You may be aware that 37 countries have signed on to adopt the UNECE R107 regulation. This rule is intended to make bus transport safer by reducing the risk of catastrophic bus engine fires. When a bus fire starts in an engine, the driver and passengers often don’t realize the danger until the fire has already grown very large. That’s why UNECE R107 requires installation of automatic fire suppression systems in bus engines.
Here’s what the R107 standard specifically requires:
- From July 2019, all new 22+ passenger coaches (buses where all passengers are seated) must have engine fire suppression systems
- From September 2021, all new 22+ passenger buses of all types (including city buses where some passengers may be standing) must have engine fire suppression systems
- Engine fire suppression systems must pass a series of fire tests to ensure reliability; specifically, 4 of the 11 tests outlined by SP Method 4912 must be passed
- A risk analysis must be performed before installing the fire suppression system
Firetrace bus engine fire suppression systems have passed all 11 SP Method 4912 tests. This includes both the fire tests required by R107 and additional tests to ensure that the systems can survive the harsh environment of a bus engine. That means that Firetrace systems are both R107 compliant and PMark SPCR 183 certified.
However, just because the systems have passed testing doesn’t mean that every system sold is automatically compliant. Installing companies also need to comply with these specific requirements:
First, a fire risk assessment must be completed when laying out a system design for a specific bus engine. Installers can download a fire risk assessment here. This document must be signed off by the Firetrace engineering team before the suppression system can be purchased and installed.
Second, after the system is installed, the installer must complete a Declaration of Installment. This ensures that the system was installed according to the guidelines outlined in the risk assessment.
In summary, to ensure that a fire suppression system meets all of the requirements of UNECE R107:
- Purchase the system from a manufacturer that has passed fire testing per SP Method 4912
- Complete a risk assessment before installing a system in the engine compartment
- After installing the system, complete the Declaration of Installment
