine inspections and testing performed for diesel driven fire pump set, sprinkler control valves and handheld fire equipment.
| Project | Fire Protection Systems |
| Size | Not applicable |
| Scope | Maintenance |
| Discipline | Fire Protection |
Project scope
Maintenance of fire protection equipment and systems:
- Diesel-driven fire pump set
- Sprinkler control valves
- Handheld fire equipment
Process outline
Diesel Driven Fire Pump Set
Diesel driven fire pump sets are required to be serviced every year. However, prior to this, a fire pump set should have weekly routine inspections done at intervals of not more than 7 (seven) days.
Routine inspections and testing involves:
- Checking lubricating oil levels
- Reducing water pressure on starting device
- Recording the starting pressure
- Flow of cooling water
- Diesel engine restarting test
These are just some examples found on our checklist
Sprinkler Control Valves
Installation control valves, also known as sprinkler control valves, are also required to have weekly routine inspections done at intervals of not more than 7 (seven) days.
Inspections involve but are not limited to checking:
- That the valve chamber is clean & tidy
- Various components as per our checklist are either open or closed as they should be found.
A valve service or overhaul on sprinkler control valves should be performed every 3 years.
Handheld Fire Equipment
Fire Extinguishers
There are various classes of fire extinguishers available in the country.
Inspections of fire extinguishers are performed monthly and usually involve checking that the fire extinguishers are visible and accessible, have not been tampered with, the pressure gauges are in the green, the next service date, and operating instructions are facing outward.
Hose Reels
Hose reel routine inspections are performed on monthly intervals. They are important to confirm:
- The hose reel is visible, unobstructed & its dedicated location.
- Check the hose reel for evidence of damage, corrosion, faults & obstruction.
- Look for evidence of obvious leakage in the surrounding area.
- Check condition of frame, hose & stop cock.
- Ensure the drum assembly is free to rotate as required.
Fire Hydrants
A fire hydrant is a connection point that is used by firemen to tap directly into piped main supplies or water supply to add on to their emergency water tanks. Fire hydrants are strategically placed along roads, streets, and workplaces and they are often highlighted for visibility to the public and firemen.
Monthly routine inspections include:
- Confirm the hydrant is free from obstruction.
- Check lip & valve seal, and hand wheel.
- Check booster is free from obstruction.
A weekly checklist sheet of routine inspections and testing is made available to the client and inserted into a maintenance folder.
Where maintenance or servicing are successfully performed, a certificate of completion is provided to the client.
Maintenance Challenges
- Equipment is not easily accessible since they were installed as often furniture or shelving are placed in front of equipment blocking access and reducing visibility.
- Access to certain areas or offices locked which limits access at the time of inspection or service.
- Spare box inside the pump room tends to be a victim of tampering.
