PUBLIC SAFETY
SMOKE AND FIRE CAN TRAVEL THROUGH A BUILDING’S HVAC SYSTEM, AND A FIRE LIFE SAFETY (FLS) SYSTEM PREVENTS SMOKE AND AIR CONTAMINANTS FROM SPREADING THIS WAY.
Fire life safety systems help protect both the general public and the first responders who enter a building during an emergency by providing a clear pathway for entry and exits.Smoke inhalation injuries and deaths exceed those attributed to burns, making functional fire and smoke dampers a vital part of saving lives during fires. This is especially the case for densely populated buildings such as schools, hospitals, hotels and elder care facilities, making FLS a vital (and often overlooked) part of public safety.
After rigorous testing during the installation phase, HVAC fire life safety systems function as a passive safety component — they operate in the background, without a lot of moving parts — which often leads to an out-of-sight-out-of-mind mentality. A lack of hands-on inspections, maintenance and repairs, as well as workers not having the knowledge needed to properly understand the HVAC fire life safety system, leads to an average failure rate of 47%. With properly scheduled inspections, repairs and maintenance by ICB-certified professionals, the system can successfully protect a building, and its occupants, for decades.
UMD Research Study
NEMIC, in conjunction with the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection
Engineering, set out to study the reliability of smoke control systems and life safety dampers installed in HVAC systems.
Dr. James Milke, professor and chair of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, and Ph.D. candidate Robert Ayoub conducted the study to create awareness of the importance of periodic inspection of fire dampers, smoke dampers and smoke control systems.
The principal approach for the research study included collection of data from inspections and post-incident investigations of the performance of fire dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke control systems. A survey was distributed to contractors, engineering consultants, and government agencies who conduct such inspections.
The results of the survey identified that issues for FLS dampers in existing buildings were
widespread and that FLS dampers in new buildings were not immune from showing evidence of problems. The issues for smoke control systems were more prominent in new buildings than existing buildings.