S 1.48 Fire alarm system in the computer centre

Initiation responsibility: Top Management

Implementation responsibility: Planner

In a computer centre, it is extremely important to install a fire alarm system in addition to developing alarm and deployment plans and fire protection regulations specially tailored to the IT area.

Since more than 90% of all fire damage in computer centres is caused by fires in the surrounding area, it is recommendable to have these areas monitored by the fire alarm system. Pulse and/or trend detectors (based on the scattered light principle, for example) should be used to this end.

To monitor the IT areas, it is recommendable to install an early fire detection system in addition to the detectors on the ceiling and, if necessary, in the raised floor, at least when very high protection requirements in terms of availability have been defined (see S 1.54 Early detection of fires / fire extinguishing technology.)

It must be possible to identify which detector was triggered. It is especially important to be able to identify the fire detectors when localising the source of fire and determining how far the fire has spread.

A recommended minimum fire alarm system configuration for the infrastructure consists of the following:

• smoke detectors on the ceilings and in the raised floors in all rooms containing electrical power components (distribution frames, UPSs)
• maximum temperature detectors or temperature difference detectors in the rooms containing the emergency power system
• smoke detectors on the ceilings and in the raised floors in all rooms containing the air conditioning system
• duct detectors in the supply and exhaust ducts of the air conditioning system
• detectors in the fresh air intake that automatically block the flow of fresh air when contamination is detected.

All alarms generated by the fire alarm system, as well as all incident alarms should be sent to a location that is continuously manned such as the gatehouse, for example.

There should be a direct connection to the fire service, if this is possible. The direct connection provisions of the fire service specify the further general conditions for operating the fire alarm system.

Example:

During a meeting of the management of a computer centre, one person who was waiting briefly in an adjacent room happened to notice that a large fire had started at an adjacent chemical plant. Since this person noticed the fire, the head of the computer centre had enough time to order the fresh air intake to be closed. Just a few minutes later, the sooty smoke from the fire would have been drawn in through the intake, which was not equipped with detectors, and used to ventilate the computer rooms.

All components of a fire alarm system must be subjected to regular functional tests. Even if the fire alarm system is maintained by a maintenance company, there should be two employees who are familiar with the basic functions of the fire alarm system (or at least with all operating states and status messages) and who act as contact persons for the maintenance company.

Some of the detector lines should be tested sporadically by hand to ensure they are operating properly.

Review questions:

• Is the fire alarm system subjected to regular functional tests?
• Are there fire protection regulations that are specifically tailored to the IT area?