SOW Attachment 04 - SOCAMES 6 Design Alert 5.pdf

HEFP SEP/19HEFG/17AUG21

Clarification is required regarding the need to replace or install new fire suppression systems in the data center during design and construction of Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) facility infrastructure projects and the need for a third-party fire engineer review of HEFP SEP EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades Projects.

On June 1, 2021 the new Fire Protection Design Manual was published and posted to the Technical Information Library (TIL). The manual contains fire protection engineering design for Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. EHRM facility infrastructure projects, and specifically work conducted in the Data Centers, may require an upgrade or replacement of the existing fire suppression system in accordance with NFPA 75 as stated in the Fire Protection Design Manual Paragraph 3.7.

VHA field engineers are required to ensure that the Architect-Engineer designer of record applies all applicable NFPA 75 requirements for work needed in the Data Center. Field engineers should use the Healthcare Environment and Facilities Programs (HEFP) Fire Code Plan Review Contract to review all EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades and Data Center projects. The fire code plan review should focus on compliance with the newly published Fire Design Manual dated June 1, 2021 and ensure that all associated NFPA fire and life safety codes are indicated in the designs.

Guidance to the Architect-Engineer is as follows:

For EHRM Infrastructure Upgrade and Data Center projects, the work conducted in the Data Centers (which will upgrade spaces to an ANSI/TIA-942-B, Rating 3) generally requires compliance with all requirements of NFPA 75. The most design intensive of these requirements is the addition of a gaseous fire suppression system as described in the Fire Protection Design Manual, Paragraph 3.7. Compliance with NFPA 75 is also likely to involve, but not necessarily be limited to, these additional retrofit requirements:

• Revise the sprinkler protection in the computer room to a dedicated sprinkler zone.

• Ensure a minimum 1-hour boundary around the computer room.

HEFP SEP Design Alert 5

Problem

Background

Solution https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cfm.va.gov%2Ftil%2FdManual.asp&data=04%7C01%7C%7C0ab21bb7b9c5449d291d08d94b250560%7Ce95f1b23abaf45ee821db7ab251ab3bf%7C0%7C0%7C637623444673999189%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=3yUyM1ip7G49zrHDa6BgnvSbRWaJzKybj4D%2FuiV9vVc%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cfm.va.gov%2Ftil%2FdManual.asp&data=04%7C01%7C%7C0ab21bb7b9c5449d291d08d94b250560%7Ce95f1b23abaf45ee821db7ab251ab3bf%7C0%7C0%7C637623444673999189%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=3yUyM1ip7G49zrHDa6BgnvSbRWaJzKybj4D%2FuiV9vVc%3D&reserved=0

HEFP SEP/19HEFG/17AUG21

• Combination smoke/fire dampers at the duct penetrations through the 1-hour boundary of the computer room.

• Electrical power off button(s) at computer room exit(s).

• HVAC power off button(s) at computer room(s).

Please use this link, Fire Code Plan Reviews | Healthcare Environment and Facilities Programs (va.gov) to request third-party fire engineer review for your EHRM upgrades projects.

Notes http://vaww.hefp.va.gov/occupational-safety-health-gems/fire-code-plan-reviews-bpa-fire-protection-task-order-0 http://vaww.hefp.va.gov/occupational-safety-health-gems/fire-code-plan-reviews-bpa-fire-protection-task-order-0