What is the status of fire engineering in South Africa? The fact of the matter is that it is in a far more embryonic stage compared to most of the developed countries. There are no formal fire engineering degree programmes (either undergraduate or post graduate), nor are there formal and recognised training courses for fire technicians.
Ideally, fire engineers should be included in the design stage of a new building along with the professional engineering team, which includes the architect, but as yet the practice of Fire Protection Engineering is not fully recognised in South Africa.
The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE, USA) defines fire protection engineering as:
"The application of science and engineering principles to protect people and their environment from destructive fire and includes: analysis of fire hazards; mitigation of fire damage by proper design, construction, arrangement, and use of buildings, materials, structures, industrial processes, and transportation systems; the design, installation, and maintenance, of fire detection and suppression and communication systems; and post fire investigation and analysis."
This may seem a lengthy definition, but does illustrate the fact that fire engineering is a highly complex discipline that requires the fire protection engineer to have clear and thorough understanding of all the engineering disciplines: mechanical, chemical, electrical and civil.
In this decade the South African Bureau of Standards has been notable in its publication of national fire engineering standards and deserves praise for its efforts.
So far the following standards have been adopted.
SANS 10139: Fire Detection For Buildings.
SANS 246: Fire Detection For Electronic Equipment Areas.
SANS 306 - 4.Fixed CO2 Extinguishing Systems.
SANS/ISO 14520 Standard For Clean Agent Gases.
SANS 322. Fire Detection For Hospitals
SANS 369 parts 1 and 2. Standard For Electrical and Mechanical Actuation of Gaseous Extinguishing Systems.
In many Western countries fire engineering is seen as a discipline in its own right.
In the UK for example, the design of fire detection systems is normally carried out by someone with a B.Tech or HNC and come from an electrical or mechanical engineering background.
The fire system designer needs to have a basic knowledge of electrical, mechanical, civil and chemical engineering.
As a very basic example, a computer room must be designed as a fire compartment (civil engineering requirement.)
Correct pipe and fittings must be used on extinguishing systems. Pressure relief needs to be calculated so that the enclosure strength is not exceeded (mechanical engineering requirement.)
Correct cabling for primary and secondary circuits, cable lengths and loading not to be exceeded, battery calculations etc (electrical engineering requirement.)
Choice of water, gas or foam for extinguishing fires on certain chemicals (chemical engineering requirement.)
There is a need, locally, for the development of courses ranging from Basic Detection through to the equivalent of a 'B.Tech level' Detection and Gas Extinguishing Design, which would need to be monitored by the relevant authorities in the interest of setting standards and qualifications for certified fire protection engineers.
Mike Wilkinson has started developing fire engineering training courses, and he invites anyone interested in assisting the furthering of fire engineering education in South Africa to contact him on 011 949 1157.
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