Why do we use facilities with EPO's?

Wed Jul 25 22:41:44 UTC 2007

>If you don't have water-based fire suppression, have normally unoccupied
>spaces, and are continuously manned, it's sometimes possible to pass on
>having an EPO.  YMMV by inspector.

That is indeed true, as we were able to have ours disconnected, and 
were able to expand our facility without adding EPOs in the new 
datacenter rooms.

We were told that since we met a specific list of criteria, which 
included things like FM200/Ecaro25 fire suppression, solid (not 
raised) floors, electrical wiring done some particular way, and large 
signage indicating where the safety hazards lie for our friends in 
the Tukwila & Seattle Fire Departments... we got a pass on the Big 
Red Button. I imagine those criteria change from place to place, and 
time to time... perhaps even inspector to inspector.

I sleep better at night. Well... A little bit better.

--chuck