Bus Fire Safety - report from research project
The main objective of the project was to decrease the number and consequences of bus fires. This was accomplished through genera
tion of knowledge about fire cause and fire development in buses. These results will be used to develop specific recommendations for test methods and regulations to increase the fire safety of buses.
The SP Report 2008:41 can be downloaded here
Testing active fire protection systems for engine compartments in buses and coaches - a pilot study
This report forms the basis for the development of a test standard for fire suppression systems in engine compartments in buses and coaches.
The SP Report 2011:22 can be downloaded here
Quality marking (P-mark) of fire suppression systems in engine compartments of buses and coaches
SP is preparing an international test standard (SP method 4912) for fire suppression systems in engine compartments of buses and coaches. The objective of the standard is to specify requirements for the efficacy and function of such systems.
This work is being carried out on behalf of the National Road Authority in Sweden. The objective is to construct a model of an engine compartment where the fire fighting performance of different suppression systems can be evaluated in a well-defined and objective way.
During 2010, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Department of Fire Technology, carried out a pilot study (Phase 1) concerning a test method for fire suppression systems in engine compartments in buses and coaches. The project had financial support from the Swedish Transport Agency and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. All results from the study and the first draft of a test protocol are documented in SP Report 2011:22.
The release of this report signified the start of Phase 2 of the project, which involves a more in-depth analysis of the proposed methodology. An engine compartment mock-up was built and used to examine the impact of various parameters. It should be noted that real bus engine compartments differ quite substantially from one another depending on the type of vehicle and producer. However, the aim has been to design an enclosure with “typical” bus engine compartment characteristics (enclosure size, hot surfaces, obstructions, ventilation, and openings) rather than a replica of a specific engine type. In the typified enclosure, different petrol based fires will be initiated that will challenge the capability of a suppression system.
Phase 3, which began in June 2011, entailed running tests with different fire suppression systems: dry systems, water mist, aerosols etc. The intention to develop the test standard as openly as possible, providing the possibility for comment on the suggested methodology as it is developed.
SP Report 2011:22 can be downloaded from here: http://www-v2.sp.se/publ/ViewDocument.aspx?RapportId=12560
Parallel to this project a Reference Group (RG) has been created, with representatives from suppression system manufacturers, insurance companies, bus associations, transit authorities, bus manufacturers etc. Otokar, Temsa, Volvo buses, Scania, Daimler Buses, MAN, Prevost, Gillig and Motor Coach Industries are examples of bus manufacturers in the Reference Group. From the transit authorities there are Transport for London, Chicago Transit Authority, Los Angeles Transit, Sao Paolo Transit, Public Transport Authority of Western Australia - Transperth System and State Transit Authority - Sydney buses etc. in the group. The objective for the RG members is to contribute with input to SP's development work. The main objective of the project is to present a draft proposal of a standard at the spring meeting of the UN ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Working Group on General Safety Provisions (GRSG) in Geneva (http://www.unece.org/trans/main/welcwp29.html ). SP’s objective is that the proposal for amendment of UN ECE Regulation 107 will be accepted and voted through at the GRSG group of UN ECE as well as WP.29. This would mean that the installation of fire suppression systems in engine compartments will be mandatory for all single-deck, double-deck, rigid or articulated vehicles of category M2 or M3, under the assumption that the member state where the bus/coach is intended to be used is one of the Contracting Parties that have signed and agreed to the UNECE Vehicle Regulations - 1958 Agreement.
So far the following members are in the RG:
ACAF Systems, Inc.
Aerojet
AFEX Fire Suppression Systems
Amerex
American Bus Association
Americoach Systems Inc
APTA
AQUASYS Technik GmbH
ATK
Auto Fire & Safety Consultants, Inc.
