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 MEDC13 (4938) P3 - Specification for first Aid hose -reel for fire fighting  
 
0 FOREWORD  
Fire Safety is important in residence and workplace. Buildings shall incorporate the best 
firefighting system to stop the spread of fire breakouts which can create damag e to property and 
mortality. Fires affect thousands of resources each year resulting in injury, lost life and building 
damage. This draft Tanzania standard cover the application of hose reel as firefighting in the 
building.   
 
Hose -reels are recommended for  use in fixed installations for various premises and also as an 
equipment to the fire engines. It is an equipment consisting of the reel, water inlet pipe, shut off 
nozzle, stop valve with hose reel tubing and provide a most effective firefighting facility .  
 
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, 
the final value, observed or calculate d expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be 
rounded off in accordance with TZS 4: 2009* (2nd Ed)  
*. The number of sign ificant places retained in the r ounded off value should be the same as that 
of the specified value in this standard.  
 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was drawn from;  
IS 884:2010,  Specification for First – Aid hose – Reel for fi refighting.  
 
 
1. SCOPE  
1.1 This Draft Tanzania standard lays down the requirements for materials, constructional 
details and tests for first - aid hose reels intended for installation in buildings and for mounting on 
fire engine.  
 
2. GENERAL  
2.1 The hose re el shall consist of following components:  
a) Hub,  
b) Two sides,  
c) Swivel joint,  
d) Pipe with fitting,  
e) Wall bracket,  
f) Hose reel,  
g) Nozzle with shutt off arrangement, and  
h) Stop valve.  
 
3. MATERIALS  
3.1 The details of materials for the various compo nents are given in Table 1 . 
 
TABLE 1 : DETAILS OF MATERIALS FOR VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF HOSE REEL  
 
S/N COMPONENTS  MATERIAL  
i Hub Mild steel sheet / Aluminum 
alloy 
ii sides  Mild steel sheet / Aluminum  
alloy 
iii Wall bracket  Cast Iron  
iv Swivel joint  Leaded  tin bronze  
v Hose reel tubing  Rubber  / Thermoplastic  
2 
 hoses  
vi Nozzle with branch pipe and 
coupling          - 
vii Stop valve          - 
viii Pipe with fitting  Steel  
 
 
4. TYPES  
4.1 The reel shall  be made in two types as below:  
Type A - Swinging (180˚)  wall mounting type (see Fig. 1). 
Type B - Horizontal type used for installation on fire ( see Fig.2) . 
 
 
 
Fig. 1 HOSE REEL SWINGING TYPE  
 
 
 
 
  
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Fig. 2 HOSE REEL HORIZONTAL TYPE  
 
 
 
5. REQUIREMENT S 
5.1 The essential dimensions of the two types are given in Fig. 1 and 2. It shall be designed so 
as to comply with the requirements given in 5.2 to 5.4.  
 
5.2 Resistance to Leakage  - The complete assembly shall be capable of withstanding the  
hydrostatic pressure test of 20.6 bars  kgf/cm 2  for 5 min. 
 
  5.2.1 Conne ct the hose reel to a water supply at a pressure of 10 bar and with the hose fully 
wound into the dru rn. Close the nozzle for 5 min . Unwind the hose completely,  maintaining the 
pressure of 10 bar for a further 5 min.  
 
  5.2.2  The overall length  (L) of the hosepipe shall be 15≤ L≥30 mm  
 
5.3 Impact Resistance Test (Strength Test)  
  5.3..1 Impact Test - Rest a steel bridge 100  X 25 m m cross -section centrally across the two 
reel side plates vertically above the centre line of the spindle. The length of the stee l bridge shall 
be such that it extends by at least 10mm on either side of the two round plates when kept on 
them. The steel bridge shall have two numbers of suitable parallel grooves, say 10 mm wide and 
5 mm deep to ensure that the bridge shall not slip an d fall down during the conduct of Impact 
resistance test.   
Mount a steel cylindrical hammer of  25 kg mass and with flat faces in guides above the steel 
bridge so that it falls freely through a height of 300 mm to strike the steel bridge mid  span 
between th e two plates. After a single impact, test the reel in accorda nce with 5 .4.1.   
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 The arrangement of the impact test is shown in Fig. 3. As a result of single impact due to free fall 
of 25 kg mass from a height of 300 mm the reel shall no t get deformed and the  distance 
between the parallel round plates shall not change . This shall be a type test.  
 
 
   5.3.2 Load Resistance  - A mass of 80 kg is suspended using steel wire ropes on the top edge 
of front round plate (with clamps) constitu ting one side of the hose r eel. Remove the mass after 
72 h and test the reel in accordance with 5 .4.1. The arrangement of the load test is shown in Fig  
4. This shall be a type test  
 
5.4 Range and Water Flow Rate  - When tested in accordance with 5.4.1, the water flow rate 
shall be no t less than 24  l/min and the range of tile jet shall be not less than 6 m.  This shall be a 
type test . 
 
  5.4.1 Rang e- and Water flow  Test --. Measure the range and water flow rate of  the reel at inlet 
pressure of 0.7 ± 0.0 1 bar. The range is the distance f rom the nozzle to the point on the ground 
beyond which 50 percent of the discharge falls. Me asure the range with the nozzle 1 m above 
floor level at an angle of elevation to give maximum range . 
 
5.5 Swinging  
In case of Type A Hose Reel swivel joint(s) shal l be incorporated in the construction to enable 
the users to swing the hose reel by 180degrees  while pulling  the hose in either direction.  
 
5.6 Reel Action  
In case of both Type A and Type B hose reels it shall be possible to easily and smoothly unwind 
the hose by pulling the hose end having  nozzle fitted to it  
 
6   WORKMANSHIP  
The construction of the hose reel shall be such that there shall be no sharp end jagged edges 
or surface, etc , so as to cause physical injury to the personnel handling the hose reel.  
 
 
 
 
 
7 PAINTING  
All the internal and e xternal surface of the ferrous components of the hose reel shall be coated  
with epoxy polyester powder to 50 p, Min thickness to protect it against rusting. The colour of the 
powder c oating shall be fire red conformi ng to Shade No. 536 or 538 of IS 5 .' See annex A  
 
 
8. MARKING  
8.1 Each first -aid hose -reel shall be clearly and permanently marked with the following 
information:  
a) Manufacturer's Name or trade -mark,  
b) Year of manufacture, and  
c) Type of reel . 
 
 
8.2 The use of the Standard Mark is governed by the provisions of the Bureau of Tanzania 
Standards Act, 1988  and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder.  
The details of conditions under which the licence for the use of Standard Mark may be granted 
to manufactures or producers may be obtained from the Bureau of Tanzania  Standards.  
 
 
 
  
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9. CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY  
9.1 Each equipment shall be checked, for th e requirement given in this standard . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FIG.  3 DETAIL OF IMPACT TEST  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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FIG.4 DETAIL OF LOAD  TEST