Automated storage systems, such as top load AS/RS and other robotic cube storage systems, allow for high storage density and low space requirements while maintaining high processing speeds. However, these designs significantly increase fire safety requirements. The new bvfa information sheet “Fire protection for compact cube storage systems” clearly shows that the safe operation of such systems is not possible without an individual, risk-based protection concept.
How can protection be implemented that safeguards people, property, and delivery capability equally – while remaining economical? Conventional solutions quickly reach their limits in this regard.
Modern technologies, such as those from WAGNER, combine early fire detection and active fire prevention to allow for customized, sustainable protection concepts.
Please note that the original citations in this text are in German. They have been translated into English for improved readability.
Robotic cube storage systems utilize up to 95% of the available space. Due to their extremely compact structure without aisles, incipient fires are difficult to detect and nearly impossible to access manually or by the fire department. The plastic containers and the tightly packed stored goods significantly increase the fire load. Small sources of ignition, such as defective batteries, overheated components, or technical malfunctions, can cause a fire to spread rapidly.
“The prevention of a total loss in a large warehouse with conventional fire protection measures (e.g., fire alarm and sprinkler systems) thus appears to be unfeasible; major damage to the goods, the warehouse technology, and the building are therefore to be expected,” reports Leo Ronken of Gen Re in the paper. Even fires that are successfully extinguished can have massive economic consequences.
Due to the high proportion of plastic, highly toxic smoke is also produced in the event of a fire. This makes environmental protection an important consideration.
The bvfa information sheet therefore calls for plant-specific protective measures: “In particular, automatic fire protection systems adapted to the risk represent a suitable form of protection.”
The bvfa information sheet describes a comprehensive risk assessment in three protection categories:
All relevant criteria such as fire load, value load, availability, electrical risks, smoke sensitivity, and accessibility are recorded.
These findings demonstrate the importance of early fire detection for maximum safety.
An automatic fire alarm system must always be provided, regardless of the fire prevention technology or extinguishing method used.
The extinguishing techniques must always be tailored to the storage design.
Water extinguishing systems (sprinklers) can control fires but rarely extinguish them completely. They require water tanks and extinguishing water retention facilities to contain contaminated water.
Inert gas extinguishing systems only work with open containers to quickly distribute the extinguishing agent. A sealed enclosure is required.
Oxygen reduction systems continuously prevent ignition and thus act as a preventive measure against the outbreak of fire. They also require a sealed enclosure.
The information sheet emphasizes that effective fire protection must be integrated into warehouse planning at an early stage, as construction and fire protection technology influence each other.
For risk assessment and recommended measures to protect compact cube storage systems and their surroundings, see the bvfa information sheet.
The advantages of the WAGNER approach
Since sprinklers in compact storage systems usually only control fires rather than prevent them, preventive measures such as the OxyReduct® oxygen reduction system offer significant advantages. The bvfa information sheet recommends oxygen reduction systems especially for warehouses with high value loads or high requirements for continuous availability of goods.
Through the controlled introduction of nitrogen, OxyReduct® permanently reduces the oxygen content to below the ignition limit. Under defined conditions, fires cannot start or spread, preventing operational interruptions and ensuring delivery capability.
Detection in the pyrolysis phase
WAGNER's aspirating smoke detectors meet the highest standard for the early detection requirements specified in the information sheet. TITANUS® detects smoke particles as early as the pyrolysis phase, i.e., long before open flames can develop. Cable smoldering fires, which can also occur in oxygen-deficient environments, are detected at the earliest possible stage. Countermeasures can be initiated immediately.
Similar to the bvfa information sheet, the GDV publication “Automatic storage systems – challenges for fire protection” (German: "Automatische Lagersysteme – Herausforderungen für den Brandschutz") also emphasizes the importance of insurability. Many companies are “unaware that a fire protection concept that is sufficient for obtaining a building permit does not protect against major property damage or prolonged business interruptions in the event of a claim, which can even threaten the economic survival of a business.”
Based on numerous claims experiences, insurers therefore often demand additional measures, such as:
“The appropriate and necessary measures depend on the type of warehouse and its importance, and they should always be agreed upon with the insurer.”
For operators, this means that compact robotic cube storage facilities are only considered insurable if they are technically and organizationally secure enough to reliably prevent fires from starting, spreading, and causing prolonged operational interruptions. The coverage concepts for this are tailored specifically to each individual case.
Modern systems such as OxyReduct® and TITANUS® reduce the risk preventively and thus significantly improve insurability. The GDV also emphasizes that “oxygen reduction systems can be an effective fire protection measure under certain conditions.”
As an insurance expert, I recommend: Don't wait until a fire protection concept fails in an emergency. I will show you how to effectively secure your warehouse and prevent business interruptions.
