This International Standard specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the design, installation, testing, maintenance and safety of fixed carbon dioxide firefighting systems in buildings, plant or other structures. It is not applicable to extinguishing systems on ships, in aircraft, on vehicles and mobile fire appliances, or to below-ground systems in the mining industry; nor does it apply to carbon dioxide pre-inerting systems.

Design of systems where unclosable opening(s) exceed a specified area and where the opening(s) can be subject to the effect of wind is not specified, although general guidance on the procedure to be followed in such cases is given (see 7.4.3.2).