FläktGroup - Smoke Dampers: The Dangers of Non-Compliance
FläktGroup - Smoke Dampers: The Dangers of Non-Compliance
Designed to protect escape routes and assist fire fighters with access, smoke extraction systems are an essential element of modern fire protection strategies. However, it has come to light that the mandatory standard for smoke dampers is increasingly being overlooked as specifiers instead opt for cheaper, uncertified products. Simon Plummer, national fire safety and fans product manager at FläktGroup, discusses this worrying trend.
Stopping smoke from leaking through heating and ventilation systems is key to saving lives, with deaths due to smoke inhalation far outnumbering those resulting from burns. It is no surprise, then, that in recent times smoke inhalation deaths have dropped with the development of improved smoke extraction technologies and control systems.
Fire and smoke dampers are a crucial element of this system. By working together with the other elements of your passive fire protection system, they restrict the spread of flame and smoke throughout a building in the event of a fire.
A smoke damper is typically installed in ducts and the opening of a smoke control system or air distribution system. They can be activated by a signal from a smoke detector within the damper and controlled from a remote fire control and command station.
The correct selection of smoke dampers, along with the right installation and knowledge of current standards, can save lives. The problem is that with the regulations around smoke control a complex mix of evolving legislation and guidance, it can be a challenge for specifiers and building managers to know if their systems are fully compliant or not.
In recent years, the European Union has introduced harmonised testing standards for smoke and heat control systems (EN 12101). Part 8, which specifically focused on smoke control dampers, requires the testing of products in fire situations. This is to ensure that they open and close correctly, in accordance with the set fire safety strategy.
It is important for the building industry to be aware that products that are not certified to the harmonised European standards pose a severe risk to the entire fire safety system. What’s more, it is alarming that there are many dampers in the market that don’t meet this regulatory requirement.
Any leakages, including from the dampers or the ducts, affect the performance of modern fire protection systems. That is why ducts, fittings, hangers and dampers all have to be fire tested so that they keep their stability and fittings remain tight and secure in an emergency.
Although some products say that they have been designed and tested to the latest standards, they may not be officially certified by an independent body. This, combined with a lack of enforcement from the relevant authorities, means that many people are not aware that the smoke dampers they are deploying are actually illegal.
We would urge the industry to only use smoke dampers that have been independently tested and CE marked to make sure they are fit for purpose. At FläktGroup, we ensure that our all smoke dampers are fire tested with the whole duct system to meet the latest standards, including EN 12101-8, and are CE marked. That way, building owners, managers and occupiers can have complete peace of mind that performance is assured in the event of a fire.