Rzeczoznawca, ochrona przeciwpożarowa

In today's material, a few sentences on distinguishing concepts regarding various devices that can detect fire hazards. The impetus for this article, as is often the case, was a real-life situation in which, due to a lack of adequate knowledge on the part of the designer and contractor regarding distinguishing what can be called a fire alarm system and what cannot, complications arose during the commissioning of a building following an expansion. This article is certainly not aimed at people for whom fire protection is the primary field of professional interest, but rather at designers, contractors, and investors who are "forced to deal with fire protection as if in passing" as part of their professional activity.

Fire phenomena can be detected in many different ways and using various devices. At this point, let us focus on detecting smoke and heat using the most commonly used point detectors, which can often be seen in various buildings, and even in our own homes. Generally, it can be stated that in the most general classification, we deal with the following fire detection solutions:

* Standalone detectors* Detectors intended for installation on zones connected to intrusion alarm control panels* Detectors forming part of dedicated fire alarm systems.

Although, as I wrote above, the task of all the aforementioned devices is to detect fire, only the last solution can be described as a fire alarm system. And this is precisely where the problem lies that prompted the creation of this article. Unfortunately, some people who have an impact on the implementation of construction investments or the operation of buildings do not distinguish between solutions that colloquially speaking could be called "amateur" ways of detecting hazards and a professional fire alarm system.

Below, as a reminder, I will briefly present the basic features of the individual solutions used as fire detection elements:

Standalone detectors are mainly used in our apartments and homes; as a standard, they do not require any wired installation. We simply mount the detector and replace the battery powering it from time to time. Some detectors allow interconnection to ensure the alarm is broadcast throughout the entire apartment (house) if a hazard is detected by any detector. These detectors have their own product standard, i.e., PN-EN 14604:2006, with which they should comply.

The second solution, more commonly used in large homes or relatively small facilities with other intended uses, consists of detectors that detect smoke or heat, installed on zones of intrusion alarm systems. Detectors used in this type of solution are sometimes treated by manufacturers similarly to standalone detectors and possess a declaration of performance in accordance with the above-mentioned standard; in other cases, manufacturers or distributors refer to compliance with the requirements of standards for detectors dedicated to fire alarm systems, namely the PN-EN 54-... series of standards. However, vigilance is required here to see whether the mention of these standards in the detector's documentation is not groundless and whether the manufacturer has indeed formally confirmed the product's compliance with the standards in question by issuing an appropriate declaration. In the case of this solution, the detectors are connected to an intrusion alarm control panel rather than a control panel dedicated to fire detection. Apart from other important issues, the effectiveness of such a solution is strictly dependent on the manner of its execution. I personally know of a case from a few years ago when an office owner was very surprised that despite a "professional" company having installed a "professional" fire detection system for him—which was connected to the monitoring service of a security company protecting the facility—the office burned down, the detectors melted and ran onto the floor, and no signal about a fire was sent anywhere. As it turned out, the intrusion alarm control panel had four detection zones, only two of which functioned with power backed up by rechargeable battery packs. The installer assumed (or did not analyze this aspect at all) that it was more important to install intrusion detection elements on the battery-backed zones, while connecting the detectors intended to detect fire to zones that ceased to function in the event of a primary power outage. And as chance would have it, a short circuit occurred in a power strip supplying a computer, triggering the electrical protections in the office's distribution board and disconnecting power across the entire premises. The fire developed freely, the detectors melted from the temperature and ran down from the ceiling, and the "professional fire system" did not even notice it. The above example is obviously not intended to imply that connecting smoke- or heat-detecting detectors to an intrusion alarm system cannot yield certain benefits. Of course, it is often a solution that significantly improves safety at limited cost; however, it must be executed in a well-thought-out manner.

The final solution is, of course, professional, dedicated fire alarm systems in which the detectors used, as well as the control panels, must meet the requirements of the relevant parts of the PN-EN 54-... series of standards, and in the case of fire alarm control panels, manual call points, alarm devices, and a number of other components of these installations, it is also required to hold a certificate of admittance issued by the Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection in Józefów. These are installations designed solely to perform tasks related to fire protection, namely fire detection, alerting building occupants, transmitting signals to the appropriate services, and very often controlling and monitoring the operation of various equipment and installations that affect fire safety. These installations must meet appropriately strict requirements regarding reliability and operational effectiveness.

It should be remembered that only the last of the mentioned solutions is a fire protection device within the meaning of the provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of June 7, 2010, on the fire protection of buildings, other building structures, and areas (Journal of Laws of 2010, No. 109, item 719). Therefore, whenever we use the term fire detection and alarm system or fire alarm installation, it should be understood as precisely such a system dedicated to fire detection purposes that meets the requirements of the above-mentioned standards and possesses the appropriate certificates of admittance. The first two solutions mentioned—namely standalone detectors and detectors on intrusion detection system zones—despite being used to detect fire, are not fire detection and alarm systems and, consequently, are not formally fire protection devices. Therefore, they cannot replace a fire alarm system. Apart from formal considerations, significant differences exist between these solutions in terms of their functionality and reliability.

Unfortunately, there are still instances of an inability to distinguish the scope of applicability of the above solutions. Recently, I encountered an example where a fire alarm system was specified in the construction design for the expansion and remodeling of a facility, which actually provided for an installation based on professional fire alarm equipment, but during the execution stage, the installer replaced this solution with smoke and heat detectors connected to the zones of an intrusion alarm system. This rather significant discrepancy between the design assumptions and the completed state was identified during commissioning procedures, which resulted in rather unpleasant problems for the investor.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that this article should not be treated as an opinion that solutions based on standalone detectors or detectors on intrusion alarm system zones are completely worthless and should not be used. Such solutions in specific applications can significantly contribute to increasing the level of safety for the facility's users as well as protecting the property itself. They will find application particularly where a professional fire alarm system is not required, and the property owner, incurring minor costs, wants to provide additional protection. It is only essential to be able to distinguish between individual solutions, not equate them with one another, and ensure that a given solution is applied in a thoroughly considered manner.

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