OFTEC no longer supports testing fire valves with boiling water
A risk assessment has been performed on the field method of testing the correct operation of remote acting capillary type fire valves. The widely used method of using boiling water from a kettle has been deemed to come with an unacceptable level of risk of scalding. Therefore, OFTEC can no longer support the testing of valves performed in this manner.
OFTEC still maintains that fire valves are an important feature and a mandatory requirement of the Building Regulations for an oil installation. The remote acting fire valve is essential for the detection of fire or a dangerous increase in temperature within the boiler and technicians should promote the benefits of fitting or upgrading oil supply pipes to include this important piece of equipment.
The technician is also responsible for the compliance of the work that they have been contracted to perform and a remote acting fire valve sensor is an integral part of a boiler installation. Therefore, a boiler cannot be installed without one.
The installation requirements of remote acting fire valves are one the most frequently asked questions on the OFTEC technical helpline. Generally, a fire valve body is located outside the building, the capillary runs parallel to the oil pipe and the sensor is located within the boiler casing. If an existing oil supply line is going to be used and was built into the fabric of the building then a remote acting fire valve can be located inside the building. The cut off point should be where the oil line is first exposed within the building, with the sensor located in the usual manner. This does not necessarily create a compliant means of installation, but serves to improve an existing non-compliant situation.
OFTEC is currently working with and encouraging the industry to develop a field test methodology and equipment to test a remote acting fire valve which would be considered to be both safe and effective in use. If anyone has or is developing this type of equipment OFTEC would be very interested to hear from you.
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