Caption: MICHAEL VAN NIEKERK ASP Fire's ability to apply rational design to its offerings is an integral part of its success
Fire risk management company ASP Fire has had a productive first quarter, with numerous projects being completed or nearing completion last month.
These projects include implementing or upgrading fire-detection and -protection systems for a hotel in Honeydew, Gauteng; a citrus pack house in Tzaneen, Limpopo; a maize mill in Lichtenburg in the North West; and various warehouses and food processing facilities across the country, confirms ASP CEO Michael Van Niekerk.
He points out that the most substantial of the projects is the installation of a life safety automatic fire detection and evacuation system, in Maputo, Mozambique, at a large flour and maize milling company, which is due to be finalised by the end of the year.
“We have seen an uptick in projects, where our full range of turnkey solutions have been requested by clients,” he says.
He stresses that the most integral of ASP’s capabilities is the company’s applying rational design to its offerings, which has bolstered its credibility and portfolio.
Van Niekerk explains that rational design is a performance-based engineered solution used when the prescriptive rules of the South African National Standards (SANS) regulations cannot be applied.
This becomes relevant when a client’s building design or purpose is not covered by the SANS regulations, resulting in the client’s requiring a bespoke fire prevention or suppression system.
Factors taken into account when applying rational design include the size, layout and function or contents of the building in question, the number of staff and their physical capabilities, as well as the current fire protection systems already in place.