Customer story: Van Happen Containers
From overdue maintenance to fully certified
When the fire protection system at waste processing and transport company Van Happen Containers turned out not to be fully certified, the company immediately shifted into action mode. Their operations depend heavily on properly functioning systems.
The waste industry carries a heightened fire risk. For instance, waste materials can smolder and catch fire. Because key documents were missing, the certification process proved more complex than expected. Fortunately, Technical Manager Sven Sterkendries knew exactly how to help and supported Van Happen Containers in getting everything in order.
On the road to certification
For over 85 years, Van Happen Containers has collected various waste streams from businesses and individuals, processing them in an environmentally friendly way. The company also supplies various types of storage units and handles the transport of hard-to-load and unload goods. Due to the nature of the work, fire risk is a constant concern. That’s why it’s especially important that the fire alarm and sprinkler systems function reliably.
It was all the more concerning when it became clear that the sprinkler system lacked full certification. Yannick Gommans, Facility Manager, was given the task of guiding the certification process. “We thought we were covered with our installation certificate and annual maintenance until the installer pointed out that we also needed an inspection certificate. That proves the system is appropriate for the specific situation of the building. That’s when the ball started rolling.”
Yannick GommansFacility Manager, Van Happen Containers
Sven Sterkendries knew exactly what I was talking about and was able to retrieve the missing documentation.
Step-by-step plan
Yannick already had some experience with sprinkler systems from previous jobs, so he knew where to begin. But he soon discovered that several important documents were missing. “We couldn’t locate them internally. That was a tense moment. I started looking into who had inspected the sprinkler system years ago—and it turned out to be Normec FSS. I immediately picked up the phone to make an appointment. I walked into your Den Bosch office with all the documentation I could still find, thinking: let’s hope for the best. But Sven Sterkendries immediately knew what I was referring to. He was familiar with the system and even managed to recover the missing documents.”
The next step was an on-site visit to assess the status of the sprinkler system. The system hadn’t received much attention in recent years, but that was about to change. Together with Van Happen Containers and the installer, Sven created a plan to get the system fully certified. “Because there was a lot of work to be done, we put together a step-by-step plan with a timeline,” Sven explains. “Our shared goal was to have the sprinkler system certified within one year.” To achieve that, a tank inspection, pipe inspection, fire tests, annual maintenance, and finally an initial inspection were needed. During the initial inspection, both the sprinkler and alarm systems were tested from A to Z—and with great results. Sven: “In July 2020, we issued the inspection certificate. In 2021, the follow-up inspection was also completed successfully, with a new certificate.”
Investment paid off
Honesty and openness are key to a good collaboration. “Van Happen Containers had to lay everything on the table. We simply didn’t have everything in order—now we do,” Yannick says. “In just a few years, we went from a system with overdue maintenance to one that’s fully certified. It took a lot of work and a significant investment, but it’s paid off in terms of safety. We’ve had small fires on site, so we need to be able to rely on the system.”
Yannick wraps up with a tip for other companies pursuing an inspection certificate: “Bring the installer and the inspector together as early as possible. The installer handles maintenance and may have a different view on things than the inspector. If they start communicating from the beginning, it’ll save you a lot of trouble down the line.”
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Normec FSS
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