Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 2 of 11

This brochure is made available for informational purposes only in support of the insurance relationship between FM Global and its clients. This information does not change or supplement policy terms or conditions. The liability of FM Global is limited to that contained in its insurance policies.

Whether you have an automatic sprinkler, carbon-dioxide, water-mist, clean-agent or water-spray system, the effectiveness of your fire protec-tion system depends on the water or extinguishing agent being delivered to the fire area through a network of piping. A fire protection control valve that is closed anywhere in this net-work could prevent the flow of water or extinguishing agent, impairing part or all of the fire protection system and creating a shut-valve hazard. (Page 3 illustrates the various types of fire protection control valves you typically might find at your facility.)

Should a fire occur while the system is impaired, the fire quickly could grow undetected and spread beyond the control capabilities of the protec-tion system—even if you reopened the valve as soon as the fire was dis-covered—and leave you with the risk of total property destruction.

As the following three examples illustrate, fires at locations with shut fire-protection valves tend to be large and destructive. In fact, a shut-valve fire can be more damaging than an unsprinklered fire because a pre-planned fire response in a sprinklered facility assumes sprinklers will detect the fire early and provide control un-til manual fire response can be made. Since 1958, there have been 940 fires at FM Global-insured locations where fire protection valves were closed, resulting in more than US$1.3 billion in loss.

Loss Example 1:A sprinkler system was shut down after a small fire at a manufacturing facility was thought to have been extinguished by three sprinklers and hose streams that were applied by company employees. The sprin-kler system was not restored prompt-ly and the local fire service was not notified of the fire. The fire rekindled

and spread beyond the capabilities of the sprinkler system even though the employees reopened the sprinkler system’s shut valve once the fire was discovered. The resulting damage was estimated at more than US$84 million gross.

Loss Example 2:A fire originated in an area of a facil-ity where the automatic sprinkler system had been shut down for ap-proximately a year, while waiting for needed system repairs. The resulting damage caused an estimated gross loss of roughly US$13 million.

Loss Example 3:A fire originated in an idle sawmill. Although automatic sprinkler pro-tection was present throughout the facility, the sprinkler system had been shut down due to a frozen sprinkler. The resulting fire caused an estimated gross loss of US$7.5 million.

Should a fire occur while the system is impaired, the fire quickly could grow undetected and spread beyond the control capabilities of the protection system.

A fire protection control valve controls the flow of water or other fire-extinguishing agent to or from fire protection equipment. This equipment includes sprinkler systems, hose standpipes, fire pumps, water supply tanks, underground fire mains or special protection systems (gaseous suppression, carbon dioxide, spark extin-guishing, etc.). If any control valve is shut, protection is impaired. If a fire starts while any system is impaired, you could have a catastrophic loss. Examples of fire protection control valves are at left.

To help keep your fire protection in service, FM Global offers the following guidelines:

Weekly■ Visually check for the OPEN and LOCKED position

on all valves.■ Keep records of your inspections.

Monthly■ Physically check the following valves, which are illustrated at left: PIV, WPIV,

inside-screw-and-gate, and roadway (curb) box. • Turn the valve beyond the wide-open position. If you feel a spring

or torsion in the operating rod, the valve is wide-open. • Do not rely on the indicator when it reads OPEN. Mechanical damage can

close the valve partly or completely, despite what the indicator shows. • Keep records of your inspections.

Fire Protection Control Valves

Post-Indicator Valve (PIV)

Wall-Post- Indicator Valve (WPIV)

Outside-Screw- and-Yoke (OS&Y) Valve

Inside-Screw- and-Gate Valve

Post-Indicator Valve Assembly (PIVA)

Indicating- Butterfly Valve (IBV)

Roadway (Curb) Box ValveAccess through small manhole cover and oper-ate using a T-wrench.

90-Degree Turn ValveTurn handle 90 degrees to close. Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 3 of 11

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 4 of 11

Each year, FM Global engineeers typically discover close to 1,000 improperly closed fire protection control valves (ICVs) and impaired fire protection systems.

Each year, FM Global engineers typically discover close to 1,000 improperly closed fire protection control valves (ICVs) and impaired fire protection systems. In a survey conducted between 1995 and 1999, FM Global engineers discovered approximately 3,800 ICVs. A major- ity of these ICVs (64 percent) were neither provided with a non-break-able lock nor equipped with a super-visory monitoring device (commonly referred to as a “tamper switch”). In addition, a majority (60 percent) consisted of valves that typically are found indoors or within pits.

