Inergen fire suppression systems

[Trifid]

Does anyone know about the health and safety side of things with these systems?

A little while back a contractor refused to enter our server room because we have one of these systems installed, unless we set it to manual release. This has then raised questions with management about whether we should set it to manual release every time someone enters the room. Now I am not an expert at these things, but I think that is a very bad idea. We have quite a few people go in and out of the server room and it wouldn't take long for someone to leave it in the manual setting over night and sods law that will be when it is needed.

Does anyone know of some documents supporting my belief? I tried searching through Google but my vague terms are not coming up with anything.

Thanks.

 

[Trifid]

I understand that it isn't pleasant if it goes off when you are in the room, but if I hear the fire alarm I'm not hanging about inside the room for it to discharge.

Im an electrician and occasionaly work in server rooms, my company will not allow us to work in the rooms unsless they are set to manual. These are the reasons why as I have been told.

The reasons I suppose are accidental activation via dust (from drilling etc..)

Is that, it has to be on manual override as soon as you enter the room, or when you are doing work? Say if you were in the room to survey and produce a quote for installing some 32 amp commando sockets, would it need to be off for that?

 

[Trifid]

It's not a problem setting it to manual, would take no more than 10 seconds to do and of course I will follow the instructions to turn it off if I was required. I was curious if it was standard practice for IT staff in other data centres as this is the only place I've worked with such a system installed. I just thought it would have been more of a risk turning it off. I believe there is a audible warning for 30 seconds before it goes off to allow evacuation (and false alarms to be disabled).