Industrial
Product range: SIL2 Capable

Formula Techniki

Hochiki Europe supplied SIL2-rated fire detection equipment to protect a petrochemical storage terminal in Ghana, designed to meet NFPA 72 standards and minimise false alarms in a hazardous environment. 

Industrial facility with four smokestacks emitting white smoke, surrounded by pipework, storage tanks, and processing equipment.
Large oil and gas facilities with chimmneys and pipes pumping out gas

Leading manufacturer of life safety solutions, Hochiki Europe, has supported the construction of a new petrochemical storage and distribution facility in Ghana, by supplying a range of innovative fire detection and alarm equipment.

 

Called the New Petroleum Products Storage and Distribution Terminal, the facility is spread across an area of more than 113,000m2 in the heart of the port city of Tema. Eight buildings on the site all required the highest possible standard of life safety protection.

 

Oil and gas facilities can be particularly challenging environments when it comes to specifying life safety systems. The presence of hazardous and potentially volatile materials, like petrochemicals requires an even closer focus on safety considerations. In addition, higher than usual levels of smoke, dust and other particulates in the atmosphere can pose a challenge for accurate fire detection - resulting in a need for highly intelligent detection devices.

large oil and gas facilities with chimneys surrounded by pipework and smoke

Metron Energy Applications, a Greek-based provider of oil and gas industry construction solutions, led the development of the Tema facility. The firm tasked fire safety solutions supplier, Formula Techniki, with delivering a detection system that met the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) National Fire Alarm and Signalling Code. Also known as NFPA 72, this internationally recognised US standard includes requirements specific to the fire safety risks found in chemical facilities. 

 

It was also essential that any products installed as part of the fire detection system were intelligent, and would allow the facilities managers to quickly identify hazards in order to help them take appropriate action to protect the building and its occupants. 

In many public buildings, there may be dozens of different types of audible warning devices; fire alarm systems, emergency exit alarms, lifts/elevators, intrusion alarm systems, and each can have their own audible warning device.

 

With so many different types of audible devices, it can be confusing to the occupants when an alarm sound – especially for hotel guests who might be fast asleep in their rooms. Is it a real fire alarm or a false alarm? To counter these conflicting responses, voice sounders are now an established and effective solution. Research has shown that voice alarm messages result in quicker reaction times than when sirens or bells are used, in fact 75% of people react in a timely manner to voice messages. This has resulted in VA Systems becoming more commonplace as the primary means of evacuation in public buildings.

 

As part of the install at The Atlantic Hotel, staff training was provided on how the new system and devices operated, and what to expect when an alarm sounded.

A group of Hochiki SIL2 Capable fire detection devices, including smoke detectors, a wall sounder, a manual call point, and a control module, displayed against a white background.

19 SIL approved addressable weatherproof manual call points were also installed throughout the site. These allow building occupants to manually sound the alarm in the event of a fire or life safety incident, further safeguarding against a system failure. They have been specially designed and approved for use in some of the most demanding applications, including oil platforms and marine environments. Featuring integral short-circuit isolators to ensure loop performance, they also offer rapid response communications to virtually eliminate the risk of false alarms.

 

Both the photoelectric sensors and the weatherproof manual call points installed at the facility are compatible with Hochiki Europe’s ESP open protocol, in line with Metron Energy Application’s need for a flexible and intelligent fire and life safety solution.

 

The life safety equipment at Tema has now been installed, and the construction of the new facility is now complete. As a result of Hochiki Europe’s equipment, the site now has a fire safety system capable of meeting the strict requirements of such a hazardous environment.

ALN-EN photoelectric smoke sensor

Speaking about the project, Angelos Angelikas, Technical Manager at Formula Techniki, noted:

 

“In any hazardous environment, there is a whole raft of fire safety considerations that need to be taken into account.

“To match the increased risks faced by building occupants in these hazardous locations, we needed to use products globally-recognised for their high quality and enhanced performance. With a dedicated range of SIL products and approvals from the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), Hochiki Europe was the obvious choice.”

 

Daniel Bon, then Regional Sales Manager at Hochiki Europe, added:

 

“As a manufacturer that supplies products for use all over the world, it’s critical that we meet the highest standards when it comes to life safety accreditations and legislation.

 

“Our presence across Europe, the Middle East and Africa further compliments our commitment to manufacturing high-quality products, as we’re able to provide globally-recognised solutions in some of the most hazardous applications. This project is no exception, and I’m pleased we have been able to supply a fit-for-purpose solution for this challenging environment, helping to ensure optimum protection for the people that will one day be working across the site.”

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