Standards

To make sure a sprinkler installation will work it must be properly designed and installed. There are presently two independently accredited organisations which undertake the certification of sprinkler installers.

Firstly, LPCB/BRE Certification Ltd undertakes third party verification of industrial and commercial sprinkler systems installers to a standard known as LPS 1048. The same organisation certifies residential and domestic installers using a second standard, LPS 1301. Both these standards also call up the relevant British Standards and in the case of systems being installed to BS EN 12845, the LPC Sprinkler Rules and their Technical Bulletins. The LPC rules are obtainable from the FPA.

Secondly, Bodycote warrington also run two schemes for sprinkler installers under their Certifire brand. One of the these is for companies installing domestic and residential systems, the other for companies working on commercial and industrial sprinkler systems.

Both organisations permit their listed companies to issue certificates of conformity to the owners of sprinklered buildings.

These certificates are proof to building control departments, the fire and rescue service, local authorities and insurers that such systems meet the appropriate standards and have been installed correctly.

Generally in the United Kingdom, spinkler systems are designed to BS EN12845 and BS 9251, there are times where specific insurers or customers require systems to be designed and installed to comply with other international standards, sush as NFPA (National Fire Protection Association - US based rules) or Factory Mutual (FM Global - insurance company).