June 2, 2003—Central Sprinkler Company and the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International have reached a settlement agreement resolving their lawsuit over Central Sprinkler Corporation’s fire-suppression O-ring sprinklers. The agreement provides for enhancements to the O-ring Voluntary Replacement Program (VRP), a free fire sprinkler replacement program that Central Sprinkler and the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission jointly launched in July 2001. The enhancements are designed to give building owners more choice and flexibility when they participate in the program.
The Voluntary Replacement Program provides for the free removal and replacement of certain models of fire sprinklers that contain O-ring seals. Testing has indicated that the distinctive design of O-ring seal sprinklers may be more susceptible, over time, to accumulation of water minerals, salts, and corrosion by-products.
Building owners participating in the program will receive free Belleville seal replacement sprinklers, a model that does not contain O-ring seals.
The program enhancements by Central Sprinkler and BOMA International include:
- Building owners may now choose to have the sprinklers replaced on their own, using independent sprinkler contractors they hire. If building owners select this option, Central Sprinkler will pay them a fixed-amount cash alternative toward labor costs.
- For building owners who elect to have Central Sprinkler perform the replacement work, Central Sprinkler will use sprinkler contractors with security bonding whenever that building owner’s lease or management agreement requires such bonding.
- Central Sprinkler will provide up to $75 to reimburse permit fees that some building owners have paid in jurisdictions that require a permit fee before a sprinkler head can be changed.
- An independent ombudsman has been appointed to assist claimants and to resolve any differences that might arise between property owners and Central.
- Reimbursement will be available for certain claims and costs incurred by building owners who replaced their O-ring sprinklers during the period of February 2000 up until July 19, 2001, when the VRP was launched.
The enhancements are available to all building owners in North America, even those who have already filed claims or received the free replacement sprinklers.
There are approximately 37 million O-ring sprinklers eligible for the free replacement program in the United States and Canada. To date, claims for more than 13 million replacement sprinklers have been filed by property owners.
For more information, contact the VRP or call Centrals customer hotline at 866/505-8553.
