Your Guide To Smoke Detector False Alarms

In an ideal world, all smoke detectors would function properly all the time. However, the reality is that, at some point or another, you may have to deal with a smoke detector false alarm. In fact, data shows that the Fire and Rescue Service attended 231,510 fire false alarms in a year-long period, ending June 2020. That is around 634 false alarms a day.

We understand that no sound is more annoying than a smoke detector’s false alarm. If your smoke alarm is constantly going off for no reason, you may be tempted to just ignore it or even remove the batteries. However, smoke detectors save lives. When it comes to fires, every second counts. If you want to make sure that your employees, clients and visitors are able to act swiftly and get out of the building on time in the event of a fire, it’s paramount that your smoke detector is working properly.

Below, we’ll look at what is likely to trigger a smoke detector into creating a false alarm, as well as how to silence your smoke alarm in such instances.

The Potential Triggers Creating A False Alarm

No matter how good your smoke detector is, it may go off without smoke for one reason or another. Here are the reasons for smoke detector false alarms.

1. The Proximity Of Your Smoke Detector To Kitchen Appliances

If your smoke detector goes off every time you’re in the kitchen, this isn’t necessarily a reflection of your cooking skills. Photoelectric and ionisation smoke detectors are equally sensitive to foreign objects, such as vapour, smoke and steam. This means that smoke from overcooked food or even an increase in temperature can trigger your alarm. For this reason, it’s a good idea to make sure that your smoke detector is at least 10 feet away from kitchen appliances, such as toasters, ovens and stoves.

While you’re in the process of sorting out where to place your smoke detectors, you may want to make sure that all of your appliances are PAT tested. For more information, read our guide to PAT testing labels and how to complete them.

2. The Actual Placement Of Your Detector

More than that, it’s important to think carefully about the actual room your smoke detector is placed in. The kitchen is arguably the most dangerous room in any home or workplace. In fact, a survey found that a quarter of respondents believe that most accidents happen in the kitchen. So, it’s no surprise that some people believe that the kitchen is the ideal place for smoke detectors.

However, it is advisable to place your detector in the corridor leading to the kitchen, as opposed to in the actual kitchen itself. Your smoke detector will be just as effective and you’re less likely to encounter smoke detector false alarms. For more handy tips, read our ultimate guide to workplace fire safety.

3. High Humidity And Steam

Dense moisture particles can trigger false alarms, as the smoke detector is unable to distinguish between smoke and moisture particles. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to install your smoke alarm away from kettles or steamy bathrooms.

4. Dust

Similarly, if dust builds up on or around your smoke detector, it can trigger the alarm. Usually, we only pay attention to our smoke detectors when it’s time to replace the batteries. But like your other fire safety equipment, your smoke detector deserves a bit of TLC, especially if you want to keep them functioning properly.

The good news is that cleaning a smoke alarm is a straightforward process. Simply use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove dust, or alternatively, wipe your detector with a cloth.

5. Insects And Bugs

Surprisingly, insects can activate your detector. If an insect manages to get inside the chamber entrance, its movement can interfere with the sensors and trip the alarm.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent these pesky creatures from making their way into your alarm system. Having said that, it is still a good idea to check inside your detector for creepy crawlies if it is going off for no apparent reason.

6. The Battery Is Running Low

If your alarm is making a repetitive beeping sound, there is a good chance that the batteries simply need replacing. It’s important to not ignore this chirping noise, as your smoke detector will eventually die. As a general rule of thumb, it’s advisable to replace the batteries every year. Want to know more? Read our guide on why your smoke detector is beeping, chirping, or sounding off.

7. Strong-Smelling Chemicals

The presence of harsh chemicals nearby can set off your alarm – whether that be bleach, ammonia or even strong paints. If the odour is strong enough to set off your smoke alarm, we can only imagine the effect that it may have on you. For this reason, it’s a good idea to open any windows and doors and exit the room until the smell has dissipated.

8. Smoke Detector Sensitivity

If the above reasons do not explain why your smoke detector is constantly going off, it may just be that your detector is overly sensitive. The good news is that you can easily adjust the sensitivity of a programmable detector.

Our Top Tip For Silencing Smoke Detector Alarms

In order to adjust the sensitivity of a smoke detector, use the testing manual provided by the manufacturer. This should provide clear instructions on how to adjust smoke detector sensitivity. If you’re worried about getting this right, it may be best to seek the services of a fire alarm expert.

Fire Alarm Servicing in Birmingham & Wolverhampton

With the help of Cardinal Fire, you can instruct a skilled and competent fire alarm service engineer to solve your smoke detector false alarm issue. Our teams of experts are only a call away. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with one of our seasoned engineers today.
We offer thorough Fire Alarm Servicing and Maintenance in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. Our qualified engineers will tailor the service to suit the specific requirements of your business. This will provide you with the much-needed peace of mind that your premises are safe for both you and your employees.

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What Do The Colours On Fire Extinguishers Mean?

Unsplash Licence – Tak-Kei Wong

In the UK, fire extinguishers are painted signal red so they can be seen easily in an emergency. However, they also have a coloured box near the top. This colour corresponds to the class of fire that the extinguisher can fight, so it’s essential an individual uses the correct type. Here’s a simple guide explaining the fire extinguisher colours and uses so you can put out fires safely.

Why Are Fire Extinguishers Colour Coded?

The colours on fire extinguishers dictate which types of fire they can fight. This key is crucial, as using the wrong fire extinguisher can be ineffective and put the user at risk.

Until 1997, the whole body of the fire extinguisher canister was colour-coded, so powder fire extinguishers had previously been entirely blue. However, this system changed. Now, most of the extinguisher is red with a small colour-coded section near the top. The extinguisher is now more obvious, as a red fire extinguisher is easily visible in an emergency, and the colour is synonymous with danger and fire.

Fire Classifications

A fire is classified by the materials that are involved in it. There are six variations:

- Class A – fires involving combustible materials, such as paper or timber
- Class B – fires involving flammable liquids, like paint or petrol
- Class C – fires involving flammable gases, such as propane or butane
- Class D – fires involving flammable metals such as lithium or potassium
- Electrical – fires involving electrical equipment
- Class F – fires involving fats, like chip pan fires

The Different Fire Extinguisher Colours

There are five colours used on fire extinguishers that identify what they spray to fires:

- Red – Water/ Mist
- Cream – Foam
- Blue – Powder/ABC
- Black – Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Yellow – Wet Chemical

Fire Extinguisher Types

There are five different types of extinguishers. Each uses a different method to fight fires, so extinguishers are available to put out every possible class.

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) – Firkin

Water/ Mist Extinguishers

What They Fight: Fires involving combustible materials like wood, cardboard, paper and coal.

Colour: Red

How They Work: These extinguishers spray water on a fire to cool it down and put out the flame.

Avoid Using Them On: Electrical fires, cooking oil fires, flammable liquids or gases.

Where They Are Used: Buildings with organic materials like offices, schools, hospitals, warehouses, barns.

