testing of fire alarms

[ps]

good idea - now all we need to do is find an interested resident or two!

Many thanks again guys - as always you've been a great help.

[Clevelandfire 3]

Good luck with that

Sorry to be sceptical but ive heard many a fire officer and supposed risk assessor suggest that a resident check the system daily and do fire alar tests weekly

Let me introduce you to the real world PS.

Yeah you might convince a resident to check your fire alarm system daily and test it weekly - and bully for you if they do that.

Most residents however will say they want a fee for doing it. And what if that resident goes on holiday ? Who tests it then?

Look at the British standard . As per usual it is written by people who have no idea of what goes on on planet earth. But hey they get paid well so whats the problem?

Read the BS. It does not state a call point should be tested weekly and anyone who suggests it does had best question their competency. And actually had better find another job because they obviously haven't the first clue what they are doing.

Better still ask a Magistrate or a Judge what they think.

[nearlythere]

Good luck with that

Sorry to be sceptical but ive heard many a fire officer and supposed risk assessor suggest that a resident check the system daily and do fire alar tests weekly

Let me introduce you to the real world PS.

Yeah you might convince a resident to check your fire alarm system daily and test it weekly - and bully for you if they do that.

Most residents however will say they want a fee for doing it. And what if that resident goes on holiday ? Who tests it then?

Look at the British standard . As per usual it is written by people who have no idea of what goes on on planet earth. But hey they get paid well so whats the problem?

Read the BS. It does not state a call point should be tested weekly and anyone who suggests it does had best question their competency. And actually had better find another job because they obviously haven't the first clue what they are doing.

Better still ask a Magistrate or a Judge what they think.

Don't think anyone has said that call point should be tested weekly CF3.
44.2 Recommendations for weekly testing by the user
When testing the fire detection system, there may be a need to isolate ancillary outputs.
The following recommendations apply:
a) Every week, a manual call point should be operated during normal working hours. It should be
confirmed that the control equipment is capable of processing a fire alarm signal and providing an output
to fire alarm sounders, and to ensure that the fire alarm signal is correctly received at any alarm
receiving centre to which fire alarm signals are transmitted. It is not necessary to confirm that all fire
alarm sounder circuits operate correctly at the time of this test.
NOTE 1 It is essential that any alarm receiving centre is contacted immediately before, and immediately after, the weekly test

Agree though that daily and weekly user checks are very much OTT.

[Midland Retty]

I have to say Cleveland I think you are being incredibly sceptical, and some of your comments are both unfair and untrue.

I deal with many Operators and landlords of HMOs and sheltered schemes who rely on trusted tenants or residents to keep any eye on the fire alarm system, report any faults, undertake weekly tests, reset the panel etc

So long as they are given appropriate training I don't see any issue with that. Look again Cleveland the BS infact does recommend that testing is undertaken weekly, remember it is only a recommendation and in certain types of premises that isn't always possible.

[kurnal]

Hiya Cleveland
As always its horses for courses when it comes to testing fire alarms. Many of the flats built for owner occupiers during the housing boom were fitted- unneccessarily- with fire alarms serving the  common areas. I contend that needed or not , if its there it should be tested and maintained - or removed.

In many cases the common areas and the freehold are owned by a management company, the flat owners all being shareholders of th emanagement company, the whole set up being controlled by covenants on the flats themselves. In these cases the "responsible tenant" concept can work very well, often but not always supplemented by a managing agent who undertakes the more onerous maintenance and tests.

On the other hand I would not recommend it in social housing or fully tenanted settings- but then there is more likely to be a managing agent visiting regularly.

I am interested in your comment that the BS does not recommend weekly test of the system using a fire alarm call point? I would be interested in your reasons for suggesting this. Meanwhile I will hone up my decorating skills.

[AnthonyB]

The testing aspect can be overcome without site occupiers wanting to help as contractors can do the testing, Metro being the name most associated with the weekly/monthly test market.

The main drawback to this is cost of course