INSTALLATION AUDIT

Audits on fire detection and protection systems are primarily aimed at ensuring that they work correctly and are suited to the fire hazard.

They also provide an opportunity to take stock of applicable regulations and highlight discrepancies between original and current regulations.

If in doubt about the reliability or performance of your fire protection systems, contact CYRUS INDUSTRIE. Our engineering consultancy specialising in fire safety can audit your systems in line with current standards.

This audit phase is essential before undertaking upgrading work.

The mission consists in analysing the fire hazard, the suitability of existing systems in countering this hazard, and their compliance with regulatory requirements and the standards laid down by the company and/or its insurers.

We begin our assignment by retrieving data before visiting the site to audit the existing fire safety systems and equipment (gathering of information on existing means, visual assessment without dismantling components or taking readings or measurements). Based on the site surveys, we analyse the fire risk by zone and the compliance of the fire safety systems with regulatory requirements and the demands of the company and/or insurer:

  • Classification of the activities and fire risks
  • Definition of the protection required by the rules in force
  • Listing of the discrepancies between the existing systems and the applicable rules

Where appropriate, we comment on the obsolescence of the systems and potential malfunctions.

We list and give a brief description of the various technical solutions possible for the improvement of the fire detection and protection systems. We can then establish a budget estimate of these potential improvements with a view to integration into an investment plan. We conclude by writing an audit and improvement report.


VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

The analysis of fire hazards and vulnerability is aimed at identifying and ranking potential sources causing the outbreak and spread of fire.

APSAD regulation R11 provides an applicable vulnerability assessment method with regard to fire hazards. The purpose of the vulnerability analysis is to identify the vulnerable elements of a site – i.e. the elements which, if lost, could endanger the sustainability of the site.

Elements identified as vulnerable are generally machines, process functions and premises. Cyrus Industrie proposes various methods of identifying vulnerable elements:

  • Mapping key points (points which, if unavailable, might compromise the company’s objectives).
  • Identifying danger points.
  • Determining vulnerable points.

By ranking the vulnerable points, it is possible to produce a master plan for improving fire safety and to prioritise actions:

  • Reinforcement of first-response equipment (fire extinguishers and hose reels).
  • Installation of a fire detection system adapted to the risk.
  • Installation of fixed automatic extinguishing systems (sprinklers, foam, or gas).
  • Improvement of the fire safety organisation (alarm management, response teams and staff training).

DIAGNOSTIC AUDIT

If in doubt about the reliability or performance of your fire protection installations,ask Cyrus Industrie to audit them in line with current standards. This audit phase is essential before undertaking upgrading work.


REGULRATORY COMPLIANCE AUDIT – ENVIRONNMENTAL PROTECTION LEGISLATION (ICPE)

This audit indicates whether an installation subject to environmental protection legislation (ICPE) is compliant with applicable regulatory requirements and enables corrective actions to be implemented where necessary.

Ideally, this audit is to be conducted at the project stage, based on the feasibility documents and drawings, so that all requirements applicable to the establishment are taken into consideration.

For existing sites, it can be performed following an administrative procedure (Declaration, Registration or Authorisation) or at any other time to obtain an assessment of the technical compliance of the installation.

This audit comprises the following:

  • Identification of the regulations, orders, etc., applicable to the installation.
  • Site visit (or study of project documents and drawings) and preparation of a detailed report showing the nonconformities.
  • Preparation of a schedule of upgrade work to ensure conformity as the installation will not be considered compliant until this stage.