Foam Extinguishers

What They Fight: Fires involving combustible materials and flammable liquids.

Colour: Cream

How They Work: By spraying foam on a fire, these extinguishers are able to separate the flames from the fuel, so they cannot sustain themselves.

Avoid Using Them On: Flammable metals fires, electrical fires, cooking oil fires.

Where They Are Used: Buildings with organic materials like offices, schools, hospitals, warehouses.

Most buildings will need both water and foam extinguishers.

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) – Firkin

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) – Firkin

Powder Extinguishers

What They Fight: Fires involving flammable liquids, gases and combustible materials. That’s why they are also known as ABC extinguishers.

Colour: Blue

How They Work: Blue extinguishers spray powder onto a fire, suffocating it of the oxygen it needs to thrive.

Avoid Using Them On: Cooking oil fires, large electrical fires, fires in enclosed spaces.

Where They Are Used: Businesses using flammable gases, welding and flaming cutting locations, car garages and petrol stations, buildings with large boiler rooms.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers

What They Fight: Flammable liquid fires and electrical fires.

Colour: Black

How They Work: These fire extinguishers release CO2 in a spray. In doing so, the oxygen that is sustaining the fire is replaced and suffocated.

Avoid Using Them On: Cooking oil fires, organic material fires, flammable gases and metal fires.

Where They Are Used: Anywhere with large amounts of electrical equipment such as building sites, server rooms, office blocks, and commercial kitchens. Vehicles like coaches, buses and minibuses are legally required to carry at least one 2L CO2 extinguisher.

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) – Firkin

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) – Firkin

Wet Chemical Extinguishers

What They Fight: Organic material fires and cooking oil fires.

Colour: Yellow

How They Work: Yellow extinguishers spray a thick, soapy foam of wet chemicals that covers a fire, removing its access to oxygen.

Avoid Using Them On: Fires involving flammable metals, liquids or gases fires, electrical fires.

Where They Are Used: Professional kitchens, restaurants, canteens.

Which Fire Extinguisher Colour Fights Each Classification

Using the wrong fire extinguisher can have disastrous consequences. It can increase the size of the flames and help the fire spread. You can also cause chemical reactions that omit toxic gases or trigger explosions. The biggest risk is putting yourself and others in danger, especially if you use a water or foam extinguisher on an electrical fire. The electrical current can flow up the conductive water or foam and electrocute you.

Water Spray Or Mist Extinguishers – What’s The Difference?

Both water spray and water mist extinguishers are characterised by their red colour code. However, they work in different ways, and water mist extinguishers are safer, more effective and more popular than their spray counterparts.

A water spray extinguisher shoots a jet of water to cool a fire. Alternatively, a water mist extinguisher sprays a mist that is too fine to conduct electricity at regular voltages. Therefore, they are safe to use on low-voltage electrical fires. Additionally, they don’t leave puddles that could conduct other currents, unlike a water spray extinguisher.

Fire Extinguisher Life Span

You can take steps to increase the lifespan of your extinguishers and ensure they work effectively when you need them. Current UK guidelines advise that you replace most extinguishers every five years, although CO2 variations can last for ten. The British Standard for fire extinguishers (BS 5306-3) requires you to test and service them annually to guarantee they are functional if the worst happens.

Our Fire Extinguisher Servicing

That’s where Cardinal Fire Protection comes in. Our BAFE registered technicians ensure that your extinguishers meet testing expectations. We work with clients in education, construction, retail, manufacturing, leisure and office environments to maintain the best fire safety standards.

The Difference Between Fire Alarms and Smoke Detectors

The terms fire alarm and smoke detector are often used interchangeably, even though they mean different things. This misuse creates confusion when planning your fire response protocols and potentially places people at risk. We are going to break down each system and explain when each should be used.

What is a Smoke Detector?

A smoke detector does what it says on the tin: it detects the presence of smoke. They use a sensor to detect large amounts of smoke. There are also a couple of other types of detectors used in particular scenarios:

Carbon Monoxide Detector – The devices known as smoke detectors pick up the presence of gases like carbon monoxide. They can be called carbon monoxide or gas detectors.
Heat Detector –A heat detector monitors the temperature of a room and alters people when this temperature reaches a set value. They are used in areas prone to smoke or steam, such as a kitchen or bathroom, to prevent false alarms.

What is a Fire Alarm?

A fire alarm is a system which detects and acts against the presence of fire in a building. They detect large amounts of smoke and then sound an alarm system as a response to the detection of a fire. The alarm will alert you and possibly the fire brigade so you can leave the building to safety and they can extinguish the fire.

Some fire alarm systems include sprinklers installed in the ceilings of your building to spray water to put out a fire. You might also have warning lights for those with hearing issues, access controls, a lit evacuation route, sound systems and other alert or protective protocols which can be activated in the event of a fire. They can often transmit a call for help if the resident of a building is impaired and needs assistance to evacuate during an emergency.

Fire Alarm vs Smoke Detector

When it comes to the difference between fire alarms and smoke detectors, it’s simple: a smoke detector senses the presence of smoke in an area, and a fire alarm is a system to respond to a potential fire.

Smoke detectors are a crucial element of an effective fire alarm system as they identify the presence of a fire within a building. The fire alarm system uses this information to trigger its response to this danger.

The Different Types of Fire Detection

Knowing the options available helps you decide which system to install and how to maintain it. Detectors can either be analogue or digital and vary in the types of information they can provide. There are three types:

Traditional – these detectors primarily pick up the presence of smoke but also fire and heat.
Adjustable – Adjustable systems work similarly to traditional alternatives but are more accurate and can pinpoint the location of the detected fire.
Smart – Smart detectors offer statistics about the alert. They tell you how much smoke there is and provide temperature readings to inform the reaction required to handle the fire.

Detectors can be powered in a couple of ways. Firstly, they can be hard-wired to the main power of a building or they can use batteries. Hard-wired alarms can be susceptible to a power cut but batteries have to be changed when they run low. An alarm should alert you when these need replacing to prevent missed detections. Alarms with ‘sealed for life’ batteries are recommended over alarms which allow you to replace batteries. Lithium batteries are a better choice than alkaline as they have a longer life and don’t need replacing as often.

Which Alarm Should You Choose?

Which should you install? When it comes to fire alarms vs smoke detectors, the size of your building will dictate the type of alarm you should use. A small home needs at least one smoke and carbon monoxide detector on each storey and a heat detector in the kitchen. However, large buildings may need a fire alarm system to combat their increased size.

Having a fire alarm system controlling alerts across an entire building means that, if there are fires on a particular floor or wing of the building, the centralised alarm system will alert everyone in the building. This full-scale alert will lower the risk of injuries or fatalities. Businesses have legal requirements to install a fire alarm system.

UK Legal Requirements For Fire Detection

In the UK, if you own a property, you are obligated to ensure your building meets the government’s requirements for fire safety.

