The LWF Blog
Fire Safety Engineering for Design – Water Mist Systems – Part 292
June 22, 2026 9:03 amLWF’s Fire Safety Engineering blog series is written for Architects, building designers and others in the construction industry to highlight and promote discussion on all topics around fire engineering. In part 291, LWF discussed the documentation necessary for a foam fire suppression system. In part 292, we begin to look at water mist systems by detailing the relevant standards.
NFPA 750 (2027) Standard on water mist fire protection systems
BS EN 14972-17:2025 Fixed firefighting systems. Water mist systems – Test protocol for residential occupancies for automatic nozzle systems (replacement for BS 8458)
BS 8489-4: 2016 Fixed fire protection systems. Industrial and commercial watermist systems. Fire performance tests and requirements for watermist systems for local applications involving flammable liquid fires
BS EN 14972-14:2021 Fixed firefighting systems. Water mist systems – Test protocol for combustion urbines in enclosures exceeding 260m3 for open nozzle systems (replaced BS 8489-5)
BS EN 14972-16:2019 Fixed firefighting systems. Water mist systems – Test protocol for industrial oil cookers for open nozzle systems (replaced BS 8489-6)
BS EN 14972-7:2023 Fixed firefighting systems. Water mist systems – Test protocol for commercial low hazard occupancies for automatic nozzle systems (replaced BS 8489-7)
The following documents are standards published by insurance-governed approvals bodies. It is not a complete list, but contains the most relevant and recognised issues:
Underwriters Laboratory UL 2167 Water mist nozzles for fire protection service
Vds 3188 (PDF download from Google Link) Guidelines for water mist sprinkler systems and water mist extinguishing systems (high pressure systems and water mist extinguishing systems (high pressure). Planning and installation
In part 293 of LWF’s series on fire engineering we will talk about the scope of the standards in relation to water mist systems. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this blog, or wish to discuss your own project with one of our fire engineers, please contact us.
Lawrence Webster Forrest has been working with their clients since 1986 to produce innovative and exciting building projects. If you would like further information on how LWF and fire strategies could assist you, please contact the LWF office on 0800 410 1130.
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.