The facilities regulations § 37

§ 37 Fixed fire-fighting systems

Fixed fire-fighting systems shall be installed in explosion-hazard areas and in areas with a major risk of fire. The systems shall also cover equipment containing significant amounts of hydrocarbons. The systems shall be designed such that fire-fighting can be carried out quickly and efficiently at all times.
The systems shall be automatically activated by a signal from the fire detection system. In the event of gas detection, the systems shall be automatically activated if this can lead to lower explosion pressure.
In areas where gas is used as an extinguishing medium, notification systems shall be installed that announce the release of gas.
Manual activation of the fire-fighting systems shall activate the facility's general alarm.
Section last changed: 01 January 2021

In order to fulfil the requirement for fixed systems as mentioned in the first subsection, the standards NS-EN ISO 13702 Chapter 12 and Appendix B.8 and NORSOK S-001 Chapter 21 should be used, with the following additions:
  1. The systems should be designed so that capacity and extinguishants, as well as location and selection of nozzles, provide effective fighting of defined fires. The risk represented by other potential fires should be reduced to the greatest extent possible,
  2. The requirement for rapid and efficient fire-fighting as mentioned in the first subsection, makes it difficult to use CO2 as an extinguishant in rooms where personnel may be located,
  3. In areas where there may be strong winds, this should be taken into account when placing nozzles and in relation to the need for increased capacity,
  4. A water mist system may be installed if realistic tests have been conducted showing that the system fulfils its intended function,
  5. When locating nozzles for the extinguishant in engine rooms for diesel engines, particular consideration should be given to pumps and pipes in the fuel unit, and separate spot protection should be installed, if applicable,
  6. When choosing among equivalent fire solutions, choose the solution that uses the least environmentally harmful extinguishant, cf. Section 3a of the Product Control Act (in Norwegian only).
  7. For chambers in diving facilities, the requirement regarding efficient firefighting entails that it shall be possible to activate internal extinguishing equipment both from the outside and the inside. The firefighting equipment for the diving facility should cover the entire facility, and have capacity to also put out fires that may arise inside the chambers. The firefighting equipment should also have the capability of cooling down the chamber facility and gas storage area, as well as cover other areas that shall be manned in order to evacuate divers.
In order to fulfil the requirement regarding activation of the systems as mentioned in the second subsection, the NORSOK S-001 standard, especially Chapter 21, should be used.
For mobile facilities that are not production facilities and that are registered in a national ship register, DNV OS-D301 Chapter 2, Paragraphs 3, 4, 7 and 8 may be used as an alternative within the area covered by the standard.