On December 7, Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral will reopen, after five years of work following the fire which seriously damaged it in 2019. This long-awaited event testifies to the success of this ambitious restoration project. one of the jewels of French cultural heritage. However, it also raises questions about the fragility of this heritage and underlines the importance of protecting it through an effective prevention strategy.
To guarantee their preservation, the State grants a special legal status to real estate presenting invaluable and irreplaceable historical, artistic and architectural value. In 2022, France had 45,648 labeled buildings “historical monuments”including 46% belonging to individuals, 41% to local authorities and 4% to the State.
Often built with materials, techniques and principles of fire prevention that are now obsolete, these old buildings are particularly vulnerable to fire damage.
Achieve regulatory compliance and go beyond
And the label “historical monument » is accompanied by reinforced monitoring and the expertise of fire safety advisors from the Ministry of Culture, whose mission includes evaluating the level of fire safety and formulating technical opinions on renovation projects. However, this status alone is not enough to ensure the effective preservation of this heritage and fire safety regulations should never be considered as a minimum standard.
Modernization of electrical installations
Managers of historic monuments, whether public or private, can implement the latest innovations in prevention to guarantee the sustainability of this heritage.
Electrical installations, which represent one of the most frequent sources of fire, must for example be modernized and be subject to a regular preventive maintenance program. At the same time, employees should be trained in the use of the various equipment present on the site. New remote monitoring and control technologies also make it possible to strengthen this security work.
Renovation sites: areas with high fire risk
Many accidents occur during renovation phases, when the building is subject to the constraints of the construction site. Particular attention must therefore be paid to fire prevention.
The use of steel, for example, represents a major risk because welding and the use of grinders generate heat and sparks which can cause a fire. When these operations can only be carried out on site, rigorous monitoring is imperative during the work, but also after its completion.
The importance of automatic water extinguishing installations for the protection of buildings
Is having a sprinkler system, a fixed automatic water extinguishing installation, the solution for fire protection in historic buildings?
These devices help fight the fire, slowing its spread and controlling the flames until the firefighters arrive. However, despite their many advantages, prejudices persist against sprinklers. The fears relate to accidental triggering and/or significant damage caused by the extinguishing water.
« Historic buildings are often at risk of fire due to their structure. It is therefore essential to install prevention, detection and protection systems. Modern sprinkler systems, tested and certified, offer exceptional reliability and only activate locally,” explains Loïc Le Dréau, Managing Director of FM Paris Operations, who adds: “ Water mist systems are particularly attractive for historic buildings, as water is sprayed into a fine mist under high pressure. Unlike traditional sprinklers, the fire is not fought by lowering the temperature, but by eliminating oxygen through water mist. The fire is therefore “smothered”. »
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