When a fire protection system fails, the consequences can be severe. Neale Consulting carries out fire suppression system failure analysis to find out exactly why a system failed to do its job.
We investigate both active and passive systems, comparing how they were designed to perform with how they actually performed in the incident.
We combine system-specific knowledge with fire dynamics understanding to determine whether a failure came from design, installation, maintenance, or operation, and we reference international codes and regional standards in doing so.
What We Determine
Our fire system failure investigations always seek to determine:
- Whether the system operated as designed, and if not, why.
- Whether the system was adequate for the hazard it protected.
- Whether design, installation, maintenance or operation was at fault.
- How the system’s performance affected the fire’s growth and the extent of the loss.
- Who or what was responsible, for subrogation, warranty, and liability purposes.
Systems We Investigate
Neale Consulting’s fire system failure investigations span a variety of systems including:
- Detection & Alarm Systems: smoke detectors (ionization, photoelectric, and aspirating), heat detectors (fixed temperature and rate-of-rise), flame detectors (UV, IR and multi-spectrum), video detection, manual pull stations, alarm panels, notification devices, emergency power and monitoring systems. This includes fire alarm failure investigations.
- Active Fire Suppression & Smoke Control Systems: sprinklers, standpipes, fire pumps, CO₂ suppression systems, gaseous clean agents (FM-200, Novec and inert gases), foam systems, water mist, dry chemical systems, kitchen hood wet chemical systems, and smoke control systems. This includes fire sprinkler system failure investigations.
- Passive Fire Protection Systems: fire doors and shutters, fire walls and barriers, fire partitions, firestopping and joint systems, fire and smoke dampers, smoke barriers, fire curtains, fire-rated glazing and structural fireproofing.
Expert Opinion on Fire Protection
Where a dispute turns on whether a system should have controlled the fire, we can provide fire protection expert witness support alongside the investigation.
Who We Help
Neale Consulting has been called on to provide investigation support to all relevant parties in a fire system failure incident. These parties include insurers, subrogation teams, building owners, operators, installers, maintenance contractors, and legal teams.
Need a fire protection system failure analysed?
Then contact Neale Consulting at the earliest opportunity - ideally before the system is repaired, reset, or replaced.
How can we help you?
