The LWF Blog
Fire Safety for Facilities Management Personnel – Sprinkler System Design Codes – Part 231
December 11, 2023 12:34 pmLawrence Webster Forrest (LWF) is a specialist fire engineering and fire risk management consultancy whose aim is to give information on best practice in fire safety for facilities management personnel through this blog series. In part 230, LWF discussed the case for the use of sprinkler systems where appropriate. In part 231, we look at the design codes for sprinkler systems.
The main design code for sprinkler systems in the UK was BS 5306-2, which was replaced by BS EN 12845 in 2003. The current version is BS EN 12845:2015+A1:2019 Fixed firefighting systems. Automatic sprinkler systems. Design, installation and maintenance.
The original BS 5306-2 was based on an earlier set of rules, published by the Fire Offices’ Committee for use by insurers and most installations in the UK have been designed in accordance with these rules, for the current BS EN 12845 is based on that original standard.
The LPC publishes ‘Rules for Automatic Sprinkler Installations’ which incorporates BS EN 12845+A1 and some related technical bulletins aims to provide the highest practical specification for the protection of property, life safety and fire resilience through the use of sprinkler systems.
The additional technical bulletins contain information which helps satisfy insurer requirements on issues outside the scope of British Standards and incorporates new developments which may have resulted from research of service experience.
Sprinkler systems in buildings in the UK are sometimes designed in accordance with US codes, if the building is owned by an American company or is insured by an American fire insurer. In these cases, the code used would be NFPA Standard 13. In some instances, additional requirements may have been laid out by US-based Factory Mutual insurers.
For domestic and residential buildings, the relevant code of practice in the UK is BS 9251:2021. The standards for domestic sprinkler system installations is, as might be expected, much less onerous than for manufacturing or industrial applications. Discharge densities, capacity of water supplies and recommendations for reliability of water supplies are less stringent. The standard applies to houses, flats, maisonettes and transportable homes. It may also apply to residential occupancies such as boarding houses, houses in multiple occupation, residential homes etc., providing the buildings’ features meet certain criteria pertaining to height etc.
In part 232 of this series, LWF will begin to look at the components of a sprinkler installation. In the meantime, if you have any queries about your own facilities or wish to discuss this blog series, please contact LWF on freephone 0800 410 1130.
Lawrence Webster Forrest is a fire engineering consultancy based in Surrey with over 35 years’ experience, which provides a wide range of consultancy services to professionals involved in the design, development and construction and operation of buildings.
While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.