Hose reels and foam inlets Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance

Hose reels and Foam inlets Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance 

This part of BS 5306 gives recommendations for hose reels and foam inlets. It covers good practice in matters affecting the design, installation, testing and maintenance of such systems. It does not give requirements for the hose reels themselves, which are specified in BS EN 671.

This part of BS 5306 does not cover wet and dry fire mains, automatic foam systems and portable fire-fighting equipment. These systems are covered in BS 9990, BS 5306-3, BS 5306-8 and BS EN 3-7.

General design considerations Hose reels

Hose reels should conform to BS EN 671.

Pipework for hydraulic hose reels should not normally be less than 50 mm nominal bore and feeds to individual hose reels should be not less than 20 mm nominal bore.

Pipes should be made of one of the following:

a) steel in accordance with BS 1387;

b) copper in accordance with BS EN 1057, with fittings in accordance with BS EN 1254-1 or BS EN 1254-2;

c) plastics which are satisfactory to the water supply undertaking for this application, provided the pipework is protected from damage, by fire or otherwise, by location in a low-risk area such as underground or in a service duct of brick, concrete or equivalent construction.

d). The water supply to hose reels should normally be kept entirely independent from other water supplies within the building including those for other fire-fighting systems. In certain special circumstances the supply to hose reels may be taken from the supply provided for a sprinkler system (see BS EN 12845, BS 5306-2 and the Fire Protection Association publication LPC rules for automatic sprinkler installations incorporating BS EN 12845 [1]).

e) When the likely routes for the hose are tortuous, the length and size of hose on the reel should be limited, and the siting and provision of reels should be reviewed with these limitations in mind.

Consideration should also be given to the physical attributes of the individuals who are expected to use the equipment.

f) It is essential that pressures and flows should at all times be adequate to serve the designed number of hose reels likely to be used.

This is irrespective of the source of water supply.

Provision and siting

Hose reels, where installed, should be provided to cover all risk areas.

Siting

Hose reels should be sited in prominent and accessible positions at each floor level adjacent to exits in corridors on exit routes, in such a way that the nozzle of the hose can be taken into every room and within 6 m of each part of a room, having regard to any obstruction. Where heavy furniture or equipment might be introduced into a room, the hose and nozzle should be capable additionally of directing a jet into the back of any recess formed.

In exceptional circumstances it might be desirable to site hose reels in such a way that if a fire prevents access to one hose reel site, the fire can be attacked from another hose reel in the vicinity.

It is essential that the hose reels remain unobstructed and that they are available for use at all times.

In buildings that have large open floor areas such as warehouses, the stacking arrangements should provide for unobstructed access to the hose reel. It might also be considered necessary to provide guard rails around the hose reel position to prevent stacking taking place immediately adjacent, care being taken that the guard rails do not obstruct the operation of the hose.

Where stacking is taking place, notices indicating the hose reel positions should be sited at high level.

These notices could be situated over the main avenues, subject to directional arrows being provided.

Frost protection

Hose reels and their water supply systems should be afforded all possible protection against frost.

Electrical earthing

Electrical earthing should be in accordance with BS 7671 and BS 7430.

Installation of hose reels

Hose reels in recesses

Preferably hose reels should be installed in recesses so that they do not form obstructions on a route of escape. The details of installation will vary considerably owing to the wide variation of types of hose reel and their size.

Recess doors

Any doors provided for hose reel recesses should be in accordance with BS EN 671.

Hose reels in open areas

When installed on open floor areas it might be necessary to position hose reels above head height but in these cases the nozzle retainer, the hose guide and the inlet valve should be fitted at about 900 mm above floor level.

NOTE It might also be desirable to provide an anti-over-run device to prevent the hose from becoming entangled when run out.

Importance of firm fixing

Hose reel brackets should be firmly fixed to the wall so that casual knocks received during normal use of the building and the stresses incurred during use for fire-fighting will not prevent the unimpeded use of the hose reel.

Water supply for hose reels Booster pumps

1.   Where the water pressure in hose reel mains needs to be boosted, the provision of an electrically driven pump is usually a convenient method. A duplicate standby pump should also be provided.

2.   Both motors and pumps should be sited in fire protected positions and the electrical supply to them should be by an exclusive circuit with the cables following a route of negligible fire risk or be provided with adequate protection.

