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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: james fleming on August 31, 2005, 03:43:00 PM

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: james fleming on August 31, 2005, 03:43:00 PM

The fire precautions (workplace) regulations 1997 highlight that a fire alarm system should be fitted.

Is there any standards as to what constitutes as a fire alarm ie a BS standard.  Or will a number of air horns scattered throughout the building do?

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Graeme on August 31, 2005, 04:09:23 PM

BS 5839 PART 1 2002

No to the airhorns.You need to evacuate people from a building in the event of a fire not make them deaf ;)

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Chris Houston on August 31, 2005, 06:01:14 PM

A hand bell or air horn would only be acceptable in a small, single storey, open plan building where nobody slept.

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Graeme on August 31, 2005, 06:13:56 PM

at a guess by saying a number of airhorns the building is probably bigger.

it would sound like it's a knock out if someone discovered a fire.

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Paul on August 31, 2005, 06:23:57 PM

Could have an automated voice warning system by Stuart Hall!!

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: james fleming on August 31, 2005, 08:59:33 PM

I know how it sounds...but its a residential area.  Three floors.  6 flats and all have people sleeping in them.  

They only have an air horn.

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Graeme on August 31, 2005, 10:05:20 PM

How is this a work place?
Is it flats that someone rents out for a business?

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: james fleming on August 31, 2005, 10:32:59 PM

One of the flats is an office type area.  There are a few staff working from there.  All day, every day.  The main building is a care area where people sleep over in the flats.

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: AnthonyB on August 31, 2005, 10:34:27 PM

BS5839 is the standard for fire alarms, parts 1 & 6 being the ones to refer to (commercial systems & residential)

Airhorns are not very good. With sleeping, early detection is important & smoke alarms are far more useful than any manual alarm.

The small flat block I used to live in voluntarily had 9V single station smoke detectors to each flat & interlinked 240V w/back up smokes to the communal landings

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Graeme on August 31, 2005, 10:48:03 PM

Quote from: james fleming

One of the flats is an office type area.  There are a few staff working from there.  All day, every day.  The main building is a care area where people sleep over in the flats.

suprised you have got away with the airhorns.From what you are describing you need an L1 system,if the patients are sleeping over.

You need to achieve 75Dba at bedhead from the alarm devices.Also comply with the DDA.

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: james fleming on August 31, 2005, 11:13:59 PM

Graeme...thats the sort of information i need to put things right.  If you have more you can e-mail me.

Thanks

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Allen Higginson on September 01, 2005, 12:53:37 AM

Graeme will probably send you the bassic summary on catagory of systems and the associated recommendations but if not pass me your e-mail address and I'll send it on.
It depends on what category is required - you could have a combination of mains smoke detectors in the falsts in conjunction with a L4 system protecting the fire escapes and stairwells.HMO's are a varied bunch!!

Title: Fire Alarms
Post by: Graeme on September 01, 2005, 07:52:20 AM

James

list as much info on here as possible  i.e is it old,handicapped etc peolple who stay over .Self contained flats etc.
a Fire risk assessment will tell you what you need and there are folks more in the know on that subject than me.