Server rooms and comms cupboards are easy to forget. They are usually locked, rarely visited and full of equipment that runs day and night. That combination of heat, power and cabling makes them a fire risk worth managing properly, and your fire risk assessment should always include them.
Why these spaces carry extra risk
- Constant power and heat. Servers, switches and UPS units run around the clock and give off heat. If cooling fails, temperatures can climb quickly.
- Batteries. UPS units contain batteries that can overheat or fail, especially as they age.
- Cable build-up. Years of added cables, extension leads and abandoned equipment create clutter and make faults harder to spot.
- Used as storage. Cardboard boxes, old monitors and spare stock often end up in comms cupboards, adding fuel right beside the ignition sources.
- Nobody there. A fire can develop unseen, which is why detection matters.
Practical steps
- Keep it clear. The room is for equipment only. Remove packaging, paper and unused hardware.
- Look after the cooling. Make sure air conditioning or ventilation is maintained and that someone is alerted if it fails.
- Manage cables. Use proper cable management, avoid daisy-chained extension leads and remove redundant cabling. Our guide to extension leads and electrical fire risks covers the common mistakes.
- Check the batteries. Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule for UPS units and replace batteries when advised.
- Make sure detection covers the room. A fire in a locked room needs to be picked up early. Ask your fire alarm contractor whether your detection suits the space. See choosing the right smoke and heat detection.
- Choose suitable extinguishers. CO2 extinguishers are commonly placed near electrical equipment, but the choice should come from your fire risk assessment.
- Protect the walls and doors. Where cables pass through walls or ceilings, gaps should be properly fire-stopped so fire and smoke cannot spread. Our post on fire compartmentation and fire stopping explains why.
Some buildings use fixed suppression
Larger data rooms sometimes have fixed gas suppression systems. If you have one, it needs regular servicing by a competent contractor, and staff need to know what happens when it activates. Smaller sites usually rely on good detection, housekeeping and the right extinguishers.
The legal side
Under section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, the person in control of premises must take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire and to ensure people’s safety if one occurs. Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires employers to identify hazards and assess the risks. Rooms full of equipment are part of that duty, even when nobody works in them.
Let us take a look
A fire risk assessment from Safer Solutions looks at every part of your building, including the rooms people rarely open. Call 086 275 9728, email info@safersolutions.ie or send us a message and we will be glad to help.
Need extinguishers supplied, checked or serviced? See our fire extinguisher sales and maintenance service, or call 086 275 9728.