Responsible people, such as a landlord, employer, owner or occupier, must conduct and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the building. This assessment considers present risks, those likely to be affected by them, the likelihood of their occurrence, the potential damage and the steps integrated to mitigate them. Responsible people need to install and maintain fire safety measures and plan for emergencies. Finally, they must inform staff or residents of these risks and train them to respond appropriately.

Fire alarm systems in non-domestic buildings and communal areas of domestic settings must meet British Standards BS 5839-6 which is relevant to buildings under construction and existing premises. The standard states that all detectors must pick up at least one of the following: combustion gas, heat, infrared radiation or smoke. It recommends the most suitable detection systems for different environments and states that all components must conform to British Standards or Harmonised European Standards.

The standard also dictates that all inspections and repairs must be conducted by a competent person who has the appropriate education and training. Weekly maintenance like operation testing is recommended in addition to monthly and biannual testing. In addition, the standard draws attention to the speed of detection and response, minimising false alarms and the nature of present hazards to be considered in your risk assessment.

Once each condition of BS 5939-6 has been met, certification of design, installation and commissioning are granted. If you are installing a fire detection system into a domestic building, it’s a good idea to check this regulation as it provides useful parameters to guide your fire safety.

Our Specialist Fire Protection Services

Navigating fire protection and alarm systems is vital for proper fire safety. You must meet the UK’s legal requirements and prepare your buildings for an emergency.

At Cardinal Fire, we provide fire protection solutions in construction, retail, office spaces and many other industries. We can complete fire risk assessments and equipment servicing, as well as provide safety training and a host of other services to meet your needs. If you are interested in professional fire protection, please contact us so we can provide you with our expertise.

Your Guide To Smoke Detector False Alarms

Below, we’ll look at what is likely to trigger a smoke detector into creating a false alarm, as well as how to silence your smoke alarm in such instances.

The Potential Triggers Creating A False Alarm

No matter how good your smoke detector is, it may go off without smoke for one reason or another. Here are the reasons for smoke detector false alarms.

1. The Proximity Of Your Smoke Detector To Kitchen Appliances

2. The Actual Placement Of Your Detector

3. High Humidity And Steam

4. Dust

The good news is that cleaning a smoke alarm is a straightforward process. Simply use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove dust, or alternatively, wipe your detector with a cloth.

5. Insects And Bugs

Surprisingly, insects can activate your detector. If an insect manages to get inside the chamber entrance, its movement can interfere with the sensors and trip the alarm.

6. The Battery Is Running Low

7. Strong-Smelling Chemicals

8. Smoke Detector Sensitivity

Our Top Tip For Silencing Smoke Detector Alarms

Fire Alarm Servicing in Birmingham & Wolverhampton

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Your Guide To ABC Fire Extinguishers

It’s fair to say that a fire extinguisher is a necessity in any office, home or even vehicle. Having said that, it’s important to note that not all fire extinguishers will put out the same types of fires. In some cases, using the wrong type of extinguisher can make a fire worse.

For this reason, it’s important to know which fire extinguisher will offer the best fire protection for your property. ABC fire extinguishers are often a good choice as they are extremely versatile and can tackle a range of different fire types. Below, we’ll take a look at which types of fires ABC fire extinguishers are suitable for, as well as the corresponding extinguishers for each fire type.

Understanding The Fire Classification

Firstly, it’s important to understand that not every fire is the same. If you try to put out a fire using the wrong type of extinguisher, you may end up doing more harm than good. You’ll need to establish the fire risks at your facility before you can choose an appropriate extinguisher. In the UK, there are five main classes of fire. These are simply categorised by what the fire uses as fuel.

1. Class A (Solids)

Class A fires occur when combustible organic materials, such as paper, wood, and fabric catch fire. As these materials are frequently found in homes and offices, this is one of the most common types of fire.

2. Class B (Liquids)

Class B fires involve flammable liquids, such as petrol, diesel and paint. It’s important to keep any flammable liquids used at your facility away from potential sources of ignition.

3. Class C (Gases)

This type of fire involves flammable gases. Propane, butane and methane are common causes of Class C fires. If you’re working with flammable gases at your facility, it’s important to make sure that such work is carried out by a competent person.

4. Class D (Metals)

Class D fires involve flammable materials, such as magnesium, aluminium and titanium. This type of fire is less common than the other classifications.

5. Electrical Fires

As electricity is considered a source of ignition rather than a fuel, electrical fires do not have their own full class. Instead, they are marked with an electrical spark symbol.

In fact, electrical fires can sometimes fall into other classes. For example, electrical power tools that are used on construction sites can cause sparks to ignite flammable gases. In such cases, this would be considered a Class C fire risk.

6. Class F (Cooking Oils and Fats)

Class F fires can occur when flammable cooking oils and fats are exposed to heat sources and are left unattended during use.

So, What Is An ABC Fire Extinguisher Used For?

ABC extinguishers, also referred to as ABC dry powder extinguishers, are effective against fires involving ordinary combustibles (Class A), flammable liquids (Class B) and flammable gases (Class C). Usually, these extinguishers have a blue label and use a dry chemical called mono-ammonium phosphate. This chemical works to smother flames and put out an array of different fires by separating the fuel from the oxygen.

They are also suitable for use against fires involving electronic equipment designed for use at less than 1000v. On top of this, you can get specialist dry powder extinguishers that are designed to tackle Class D fires involving combustible metals. It is worth noting that specialist dry powder extinguishers may not be effective for all metal fires.

Despite having many uses, dry powder extinguishers should not be used in small or enclosed spaces, unless a fire safety risk assessment concludes otherwise. The reason for this is that the powder can remain in the air even after the emergency is over. When inhaled, this fine powder can impair breathing and potentially trigger an asthma attack. More than that, an ABC fire extinguisher can cause damage to your building and the surrounding areas. This includes damage to electrical equipment and the corroding of metal machinery.

Moreover, as with any type of fire extinguisher, it is important to keep your ABC fire extinguisher well-maintained and serviced to ensure it is always in good working order.

When To Use A Different Type Of Fire Extinguisher

Whilst ABC fire extinguishers can help battle several types of fire, they are not effective for every fire class. With this in mind, it’s important to know when to use a different type of fire extinguisher.

Water Fire Extinguishers

Water-Fire Extinguishers have a red label and are designed to gradually cool down the flames. As this extinguisher can put out common fires, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular types of extinguisher. However, water fire extinguishers should only be used on Class A fires.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers use water to create a foam that doesn’t just cool down the fuel, it also blocks the fire from its source. This makes these extinguishers perfect for tackling Class B and Class A fires. They are characterised by their cream label.

It’s advisable to avoid using a foam extinguisher during electrical or kitchen fires.

CO2 Extinguishers

CO2 extinguishers have a black label and work by suffocating the fire until it runs out of oxygen. They are suitable for use against both electrical and Class B fires.

Wet Chemical Extinguishers

Wet chemical fire extinguishers have yellow labels and coat the flames in a mist of potassium. This is the only type of fire extinguisher that can be used to battle Class F fires.

