César Pérez (APICI): 30% of fire protection failures result from poor maintenance
Between 30 and 40% of fire protection failures stem directly from inadequate maintenance. César Pérez, Board Member of APICI, identifies the critical importance of system maintenance, key inspection points, and sector-specific requirements.
Why is maintenance critical for fire protection systems?
Maintenance ensures a fire protection system performs correctly during a critical event. Designing in compliance with regulations such as DB-SI, RIPCI, or standards like UNE 23007-14 is insufficient without regular equipment monitoring, which drastically reduces protection guarantees. An unchecked detector, EIB, or sprinkler valve may fail when most needed, wasting investment and endangering lives and property.
Maintenance must therefore be viewed as a natural extension of the project, rather than a bureaucratic formality. Furthermore, maintenance planning must occur during the design phase, anticipating access limitations, associated occupational hazards, or environmental conditions that may accelerate equipment wear and tear.
What are the key maintenance and inspection points?
RIPCI and UNE standards establish clear operability protocols. Essential inspection points include visual inspection and cleaning of detectors, manual call points, sirens, control equipment, and extinguishing systems; power supply, charger, and battery checks; verification of pressure, flow rates, and tightness in hydraulic installations; sensitivity and smoke transport testing in aspiration systems; communication checks with alarm centres and external systems; and execution of functional tests and documented records in the maintenance book.
These tasks require technical rigour and inclusion in the initial design to ensure equipment accessibility, operator safety, and minimal operational disruption.
Which industries have specific fire protection maintenance needs?
Certain sectors require stricter maintenance protocols due to their unique operational characteristics. Data Processing Centres (DPCs): Business continuity demands intervention planning that does not disrupt critical activity. Chemical and Petrochemical Industry: ATEX explosive atmosphere environments require adherence to enhanced safety protocols. Food Industry and Cold Logistics: Low temperatures and humidity cause additional wear and limit equipment access. Historic Heritage: Maintenance must align with architectural and aesthetic conservation.
In all cases, defining access conditions, occupational hazards, and intervention methods during design is key to ensuring operational effectiveness.
How many accidents could proper system maintenance avoid?
Inoperative or poorly maintained systems cause a significant proportion of serious fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that poor maintenance directly causes 30% to 40% of fire protection failures.
Can maintenance restore the guarantees of a new installation?
Maintenance restores operational guarantees equivalent to a new installation. It extends beyond routine inspections to include functional, and safety checks identical to initial commissioning. Post-delivery operations must be repeated periodically, including:
In addition, maintenance includes actions aimed at compensating for the natural ageing of equipment: sensitivity adjustments, signal transmission tests, flow and pressure checks, integration tests with other subsystems. Additionally, maintenance counteracts natural equipment ageing through component replacement, detector cleaning, sensor recalibration, and verification of mechanical elements.
Consequently, a well-managed maintenance programme renews system performance at a fraction of replacement costs. This approach transforms maintenance into a sustainability and savings strategy, extending system life and securing protection without premature replacement.
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