3.   The booster pumps system should come into operation automatically on a drop in pressure or a flow of water. Both pumps should be automatically primed at all times.

4.   All pumps should also be capable of being started or stopped manually. The standby pump should be so arranged that it will operate automatically on a failure for any reason of the duty pump.

5.   An audible and visual alarm should be provided at an agreed position to indicate that the equipment and the pumping plant have operated.

Connection for boosted supplies

Some water undertakings do not permit a booster pump to be connected directly into a supply main. In such cases the installation should be fed from a suction tank or inter-connected tanks having a minimum capacity capable of supporting operation of the hose reel for 45 min at the minimum flow rate specified in BS EN 671-1:2001.

The tank or tanks should be automatically supplied from a town’s main, controlled by a ball valve of minimum diameter 50 mm.

Use of domestic water tanks

Tanks supplying water for domestic purposes should not be used as suction tanks for hose reel installations unless arrangements have been made for these domestic supplies to be drawn off in such a manner that the requisite reserve of water for the hose reel installation is always preserved.

Security

The main stop valve controlling the water supply to the hose reels should be secured fully open by a suitable device such as a padlocked chain or strap. Hose reels should also be protected against interference and attack by thieves and vandals as far as it is possible to do so without adversely affecting operational capability.

 

General design considerations Foam inlets

Oil risks situated at or below ground level, e.g. oil-fired boiler rooms, oil storage tank chambers or transformer chambers, where they might not be directly accessible for fire-fighting and search and rescue operations, might require foam inlets so that foam can be applied to a fire from outside a building by means of a system of fixed piping and suitable outlets. The fire authority should be consulted on this matter.

Capability of inlets and lines

Not more than three outlets, having an aggregate cross-sectional area of not more than 3 200 mm2, should be supplied by one inlet and one line of delivery pipe. Where there are more than three outlets, or the aggregate cross-sectional area of the outlets appreciably exceeds 3 200 mm2, additional inlet(s) and delivery pipe(s) should be installed.

External connections

The external connection should normally be housed in a box conforming to BS 5041-5 built into an external wall of a building, or into a boundary wall so that the bottom of the box is at a level between 400 mm and 600 mm above the ground. There should be at least 2.50 m of clear working space in front of the box, and it should be clear of openings from the space protected by the foam system, so that

the inlet can be used without undue exposure of personnel to heat and smoke.

Delivery pipe

The delivery pipe from each foam inlet to the space protected should not exceed 18 m in total length and should be 65 mm or 80 mm nominal bore pipe, threaded and socketed, and of suitable heavy quality steel to meet the pressure, robustness and durability requirements of the system in question. The run of pipe should be as direct as possible with a fall away from the inlet provided on all sections of it, and any changes of direction should be made with standard bends, springs or long turn fittings; elbows should not be used. The pipe from one inlet should serve only one space.

Termination of delivery pipe

Normally the delivery pipe from the inlet coupling should terminate in the following ways:

a) in an oil-fired boiler room: about 1 m above the level of the oil burners, with a separate outlet above each burner;

b) in an oil storage tank chamber: about 150 mm above the estimated level of the oil should the total contents of the tank(s), when full, be discharged into the chamber;

c) in a transformer chamber: at ceiling level.

 

Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance

Work on site

1. Adequate provision should be made by the responsible contractor to protect materials and components on site from deterioration or damage.

2. Unloading, stacking and storage should be carried out with care to prevent damage to pipes and pipe threads, fittings, couplings and other components used in the system.

3. Pipes should be securely anchored before any pressure or flow tests are carried out.

Initial inspections and acceptance tests for hose reels

Flushing out

Before any water is introduced into the hose reel, the supply to it should be thoroughly flushed out to ensure that no harmful matter is passed into the reel. This is particularly important for automatic hose reels.

After flushing out, the tubing should be run out and the water turned on to establish that the assembly is fully operational.

Procedure (direct mains supply)

The two most highly situated and remote reels should be discharged imultaneously, one being led to waste and the other directed into a suitable receptacle to ascertain that the flow rate is achieved. For the purpose of this test it will be necessary to provide a receptacle of a suitable capacity.

Procedure (boosted supplies)

The two most highly situated and remote reels should be discharged simultaneously, until the duty pump cuts in automatically. Thereafter, with both reels still in operation, the discharge rate of one of them should be measured.