Whilst you’re in the process of figuring out what type of fire extinguisher you need for your property, have you considered completing a fire safety training course? At Cardinal Fire, we offer expert guidance and advice on fire safety compliance. Get in touch today and benefit from the all-important peace of mind that you’re following the correct fire safety procedures.

What is a Competent Person in Fire Safety?

Whether you are an employer looking to secure your regulatory compliance with health and safety regulations in the UK, or you are in a health and safety manager role, you may have come across the legal term “competent person” and you might be wondering about its meaning and how it applies to your job and responsibilities.

Below, we’ll look at what a competent person is, the official definition of the term, as well as who can do the job and how it impacts compliance, especially in the fire safety context. Read along to find out more.

Competent Person Definition & The UK Law

The definition of a competent person, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is someone who has “sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities that allow them to assist you properly.”

What this means is that anyone can be considered a competent person as long as they can possess all three of the following:

Sufficient theoretical knowledge of all regulatory standards applicable to your industry
Can confidently identify hazards in the workplace, including those specific to a certain type of operation or machinery
Has the ability to propose corrective measures to adequately control and manage the risks that have been identified

Who Can Be A Competent Person In Fire Safety?

As mentioned above, anyone who fits all three of the criteria in the previous section can be considered a “competent person” at their respective workplace. The key is that they have both a solid level of theoretical knowledge and the practical, technical skills to be considered an expert in the dangers associated with a particular type of work, as well as the ways to fix them.

In the context of fire safety, this could be an appointed fire safety manager, an employee who has been given the necessary fire safety training to perform the above functions or a third-party service provider who can be hired to act as a competent person.

Either way, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that a competent person has been selected and that they match the necessary qualifications and criteria to satisfy the legal requirements.

For further guidance on the meaning of the term competent person and their responsibilities in an occupational health setting, you can refer to The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

What Does A Competent Person Do?

The responsibility of the competent person, therefore, is to make sure that all employees, visitors, members of the public and any third parties that may be present in the workplace are protected from all reasonably foreseeable occupational hazards.

The competent person is appointed to help the employer who is considered a “responsible person” under the UK law and regulations to achieve regulatory compliance with all relevant legislation and standards applicable to the industry they work in.

In practice, the competent person should be able to conduct risk assessments and inspections on a regular basis during which they would utilise their knowledge, experience and technical skills to identify risks in the workplace. They would also be able to classify the level of risk, identify who could be addicted and propose measures for mitigating these hazards.

In the context of fire safety, the competent person would be able to perform specific fire risk assessments on a regular basis or as required by the employer in special circumstances.

Do I Have To Appoint A Competent Person?

If you are an employer, you will need to find a competent person to help you ensure your health and safety practices are compliant with the relevant rules and regulations.

This is specifically detailed under Regulation 7 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which states the following:

“Every employer shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.”

The regulations continue by also establishing the fact that all communication with the competent person must be coordinated by the employer to ensure that they have access to all information and resources needed to perform their duties as a competent person.

If you fail to appoint a qualified competent person or to manage their work as described, this would be considered a breach of your legal duties and can lead to prosecution. Then, if you are found to have failed to comply with the law, the relevant regulatory authority could impose significant fines on you. In cases where a serious incident has occurred as a result of non-compliance, this could even result in a prison sentence.

Competent Person Vs. Qualified Person

A qualified person is someone who has formal qualifications, such as a recognised certificate or a degree to deal with certain workplace issues and occupational hazards. In some cases, the competent person can also be a qualified person who can help you design specific technical measures to control certain risks.

In some situations, however, where the risks involved may be particularly technical, it may be necessary to hire a specialist as your qualified person in order to provide the competent person with enough support and information to complete their duties. This should be something that is agreed upon between you, as the employer, and the competent person you have appointed.

An employer could also arrange for a competent person in-house to undergo the necessary additional training to gain the official qualifications they require to perform their duties correctly. Whichever approach you choose to use, it’s important to keep in mind the final goal – to ensure everyone is safe at work.

Fire Safety Training & Risk Assessment In The West Midlands

Looking to train a competent person within your organisation or hire a competent person to do a fire safety inspection for you? Cardinal Fire offers fire safety training courses for employees, as well as a professional fire risk assessment service delivered by qualified fire safety engineers.

For more information on our services across the West Midlands, speak to our team today on 0845 130 8211 or email us at sales@cardinalfire.net

Your Guide To Fire Safety Risk Assessments

Fire safety risk assessments are a legal requirement for all businesses with premises. The responsible person, who in most cases is the business owner, is required by law to ensure the implementation and maintenance of the safety of all employees, customers, clients and any potential visitors. When it comes to mitigating the risk of a fire, the employer has a responsibility to complete all necessary risk assessments demonstrating that any potential hazard has been carefully considered.

As no stone can be left unturned when it comes to fire safety, there can be a lot of factors to inspect and no room for error. With so many people’s safety at stake, fire safety risk assessments are not to be taken lightly. That being said, it is simple to lose track of the process without the proper management. Therefore, it is paramount that fire safety risk assessment templates are understood and followed during the assessment.

What Is A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

The long-short of a fire safety risk assessment is to keep people safe. It aims to outline all the possible risks, from a fire prevention perspective, that face all the people within your premises. This documentation aims to cover all the bases; for every risk, there is a process in place to reduce the effect of this playing out.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

On 1st October 2006, The Fire Safety Order 2005 came into effect. This document applies to employers and business owners who have the responsibility for non-domestic, industrial, commercial and residential premises. The legislation came about in an attempt to simplify, rationalise and consolidate all fire safety documentation and regulation within one Order. It intended to implement a risk-based approach to fire safety, looking to provide the fire and rescue service with more efficient and effective rules to enforce.

The Order was built around every business having one person responsible for the completion of a thorough fire safety risk assessment. The evaluation includes all work activities as well as the premises, in its entirety. This competent person has to identify all potential fire risks, including who would be in danger if a fire was to start and where they would most be at risk. Once all these factors have been identified, the designated person would then have to assess whether the business’s current processes and precautions are adequate to cover the risk, or can more be done.

The fire safety risk assessment would then need to be regularly reviewed and amended as the evaluation saw fit.

What Businesses Need To Carry Out A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

The government’s legislation requires all businesses to carry out this fire safety risk assessment regularly, aiming to minimise and manage the risk of fire sufficiently. The Order states that all types of work-related buildings, structures, and open spaces, including offices and shops, care and education settings, warehouses, and construction. However, this list is purely comprehensive and by no means extensive.

It is worth noting that the Fire Safety Order only applies to businesses and non-domestic premises. A fire safety risk assessment is not required within private homes. The only exception is for landlords as they have a legal obligation to ensure their rental properties and HMOs meet the expected fire safety requirements.

Why Do You Need To Carry Out A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

As a legal requirement, a fire safety risk assessment must be carried out; however, the bottom line of these evaluations is to save lives and mitigate the risk to all people should a fire start within your business’s premises.

