Fluorine-containing foam has been a vital part of the fire suppression industry for years. Known as Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), a range of high-hazard sectors – which include chemical plants, military facilities, oil refineries, and airports – have been reliant on it for firefighting.
That is because AFFFs are highly effective at combating flammable liquid fires (Class B fires) due to the aqueous film the solution creates when mixed with water. This spreads across the surface of a fire to extinguish it and form a vapour barrier to prevent re-ignition.
They are also essential where the presence of large quantities of fuels and other hazardous materials pose a significant risk of fire.
CHANGING IS COMING
This is all about to change however due to the foams being made using so-called ‘forever chemicals’ – long-chain polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) that pose a significant risk to the environment due to their inability to break down in nature.
Indeed, two years ago the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) published its Risk Management Options Analysis on PFAS, ultimately concluding that PFAS pose a concern to the environment and human health.
The report even cited that the use of PFAS facilitates the potential for a high level of mobility leading to widespread dispersal, and risk of contamination to the water environment.
One type of AFFF, C8, has already been officially banned, while an update on the other – known as C6 – could follow later this year.
While there is uncertainty on when a full ban for all firefighting foams containing PFAS will come into effect, it is clear that businesses should be thinking about a fluorine-free future and how this will impact their facilities and fire suppression systems.
WHERE TO BEGIN
For engineers working with fire suppression systems or those in charge of a facility’s maintenance programmes, it is prudent to start thinking about how a shift away from fluorine could impact business continuity, safety, and security.
A good starting point would be for businesses to undertake a thorough assessment of their existing fire suppression system and look out for C6 and C8 AFFFs.
This will allow the company to prepare accordingly and understand the potential scale of the changes that may be required. For instance, an alternative supplier of firefighting foam may be required, and a range of infrastructure updates could be needed.
Approaching the situation in this way and taking the initiative could save a business potentially urgent and costly upgrades further down the line so it is sensible to act now and not simply wait for the legislation changes to come into force.
MOVING FORWARD
As we move towards a fluorine-free future, fire systems will need to be evaluated in order to plan for the replacement of existing foams. The good news is that new fluorine-free alternatives have already been developed and tested.
These synthetic fluorine-free foams – known as SFFFs – have been in circulation for several years, and the industry is accelerating the continued development of them to improve their efficiency and efficacy.
Unfortunately, though, it is not as straightforward as simply replacing AFFFs with SFFFs. This is because synthetic foams have not been widely tested enough to prove that they are as effective as the foams they will be replacing, and there are a range of other potential issues, too.
Firstly, and in most cases, new sprinkler heads which have been tested to work with the new foam will be required, and because SFFF is not as effective as AFFF, more water is required to support fire suppression. As a result, larger pipework and possibly even larger fire pumps and water storage tanks will also be needed.
This could necessitate some form of system redesign or component upgrade in order to achieve the same level of fire suppression.
STEPS TO TAKE
But while the future legal and regulatory changes to foam within fire suppression may pose operational challenges for those in charge of building health and safety – and cause concern for engineers servicing and installing these systems – there are steps individuals and organisations can take today in order to save expenditure, time, and operational challenges tomorrow.
Against the backdrop of regulatory reforms, various insurance requirements, numerous design standards and a constantly evolving service sector, it is vital that your project is supported and commissioned by an accredited sprinkler company.
Having an LPCB Level 4 accreditation means your provider is regularly audited to ensure that they maintain this highest kitemark and can be trusted to design and commission systems which will satisfy all stakeholders from a safety and insurance perspective.
This will ensure you are not behind the curve with any changes that are required and means you can trust your provider to deliver the most cost effective and best-engineered solution to meet your needs.
And perhaps most importantly, this will give your company peace of mind given that the regulatory changes to foam will likely lead to your system needing to be redesigned to overcome potential performance shortfalls.
Elsewhere, it would also be prudent for businesses to explore the different synthetic foams that are currently available and check compatibility with their existing fire suppression system.
FAIL TO PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL
While there is no concrete date for when fluorine-containing AFFFs will be prohibited, it is very likely that it is a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ a full ban will come into effect.
But though it may seem like a daunting task to upgrade your existing fire suppression system, acting now – and ensuring you partner with a suitably accredited provider – will help you prepare effectively for whatever the future may hold.