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Automatic sprinklers have long been the basic protection system against fire in commercial settings. But as technology, building design, and business practices change, companies must understand the new challenges and take steps to reduce risks. Harvard Business Review recently talked with Tom Fioretti, Chief Risk Engineering Officer, Risk Engineering, Zurich North America, about Zurich’s ongoing research to identify appropriate practices and help customers understand how automatic sprinklers can protect their assets.

Automatic sprinklers for fire protection have been around for a long time. What’s changed?Fire is the leading driver of claims in our organization. Water is an inexpensive and effective extinguishing agent, and automatic sprinklers can be one of the best ways to keep fires from spreading. But things change, and of course, sprinkler technology must change too. Warehouses with a concentration of combustibles typically present a challenging fire hazard. In the 60’s and 70’s, foamed plastic packing materials and greater storage heights increased fire loading. This fire challenge overwhelmed traditional sprinkler designs, so the fire protection industry responded with ESFR sprinklers—Early Suppression, Fast Response. These newer sprinklers respond quickly to control high-challenge fires.

So warehouses are no longer a problem? Today’s warehouses are different from those of 20 years ago. Typical warehouses back then operated with pallet loads of goods coming in one door and going out another. Now, many of today’s warehouses are really online retail stores. So instead of neat rows of rack storage with minimal obstruction to sprinklers at the ceiling, we find multiple levels of automated and manual picking mezzanines. This results in a combination of obstructions to ceiling sprinklers, and “chimneys” of open areas that can allow vertical fire to spread. It’s a challenging environment.

What else complicates the picture?New technologies are always being introduced. For instance, lithium ion batteries are everywhere—in our mobile phones, laptops, iPads, hybrid cars, and home appliances. Each battery contains a small amount of combustible liquid. Combined with the stored electrical energy, battery failure can result in a very hot, intense fire that is hard to extinguish. A warehouse filled with lithium batteries can present a significant fire risk if it’s not properly protected. Challenges around environmental damage are also emerging. After extinguishing such a fire, what do you do with the contaminated water?

In this changing world, what role does Zurich play in coming up with solutions? Zurich Insurance Group is a founding member of the Property Insurance Research Group (PIRG), which identifies emerging risks that produce gaps in property protection knowledge. We’ve sponsored a wide range of tests, from the fire hazards of lithium ion batteries stored in bulk to research aimed at gauging the impact of High Velocity, Low Speed (HVLS) fans on sprinkler operation and effectiveness.

Other research has been done on protecting bulk containers for flammable liquids, the fire challenges of “green buildings,” and the bracing of sprinkler pipes in earthquake-prone areas like California. Another project studied the fire risks of tall buildings made of wood—essentially wooden “skyscrapers.” All of this research helps us eductate our customers on automatic sprinklers to help them safeguard their investments in a cost-effective way.

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www.zurichna.com

ZURICH RISK ENGINEERING

Meeting the New Challenges in Fire Hazards

The information in this publication was compiled from sources believed to be reliable for informational purposes only. Zurich is not providing legal advice and assumes no liability concerning the information set forth above.