Warehouse and Distribution Fire Safety
Fire baffles are used in retail stores and warehouses as a steel barrier that retains the heat from a fire in order to activate sprinklers. This will contain the fire within an area and keep fire from spreading to other areas of the store or warehouse. Barriers can be installed both vertically and horizontally in the pallet rack to meet local fire codes. The flat metal sheets or corrugated metal fire deck panels are easy to install and very low maintenance. As local fire codes become more stringent, UNARCO can engineer fire and heat containment baffles for your warehouse environment that will not limit storage space or signage.
Solid steel rack decking and vertical fire baffles capture heat, activate the sprinklers, and keep the fire from spreading down-aisle. Easy fasteners that attach to your pallet rack can be installed as a permanent solution or with movable brackets as rack configurations change. Highly flammable items, including furniture, aerosols, or liquors can cause alarm with many fire officials and a UL-approved fire baffle installation can help make storage racks safer in the event of a fire and create the barrier required to help sprinklers discharge to keep the fire contained.
Fire protection in warehouses and retail stores can cause permitting and fixture start delays when city officials are unfamiliar with fire safety plans; this can be the cause of many headaches. Fire safety officials all over the country are becoming familiar with the fire baffle horizontal and vertical method of stopping the spread of fire and engaging the sprinkler systems faster. The containment of fire and quick initiation of sprinklers can make all of the difference. Metal fire barriers save time and possibly lives in the unlikely event of a warehouse fire.
UNARCO can also help with in-rack fire protection and safety. Engineered solutions to tie the sprinkler pipe safely and securely to the racking system and components that will ensure proper flow of water through the rack are standard design.
As building officials look more closely at fire protection in warehouses and distribution centers, engineered solutions that incorporate safety with the pallet rack are now commonplace.
System Highlights:
Pallet Rack Fire Protection can help mitigate the fire risks of flammable loads:
Paper and cardboard
Aerosols and spray cans
Liquor and alcohol
Wood and plastic pallets
Mattresses and furniture
Let's face it. The risk of fire in a warehouse is evident and the more you protect against the known danger, the safer your facility. Pallets are flammable and often the product placed on the pallets can be highly flammable too. UNARCO has experience engineering vertical and horizontal fire barriers for pallet rack as well as creating innovative designs to incorporate in-rack sprinkler systems without giving up storage space.
For more photos of Pallet Rack, view the UNARCO Pallet Rack Photo Gallery.
In-Rack Fire Protection
Vertical continuous metal fire baffles overlap and run the full height of the upright to create a solid barrier. Panel sizes can be custom fit to your warehouse and even work around double column uprights and can be engineered for bracing panels.
Let UNARCO engineer a safe barrier to meet local building codes and help with design approval.