Sprinkler industry slams new rail regulations on escalator protection

摘要

The sprinkler industry has criticised the absence of compulsory automatic fire extinguishing systems on the underside of escalators in new regulations for sub-surface rail stations, which come into force this month.rnThe Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) England Regulations 2009 - which were published in March - replace the 1989 regulations and have been developed to sit alongside the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. The requirement for escalator detection and sprinkler systems came about after the Kings Cross fire which started in refuse under a wooden escalator. Instead of requiring sprinkler systems to be fitted on all escalators, the new regulations say they need only bernpresent if a risk assessment indicates there is a reasonable chance of a fire starting within an escalator.