Anyone responsible for a building that is not a private home or ‘single private dwelling,’ has to make sure the proper actions have been carried out to ensure the premise is fire safe.

If a building has more than five people working there or you have a licence under the enactment force, your fire safety risk assessment must be kept as a written document. It is of utmost importance that this record is kept up-to-date and relevant, ensuring all suggestions for improvement have been carried out.

At the end of the day, having these measures in place is a good business practice as much as it is the law. Many businesses are unable to survive the devastation to both reputation and loss a fire can cause, therefore, implementing effective fire prevention is the first step to understanding the risks.

The Fire Safety Risk Assessment Template

There are varying risk assessment guides that look to guide different businesses with their fire safety measures. Your first step is to find the relevant information for your business premise, allowing you to comply with all the applicable fire safety laws. These templates aim to guide you on the fire safety measures that you should have instigated.

Some businesses will fall under different categories and will, therefore, need to comply with all appropriate templates. For example, businesses that offer both dining and drinking facilities but also provide sleeping accommodation for guests and staff will need to ensure every box Is ticked.

Once you have located the necessary templates, your designated responsible person must begin their inspection. This process includes planning and testing fire escape routes, warning and detection systems, fire suppression equipment, and evacuation plans, as well as the initial hazards and potential fire risks around every establishment/building.

It is only after all these things have been considered that a fire safety risk assessment can be created.

Five Steps of A Risk Assessment

When it comes to writing a fire safety risk assessment, there are five steps to ensuring you have covered all bases.

1. Identify All Fire Hazards

From things within your premises that could cause a fire to start, such as faults with electrical equipment, cooking equipment within staff kitchens, and portable heaters, to materials that would help a fire spread, for example, packaging, decorations and rubbish. Within this step, it is also crucial to consider additional sources of oxygen that would help to fuel a fire, this includes a building’s air conditioning system, any cylinders or fireworks.

2. Identify Everyone At Risk

Who could be inside your building or on your site? Why are they here and what would they be doing? Whether your premise only accommodates employees or includes facilities for customers and clients, you must consider everyone that would be put at risk should a fire start.

Important circumstances to consider is if your premises has people resting or sleeping, how would these disorientated people get to safety? Does your business involve noisy environments, would an alarm be heard in all areas of the site? If anyone onsite has a disability, have their needs been considered? It is crucial all these questions are answered.

3. Identify What Measures Are Needed To Ensure People’s Safety

This is where you assess the practical measures that are needed to reduce the risks identified in step one and keep everyone in step two safe. There are two groupings of implications to consider: what you can do to reduce the risk of a fire starting and things that can be done to reduce the risk once a fire is underway.

For the first part, the most thorough process is to work down your list of hazards from step one and see what can be put in place to remove this risk, or significantly reduce it as much as possible. Then, you need to put yourself in the shoes of everyone within your premises, the concerns they have raised in step two need to be reviewed. Ask, what you can implement to aid them in their escape if a fire broke out? Even if your business has never had a fire to contend with before, there needs to be a plan in place if the worst were to happen.

In this step, ensure you are considering:

How will everyone be alerted?
Where would fire extinguishers help the spread of a fire?
Where and how will people fire their nearest fire exits?
Would a fire be likely to obstruct a fire escape route?
Could smoke build-up and hinder people’s exit?

4. Recording Your Risk Assessment

Once your fire safety measures have been decided in line with identified hazards and the people you are keeping safe, the next step is to record all your findings and your plan of action. Everyone in the business needs to know their responsibilities and what they need to do in the event of a fire.

If your business is licensed and serves alcohol or employs over five members of staff, there must be a comprehensive record of your findings from your fire safety risk assessment. It is recommended to play on the safe side and record your risk assessment in its entirety.

For example, if you have identified the chance of a fire occurring from an electrical item, your action to reduce this would be to arrange for a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) to be conducted.

5. Reviewing Your Evaluation and Assessment

It is good practice to review your fire safety risk assessment at least annually. If your premises have undergone any changes or your staffing numbers have changed, your fire risk assessment will be affected. In order to stay on top, it is important to make regular evaluations and amendments to your fire safety measures.

How To Use A Fire Risk Assessment Template

If you are looking to complete your fire safety risk assessment in-house, it is recommended to follow a reputable risk assessment template. With so many details required for a thorough evaluation, these documents are formatted to make them more accessible. They will require essential checklists of factors that cannot be missed, so do ensure these lists are close-at-hand when the inspections are carried out.

Appointing Someone To Carry Out Your Risk Assessment

As the gravity of fire safety risk assessments is so high, many business owners prefer to entrust this process to regarded professionals. In doing so, not only can you rest assured your business is complying with the law; but, you will always have a top-quality risk assessment and fire prevention plan.

When it comes to the safety of your employees, customers and clients, there is no question that these processes cannot be rushed or compromised. Everyone benefits when these essential safety measures are followed and carried out rigorously.

Fire Safety Risk Assessments in Birmingham & Wolverhampton

If you would like to appoint the expertise of our skilled and extremely competent fire risk assessors, contact our professional safety engineers today. At Cardinal Fire, we simplify the process of fire safety compliance.

We offer thorough Fire Safety Risk Assessment Services in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. With our third-party accreditation, your business premises can benefit from our in-depth fire safety knowledge, allowing you to have peace of mind that all your fire procedures will be in place should you need them.

Want to know more about your legal obligations as a business owner? Check out our complete guide to UK workplace fire safety.

FAQ

Can You Do A Fire Risk Assessment Yourself?

You can complete your business’s fire safety risk assessment in-house; however, under the Fire Safety Order 2005, business owners are legally required to have a Fire Assessment carried out by a ‘competent’ person. In order to take the pressure off a member of your staff working to meet the criteria of this expert person, most businesses choose to appoint qualified professionals to complete the safety requirements on their behalf. As the consequences of a poorly completed risk assessment do not bear thinking, this is a lot of pressure to put onto someone without the experience and knowledge of the fire safety industry.

How Can I Write A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

There are four steps to keep in mind when creating a fire safety risk assessment:

Identifying the fire risk – what could a fire start?
Who could be harmed in a fire?
How can we mitigate or remove these risks?
Put all of the above into a detailed report

Once all of these steps have been carefully considered and thoroughly investigated, the completed document should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is always up to date.

What Is The Law On Fire Risk Assessments?

If you have a business that employs five or more members of staff, a fire safety risk assessment must be produced in writing by law.

What is the Fire Safety Risk Assessment Checklist?

The fire safety risk assessment checklist is what your business’s responsible person would use to identify the pre-existing and any new hazards. As commercial premises must keep written records of their fire safety report, there should always be an old checklist to begin a new evaluation.

Fire Extinguisher Testing, Checks & Maintenance – UK Guide

All About Fire Extinguisher Testing and Checks

Fire extinguishers are an essential part of any commercial building’s fire safety equipment. To keep your extinguishers operational longer, you need to learn how to take care of them from conducting regular fire extinguisher testing and checks to organising fire extinguisher servicing and maintenance to be carried out by a competent person.

