In fire protection, activating systems manually is often avoided due to the risk of?

Activating fire protection systems manually is often avoided primarily due to the risk of malicious activation. When systems can be activated by individuals, there is a potential for misuse, such as pulling alarms without a real emergency, which can cause unnecessary panic, disrupt normal operations, and lead to a waste of resources. This type of activation may divert emergency services away from real emergencies or lead to a desensitization to alarms, where people may begin to ignore alarms due to frequent false activations.

While equipment malfunction, delayed response, and increased costs are relevant considerations in the broader context of fire protection, they do not specifically address the direct concern around human intervention creating potential risks associated with false alarms or intentional misuse. Therefore, the focus on malicious activation highlights a critical aspect of maintaining safety and ensuring that fire protection systems are both effective and reliable when activated in genuine emergencies.