Surprisingly, however, the survey also revealed that, of the ICVs discovered, 19 percent were locked at the time of discovery, 13 percent were equipped with tamper switches, and four percent were both locked and equipped with a tamper switch. This tends to indicate simply provid-ing a lock and/or a tamper switch alone is no guarantee that a fire protection system control valve won’t be improperly closed or impaired.

Typically, sprinkler system control valves are shut for the following reasons:■■ Sprinkler system repair■■ Building alterations■■ Maintenance■■ Cold weather■■ Error (not realizing the valve

is part of the sprinkler system)■■ Maliciousness (including

arson intent)

FM Global studies have shown that, without proper impairment handling and follow-up inspection procedures, sprinkler system control valves can be shut for repairs and forgotten.

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 5 of 11

FM Global site surveys and loss history include many instances of sprinkler system control valves that were shut “temporarily” and then remained shut for weeks, months, sometimes even years.

Other times, they’re shut either deliberately or permanently because the building is idle or vacant and the heat is being shut off. Although it might make sense to drain the water from your sprinkler system to prevent pipes from freezing, such action would expose your facility to an uncontrolled fire within the affected area. FM Global engineers can offer alternatives, such as converting a wet sprinkler system to a dry sprinkler system, to help protect your facility against an uncontrolled fire scenario.

While fires are not 100-percent pre-ventable, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure your facility’s

fire protection systems will be ready when you need them. Under normal conditions, when your fire protection systems are in service, FM Global’s most urgent recommendation is to make sure all your fire protection control valves are wide-open. Noth-ing else in the care of automatic protection is as important. It also is essential to know how and when to inspect valves and manage impair-ments when equipment must be taken out of service temporarily.

To safeguard your facility against the shut-valve hazard, FM Global offers the following advice:■■ Lock all fire protection control

valves open.■■ Conduct recorded inspections of

all fire protection control valves.■■ Supervise fire protection control

valve impairments.

Lock Fire Protection Control Valves OpenLocking fire protection control valves in the wide-open position helps ensure they will provide the flow of water or other extinguishing agent needed by the fire protection system to control the fire. To do this, FM Global offers the following guidelines:■■ Make sure the fire protection

control valve is wide-open and then secure the valve against un-authorized closure by locking it (providing seals instead of locks may be used as an alternative for fire protection control valves that are 1.5 in. [38 mm] and smaller). See page 6 for instructions on how to lock various types of fire protection control valves open and page 5 for how to seal them open.

If valves are not locked open, seal them open. Using seals helps you protect the open valves between weekly inspec-tions. A seal shows the importance of the valve and discour-ages unauthorized people from tampering with it. If a seal is broken or missing, you know immediately the valve must be checked. You even should seal the post-indicator valve as-sembly (PIVA) to discourage tampering, although the inspector can see it if is open or closed.

To seal a fire protection control valve open: 1. Try the valve.

2. Conduct a full-flow test at the drain on the sprinkler riser.

3. Thread a No. 16 twisted wire to the valve as shown in the illustrations below. (Although plastic seals also can be used, FM Global will supply lead seals.)

4. Insert the ends of the wire through the seal. On a gate valve, allow enough slack in the wire for three-quarters of a turn of the valve. Then, press the lead flat. The valve can’t be shut without breaking the seal, but it can be tried if there is enough slack in the wire.

How to Seal Fire Protection Valves Open

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 5 of 11

A. Post-Indicator Valve (PIV) Lock the handle onto the valve by inserting a padlock through the loop. If the valve does not have a loop, install an eyebolt on the valve. On a valve with a handwheel, loop a chain through the handwheel.

B. Wall-Post-Indicator Valve (WPIV) Install an eyebolt on the wall as shown. If several valves are in a row, lock each valve individually; do not lock valves together.

C. Outside-Screw-and-Yoke (OS&Y) Valve Thread a chain through the handwheel and yoke. Use a cable for small valves.

D. Inside-Screw-and-Gate Valve Anchor a cable or chain with a lock through a hole in the opening nut. To lock valves with handwheels, thread a chain or cable through the wheel and around the pipe or other anchor loop. Please note: Valves with handwheels are not FM Approved.

E. Post-Indicator Valve Assembly (PIVA) If there isn’t a hole for the padlock, do not drill one through the valve body because you will void FM Approval. Rather, notify your local FM Global office for assistance.

F. Indicating-Butterfly Valve (IBV) Wrap a chain around the base of the valve and secure tightly enough to prevent the handle from being removed.

