The U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) and Central Sprinkler Company, an affiliate of Tyco
Fire Products LP of Lansdale, PA have announced a voluntary recall and
replacement of 35 million fire sprinklers containing O-rings.��� The recall program also includes a limited number of O-ring models
sold by Gem Sprinkler Company and Star Sprinkler, Inc., totaling about
167,000 heads.� The heads being
replaced are not the glass bulb heads used to replace Central’s
Omega heads.
Laboratory testing has indicated
that most of the heads would operate in a fire situation, but certain
of the heads required higher water pressure for activation than may
be available in certain buildings.�
Since the impact of this recall program will be broad, it will
be phased in, with priority based on the age of the sprinkler, the type
of population protected (institutional uses will receive priority),
for example, and whether the sprinklers show signs of corrosion or leakage.
Central will provide, free of charge,
replacement sprinkler heads with a “Belleville” seal and the labor that
is needed.� The recalled sprinklers
were installed nationwide in a variety of buildings, including residences,
institutions, supermarkets, parking garages, warehouses and office buildings.�
The recall involves approximately 33 million “wet” sprinklers
and two million “dry” sprinklers, all with O-rings.
Owners of sprinkler-protected properties
should be advised of the recall program when their buildings are inspected.�
Owners can determine the make and model of their sprinklers by
reviewing their installation and/or maintenance records.�
For those who do not have access to these records, owners will
need to conduct a visual inspection, or rely on their sprinkler maintenance
company to do so, to determine if their sprinkler heads have O-ring
seals and are part of the recall program.�
A visual inspection should begin with the spare sprinkler cabinet
in the protected building.
Sprinkler
heads are stamped with the identifying name or logo of the manufacturer,
the model and the year of manufacture.�
Building owners finding the recalled heads should call the Notice
Packet Request Line a 1 (800) 871-3492 or visit Central’s website at
www.SprinklerReplacement.com.
Fire Officials may call Central’s
Contractor and Industry Professional Hotline at
1 (866) 836-3928 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or visit the website.
The replacement program includes
the following sprinkler heads manufactured with O-ring seals:
CENTRAL
“WET” SPRINKLERS
(Manufactured
from 1989 – 2000)
|
GB
|
�GB4-FR
|
� GB-R1
|
�BB2
|
���� ELOC
|
� ELO-GB QR
|
GB-J
|
�GB4-EC
|
� GB-RS
|
�BB3
|
���� ESLO
|
������� LD
|
GB-1
|
�GB4- QREC����
|
� GB-R
|
�SD1
|
�� ELO/SW-20
|
� K17-231
|
GB-ALPHA
|
�GB-20�
|
� ROC
|
�SD2
|
��� ELO/SW-24
|
�� Ultra K17
|
GB4
|
�GB-20 QR
|
� BB1 17/32
|
�SD3
|
�� ESLO-20 GB
|
� ELO-16 GB
|
GB-QR
|
�GB-LO
|
� BB2 17/32
|
�HIP
|
�� ELO-231 GB
|
GB MULTI-
� LEVEL
|
GBR-2
|
�LF
|
� BB3 17/32
|
�WS
|
�� EL0-GB
|
GB-QR MULTI-
�� LEVEL
|
GB-EC
|
�GBR
|
�� BB1
|
�ELO-LH
|
ELO-231GBQR
|
�ELO-16 GBFR��
|
GEM “WET”
SPRINKLERS
(Sold under
Gem name from 1995-2001)
|
F927
Note:� Replacement sprinklers for Gem “Wet” sprinklers
will not have “On-Off” functionality.
|
CENTRAL “DRY” SPRINKLERS
(Manufactured from Mid-1970s-2001)
|
A-1
|
GB
|
GB4-EC
|
ELO-16 GB
|
H-1
|
GB-QR
|
GB4-QREC
|
ELO-16 GB FR
|
J
|
GB4
|
ELO-231 GB
|
|
K
|
GB4-FR
|
ELO-GB QR
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
STAR “DRY”
SPRINKLERS
(Manufactured
from 1996-1998)
|
ME-1
|
SG
|
SG-QR
|
Q
|
Q-QR
|
|
|