Today, we’ll look at the fire extinguisher testing that needs to be done in order to ensure that your workplace fire safety is up to the latest regulatory requirements in the UK.

Why is Fire Extinguisher Testing Important?

There are three main reasons to do fire extinguisher checks at work:

It’s the law

As per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the BS 5306 (see BS 5306 summary here), regular fire extinguisher testing, servicing and maintenance are mandatory requirements for ensuring fire safety at work. Non-compliance can lead to substantial fines and even jail time if someone gets injured as a result of a fire incident at work where a faulty fire extinguisher was involved.

Fire extinguishers last longer

Regular fire extinguisher testing can increase your fire extinguisher life span. Under UK regulations, it is recommended that fire extinguishers are either replaced every five years (CO2 fire extinguishers should, ideally, be replaced every 10 years) or have an extended service conducted on them at this point, to confirm their usage integrity.

It can save lives

A simple fire extinguisher check can make the difference between life and death in a real fire situation. If issues with the fire protection equipment go unnoticed, this could lead to serious harm either because the extinguisher has malfunctioned and hurt the user or because it has failed to discharge and stop the fire, placing everyone in more danger.

How Often Do Fire Extinguishers Need to be Inspected in the UK?

If you are responsible for fire safety at work, you should ensure that all fire extinguishers are in good working order, by carrying out monthly and annual fire extinguisher checks.

Visual checks should be done at least once per month by the fire marshal in the building to ensure that there’s no visible damage to the equipment. Annual fire extinguisher inspection, on the other hand, requires more specialised knowledge and so they are conducted by a fire safety specialist.

Monthly Fire Extinguisher Testing

When you conduct your monthly visual inspections of all in-use fire extinguishers on the premises, there are several key things to pay attention to:

Broken/missing lock pins, tamper protection and seals
Broken or unstable handles
Missing, damaged or out of date service labels
Blocked, cracked or torn hose/nozzle
Accessibility of fire extinguisher – unobstructed and with clear, legible operating instructions
A full feeling extinguisher with a green pressure dial
Various other indicators of damage, such as leaking, corrosion or signs of tampering

Annual Inspection of Fire Extinguishers

In addition to your usual monthly checks, a competent fire safety engineer should carry out fire extinguisher testing at least once per year. They will perform a full maintenance check of all fire extinguishers in the building.

As soon as the fire extinguisher has passed the annual service, it will receive a passing tag and be dated. This is used as evidence that you have complied with the legal requirements and also as a reminder to schedule your next inspection on time.

If damages are identified, the fire safety specialist can repair those if possible. However, if the engineer discovers irreparable damages, you must buy a new fire extinguisher to replace the old one.

During the annual fire extinguisher checks, a professional inspector will not merely check the equipment, but will usually be reviewing the placement and structural integrity of the mounting stand/brackets. They will also assess whether your fire extinguishers are (still) a suitable solution for the potential fire hazards in the area where they are located.

Don’t Forget Record Keeping

Record keeping is extremely important to all aspects of fire safety and fire extinguisher testing makes no exception. Every time a monthly visual check is made, this should be logged, including any relevant details of faults that have been discovered.

The same applies to annual checks – these should be thoroughly documented and you should make sure these records are kept safe for at least 10 years. You may need to access these and present them as evidence of your compliance activities if requested to do so by the authorities in the event of a fire incident at work.

Who Should Carry Out Annual Fire Extinguisher Testing?

To ensure regulatory compliance, you should use a BAFE-registered fire extinguisher engineer to conduct your annual inspections. As an independent third-party organisation for the fire safety sector, they verify businesses and their competency in fire protection services.

Fire Extinguisher Testing With Cardinal Fire

Here, at Cardinal Fire Protection, we are BAFE-accredited, so rest assured that any fire extinguisher inspections conducted by our engineers will be up to the highest standards. Learn more about our fire extinguishers servicing options or get in touch on 0845 130 8211 or at sales@cardinalfire.net to book your annual fire extinguishers check today.

Featured Image: Unsplash Licence – Erik Mclean

Conducting an Effective Fire Drill at Work

Whether you are responsible for the workplace fire safety of a commercial office building, a retail space or an educational institution, knowing when and how to conduct a fire drill correctly is an important part of your responsibilities. Just like fire alarm servicing, fire extinguisher servicing, and emergency lights testing, fire drills are a preventative measure taken to achieve regulatory compliance and ensure that your staff, as well as your visitors and your property, are sufficiently protected in case of a fire emergency.

Read along to find out how to conduct an effective fire drill at work and stay on top of your fire safety legal duties.

What Are Fire Drills and Why Are They Needed?

Simply put, a fire drill is a fire safety exercise where the people in a building (whether they are staff or guests) are required to follow the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) in a simulated fire emergency situation. As part of the process, the fire alarm is sounded and the fire evacuation procedure is implemented to test its efficiency.

Conducting regular fire drills is an essential part of the fire safety awareness of your employees. Taking part in these practice runs teaches your staff what they need to do so in the event of a real fire, they can escape to safety as quickly as possible.

Fire drills also play an important function in the evaluation and revisions of your evacuation procedures, as they can be used to highlight weaknesses and inefficiencies. From the accessibility of your fire exits and safety areas to the way people respond to the fire alarm sound, every part of the process should be reviewed to find any areas of improvement.

The Responsibility of Conducting Fire Drills

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, the party who is responsible for every aspect of fire safety within non-domestic and commercial buildings is the occupier, owner or manager of the premises. Referred to in the legislation as a “responsible person”, the party with the duty of fire safety is in charge of ensuring that all fire safety regulations are complied with.

Duties of the Responsible Person

Should you be designated as the responsible person, you will be in charge of several duties, including emergency planning and fire safety training of employees. You will also be in charge of conducting regular fire drills and keeping a record of them as a part of the fire safety and evacuation plans.

In addition, you should train all new staff on your evacuation procedures when they start their employment with you, as well as inform all members of staff when new fire risks emerge and revisions to the fire safety procedures. It is your responsibility to ensure that everyone in the business is familiar with the correct evacuation procedures and has basic fire safety knowledge, such as how to use a fire extinguisher and understanding what the different fire extinguisher types are used for.

How often should you conduct a fire drill?

Under the legal obligations, the responsible person should ensure that fire drills are carried out at least once per year, and more often in locations of vulnerable people, such as care homes, schools and nurseries.

Effectively Conducting a Fire Drill

Fire drills should be simple and easy to follow. In practice, however, many variables can crop up affecting the effectiveness of the fire evacuation procedure.

