Convincing a client of a bad idea? Any ideas?

[Messy]

OK, not a H&S issue, but not a million miles away - I wonder if anyone has experience of convincing a belligerent client that their plan of ensuring business residence contains a huge vulnerability

The client is building a large data centre. Its is absolutely vital to their business.

Naturally an emergency power supply strategy including bespoke generator sets has been designed. So vital is this data centre that the usual N+2 concept (1 generator + 2 standby units to facilitate a back up unit is available during maintenance to any of the generators) is to be upgraded to N+3 ( three back up/standby generators). I have never come across N+3

Each generator set on its own with no fuel tank or cabling is around £1 so ithe extra cost quite an investment. The budget fir the emergency power supply kit is almost £6m. The project cost is much much more.

So far so good.......... but a 'value engineering' exercise has recently taken place and to save cabling costs, the plans now are to place all 4 external generators next to each other, only separated by 4 x large fuel tanks..

Its a rural location and there will be no fixed firefighting equipment installed on the generation equipment. The nearest 6 fire stations are retained with the nearest being 8 miles away which is not crewed during the day (shortage of crew). It was also not available on 27% of other times - ie at night and weekends

The risk of fire is low/moderate, but the risk of fire spread from one generator to all units and fuel tanks in my opinion is high and unacceptable

I have opposed this 'eggs in one basket' idea, but am struggling to get the plan reversed . I am on a site visit next week to try and sway them to change their minds. It seems to be just me in the project that's opposing the idea. Maybe I am wrong

I don't know why I am bothering. I should record my findings and walk away but I feel hugely uneasy. So how do I convince this lot that it's a bad idea?

[andybz]

I guess it is fair to say that diesel generator fires are pretty rare. There must be hundreds of thousands running at any time around the world at any time. But they do happen. Ship engine fires may be used as an example. However, it is the common cause failures you need to focus on if loss of service is the concern. In which case fire is only one consideration.

There are some very good examples where flooding led to all power generation being lost. If you client can understand the issues with common cause failures I would think the learning would apply. For example, the Fukushima disaster could have been prevented if the EDG had been relocated before the tsunami.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2012/03/0 ... -pub-47361

If that is too much of a stretch for your client to see the relevance Superstorm Sandy resulted in power loses to hospitals due to EDG failures.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/ ... vacuations

[Messy]

I guess it is fair to say that diesel generator fires are pretty rare. There must be hundreds of thousands running at any time around the world at any time. But they do happen. Ship engine fires may be used as an example. However, it is the common cause failures you need to focus on if loss of service is the concern. In which case fire is only one consideration.

There are some very good examples where flooding led to all power generation being lost. If you client can understand the issues with common cause failures I would think the learning would apply. For example, the Fukushima disaster could have been prevented if the EDG had been relocated before the tsunami.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2012/03/0 ... -pub-47361

If that is too much of a stretch for your client to see the relevance Superstorm Sandy resulted in power loses to hospitals due to EDG failures.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/ ... vacuations

Thank you for your suggestions. They are both valid as is the comparison with ship engines as those in use on the generators are very large marine engines

That really has given me food for thought

[1804]

Messy
Are the insurers fully up to speed with this, and for that matter are the local pugh pugh barney mcgrew aware? It sounds like they would not have the resources to extinguish the worst case scenario fire without help from perhaps other FRS bods resulting in interest from their investigators, police, environment agency due to the inevitable resultant damage/runoff/soil degradation blah blah blah. I would consider looking at this from a risk management/business continuity aspect to scare the clients into a reality check. HSE always go on about money/cost reasonably not being an acceptable reason to accept or increase risk.
Anyway dear boy, have a lovely Christmas and New year mate.
Regards
Martin

[Messy]

Hiya

The decision has been made as all parties around the table signed it off with me as the only member of the project team who opposed the proposal.

I intend to record my views on the corporate risk register but am already getting pushback as its not usual practice while a project is open. All new entries on the CRR get discussed at the highest level of the firm and I strongly suspect the top table have not been adequately briefed

Then i will walk away knowing I have done all I can.

BTW the local fire service are aware and have attended meetings. They now want to hold exercises ASAP after the site opens. I have been told that won't be happening .

Thanks fella. Have a good one yourself