Specimen Storage: Why FM-200 is the Best Fire Suppression System

The protection of research study materials is imperative for CROs, biotechs and pharmaceutical companies.  Extensive money ad time is expended from preclinical stages to clinical trials, on to satisfying FDA requirements and, in some cases, getting products onto the shelves. On archiving materials, GLPs state “There shall be archives for orderly storage and expedient retrieval of all raw data, documentation, protocols, specimens, and interim and final reports. Conditions of storage shall minimize deterioration of the documents or specimens in accordance with the requirements for the time period of their retention and the nature of the documents or specimens.”

A primary threat to the compromise or destruction of research materials is fire. There are many fire suppression systems to choose from- not just the traditional water sprinkler system. Gaseous systems and condensed aerosol fire suppression have become more popular and more affordable as they represent an efficient and reliable means to supressing fire.

Just a few weeks ago I was reading an article on how Leicester University in England lost nearly two decades of irreplaceable data due to a fire. Although the cause of the fire is still currently under investigation, it is clear that their fire suppression system was not up to the task of protecting their materials.

In my opinion, DuPont’s FM-200 system is the best system on the market today. In the event of a fire, compressed liquid is released as a gas that promptly seeps into any cracks and crevices where fires may have just started. Blocking free radicals and stopping oxidation, the FM-200, extinguishes fires in less than ten seconds. The agility and efficiency of FM-200 results in minimal business downtime, potential equipment damage and material destruction and increased safety of people and research study materials. It is also compact and environmentally sound. Once deployed and the fire extinguished, you need only air out the room. There is no water, oily residue or particulate to clean up.

Used in more than 100,000 companies in more than 70 countries across the globe, FM-200 is made with HFCs, which were introduced to replace ozone-depleting HCFCs (including the old halon systems). HFCs have been extensively tested and deemed environmentally sound, and FM-200 so much so that it is used as an active compound in asthma inhalers. FM-200 is the only HFC that is approved in Germany, known for its tight and tough environmental standards.

It comes down to this: Why take any chances on protecting your study materials?   HSRL provides long-term GLP archiving solutions, with meticulous care and attention not just to the storage, but to the security of your work in case of the inconceivable. It is important to us that our clients are confident in the fact that they’ve chosen HSRL as the facility that is going to protect their priceless research materials!