As large building development projects continue to flourish, Andover-based shentongroup is striving to highlight the relevancy and importance of ensuring generator cabling that supplies life-safety and fire-fighting applications adheres to the BS 8519 code of practice.
BS 8519 was published in response to high-rise and complex buildings developing in terms of size, height and complexity of their active fire protection. Fire engineered solutions, often involving backup generators within such developments require a high level of performance from components, including electrical supplies and all related cabling.
The code of practice was produced to assist designers, specifiers, contractors, regulators and enforcers, and fire authorities and inspectors to identify electrical loads defined as life-safety or fire-fighting and recommends minimum categories for specific cabling applications.
shentongroup’s Terry Catlin explains BS 8519’s primary assertions: “Fire survival times for life-safety systems should allow the building occupants time to be alerted and evacuated. The standard states 60 minutes for large and complex buildings and 30 for other. Therefore, fire-fighting systems need to remain active to assist firefighters for 60 or 120 minutes, depending on their application”.
Mr. Catlin added: “BS 8519’s additional stipulations include provisions for fire-protective enclosures for related safety equipment and primary to secondary changeover devices should be automatic. Motor control panels serving fire-fighting circuits should be adequately protected and the standard goes into a great deal of detail surrounding selecting the correct cabling and its fire protective qualities”.
“With life depending on the transition to standby power and the subsequent reliability of backup power systems and cabling to guarantee life-safety systems, shentongroup cannot stress the importance of BS 8519 enough”. Mr. Catlin concluded: “The code of practice conveys guidance and recommendations only though. It was not intended to be quoted as a specification and all industry professionals are urged to ensure that claims of compliance are not misleading in any way. The standard also does not include necessary provisions of a contract, meaning that those referring to the standard are responsible for its correct application. Should there be any doubt of the interpretation of BS 8519, speak to a member of the shentongroup team. We’ve a number of experts fully conversant with this important British Safety Standard”.
Often referred to as The UK’s Leading Technical Experts in Standby Power, Uninterruptible Power Supplies and Combined Heat and Power Systems, shentongroup team members can be contacted via www.shentongroup.co.uk/contact.
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Contact
shentongroup
Shenton House
Walworth Road
Walworth Business Park
Andover
SP10 5LH
Tel: +44 (0)844 888 444 5
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.shentongroup.co.uk