BAM
BCTransit - British Columbia
Busguy
Bussbranchens Riksförbund
Comil Ônibus S.A
CPT - Confederation of Passenger Transport UK
CTA - Chicago Transit Authority
CVSA - Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
Dafo
Daimler Buses North America
Evobus
Federation of the European Union Fire Officers Associations
Fire & Safety Systems Australia
Fireaway - Statx
Firedect (Fogtec)
FirePro
Firetec
FIRETRACE International
Firetrace Ltd
Firstgroup (Greyhound)
Fogmaker
Fogmaker North America
Foothill Transit
German Federal Ministry of Transport
Gillig
Gottwald Engineering
Greyhound
Halsey King And Associates Inc.
Israel Fire Commissioner
Jewelsaffire
Just-In Case Fire Ltd. (FireCaddy)
Karsan Otomotiv Sanayii ve Ticaret A.Ş.
Kidde
King County, Washington
Lancer insurance
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
LPG Técnicas en Extinción de Incendios, S.A
LVT Fire
MAN
MCI
Metropolitan Transit System (Sand Diego)
Motor Vehicle Fire Research Institute
NIST
Nobina
One Seven
Optare
Otokar Turkey
PreventTec
Prevost, Division of Volvo Group Canada Inc.
Public Transport Authority of Western Australia - Transperth System
Pyrogen Technologies (AUST) Pty Ltd
Reflex
Rotarex
SAE Fire Safety Committee
Salgrom Technologies
São Paulo Transporte S/A.
Startransbus
Scania
Serco
SOLARIS
State Transit Authority - Sydney buses
SÄRF
Temsa Global
Thermax
Topaz Fire Systems Pvt Ltd
Toronto Transit Commission
Transport for London
Transportstyrelsen - The Swedish Transport Agency
Tyco - Ansul
Ultra Fog AB
USA Pro-Safecraft
UMA - United Motorcoach Association
Veolia Transport
Volvo buses
Wormald, A Tyco International Company
It is possible that the GRSG group of UN ECE will ask for complementary information or some revision of the proposal at the meeting in April 2012. Independent of this, the hope is that the Transit Authorities will start citing SP 4912 when procuring fire suppression systems as soon as possible.
Edition 1 of SP method 4912 was sent out to the RG on December 6, 2011.
Edition 2 of SP method 4912 was sent out to the RG on May 2nd, 2012.
In parallel, SP is working on rules for a voluntary certification system (SPCR 183). SP has its own quality label/certification mark called the P-mark (http://www.sp.se/en/units/certification/product/p_mark/Sidor/default.aspx ) which can be seen on a number of products. A P-mark certifies that the product meets the requirements of relevant standards, regulations etc., and that the manufacturer or importer operates an approved inspection and quality control scheme.
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To obtain a P-mark, the fire suppression system will need to fulfill the requirements in SP method 4912 and testing of all components will be included. This means that detectors, electrical/electronic components and control panels will be tested for such challenges as harsh environments, EMC, temperature and humidity extremes etc. The one exception to this requirement is testing the ability of the detector to detect a fire. Our objective from start has been to complete this first part of the project (developing a standard for testing the extinguishing capability) and then start another research project with the objective to develop a test method for detection capability, as this is a very complex subject and requires a different type of expertise. We think it is important to produce a useful standard sooner, and make it even more useful later by adding detection capability. |
Well established international standards like ISO will be referenced whenever possible. It will not be required that SP does all the testing; technical reports issued by accredited laboratories supplied by the manufacturers will be sufficient.
We plan to have the certification system in place at FIVE .
Nevertheless, once SP method 4912 is formally published we will be able to start conducting type tests/certification tests. These tests will consequently be used as a basis for certification in accordance with SPCR 183 when the certification system is in place.
I would like to draw your attention to the tragic accident on last Tuesday where a bus caught fire in western Indonesia, killing at least thirteen passengers, including five children and injuring more than 20 others: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/05/01/bus-fire-in-indonesia-kills-13-people/
Preliminary reports suggest that the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the lower part of the front door.
This tragic event shows one more time the need for more fire safety research on buses and coaches and more stringent fire safety requirements.
Our project aims to create a safer environment for passengers as well as bus drivers. By installing fire suppression systems in engine compartments for buses and coaches, a safe escape is more likely for the most vulnerable passengers i.e. disabled people, older people as well as school children.