[labnetwork] Fire Alarm and HAZMAT panels

[Michael Khbeis]

Dear Colleagues, 

We are finalizing designs for our cleanroom renovation and a question regarding how Fire Alarm and HAZMAT panels are integrated came up.  Currently our HAZMAT panel with toxic gas monitors, gas cabinets, and burn-box monitor also has yellow pull stations and HAZMAT alarms on it. HAZMAT alarms trigger a relocation alarm but not a fire alarm for the whole building. High level gas leak will trigger the fire alarm panel and dump the building. We have several issues with this architecture - for example currently it is all or nothing so if one of the gas cabinets has a problem they all get tripped. Also, if we are working on a system the pull stations and strobes have to be bypassed.  Clearly less than ideal. Another issue is the fire code isn’t really geared toward semiconductor fab facilities, so our code description is lacking. 

For those of you with experience or relatively new facilities, can you please share a little about your system architecture and HAZMAT/TGM systems?  Also, we are planning on migrating from our Zellweger/MDA System 16 to remote gas monitoring.  Can I please have some feedback on experience with remote monitors and replacement/maintenance vs the central systems?

Gratefully, 

Dr. Michael Khbeis
Associate Director, Washington Nanofabrication Facility (WNF) 
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN)
University of Washington
Fluke Hall, Box 352143
(O) 206.543.5101
(F) 206.221.1681
(C) 443.254.5192
khbeis at uw.edu
www.wnf.washington.edu/