Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi all.
We have just had a quote from a company who are going to upgrade our sprinkler system.
Currently we only have overhead sprinklers above the racking, the racking is 4 standard bays high, and two wide. We are having "in line" sprinklers installed that will be at every level, between the back to back rows. Some of the lower bays have a pick location, where small goods are stored in plastic bins, on wooden slats, there are two rows per standard bay, containing eight bins.
The guy from the sprinkler company will not sign off the system as safe unless we either; install extra sprinklers on these rows that discharge foam. Or replace the plastic bins with metal ones with holes in the bottom.
There will be quite a considerable cost to either, and my boss is less than happy.
If the sprinkler is above the two sets of plastic pick bins, and the bins have holes in them to allow the water to cascade through to the next layer- would this suffice?
I would appreciate any comments.
Thanks
Andy
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Rank: Super forum user
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When the installing company says they will not sign off - does that mean they will not issue you with a certificate confirming the system complies with the LPC rules for sprinkler installations? If so, this could cost you the discount on your material damage insurance premium. The discount can be as high as 65% so not to be sneezed at.
If the system is being installed at the request of your insurers, get them involved and see what compromise they will accept, if any.
Systems are designed with regard to design density (of heads) and max area of operation that can be controlled by an operating system before water pressure drops.
Put simply - 1 head operating = lots of water pressure.
30 heads operating = slows to a trickle and you've lost the building. Most systems are designed so that max no of heads operating is 18 iirc.
Additional factors are storage height, storage containers, shielding (solid shelves) and materials involved. For instance, a low design density is needed for metal goods, high for rubber and plastic goods. The addition of plastic wrappers, cardboard outers or plastic bins (in this instance) means that an additional allowance is needed.
Sprinklers specs are incredibly complex, hydraulically calculated schemes and there are only a handful of specialists in the UK who can understand and comment upon them. You really do need specialist advice if you are to have the system accepted by any current or future insurer.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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The guy from the sprinkler company who will not sign off the system as safe, is he saying he will still install the upgrades and then not sign off or is he refusing to do the upgrades?
I agree with the above reply but remind this guy that there are other sprinkler installation companies.
Have you asked him why he needs the extra work?
Why can't you drill holes in the plastic bins? Did he say why?
It sounds expensive to install a foam sprinkler system to support the water system - is this really necessary?
Get on to your insurers and provide the recommendations, than see what they say.
Best of luck.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have had a bit more info, and been on to the insurance company.
The insurance company will allow for the plastic bins to be used, with the in-rack sprinklers at each bay- water only. There are not a huge amount of plastic bins in the warehouse- so common sense has prevailed!
The sprinkler company will note on the certificate that its a non-conformance.
Thanks
Andy
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