Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

Which type of environment typically employs a preaction sprinkler system?

1. Warehouses

2. Manufacturing plants

3. Hospitals

4. Museums

The correct answer is: Museums

A preaction sprinkler system is specifically designed for applications where protecting sensitive materials or equipment from water damage is as important as preventing fire. Museums commonly house valuable and delicate artifacts that could be significantly harmed by water from traditional sprinkler systems. In a preaction system, water is not immediately released into the pipes. Instead, the system requires two triggering events: a heat detection (such as a smoke or heat detector) activates the system to fill the pipes with water, and if there is a fire, the sprinkler heads will discharge water. This dual-action approach helps prevent accidental activation due to false alarms, making it particularly suitable for environments like museums where the preservation of items is a priority. In contrast, while warehouses, manufacturing plants, and hospitals may use different types of sprinkler systems, their operational requirements often allow for more conventional automatic systems where the risk of water damage to materials is less critical compared to what is found in museums.