Types of audible notification appliances

Running Head: FIRE PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY 1

FIRE PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY 5

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FIRE PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY

Part 3: Scenario-Based Case Study

Part 1

Briefly explain the function of a fire alarm control unit.

The fire alarm control unit FACU has a very important part to play when it comes to the safety of properties. “This is a controlling component of a fire alarm system. This panel gets information from the various devices that are designed to detect and report fires and providing for automatic control of equipment transmitting the information required to better get prepared for fire” (Gollner, 2016). In a nutshell, it gets signals from alarm initiating devices it processes the signals producing output signals which help in activating audible and visual appliances and transmitting the signals to off-site monitoring stated when provided.

When a fire starts a heat detector, a smoke detector or a hand-activated pull switch will a signal to a fire panel. The fire alarm control panel will then respond by visual or audible notification appliances, activating bells or chimes as well as alerting the concerned officials or departments who then alert the authorities (Moffa, 2019).

Categorize the types of audible notification appliances.

Notification appliances are broadly categorized into two: visual and audible notifications. The former normally comprises of bright and flashing lights while the latter is about loud sound. When choosing audible appliances, it is important to choose different devices for every cause. According to the life safety code, the audible alarm is required to produce signals that are not similar to other audible signals that are installed in the building for other purposes. Some of these appliances include;

Bells: these have been a staple of the life safety industry for more than a century. Today, most of them are a motor-driven or single stroke. The latter produces a loud clean sound than the vibrating bells.

Chimes-these appliances function in the same manner as the bells and are constructed using the same mechanism. The only difference is that a chime is that in the place of the gong shell, a chime kit is mounted.

Electro-mechanical horns- these are characterized by their loud horn tone by the electro-mechanical diaphragm vibration.

Loudspeakers- these are in most cases used in very tall buildings serving as a voice evacuation system during mass evacuation and notification.

Discuss the three types of specialty signals.

There are three basic categories for firearm panel signals. They include the trouble, supervisory, and alarm signal. The trouble signal is characterized by a yellow light meaning that there is an issue of operation. The supervisory signal on the other hand shows that there is a problem with one of the systems which are attached and monitored by the alarm system and lastly, the alarm signal is characterized by a red light which means that there is an emergency that requires immediate attention.

Part 2

Discuss what an emergency action plan is. What are procedures and work practices?

Emergencies are inevitable and can occur at any time. This, therefore, means that every company should be well prepared on how it will handle an emergency in case it happens. This includes having set guidelines that will be followed during the emergency period. An emergency plan therefore can be described as a written set of instructions outlining what people should do during an emergency (Kodur, et al., 2019).

 Looking at this case study, one can tell that fire in Washington City is a very significant type of building emergency. The most important thing to consider therefore is putting in place a good evacuation plan and coming up with a plan of helping in containing fires. In this case, the emergency plan should explain the first contact in case of an emergency. It should also explicitly elaborate on the duties and responsibilities of the workers when the emergency occurs. The people who are tasked with the responsibilities are required to remain calm, not to panic ad offer instructions on how things will be done.

Describe the designated actions employers and employees should take to ensure employee safety from fire and other emergencies after the warehouse is rebuilt.

After the warehouse is rebuilt, the workers should be educated about the dos and the don'ts during an emergency. This includes educating them on how to read warning signs and how to pay attention to them. Training and education should be done often. It is advised that it should be carried at least once in a year. Apart from this, the buildings are required to be equipped with an effective fire alarm control unit that is loud enough (Kodur, et al., 2019).

References

Gollner, M. J. (2016). Detection and suppression of fires: a cornerstone of fire protection engineering. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-016-0606-2

Kodur, V., Kumar, P., & Rafi, M. M. (2019). Fire hazard in buildings: review, assessment and strategies for improving fire safety. PSU Research Review. Retrieved from: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PRR-12-2018-0033/full/html

Moffa, A. P. (2019). U.S. Patent No. 10,478,651. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved from: https://patents.google.com/patent/US10478651B2/en