scope:

HDME includes a large range of sizes and complexity. The smallest examples may carry a single operator and have an open cockpit. These include such types as front-end loaders, haulage trucks, and logging vehicles. The largest include mining equipment that may have several floors, a multiplicity of hazards, and multiple occupants. These include power shovels, walking crushers, wheel excavators, and draglines. Accordingly, the environments on the various types of equipment can range from relatively clean light hazard occupancies such as cockpits, break rooms, and other occupiable spaces to machinery spaces containing various ignitable liquid hazards. Electrical cabinets may present hazards requiring separate, specific extinguishing systems. Otherwise unprotected occupiable spaces may require special hazard protection systems for specific objects. Protection system components installed outside of the vehicle and exposed to weather, dust, moisture, and debris thrown by tires and tracks require specific evaluations for that service. They also shall be evaluated for resistance to cleaning procedures such as pressure washing and steam cleaning.

This standard requires the examination of complete systems: either storage and delivery, detection and control, or combined detection, control, storage, and delivery. Complete systems shall be submitted for certification along with design, installation, operation, and maintenance instructions. However, the manufacturer may, at any time, submit additional components or auxiliary equipment for use on the certified system. Purchased devices such as thermostats, releases, and timers must also be submitted by the system manufacturer for evaluation as a part of the system, even though such devices may already be certified. Purchased devices that have been certified as standalone products need only be subjected to any evaluations required by this standard that were not conducted as a part of their original examinations. They shall also only be allowed to be used within the parameters established in their certifications. At minimum, a storage and delivery system shall consist of those components and auxiliary equipment considered necessary by the certification agency for the system to operate properly, either as a standalone or when connected to a certified detection and control system. Incomplete systems shall not be certified.

HDME fire protection systems are classified into one of two general categories according to protection type: total flooding or local application. Total flooding systems are designed to uniformly discharge suppressant throughout the entire protected volume and are intended to be used for the protection of Class A hazards, Class B hazards, or both. Local application systems are designed to discharge suppressant directly onto a specific area of protection and are intended to be used for the protection of Class A hazards, Class B hazards, or both. Either type shall be designed for automatic and manual control to protect single or multiple hazard areas using the appropriate detection method for the hazard being protected. These systems are typically pre-engineered designs.

A HDME protection system comprises one or more agent storage containers, discharge valves arranged for automatic or manual/automatic control, lock-out valves (when required), distribution configurations, discharge nozzles, and detection and control. Integral detection and control capability shall be evaluated as a part of the complete HDME system, using the criteria of this standard. Otherwise, a separate certified Class 5973 detection and control system must be compatible to provide any applicable automatic electrical operation of a system, though it need not be submitted as part of a suppressant storage and delivery system. Detectors shall meet certification agency requirements, e.g. thermal (Class 3210) or flame (Class 3260) detectors and shall meet the relevant requirements of this standard. Harsh environments in certain locations within the HDME may limit the effectiveness of some detection technologies.

An HDME protection system may use a single suppressant or combine multiple suppressants in a coordinated system. Multiple suppressants may be used serially or simultaneously to protect the same space. Further, different areas of the same piece of heavy duty mobile equipment may use different extinguishing systems using the same or different suppressants. Such complex or multiple systems shall be evaluated to ensure that they are compatible with one another, and that each does not interfere with the operation of the other.

The HDME protection system shall be capable of independent actuation by both automatic and manual means. Manual actuation can be mechanical. Typically, mechanical means are used to enable system actuation in the event of some failure to operate when actuation has been attempted by automatic means. This capability involves some combination of detection, control, indication, notification, and releasing functions. The related requirements primarily apply to systems, or portions of systems, using electrical power. This does not preclude the use of mechanical or pneumatic equipment and the appropriate application of these requirements to such operation. Specific hazards may not be amenable to automatic operation of systems. Such hazards may be protected by systems providing only manual actuation.

Purpose

This standard describes requirements for fire protection systems for heavy duty mobile equipment (hereinafter called "HDME") which use a variety of suppressants. These include, but are not limited to, dry chemical, wet chemical, foam, and gaseous agents. The following product categories and class numbers are included in the scope of this standard.

Testing and certification criteria may include, but are not limited to, performance requirements, marking requirements, examination of manufacturing and filling facilities, audit of quality assurance procedures, and a surveillance audit program.