G. Roadway (Curb) Box Valve You will need a special wrench to lock this type of valve. (Contact your FM Global engineer for advice, if needed.) First, put an extension shaft in the curb box. Then, tap one eyebolt into the shaft and another eyebolt into the housing. Run the shackle of a padlock through both eyebolts. The top- or nut-end of the extension shaft should fit only the socket on the special valve wrench.

How to Lock Fire Protection Control Valves Open

A B C D E F G

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Routine, recorded inspection of all fire protection control valves, in tandem with locking or sealing the valves in the wide-open position, further increases the likelihood that your fire protection systems will operate properly in the event of a fire—and minimize the exposure of your facility’s assets to loss. To help ensure your fire protection systems are ready when you need them, FM Global offers the following guidelines for the inspection of all fire protection control valves:

(For information about establishing an effective fire protection maintenance program, refer to FM Global’s Fire Pump Testing and Maintenance Checklist [P8217] and Human Factor Management: How to Make Your Program Work [P9703].)

Inspect All Fire Protection Control Valves

Valve Type Inspect Visually Try Physically

Outside-screw-and- yoke and indicating-butterfly valves

Once a weekExercise valves annually

Locked post-indicator, wall-mounted post-indicator, and curb box valves

Once a week Once a month

Unlocked post-indica-tor, wall-mounted post-indicator, and curb box valves

Once a weekOnce a week until locked, then monthly

Exceptions: Valves that are “mysteriously” shut, damaged or legitimately impaired

Daily

More frequently than weekly; as frequently as necessary to ensure protection. Provide locks.

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 7 of 11

■■ Lock open all fire-service water- control valves larger than 1.5 in. (38 mm) or valves that control more than five sprinklers.

■■ Make sure locks, chain, cable or other securing devices are sturdy, resistant to breakage, except by heavy bolt-cutters, and weather-proof if exposed to the elements.

■■ Do not use combination or multiple-keyed locks. All locks should use the same key.

■■ Restrict distribution of keys to an absolute minimum. Provide keys only to those directly responsible for the fire protection system. Be sure this includes the designated sprinkler valve operator on your emergency response team (ERT).

Supervise Fire Protection Control Valve ImpairmentsWhether planned or unplanned, there are times when fire protection system control valves must be closed, impairing the fire protection system. Planned impairments may occur dur-ing routine preventive maintenance, as well as during facility renovations or new construction, while unplanned impairments typically are the result of a fire incident or damage incurred to the fire protection system. In either situation, it’s important to take quick and efficient steps to minimize the duration of the impairment and implement temporary measures to help prevent a loss from occurring while protection is impaired.

Controlling the Shut-Valve Hazard 8 of 11

When implemented before, during and after an impairment to your fire protection system, the follow- ing guidelines will help you mini- mize your exposure to the shut- valve hazard.

Before the Impairment■■ Plan to work on fire protection

when the facility is not operat-ing. Shut down any hazardous processes.

■■ Be prepared. Have everything ready before impairing protec-tion, i.e., excavating equipment, pipe plugs, repair parts and personnel.

■■ Plan to have temporary fire pro-tection on hand: extra extinguish-ers, charged hose lines, tempo-rary sprinkler protection, etc.

■■ Set up temporary sprinkler pro-tection, especially for prolonged impairments, by running a 2.5-in. (64-mm) hose from the hydrant to the 2-in. (51-mm) drain of an

active system (you will need an adapter to connect the hose to the drain).

■■ Notify your ERT and the public fire service so they can be ready to handle any emergency that might occur.

■■ If fire protection equipment can be restored, determine how to quickly return it to service in case a fire occurs during the impairment.

■■ Notify your local FM Global office of the planned impairment. An engineer and/or customer service representative can advise you on how to proceed and fol-low up until protection has been restored. They also can help minimize downtime, if possible, or help reduce fire exposure to the area, arrange for temporary protection, and determine how to restore protection as quickly as possible in the event of fire. If needed, engineers also can visit your facility and remain there until the work is complete.

During the Impairment■■ Shut down hazardous processes.■■ Prohibit any process with an

inherent ignition source, such as hot work. Smoking also should be prohibited.

■■ Assign a fire watch to patrol the area where protection is down.

■■ Use the FM Global Red Tag Permit System (see page 9) or an equally thorough shut-valve permit system. Be sure the fire protection equipment operator documents each step as it’s performed in Parts 2 and 3 of the FM Global Red Tag Permit.

After the Impairment■■ Place fire protection equipment

back in automatic service.■■ If sprinkler protection was

impaired, conduct a 2-in. (51-mm) drain test at the sprinkler riser to obtain a clear, unobstructed water flow.

■■ Lock fire protection control valves in the wide-open position.

■■ Reset the alarm system; notify the central station, if applicable.

