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The Silent Safety Hero: Why Fixed Draft Curtains Are Required in High-Rack Storage Facilities

The Reason Fixed Static Smoke Curtains Are Required in High Rack Storage Facilities

In modern warehouse facilities, the high-rack storage option works incredibly well as the ample space enables facility managers to stock extensive inventory without any storage shortage. However, warehouses with towering shelves can be secretly dangerous during a fire. In high-rack storage facilities, deadly smoke, toxic fumes, and extreme heat spread faster and travel to the ceilings. Therefore, the entire facility acts like a chimney during a fire incident.

Fire alarms, extinguishers, and sprinklers are the first fire-fighting aids that come to mind. However, high-rack buildings require an extra layer of protection that can limit the spread of smoke right from the beginning. Static or Fixed draft curtains do the job to help save precious lives and valuable inventory immediately.

Smoke spreads at a rapid pace compared to fire itself. If not stopped immediately, employees trying to escape the building can inhale the fumes and may even lose their lives during a fire outbreak. Therefore, it’s critical to implement the right measures to stop the smoke as quickly as possible. That’s when fixed draft curtains play their role as the silent safety hero.

Wondering why installing fixed draft curtains in your high-rack storage facility should be your topmost priority to achieve smoke safety?

What Makes Fixed Draft Curtains Different?

Fixed draft curtains are fire-resistant, heavy-duty, permanent barriers that restrict the spread of heat and smoke from spreading further in industrial facilities. Made of flame-resistant fiberglass and other sturdy materials, fixed draft curtains are used in high-rack warehouses, large-scale logistics hubs, industrial plants with high ceilings, and aircraft shelters to achieve maximum smoke containment.

Also called smoke aprons, the role of draft curtains is to control the smoke from spreading upward. These special curtains channel the smoke toward sprinklers and ventilation systems so that evacuation can be made as quickly as possible.

While traditional smoke control systems (such as exhaust fans, sprinklers, and alarms) do play a significant role in smoke reduction, they have a limitation: they cannot perform without relying on electricity (which might fail during a fire emergency). On the contrary, fixed draft curtains do not require manual activation or power to control the smoke. What makes warehouse draft curtains unique is that they work passively, silently, and continuously.

Why Fixed Draft Curtains Are Required in High-Rack Storage Facilities

Traditional warehouses stock goods in lower shelves or in an open floor layout. However, high-rack storage facilities use vertical shelving spaces that reach 30 feet or even more. This vertical layout often has tall and narrow aisles where smoke and heat can spread in an upward direction while reaching the ceilings before sprinklers can be activated. Without immediate containment, the smoke can be spread across the high-rack storage facilities within seconds and take precious lives. That’s why there’s more than a single reason why fixed draft curtains are required in high-rack storage facilities.

Let’s explore each of these reasons in detail.

Implementing the use of fixed draft curtains in industrial settings isn’t just a good option. It’s actually mandatory. NFPA 92 requires business owners to install smoke control systems. The same requirement is also embedded in International Fire Code (IFC) and International Building Code (IBC).

These codes also require facility managers to ensure sprinklers work efficiently. Fixed draft curtains make it possible by helping sprinklers speed up operations. Compliance with smoke control regulations ensures fire safety. Besides, installing warehouse draft curtains also helps business owners avoid any fines or shutdowns.

Availability of extra time for employee evacuation

Even a couple of minutes means a lot when it comes to saving lives during a fire outbreak. This is one of the reasons why OSHA advises employers to install fire detection systems to protect workers from fire hazards. Installing warehouse draft curtains is another effective strategy for controlling smoke. It directly provides more time to workers and firefighters to evacuate and respond in a fire emergency.

Since fixed draft curtains contain smoke at the ceiling level, they retain breathable air on the floor space for a longer period. Therefore, every employee within the facility can get some extra time to evacuate easily. By restricting smoke to specific zones only, fixed draft curtains also improve visibility while allowing firefighters to combat fire immediately.

Compartmentalization is made possible

In a vast warehouse with an open layout, fire leads to increased heat. Superheated gases and smoke can quickly fill the entire space. However, warehouse draft curtains or smoke aprons create small compartments that act as invisible barriers for preventing smoke migration.

By dividing the space of the ceiling into compartments, the smoke cannot travel freely. Instead, compartmentalization restricts the smoke to designated zones. That way, the smoke can travel towards exhaust vents instead of spreading into the entire facility.

Protection of Business Assets

High-rack storage facilities often store valuable inventory. From electronics to consumer products to packaging supplies, each consignment has a strong financial worth. But the corrosive gases, smoke, and heat during a fire incident can ruin the entire inventory, thus making it unsellable. Smoke damage can also play a catastrophic role by damaging the packaging, corroding electrical products, and staining shelves. In short, just a few seconds of uncontrolled smoke can wreak havoc on a million-dollar inventory, thereby hurting both the reputation and potential profits of a business.

Fixed draft curtains are designed to protect valuable inventory, property, and infrastructure of a warehouse. By acting passively as fire barriers, warehouse draft curtains contain the smoke within small zones of the ceiling. That way, these curtains prevent the spread of toxic gases and soot from entering adjacent aisles. So, using these fixed draft curtains reduces the chances of inventory damage.

Faster activation of sprinklers

In high-rack storage facilities, sprinklers are usually installed at a higher level (such as at the ceiling). However, sprinklers can only be activated if they are exposed to a specific level of heat. By restricting heat and smoke in a place that’s located near the ceiling and is in proximity to the fire source, fixed draft curtains provide a focused heat zone. This concentrated heat triggers early activation of sprinklers while enabling water to sprinkle quickly to stop the fire. Early activation of sprinklers is a highly critical step in combating fire in high-rack environments where flames can reach even the top shelves rapidly.

Reduced downtime and operational continuity

Smoke contains specific chemicals that can clog ventilation and air conditioning systems – thereby affecting the overall temperature of the facility. The reduced airflow might also lead industrial equipment to heat up. Besides equipment damage, the dangerous particles in smoke can cause widespread contamination. This results in warehouse shutdowns for deep cleaning, product assessment, and air-quality testing. Consequently, it may lead to prolonged and costly downtime.

By installing smoke aprons, business owners can avoid downtime right from the beginning. By limiting smoke intrusion within a specific zone, fixed draft curtains prevent the smoke from damaging the entire warehouse. This way, the remaining zones of the facility stay operational. This directly contributes to the reduction in downtime. Since business operations in other zones are not affected, order fulfillment, material handling, and packing are resumed quickly after extinguishing the fire. This reduces business interruption and saves time.

The Takeaway

Smoke control should never be taken for granted – especially in facilities that store inventory in taller racks. That’s why implementing only the best smoke safety strategy is the norm. Fortunately, fixed draft curtains are one of the most effective industrial curtains that block smoke during a fire. Playing a life-saving role, these special curtains are the silent safety hero.

Now that you are aware of the importance of warehouse draft curtains, you should purchase the ones that deliver superior performance. Since every facility has unique racking configurations and storage height, ask the manufacturer if the selected warehouse draft curtains perfectly match the structure of your building. You can also look for draft curtains that provide various installation options.