Large Scale Fire Protection and Hydraulic System Upgrade in Mascot
This industrial property needed significant hydraulic upgrades encompassing all of the water service systems, as its existing systems were outdated and posed safety risks to the site's employees. Our team needed to change a lot of items, including installing new fire hose reels, fire hydrants, fire sprinklers and potable water services. This was a big job with lots of moving parts but our team handled it with confidence and completed it in a timely manner.
What Did This Job Include?
Before our plumbers started to dig, they conducted a thorough site inspection to calculate the flow rate for staff and fire protection systems. We then created a 100 metre trench to facilitate the installation of the new underground systems.
To transition from the street mains into the building, we performed precision core drilling through thick concrete foundations and structural walls.
Internally, we utilised a tiered piping strategy:
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Potable Water Systems: We installed high-grade copper pipework suspended from the building purlins using engineered brackets to supply staff amenities.
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Fire Hydrant System: For the primary fire mains, we used Victaulic steel pipework. The grooved mechanical jointing system of Victaulic allows for slight vibration and thermal expansion, which is essential in large industrial sheds like this property. We used electrofusion welding to join these sections. This process uses an electric current to melt the pipe and fitting together, creating a singular joint that is actually stronger than the pipe itself.
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External Fire Protection: We installed external fire sprinklers, specifically known as drenchers, over glazed sections of the building. These are designed to create a water curtain, protecting the building interior from radiant heat from neighbouring properties.
For the underground main system, we moved away from traditional materials and selected 125mm MDPE (Medium Density Polyethylene). This flexible piping is specifically designed to withstand high-pressure water and gas flow. MDPE is also resistant to soil acidity and corrosion, which takes into account Mascot's acidic soil due to its industrial history.
In addition, two 65mm MDPE lines were installed to service the potable water supply and fire hose reel system.
After completion, all systems were tested and commissioned upon completion to ensure full operational compliance.
