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That was our first option. Relying on human communications leaves too much on uncertainty. We have to make it completely idiot-proof. This option is not fool proof. Somebody might claim that they did not get
message.
Our second option was to re-program
fire alarm system to exclude all
areas in
clean rooms. This option was a bit tricky as there were some uncertainty as to how
alarm bells were wired up. We had to admit that although everything was drawn on paper on
as-built drawings, we were not 100% sure whether
re-programming will cover all
alarm bells inside
clean rooms or not. Moreover, there had been some renovation done on
existing building and nobody had taken
trouble to test
alarm bells then. So this option was also shelved.
Our third option was to re-wire
existing bells specifically only for
offices, so that we can trigger only
office areas. This seems a pretty good option, except that
preparation re-wiring work will have to be done at
installation itself. During
re-wiring period,
office itself would not be protected by
fire alarm system. In addition,
original wires would need to be disturbed and re-looped - something engineering people would not be keen to do - as it might give rise to other unexpected problems.
Our fourth option - to fabricate and install addition bells with triggering switches and fix them just beside
existing bells seemed to be
best option. By using additional bells, batteries, switches and getting them wired up at a portable stand in a workshop, they could be tested, carried along and put in place within a very short time. The best feature of this option is that
original fire alarm wiring need not be disturbed at all.
Choosing
fourth option, we fabricated three sets of alarm bell triggering units and placed them at
appropriate places at
offices. When
time for triggering
alarm bells came, an order was issued through
walkie-talkie and
bells were triggered by
technicians at those stations.
So, we managed to organize
fire evacuation drill for
offices only. Nobody evacuated from
manufacturing clean rooms because
bells were not sounded there. All
office workers had their evacuation drill and everything went on smoothly.
A potentially huge manufacturing loss was avoided by adopting a simple idea. A workable idea born out of necessity.
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