As the responsible person, you can improve the chances of success of your fire drill by:

Giving employees prior warning to conducting a fire drill, ensuring that they are aware of any specific information and informing them that their participation is mandatory
Nominating observers to assess the fire drill can help in the revision of the effectiveness of the drill, as well as the behaviour of employees during the drill itself. This is mostly suitable for larger commercial settings
Pre-warning any visitors present at the time of the fire drill

When conducting the fire drill, any responsible persons, as well as nominated observers and fire wardens should:

Ensure that employees use the nearest, most practical escape route, as opposed to the exit most familiar to them
Observing employee behaviours to mark inappropriate acts, such as attempting to retrieve belongings
Track any difficulties with designated escape routes, such as blockages or faulty doors
Note challenges that may occur for people with disabilities, including things such as stair routes, narrow exits or inadequate doors
Ensuring that everyone is present and accounted for during the roll call

Once the Fire Drill is Completed

When the fire drill is finished, the responsible person should:

Keep a detailed log of each fire drill including notes on the success of the evacuation procedure, as well as any issues or inappropriate behaviour demonstrated during the drill
Suggest revisions to the fire safety protocol, procedures and any alterations to the premises. Those should be implemented by specialist fire safety engineers.
Ensure that all findings of significance are recorded in the fire risk assessment and regularly reviewed

If you require advice or guidance on fire safety training, PAT testing, fire alarm servicing or fire extinguisher servicing, give the experts at Cardinal Fire a call today, we are more than happy to help.

Fire Alarm Safety: Comprehensive BS5839 Guide

How much do you know about BS5839? Part 1 of BS5839 (British Standards) is the code of practice for the design, installation, maintenance and commissioning of fire protection alarms and systems for use in non-domestic/commercial premises. If you are a business owner, this is the essential fire safety standard you are required to follow to achieve regulatory compliance with the fire safety regulations in the UK.

Our easy to understand guide on BS5839 will walk you through all there is to know, including the fundamental implications on your day-to-day commercial ventures.

Who Is Required to Abide By BS5839?

The non-domestic/commercial premises referred to in BS5839 Part 1 includes shops, offices, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools, universities and many other public places. Interestingly, it also includes any communal area of domestic dwellings – such as hallways, corridors and stairwells – where multiple people may be affected by a fire within a common location.

This is why, if you are the responsible person for a commercial building, whether it’s an office building, a kitchen or a factory, you should familiarise yourself with the requirements of BS5839 to ensure that you have completed your legal duties.

Why is a Fire Alarm System or Fire Detection System Needed?

Within the Foreword of BS5839 (pp iv-vi), it is stipulated that:

“National building regulations require fire detection and fire alarm systems to be installed in many buildings at the time of construction. In addition, legislation requires that, where necessary to safeguard relevant persons in case of fire, existing premises are equipped with “appropriate fire detection and fire alarm systems”.

The guidelines also provide a non-exhaustive table demonstrating examples of non-domestic premises for the purpose of practicality, which is found in Annex A (pp 130-131). The table gives the commonly expected examples of public places and buildings that BS5839 may apply to, but it does not strictly enforce that all premises found within the table “are required by law to have such systems installed” (p v-vi).

Generally, it is advisable to abide by the best practices when approaching fire safety on any non-domestic/commercial premises, always starting with a fire risk assessment that can determine the overall fire safety of a location, as well as if a fire detection or fire alarm system is beneficial or required and which type would be the most appropriate.

Fire Alarm and Fire Detection Systems: Defined

Various fire detection systems and fire alarm systems exist to protect premises of multiple sizes and use-cases. Systems range from basic, rudimentary designs which require manual input to alert others of fire, to high-tech wireless fire detection systems.

You should also be aware that Part 1 of BS5839 does not refer to the systems which have a primary purpose of controlling or extinguishing fire (such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers), nor does it cover:

Systems that combine fire alarm functions with function not relating to fire alarms
Voice alarm systems
Emergency service call systems
Audiovisual guidance systems (i.e. emergency lights)

When determining what alarm or fire detector type is suitable for your premises, Annex A of BS5839 refers to various categories of systems and the type of premises they are most appropriate for.

What are the Categories of Systems and Alarms?

The BS5839 Part 1 recommends types of alarm and detection systems based on the location and objective of the systems – referred to as Categories/

Category L Systems

Category L systems are charged with protecting life, with the focus on prioritising areas of high fire risk, escape routes and fire exits. Category L systems levelled: the lower the number, the more protection the category L system corresponds to.

Category L5 – Specific Design

Category L5 systems do not strictly conform to the requirement of the other for L categories, instead, they are systems that are designed around very specific requirements particular to the location and other risk factors highlighted by the fire risk assessment.

Category L4 – Escape Routes

This refers to fire detection systems that have been installed only on escape routes and not inner rooms.

Category L3 – Escape Routes and Any Rooms Opening Onto Escape Routes

A commonly found fire alarm system in public buildings and premises, these systems typically include smoke detectors on every escape route, as well as every room that connects to escape routes.

Category L2 – Escape Routes, Rooms Opening Onto Escape Routes and High-Risk Inner Rooms

Category L2 systems can be considered similar to the L3 but with the added scope of including inner rooms determined as “high-risk”, without the requirement of the room having to be connected directly to an escape route.

Such rooms are deemed as at a high enough risk of fire that they require dedicated fire detection.

Category L1 – Complete Coverage Protection

Requiring manual call points, automatic fire detection and fire detectors in every room, category L1 buildings require fire detection systems throughout the entire premises, typically used in buildings that house a higher proportion of vulnerable people through its primary usage.

When calculating for an L1 system, a “room” is anything over 1 metre squared.

Category M Systems

Manual-only systems, these premises require manual call points to be installed on all corridors and exits, where people do not have to walk more than 45m before reaching a call point.

Interestingly, all category L systems begin as an M system and then level up to an L system when fire risk assessments deem it appropriate and necessary.

System M-only will typically be found in kiosks, sub-buildings, small buildings and buildings which are barely occupied.

Category P Systems

Category P systems are those which are designed for property protection (not life protection) as their primary purpose. These systems are far rarer than category L and M systems, specifically because most buildings have some sort of human occupancy at all times, even if just a night watchman/security guard.

P category systems are typically installed in unoccupied buildings, such as unmanned warehouses, as such, these systems will be connected to Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) and signal a call to the Fire Services to attend to any blaze.

Category P1

Automatic fire detection systems installed in all areas of the building, a category P1 system will be used to detect any signs of fire as soon as reasonably possible.

Category P2

P2 systems will not have automatic fire detection systems installed in every area of the building, instead, the only parts of the premises outfitted with a P2 system will be the ones determined as a high fire risk by a fire risk assessment.

Primary Design Decisions to Consider When Selecting the Most Appropriate Fire Alarm and Detection Systems

The legislation also highlights numerous design considerations, including the most appropriate system category for certain building types and their fire safety requirements. The recommendations found within the legislation provide clear guidelines and advice to consider, with reference to the British Standards.

Type of System

Here, the category of the property will typically determine the category of fire detection and alarm systems required, detailed by a thorough fire risk assessment, as written on p17 of the BS5839.

System Components

All components selected to be used as part of the overall system installed/intended to be installed must conform to British Standards or Harmonised European Standards and should be tested against these standards.

