FIX800 O2/CO2 Gas Detector Installation — Protected Areas for a CO2 Fire Suppression System, General Hospital (Seoul)

Hello, and thank you for reading.

Under Korea's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Rule, Article 628-2, any protected area or storage room holding 100 or more CO2 fire-suppression cylinders must be equipped with oxygen and carbon dioxide detection and alarm devices.

This site was a protected area located in the basement of a general hospital. The system was installed to measure O2 and CO2 simultaneously.

Installation locations: generator room / electrical room / UPS room

A gas monitoring display board and alarm device were installed at each entrance.

An integrated monitoring display board was also installed in the central control room.

The alarm criteria for the confined protected areas are as follows:

The alarm activates when O2 (oxygen) falls to 18.5% or below, or when CO2 (carbon dioxide) rises to 1.5% or above.

The measured concentration values from the gas detectors installed in each protected area can be checked in real time from the central control room.

Alarm setting range

· O2 (oxygen): 18.5% or below / 23.5% or above

· CO2 (carbon dioxide): 1.5% or above

All exposed wiring for the FIX800 multi-gas detector inside the electrical room protected area was finished with steel conduit.

The on-site facility manager commented that the installation was completed very neatly.

Data cable and power cable routing work.

Alarm device installed at the entrance of the electrical room.

A gas monitoring display board was installed at the main entrance, while the other entrances were fitted with a warning light and alarm device only.

Gas detector installed in the UPS room.

Because CO2 is denser than air, the detector is installed at a low position, within 50 cm of the floor.

Under the relevant Ministry of Employment and Labor regulations, facilities classified as CO2 fire-suppression protected areas were required to complete installation of alarm devices by October 18, 2024.

If your facility operates a CO2 fire-suppression system and has not yet installed the required alarm devices, feel free to reach out for a detailed consultation.

Stay safe on site.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Why is a gas detector needed in a space with a CO2 fire suppression system?

A CO2 fire suppression system works by releasing a large volume of CO2 to lower the oxygen concentration in the event of a fire. If anyone is present in the protected area when this happens, there is a risk of asphyxiation. Under Article 628-2 of Korea's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Rule, oxygen and carbon dioxide detection and alarm devices are mandatory for such spaces.

Q2. What are the alarm activation thresholds?

At this site, the alarm is set to activate when oxygen (O2) falls to 18.5% or below (or rises to 23.5% or above), or when carbon dioxide (CO2) rises to 1.5% or above.

Q3. Where exactly were the detectors installed?

The system was installed in protected areas storing CO2 fire-suppression cylinders in the basement of a general hospital, including the generator room, electrical room, and UPS room. Each entrance was equipped with a gas monitoring display board and alarm device, and an integrated monitoring display board was installed in the central control room.

Q4. What are the specifications of the gas detector used?

A FIX800 fixed-type multi-gas detector was used, configured to measure O2 (oxygen) and CO2 (carbon dioxide) simultaneously.

Q5. Was there a deadline for installing alarm devices for CO2 fire suppression systems?

Under Ministry of Employment and Labor regulations, facilities classified as CO2 fire-suppression protected areas were required to complete installation of alarm devices by October 18, 2024. Facilities that have not yet done so should take action promptly.

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