The test should be repeated. This time a simulated mechanical or electrical failure of the duty pump should be arranged, and the ability of the standby pump to come into service automatically and to maintain the required outputs should be tested.

Putting into operational readiness

1. When the tests have been satisfactorily completed, the system should be restored to its normal operating state. Reels should never be left under pressure and, where practicable, hose should be drained prior to being returned to the drum.

2. Hose should be rewound on the drums, particular attention being paid to automatic hose reels to ensure that the automatic valve is fully closed when the hose has been rewound. Where an isolation valve has been incorporated this should be closed on completion of stowage, and the nozzle interlock, where fitted, should be completed.

3. Where it is the practice of water undertakings to seal the inlet valve to the reel, the undertaking concerned should be notified of the test.

 

Initial inspections and acceptance tests for

Foam inlets

1. The layout of all foam inlets should be checked to ascertain that they conform to the approved layout plan.

2. Any inlet coupling should also be checked to ensure correct functioning, and to verify that earthing has been carried out satisfactorily or certified by the electrical contractor.

Indemnities

Before testing any system a signed indemnity should be sought from the person at that time responsible for the work site or premises.

NOTE This might be required by the appropriate authority in respect of liability for damage caused to persons or property arising out of, or in connection with, any test.

Test records

A permanent record of all inspections and tests should be maintained as part of the fire safety manual in accordance with BS 5588-12.

This should record:

a) date and time for inspection or test;

b) person carrying out the test;

c) test results noted;

d) any external factors significantly affecting the results (e.g. weather

conditions);

e) follow-up action required;

f) work carried out as a result of (e) with date and result of retest.

Maintenance and testing of hose reels

1. The maintenance and testing of hose reels should be in accordance with BS EN 671-3.

2. If booster pumps have been installed, these and their associated mechanical and electrical equipment should also be checked.

Rectification of defects

1. It is essential that all defects are rectified in the shortest possible time, to ensure that the fixed fire-fighting equipment is restored to a satisfactory condition in as short a time as possible.

2. Where, due to unforeseen difficulties, it is necessary to leave an installation not available for use, the fire and rescue service should be informed immediately in order that alternative arrangements can be made to cover this deficiency should the need arise. In addition a suitable notice to indicate that the installation is not available for use should be placed in a prominent position. In the case of foam inlets the notice should be in the inlet box.

3. When the installation is reinstated, the fire and rescue service should again be informed so that any alternative arrangements can be cancelled and, if considered necessary, an inspection and test of the repaired installation can be carried out.

Operational instructions

A notice giving full operational instructions should be displayed on or adjacent to the hose reel, whether this is manual or automatic. In the case of a manual hose reel in which an interlocking device is not incorporated the instructions should include the wording: “Open valve before running out hose”.

NOTE The interlocking device, where provided, ensures that the nozzle cannot be withdrawn until the water supply has been turned on.

The instructions should include specific instructions as to the correct method of closing the inlet valve to a manual fire hose reel, or of securing an automatic fire hose reel.

The notice should be in accordance with BS 5499-1 and BS 5499-5 for fire equipment or supplementary signs.

Temporary notices

Where reliance is being placed on the operation of fire-fighting systems or appliances during the construction period, temporary notices (to the satisfaction of the fire and rescue service) giving essential information for their protection from damage and for their efficient operation should be set up and remain until the installation becomes fully operative.

Identification of equipment

1. The pipework supplying water to hose reels should be identified in accordance with BS 1710 and should meet the recommendations given in below.

2. The following notices should be rectangular with white wording on a red background. Letter height should be not less than 25 mm and should be lower case except for the initial letter “F”, which should be upper case and in accordance with BS 5499-1 and BS 5499-5.

a) A notice reading “Fire hose reel main supply” should be displayed at the stop valve controlling the water supply to the hose reels.

b) A notice reading “Fire hose reel pump motor supply – not to be switched off in the event of fire” should be displayed adjacent to all switches in the electrical power supply to any pumps.

3. A sign in accordance with BS 5499-1 and BS 5499-5 should be displayed adjacent to the hose reel (on the door if the hose reel is in a recess fitted with a door, glazed or otherwise).

Ref:

1.   FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. LPC rules for automatic sprinkler installations incorporating BS EN 12845.

2. BS 9990, Code of practice for non-automatic fire-fighting systems in buildings.

3. BS 5306 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises.