
Trade-offs in terms of fire precautions when life safety sprinkler systems are installed in new buildings can take a variety of forms. For non-residential buildings or dwellings and residential buildings outside the scope of BS 9251, the requirements of BS EN 12845 should be followed.

įor dwellings and residential buildings, guidance on the installation of life safety sprinklers is given in BS 9251. The emphasis placed on the use of sprinklers in buildings in fire codes and standards varies between Approved Document B Scottish Technical Handbook 2, Technical Booklet E and BS 9999. Sprinklers in UK fire codes and standards 2.3 Trade-offs in Technical Booklet E.2.2 Trade-offs in Technical Handbook 2.2.1 Trade-offs in Approved Document B.1 Sprinklers in UK fire codes and standards.Further information on the operating principles for automatic sprinklers and their efficiency at controlling and extinguishing fires can be found at the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association website. The great majority of fires are controlled by the activation of four or less heads. Only the sprinklers in the vicinity of the fire are activated. Where sprinklers operate on the exploding bulb principle, the sprinkler head activates when the fluid expands under the effects of rising temperatures and breaks the glass. Note that, since 2014, a separate version of Approved Document B has existed for Wales. BS 9999 also makes provision for their use.

In some instances, the use of life safety sprinklers is mandatory. All the major Government published documents describing methods of designing buildings to safeguard life in buildings in the event of fire: Approved Document B Scottish Technical Handbook 2 and Technical Booklet E in Northern Ireland allow the use of life safety sprinklers in buildings.
