B A F S A F O C U S M AY 2 0 2 2
Preparations for sprinkler testing
Duff House – 25 years of safety with sprinklers
READERS OF SPRINKLER FOCUS WILL NOT NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THE LITANY OF SERIOUS F I R E S I N H I S T O R I C B U I L D I N G S OVE R T H E PA S T 5 0 Y E A R S . T H E M O S T R E C E N T T R A G E DY, I N VO LV I N G T H E M A J O R D E S T R U C T I O N O F PA R T S O F N O T R E D A M E C A T H E D R A L , I N P A R I S O N LY S E R V E T O P O I N T H O W V U L N E R A B L E O U R B U I LT H E R I T A G E R E M A I N S R E F L ECTS ST EWA RT K I D D, S PEC I A L PR OJ ECTS ADVISER, BAFSA
heritage organisations in Scotland have a track record of utilising automatic fire suppression systems (AFSS) to supplement more conventional fire protection measures. The National Trust for Scotland, The National Library of Scotland and Registers of Scotland have all utilised AFSS. 22 | BAFSA .ORG.UK
In 1995, Duff House, a Category A building, then largely empty and unused building in the care of Historic Scotland (now Historic Environment Scotland) underwent a major refurbishment to make it a suitable location for the display of arts and antiquities from the collections of the National Galleries of Scotland. The refurbishment undertaken had been informed by a major fire strategy review and included the installation of an air sampling detection system, electronic point detection and an automatic fire sprinkler system protecting the whole property. The fire systems were supplemented by a sophisticated security and surveillance installation. The lifting of floorboards to allow for re-wiring greatly facilitated the installation of sprinkler pipework on the upper floors. The presence of the sprinkler system was deemed essential not only to protect this important building, which is open to the public, but also to protect the valuable contents which are in the care of the National Galleries of Scotland. The property’s location means that the initial fire service response is from retained fire crews and even under ideal conditions it could take up to 90 minutes for additional appliances and specialised equipment to respond from Aberdeen or Inverness. The upcoming 25th anniversary of the sprinkler installation generated a consultant’s recommendation that the sprinkler
