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http://dx.doi.org/10.9798/KOSHAM.2012.12.6.179

A Study on Sound Level of the Fire Alarm System in the Factory  

Lee, Young-Sam (Department of Safety Engineering, University of Incheon)
Rie, Dong-Ho (Fire Disaster Prevention Research Center, University of Incheon)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation / v.12, no.6, 2012 , pp. 179-184 More about this Journal
Abstract
If a fire occurs in the workplace delay of danger warning transmission because of a lot of inner workplace noise increases the RSET (Required Safety Egress Time) and increases the death rate. This is especially true when there is a lot of noise from a machine room and also the possibility of doors between the machine room and the fire alarm system. In addition, most workers in a noisy environment wear protective earplugs. In this study, the transmission characteristics of fire alarm sound were researched according to KOFEIS 0305 and the US Fire Protection Handbook to analyze the problems. In a experiment done using eight different fire alarm systems under conditions such as distance from the alarm system, open and closed doors, machine sounds, and with and without earplugs. As a result of the measurements it was found that in the case of wearing earplugs the alarm systems didn't meet the standards and the alarm sound volume was changed per door open or shut in the machine room. Also every machine sound volume exceeded the 85dB in the case of machine sound(Background noise) except air compressor. NFPA suggests that when the background noise exceeds 85dB or more than that, alarm system should be considered of other methods to know alarm sound. Therefore it was concluded that the design of the fire alarm systems should not be applied to machine sound volume and that there needs to be improvement with regulations and the systems.
Keywords
Fire alarm system; Transmission characteristics; Earplug; Machine sound;
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