Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
A Blast From the Past
The recent loss of life fire at the Gabriel House Assisted Living facility in Fall River, Mass., has been attributed to the presence of recalled sprinklers installed in that facility. The Massachusetts State Fire Marshal has described this as a ticking time bomb, following an investigation that revealed other local systems may also have recalled products installed that have not yet been discovered, identified, or replaced. There can be no question that closer examination of facilities nationwide, if not globally, could reveal similar results and problems.
While not all the facts related to the Gabriel House fire are yet known, we do know that recalled products, including sprinklers, are still out there and must be identified and replaced.
NFPA 25, Standard for Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2026 edition, section 4.1.6.1.1* states that upon discovery of any component and equipment under recall or replacement programs by the owner’s maintenance personnel, designated representative, or contractor, the owner shall be notified in writing. As noted in the enhanced content of this section in NFPA LiNK, paragraph 4.1.6.1.1 raises awareness of the importance of handling recalled products or components if they are discovered. This requirement does not necessitate that the owner’s maintenance personnel, designated representative, or contractor have specific knowledge of recalled products or components. However, if they do identify recalled items installed in a system, they must notify the owner so that the owner can take corrective action.
There are a few challenges in practice related to this requirement:
• Periodic inspections of sprinklers, pipes, and fittings, etc., are conducted from the floor level, so it can be difficult to identify components that may be affected by a recall, which may not be visible even to the trained eye.
• Many of the sprinklers on the recall list were manufactured and installed between 1982 and 1999. Many younger inspectors may never have heard of the recall event or visited the sprinkler recall website pages.
This might also apply to building and facility managers, as well as property owners, who are ultimately responsible for the systems they own or manage, along with compliance with inspection and testing requirements. One solution lies in increasing public awareness and education across the board. If the Fall River fire marshal is correct in the assertion that recalled fire sprinklers and other recalled products represent a ticking time bomb, we need a concerted effort to inform everyone associated with maintaining these life safety systems.
Recalled sprinklers include the following:
• Omega sprinklers – Central GB and Omega brand sprinklers, manufactured from the 1970s to 2000, featured O-ring seals that could degrade over time, preventing the sprinklers from activating. These sprinklers were recalled in March of 1998 after tests revealed a 30-40% failure rate in lab activation tests. Overall, the recall included 35 million sprinklers.
• Star sprinklers – Manufactured by Mealane Corp., approximately 1 million Star sprinklers manufactured from 1961 through 1976 were recalled in 1999 when tests showed a 67% failure rate.
How to Identify Recalled Sprinklers
1. Locate the sprinkler: Find the brand name (Central or Star, or others) and model number stamped on the sprinkler head.
2. Check for the date: Look for the date of manufacture, which will be a four-digit year stamped on the base, deflector, or arm.
3. Verify with the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) or other site: Compare the identified model and date against the recall information at cpsc.gov.
Fire sprinkler systems are required to have spare sprinklers provided on the protected premises, typically located in a cabinet near the system control riser or elsewhere on the property. These spare sprinklers are provided to enable the prompt replacement of activated or damaged sprinklers. A sign should be located inside this cabinet indicating the make, model, type, and number of sprinklers required to be present. It is common for these spare sprinklers to be identical to those installed in the system, so one place to look for evidence of recalled sprinklers is to examine these devices. The spare sprinkler may not be identical to those installed in every case, but it can be a helpful starting point in the process.
Building owners, property managers, homeowners, and others should immediately replace all sprinklers that are painted, corroded, leaking, damaged, or known to be recalled. Municipal and contracted inspectors should be trained to help identify recalled products and the actions to take when they are known to be present. Anyone needing assistance identifying recalled fire sprinklers, or other recalled products discovered in their water-based fire protection systems, can contact AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department for guidance by emailing questions to technical@firesprinkler.org or the technical services department of any fire sprinkler manufacturer.
Our members who provide inspection and testing services must provide training and information to their inspectors and have procedures in place to document their findings related to deficiencies, recommendations, and the discovery of recalled fire sprinklers or other recalled products that may have been installed in a system. Remember to document everything to avoid being pulled into litigation or other costly processes. Most importantly, remember that your firm provides inspection and testing services, during which problems may be revealed that require attention. It is always the owner’s (or their designated representative’s) responsibility to facilitate necessary repairs and identify changes in building use that may impact the ability of installed fire protection systems to control or suppress a fire as intended. Fire sprinklers save lives and property. Let’s protect our image and the excellent record we’ve established as an industry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Caputo, CFPS, is president of AFSA. He has been an important part of the fire sprinkler industry for over 41 years and is a long-time member of AFSA and promoter of merit shop contracting. He has chaired and served on many NFPA committees. Caputo has written and presented seminars throughout the world on fire protection and life-safety systems and is a regular speaker at AFSA and NFPA conventions. He has developed AFSA education and training materials, and chaired two chapters of AFSA—Arizona and Southern California. Caputo is the recipient of numerous awards, including Fire Protection Contractor magazine’s “Industry person of the Year,” San Diego County Fire Chief’s Association’s “Fire Prevention Officer of the Year,” and AFSA’s highest honor, the Henry S. Parmelee Award.