Detection Zones

Dividing the building into detection zones which are commonly installed with manual call points or automatic detectors to guarantee that fire responders are alerted to the specific location of the fire. These are appropriate for all building types, bar the smallest.

Monitoring and Reliability of the System

The design of the system should be done so to limit the scope and effect of any fault of the system: if there is a fault, there is required to be an alert system in place to inform the necessary parties of a need for maintenance or replacement.

Alarm Zones

Complex buildings require a fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) that sometimes includes a phased evacuation process, requiring separate alarm zones. The guidelines recommend that, at the boundaries of each separate alarm zone, the construction should be composed of fire-resistant walls.

Direct Communication with Fire and Rescue

Some systems will require a direct alert system with fire and rescue services, some will not, Category L and M systems do not require an automatic connection to the emergency services as a telephone call is adequate. Where buildings are always occupied, an automatic communication system may be appropriate.

Audiovisual Alarm Systems and Warnings for the Hearing Impaired

All alarm systems must be adequate to warn all people as intended. Where appropriate, it may be advisable to include visual representations of an alarm, as well as an audible one, for those who are hearing impaired.

For buildings with sleeping quarters, it may be necessary to add tactile devices under pillows or mattresses that are connected to the fire alarm system.

Manual Call Points

All manual call points must be explicitly placed and easily discernible from non-call points, whilst being distributed in such a way that it is absolutely impossible to exit a building or transfer to a different floor or building without passing at least one.

Fire Detector Types

All fire detectors must be designed to detect at least one (or more) component of fire:

Combustion gas
Heat
Infrared/Ultraviolet radiation
Smoke

Multi-sensor fire detectors also exist to detect fire via multiple sensors and ways.

Other important factors to consider – particularly in light of recommendations from the fire risk assessment – are:

Speed of detection/response
Minimising of false alarms
Nature of any fire hazard present

Installation Issues

Some very basic guidelines and principles should be followed when designing and installing new fire detection and alarm systems.

Compliance Responsibilities

Crucially, under Section 4 of BS5839 Part 1, one organisation must have accepted responsibility within the section. In short, even though multiple parties could be involved from the design process all the way through to the installation and final handover, one party must still have accepted overall responsibility for compliance: such as a fire risk assessment company, who can suggest and sell fire alarm and detection systems, but contracts out the installation process to a third party.

Limiting False Alarms and False Fire Alarm Signals

Section 3 of BS5839 stipulates that false alarms must be limited as much as possible, in terms of their design and installation: for example, installing a smoke detector in a bathroom should be avoided.

Once Installed

The handover of fire detection and alarm systems is covered on pages 109-116 of the Standard, detailing the completion of the process from initial survey to final signoff. Post-installation has several phases, detailed below.

Commissioning

This process comprises a complete and comprehensive test of the installation, along with the recommendations of the standard, as well as the system specification via the designer’s requirements.

P 4, 109 details that all tests and work must be performed by a competent person: with relevant education and experience, up-to-date training and the ability to perform all tasks with reference to all reference materials and design drawings.

Documentation

All records and pertinent documentation must be provided to the end-user of the system, as part of the commissioning process.

One article of documentation that is crucial to hand over to the end-user is that of the most accurate “as-fitted” systems drawings, maintenance manuals and system-specific operation documents.

Other important documentation required for handover purposes include:

Installations and commissioning of the system
Relevant records
Logbook for all system events
Relevant records – such as those detailing variations on the original design specification

BS5839 Certification

Once the commissioning of the system has been complete, certificates are to be granted for all three distinct setup stages: design, installation and commissioning. P 133 specifies that individuals or organisations who carry out each certification must be competent enough to verify that the recommendations – of the Standard – have been satisfied, or not.

After all, certifications have been completed, a formal handover to the purchaser/end-user can be performed. At this stage, crucially, the company that has agreed to bear contractual responsibility for the system provides a certificate of acceptance to the end-user.

After handover has been finalised – as well as the final stages, such as certification – the daily running and maintenance of the system falls to the management of the property that the system is installed in. The maintenance section of the Standard is found on pp 117-127.

Fire Alarm System Maintenance & Testing

All fire alarm systems are subject to regular fire alarm testing procedures, as described below:

Weekly Maintenance

P 117 recommends five practices to maintain on a weekly basis, for the maintenance of the system:

Testing the operation of the manual call point during working hours
Test to be performed at approximately the same time every week
Extra tests a least once per month for those employees who are not present during the weekly test
For those systems with multiple manual call points: a different one must be tested each week
Routine tests should be no longer than one minute so that employees and other occupants can distinguish between tests and real fire alarms

Monthly Maintenance

The Standard features two recommendations for the monthly assessment of the system, which is found on p 188:

For systems with a standby power supply that are utilised via an automatic generator, the generator should be tested on a monthly basis
Standby power which is provided by vented batteries, the batteries should receive a visual inspection. Additionally, the vented batteries and their connections would be inspected quarterly by a competent person (in battery installation and maintenance).

The Importance of Fire Alarm Systems Maintenance

Even the most advanced fire alarm and detection systems will need routine maintenance and human inspection to ensure consistent performance and reliability.

Three key reasons to maintain and test your system include:

Familiarise employees and other occupants with the fire alarm
Determine all faults which have been signalled and rectify them appropriately
To eliminate the possibility of major faults or failures within the system

As fire inspection and maintenance are specialist jobs, they are typically performed by an expert, third-party contractors in fire alarm servicing, who can demonstrate their competence by way of third-party certification.

Servicing and Inspection of the System

It is crucial that inspection and servicing are carried out on the system, in addition to the weekly and monthly maintenance inspections: this is to locate any faults, rectify them appropriately.

To maintain compliance with BS5839-1, the period between inspection and servicing of the system should not exceed six months, with absolutely no latitude for flexibility on this timeframe.

Responsibility of the System and Premises

The core aim of any fire detection and alarm system is the protection of life and property: maintenance, testing and inspections are crucial to the system functioning, pursuant to the objective.

Without prior planning, the process of maintenance can get messy, which is why the Standard recommends that a company nominates a single point of contact, from the premises management team, to “supervise all matters pertaining to the fire detection and fire alarm system”. Responsibilities of the nominated person include:

Record keeping of system records and other relevant documentation
Ensuring the system is protected against developments that may impact negatively prior standard of protection it offered or contributed to false alarms
Providing clear evidence of compliance with fire safety legislation
Maintaining fire safety knowledge of employees and other occupants of the premises via fire safety training

The system logbook is a document of crucial importance, this should include the details of the delegated fire safety manager, as well as record each event that is relevant to the system – scheduled, or not, P 129 specifies that real-time amendments of the logbook are helpful to those parties who may conduct inspection or maintenance on the system, as well as those delegated as fire safety management/supervisor in the future.

Armed with this summarised BS5838 guide, you should feel more confident handling your fire safety responsibilities at work but if you require any more help, please feel free to get in touch with the Cardinal Fire team for advice today.







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