Purpose Of Using MAC In The F&G System

You have a statement overflow and need to consider that MAC and F&G is not widely understood.

Also it is evidently not a question. You might want to try to add more information below and also come up with a question for the situation. Thanks for your understanding!

I doubt that this is common sense but more common terms.

If it was common sense you would not have to question it!

Ouch!

The manual station IS required.

A plant operator can respond faster than a heat or gas detector.

There should be a standard that defines the necessary requirement. I still can not see a question. So I just take it that you are working on defining your own standards.

Good luck!

You must ask yourself "do I want my plant to go up in flames because my field operators radio battery was dead".

You'll look good to the bean counters if you save a few bucks, but if things go bad, not so much.

Remember "Murphy's Law" (states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong and at the worst possible moment), and Anderson's theory on Murphy (that Murphy was an optimist)

Mishaps/disasters are studied for years after they happen and YOU will be the focus of those investigations, think about it.

MAC's. Manual Alarm Call Points aren't usually connected to the Fire and Gas System in a way that would trip the plant and shut it down. They are usually just as the name says an alarm. There is usually a second TPS or Total Plant Shutdown point, right next to the MAC which will trip the plant.

MAC's have several purposes, some of which will not be detected by F&G systems. Personal Injury, Equipment Damage, Non Hydrocarbon Leaks, Man Overboard etc etc.

People on the plant are not always issued with operator radios or remember the control room number. It's easy just to hit the MAC in an emergency, this should not trip the plant, it will ring an alarm in the control room, the location of the MAC will be known and a plant operator or the emergency response team can go and investigate and then decide on further action.

The acronym "MAC" in fire systems usually signifies: "Manual Alarm Control"

There are more than one type of MAC devices used in fire protection.

A MAC can be: "Break Glass & Pull Lever"

A MAC can also be: "Pull Lever to Sound Alarm" or "Pull Lever to Actuate Fire Suppression System"

A MAC can even be a simple air horn that is operated by a person.

Which type of device used at a location is dependent on the ambient conditions and local fire code regulations.

The main reason that MAC manual controlled devices are used in a fire protection system is to prevent accidental and intentional false fire alarms from being initiated as well as provide a manual control system in case the automated system fails to actuate when needed.

Hope this helps.

Khalid, if the operation of the MAC is required under your safety/shutdown procedures, don't question it. This is not for debate...if you do not comply, a large size, steel-toe safety boot will find it's way (at speed) to your rear end !

Safety is not an option...it is a prescription.