Analyzing Unsatisfactory Fire Sprinkler Performance

Automatic fire sprinkler systems are often considered the most significant component of a building fire protection strategy. When properly designed, installed, tested and maintained, they can control a fire and significantly reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage. However, mistakes during the design/installation phase and during periodic inspection, testing and maintenance activities can have a profound impact on the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems. This paper explores recent automatic fire sprinkler system failure data to identify current causes of unsatisfactory system performance, highlighting many specific root causes through the examination of past fire loss data across a broad range of occupancies. In addition, specific examples of recent fires where the automatic fire sprinkler system performed in an unsatisfactory manor are presented. By understanding the most common root causes and studying past examples, a forensic engineer can be better prepared to investigate and analyze future failures and losses.