Eliminating High-Bay Blind Spots and Costly False Evacuations in a 350,000 sq ft Distribution Centre
Racking rising to 14.5 metres created ceiling thermal stratification, while VNA forklift dust triggered 2 to 3 false alarms per month. By tapping into 16 existing aisle CCTV feeds, FireVision eliminated false evacuations, cut verification time by 11 minutes, and saved £46,000 per quarter in lost picking labor.
The High-Ceiling Stratification Barrier & Lost Picking Hours
High-bay distribution centres face a physical dilemma: roof-level optical beams cannot 'see' early smouldering smoke trapped beneath temperature layers, while airborne forklift dust triggers false plant evacuations.
The Thermal Stratification Gap
Storage racking standing at 14.5 metres created a natural thermal barrier. Rising cool smoke from smouldering pallets cooled and stratified at 9 metres, never reaching the roof-level optical beam detectors until an open blaze developed.
Shift Disruption & SLA Breaches
Dust kicked up by fast-moving VNA forklifts frequently drifted into optical beam pathways, triggering 2 to 3 false evacuations monthly. Each evacuation cost 90 minutes of lost picking time across 120 shift workers, breaching dispatch SLAs.
Physical Inspection Constraints
Security staff required 8 to 12 minutes to physically navigate 40 racking aisles across 350,000 sq ft to verify alarm triggers, leaving operations paralyzed and delaying the fire brigade callout window during genuine anomalies.
Optical AI Line-of-Sight Across 14.5m Racking Aisles
Rather than installing expensive aspirating piping via scissor lifts, FireVision connected to existing security cameras to provide immediate visual intelligence straight to the security desk.
Optical Line-of-Sight Coverage
Integrated FireVision AI directly onto existing aisle-facing security cameras, monitoring the full vertical face of the racking from floor to ceiling (0m to 14.5m) with zero thermal blind spots.
Visual Verification (BS 5839-1:2025)
When abnormal smoke dispersion or friction embers occur, the system delivers an instant 5-second video snippet to the Central Security Room, allowing visual verification within 15 seconds before sounding building alarms.
Mobile Evacuation App Integration
Deployed the companion FireVision Evacuation App for digital headcounts and dynamic muster point tracking across the 350,000 sq ft floor plan, reducing warden roll call time from 20 minutes to under 4 minutes.
Measured Operational Impact Over 6 Months
Recovered picking labor and avoided dispatch penalty clauses within the first 90 days of operation.
Completely eliminated false evacuations caused by warehouse dust clouds or forklift engine exhaust.
Instant 5-second video loop pushed to security desk vs. 8-12 minutes required for physical foot patrols.
Full racking protection achieved using existing CCTV cameras with zero scissor lift hire or wiring cost.
“In a fulfillment centre running 24/7, halting the sorter for a false alarm costs thousands per minute. FireVision stopped the nuisance trips while giving us genuine line-of-sight protection right down the racking aisles where traditional beams were useless.”
Audit Your High-Bay Detection Coverage.
Verify whether thermal stratification is leaving your high racking unmonitored. Connect up to 5 warehouse feeds in under 15 minutes.