MULTIPLE FIRE CONTRACTS COMPLETED AT LONDON AIRPORTS

A series of 25 fire engineering contracts have been completed by Senior Hargreaves for hot food concessions at BAA's Heathrow and Gatwick airports.  The upgrading of existing kitchen extracts to ensure effective fire containment, were completed with minimal disruption to public and staff restaurants.  New concessions have also been fitted with the advanced fire safety systems.

"Logistics were a critical concern," explained Graham Woods who project managed the programme.  "Heathrow Airport, for example, has 64 million passengers per year.  Catering for their needs are a battery of hot food and drink outlets.  Replacing systems was a priority, as was the need to minimise down time."

Dedicated cook-range kitchen extracts are provided from each concession, replacing the old common extract system.  Hargreaves' solution was their HFD/KE100 kitchen extract ductwork, a fire-tested, pre-engineered system that gives 240 minutes stability and integrity and up to 60 minutes insulation, when tested to BS476 Part 24.

As the HFD/KE ducts are factory built, including insulation and armour, they were installed in a single operation.  Avoiding a second site process of applying insulation speeded the programme and eliminated a cause of potential fire failure.  Inbuilt hatches and smooth inner surfaces, to BS 5588 Part 9, allow regular cleaning to avoid flammable grease build up.  BAA regularly audit the duct systems to ensure that concessionaires duct cleaning regimes keep grease films to less than 180 microns.

Work proceeded rapidly, with Senior Hargreaves providing ducts on a scheduled basis.  Special bifurcated fire resistant fans, compatible with the BS467 Part 24 ductwork systems were supplied by Victoria Fans of Moseley.


More information:
Mark Barry, Senior Hargreaves, Tel. +44 (0)161 764 5082 Fax. +44 (0)161 762 2336
E-mail: m.barry@senior-hargreaves.co.uk Web: www.hargreaves-ductwork.co.uk

June 20, 2001