■■ Notify your ERT, public fire service and FM Global client service team that fire protection has been restored.

While fires are not 100- percent preventable, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure your facility’s fire protection systems will be ready when you need them.

When fire protection is out of service, use FM Global’s Red Tag Permit System. This system helps you plan and manage impairments and restore full fire protection. It includes a Red Tag Permit System Wall Hanger (P7427), Red Tag Permits (F2480), a Reusable Impairment Tag for Fire Service Connec-tions (P7427t) and Fire Protection Equipment Decals (P7834).

The wall hanger hangs on the wall and contains pockets for tags and decals. Follow the precautions on the wall hanger and document tasks on the permit as they are performed. Affix decals to fire protection equipment as a reminder that authorization is needed before fire protection can be shut down.

The Red Tag Permit The fire safety supervisor uses this three-part permit to authorize the impairment and record critical information needed to manage the impairment.

Part 1: The fire safety supervisor completes the permit, signs and issues it, notifies FM Global, and follows the precautions listed.

Part 2: The fire safety supervisor places the permit in the center pocket of the wall hanger as a visual reminder that a valve is shut.

Part 3: The fire safety supervisor issues the permit to the fire protection equipment operator, who documents each step of the impairment. Include date, time, type of valve and number of turns needed to close the valve. Attach the tag to the shut valve as a weather-resistant, visual reminder that a particular valve is closed. Also, attach the Reusable Impairment Tag for Fire Service Connections (P7427t) to the fire-service-pumper connection associated with the impaired fire protection system.

The Red Tag Permit System

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

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■■ Complete FM Global’s Red Tag Permit (see page 9). The fire protection equipment oper- ator documents all steps taken to restore fire protection in Part 3 of the permit, signs it and returns it to the fire safety supervisor.

The fire safety supervisor:■● reviews the information

on the signed permit and retains it as a record of the impairment

■● transfers information from Part 3 of the permit to Part 2, and phones or faxes the information in Part 2 to FM Global

Unplanned ImpairmentsThe steps outlined on the previous pages work well for planned fire protection impairments; however, not all impairments can be planned. Suppose sprinkler piping starts leaking or a freeze-up causes pipes to break? Suddenly, you’re faced with an unplanned impairment and the steps you take to manage the situation could mean the difference between minor damage and a significant loss. To ensure safe handling of the impairment:

■■ stabilize the situation and immediately follow the precautions outlined in “Before the Impairment” on page 7

■■ if a fire starts, make sure sprinkler valves are opened immediately

■■ if it is safe to do so, immedi-ately dispatch the sprinkler valve operator(s) to the valve(s) controlling the fire area; the valve operator’s job is to:■● guard the valve against

premature shutting■● unlock the valve, test it to

make sure it is open, and then relock it

■● stand by the valve during the fire and close it only at the direction of the fire chief

■● stand by the valve after the fire until sprinklers have been replaced; doing so will allow you to restore the system quickly if the fire reignites

■● reopen valve(s), conduct drain test(s) and lock the valve(s) wide open

Whether planned or unplanned, controlling the shut-valve hazard is a simple process. Remember:■■ Know what types of fire protec-

tion control valves are on the property and where they are located. Lock the valves open.

■■ Regularly inspect all valves, including those that are locked or sealed as well as those with tamper switches.

■■ Supervise all fire protection control-valve impairments. Use FM Global’s Red Tag Permit System (see page 9) whenever fire protection must be taken out of service.

If you have any questions, contact your local FM Global office. (For the FM Global office closest to you, visit our Web site at fmglobal.com.)

Whether planned or unplanned, controlling the shut-valve hazard is a simple process.

P7133 © 2008 FM Global (Rev. 08/2016) All rights reserved. fmglobal.com

FM Insurance Company Limited1 Windsor Dials, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1RSAuthorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Contact Us: To report an impairment or to find an FM Global office nearest you, visit fmglobal.com/contact.

Report A Loss: Dial (1)877 NEW LOSS (639 5677)* to report a property or cargo loss 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or, to contact your client service team or designated claims office directly, go to fmglobal.com/claims or affiliatedfm.com/claims for location and contact information.

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Product Ordering Information:For additional copies of this publication or other FM Global resources, order online 24 hours a day, seven days a week at fmglobalcatalog.com.

Or, for personal assistance worldwide, contact our U.S.-based customer services team, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET: n Toll-free: (1)877 364 6726

(Canada and the United States) n Phone: +1 (1)401 477 7744 n Fax: +1 (1)401 477 7010 n Email: customerservices@fmglobal.com