Fire safety in
cultural establishments
Whether it is a prestigious establishment (museum, library, etc.) or a cultural one (performance hall, cinema, etc.), the fire safety objectives of these buildings are similar: to ensure the protection of visitors, staff and valuable works.
Detecting Fires Quickly in Cultural Establishments
Even though fire detection is not mandated by regulations for this type of establishment, it is essential for preserving heritage and ensuring the safety of people. The earlier a fire is detected, the faster it can be addressed, reducing both casualties and damage.
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Fire Detection in Daily Operations
Ideally, a fire detection system should be installed throughout the entire establishment. At a minimum, detectors should be placed in the most important (artwork storage, archive rooms, attics) and high-risk areas (IT rooms, boiler rooms).
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Fire Detection During Renovation
If renovation work or other construction is taking place within your establishment, the usual fire detection system will be disconnected, as automatic detectors could be disrupted by dust from the construction. To continue protecting your property, it is recommended to install a temporary fire detection system.
Facilitate public evacuation
A public address and voice alarm system (PA/VA) is essential to ensure the rapid and calm evacuation of people in the event of a fire. The alarm must be complemented by a vocal message to provide safety instructions.
Prestigious cultural establishments, which often require ambient sound or announcements, can also use the PA/VA system as a comfort sound system.
Smoke, a factor in the spread of fire
Smoke extraction is mandatory in rooms larger than 300 m².
It is especially crucial in prestigious and cultural establishments, as hot smoke accelerates pyrolysis, increasing the risk of combustible materials, such as artworks and fabrics, catching fire. Additionally, the corrosive nature of smoke and gases poses a threat to both the building’s elements and the artworks.
Mastering fire in its early stages
Même si l’installation d’un système d’extinction automatique n’est pas obligatoire, elle est vivement recommandée, voire exigée, par les assurances, notamment dans les salles d’archives et les locaux à risques (stocks, armoires électriques, salles informatiques, points chauds). L’idée est de maîtriser un départ d’incendie rapidement avant sa propagation.
Il existe plusieurs technologies d’extinction automatique qui ont l’avantage d’éteindre un feu sans détériorer le matériel.
Controlling the Entrances and Exits of Cultural Venues
Public establishments (ERP), prestigious and cultural venues combine access and security imperatives. The goal is to welcome visitors while limiting fraudulent and potentially dangerous entries and exits.
This situation may require filtering each time the building is opened with an access control and video surveillance solution.
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This situation may also lead to locking emergency exits, while ensuring their safe and rapid opening in case of fire or evacuation need. This emergency exit management can be handled in two ways:
- A manual green trigger accessible to everyone
- A centralized management unit for emergency exits (link to the associated expertise page)
Mandatory maintenance to ensure the proper functioning of the installations
The maintenance of fire safety systems is mandatory once or twice a year depending on the installed equipment. This maintenance is crucial for two main reasons:
- to ensure that the equipment is always functional, and thus operational at any moment in case of fire;
- to ensure a longer lifespan for the equipment.
Train your teams in fire safety
In addition to a complete fire safety system, you can choose to train your teams on several topics:
- Regulations
- Safety and health to make your teams more autonomous and responsive in case of fire, helping with evacuation and providing first aid
- Technical: to master the operation of the various devices that make up your fire safety system.
Réseau DEF, at your side for your fire safety projects
For more than 60 years, Réseau DEF has been supporting numerous prestigious and cultural establishments in their fire safety projects. We handle everything from risk analysis to the implementation and maintenance of systems.
The more than 60 companies in the Network are all experts in different areas of fire safety and work hand in hand to provide you with comprehensive solutions tailored to your sector and projects. Discover the experts in your country
