When fire strikes, it’s not the flames that pose the greatest danger, it’s the smoke. Statistics show that the majority of fire-related fatalities result from smoke inhalation rather than burns. The MGM Grand fire remains a sobering example: smoke spread rapidly through the building, causing dozens of deaths despite the fire being confined to a single area. This underlines the vital fact that effective smoke control saves lives.
The Role of Smoke Control Systems
Smoke control systems are designed to keep escape routes clear, reduce exposure to toxic gases, and assist firefighters during rescue and suppression. Beyond life safety, they protect property and maintain business continuity by limiting smoke damage and downtime. In commercial settings, smoke can render entire floors unusable for weeks, leading to significant financial losses. For healthcare facilities, the stakes are even higher, patients cannot be easily evacuated, so maintaining tenable conditions is vital.
How Smoke Control Works
There are two main approaches:
Smoke containment: Pressurising stairwells and lobbies to prevent smoke ingress, ensuring safe evacuation routes.
Smoke management: Removing smoke via mechanical exhaust or natural ventilation, often used in atriums and large open spaces.
These systems rely on fans, dampers, barriers, sensors, and control panels working in harmony. The control panel is the system’s brain, ensuring the right response at the right time. Integration with fire detection and HVAC systems is critical, poor coordination can lead to smoke spreading through ventilation ducts instead of being contained.
Best Practice for Specifiers and Installers
Getting smoke control right starts early. Involve fire engineers at the concept stage to ensure the system suits the building type, whether high-rise, healthcare, or mixed-use. Clear documentation, including drawings, control logic, and commissioning plans, is essential.
Testing and commissioning should follow recognised standards such as BS EN 12101 or NFPA 92 . Regular functional tests and smoke clearance drills are vital for compliance and insurance. Facilities teams must also be trained on manual override procedures, as these can be critical during complex fire scenarios.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Despite their importance, smoke control systems often fall short due to:
Lack of redundancy, creating single points of failure.
Skipping periodic testing, risking non-compliance and failure in an emergency.
These issues can compromise safety and lead to costly remedial work. Avoiding them requires a proactive approach to design, documentation, and maintenance.
Compliance and Standards
In the UK, systems must comply with:
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Approved Document B (Building Regulations)
BS 9999 for general buildings and BS 9991:2024 for residential
BS EN 12101 series for smoke and heat control components
Internationally, NFPA 92 and ASHRAE guidelines provide further benchmarks. Always check local amendments and consult specialists. Compliance isn’t just a legal requirement, it’s a life-saving obligation.
Advanced has launched SmokeGo, a new solution designed to make smoke control simpler, faster, and fully compliant. Developed for both dedicated and non-dedicated systems, SmokeGo integrates seamlessly with Advanced’s MxPro 5 fire panels, offering automatic and manual control of fans and dampers.
Key Features:
Ultra-simplified configuration: A unique four-step process and intuitive matrix-based programming replace complex coding, cutting setup time dramatically.
Scalable architecture: Supports up to 15 fan and damper switch cards per P-Bus, expandable via PENN or additional panels.
Flexible control: Manual override, group controls, and custom mimics for tailored operation.
Compliance assured: Approved to EN 54 Parts 2 and 4, designed to meet ISO 21927-9 and BS 7346-8.
Customisation: Through the AdSpecials service bespoke panels and finishes can be created for unique site requirements.
SmokeGo combines powerful functionality with ease of use, helping specifiers, installers, and maintenance engineers achieve complete smoke control without complexity.
Maintenance and Lifecycle Management
Even the best-designed system needs ongoing care. Regular functional tests, scheduled automatic testing, and clear record-keeping are essential to maintain compliance and reliability. SmokeGo simplifies this process with built-in testing routines and remote monitoring capabilities via AdvancedLive, reducing engineer callouts and operational disruption.
Training is equally important. Advanced offers dedicated SmokeGo training for installation, commissioning, and maintenance teams, ensuring systems are operated safely and effectively throughout their lifecycle. This commitment to support means customers can rely on expert guidance long after installation.
The Bottom Line
Smoke control systems are life-saving technology. They demand careful design, rigorous testing, and ongoing maintenance. With SmokeGo, Advanced has made it easier than ever to deliver a system that meets the highest standards while simplifying configuration and operation. For those responsible for fire safety, investing in quality and compliance is not optional, it’s essential.
