NEWSHEET12
SHOPPING MALLS
Other Fire Protection & Heat Detection Newsheets
One Dictionary definition of a “Mall” is: A large open area, available to the public –but off limits to vehicles.
During the past two decades, such areas – containing large numbers of retail outlets- have become common place in large cities –Worldwide.
The advantages of this concept of enticement of retail “therapy” includes in many cases, the ability to purchase almost any item you can think of in a temperature controlled environment without the concerns of road traffic.
One disadvantage is the concentration of a large number of people within a relatively small area – which has repeatedly been proven to dramatically increases the risk of FIRE – even where strict policing of a “no smoking” policy is in place! Further concerns are the evacuation of such a large number of individuals in the shortest possible time and access for Fire Fighting tenders in what has after all been designed as a vehicle free area! The need for rapid detection of fire conditions – or even detection of overheat (pre-combustion) conditions in specific areas within the “mall” – has never been greater.
Within the individual shops, café’s, restaurants and bars one would expect to be able to clearly identify point type smoke detectors, which – in the event of an alarm condition – would operate a much less visible associated automatic extinguishing system in order to provide the necessary “protection” of both human life and capital investment.
Other areas – those which are not necessarily immediately considered by some Fire Protection System Consultants- cannot be so adequately protected by such forms of detection. Either because of local environmental conditions which would at best necessitate a costly level of frequent detector maintenance, or at worst – frequent false alarms. Which are also very costly with Fire Service charges now employed for “frequent offenders” in many Countries. False alarms can also prove costly in many other ways :- How many times have you heard an audible Fire Alarm warning signal during a hotel stay or days shopping and been amongst the 95%+ of people who have automatically assumed it to be a false alarm or fire test ? Why do this? Because of the history of false alarms from very efficient and effective point type detectors that have been incorrectly specified and / or applied for a specific risk.
Typical areas include:- escalators and lift / elevator shafts, many storage rooms, electrical supply cupboards, multi-storey car parks, ceiling voids, lighting ventilation or extraction systems, floor voids / cable ducts. All areas which either carry essential services to the individual retail outlets or which are increasingly trying to provide a “convenient” means by which customers can be encouraged to spend money in one location rather than another.
Whilst (as already stated) it is generally accepted that the greater the number of people the greater the risk of Fire, it should also be remembered that one of the largest risks remains from progression of an undetected overheat condition to the combustion stage. As these are NON VISIBLE in their incipient stages, LOCALISED “special hazard” or “specialist risk” detectors MUST be specified …the most cost effective and operationally effective of which is….LINEAR HEAT DETECTION……The monitoring, detection and signalling of overheat or fire conditions by way of a low maintenance combined cable + detector, installed at the exact point of risk. WITHOUT the need for concerns on reliable “system” operation within adverse local environment conditions or any reliance on favourable airflows – all of which affect system operation and response times when employing other detector types.
Rapid detection times may be achieved using Linear Heat Detection by multi-height positioning of the sensor cable in certain areas. Installation within open space areas achieved via an optional “tensioning cable” and additional mechanical protection if required via an outer steel braid –without affecting response times.
Some of the risk areas mentioned on page 1 are covered in detail on earlier “NEWS SHEETS”. For example: escalators/elevators (News sheet 3) and Multi-Storey Car parks (News Sheet 6). Please refer to these for detailed design and installation recommendations.
For more information, visit: www.lineardetection.com or email: proline@linedetect.com