BS 5839 Part 6 2019

[jasper]

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts were on the new Part 6? Looking at the housing association viewpoint on this please correct me if wrong!! The way I see it is that under the RRO the FRA stop's at the front door so cannot be flagged and the inside is covered by the Housing Act 2004. Whereby the only assessment made that covers fire safety (although briefly) is HHSRS and this has not changed since 2006 so how would this be enforced ( I know that the BS is only a standard and not legislation)

[AnthonyB]

Being involved in a large social housing tower block refurbishment project where 90% is going to be LA social housing and 10% remains in private hands a multiagency approach was taken, issues affecting common parts (front doors, alarms in flats as part of a common full evac policy if adopted, external cladding, filling in of redundant common heating ducting penetrating slab floors between flats) would be enforced by the FRS if the RP didn't deal with these, the RP in turn asked the LA Housing to carry out HHSRS enforcement visits of the private flats (where the RP couldn't do these works themselves) and is issuing Improvement Notices to get the front doors changed, ducting filled, detection fitted and any other high risk items found (even if not relevant to the common parts)

Reference will be made to the current standards in notices.

The standard change caused a hiccup, the work started before Pt 6:2019 and so only Grade D was specified for flat devices and a crate of hundreds of alarms were bought, but they were removable battery back up. The new part 6 differentiates between removable and sealed back up power and for this site would require D1 (sealed) but those installed and bought to be installed were D2. Arguably as the project spec predated the change then it's not retrospective but stakeholders not unreasonably questioned if it would be better to change them all. It was agreed due to the planned management set up in the property with daily and weekly flat checks the risk of prolonged alarm defeat was deemed low so the D2 kit install will be completed.

[Seetek]

The BS is not retrospective and applies to new installations or if existing is end of life. Assuming these are flats, new systems would have to be LD2 Grade D1/2 as required.

If the HA requests Type 3 FRAs these should cover AFD in flats and should comment on what is present (LD3 minimum) so this would be on record. So the issue would be if the HA refused to instal LD2 when required when replacing existing alarms. Any alarm company should record this as a non-compliance under the new BS on commissioning/testing certs.

As regards enforcement, the matter would need to be raised by tenants with the Local AuthorityHousing Officer to see if they would act.

Then other eventuality is if following a fire fatality a Coroner's Court is held, the FRS investigation would report to the Coroner if detection was substandard (where a higher standard was required).

The overriding question would be why would any responsible HA not fit LD2 when replacing a system? Also, I was told by a HA that they think flats may come under the FSO after the Grenfell report is issued. I am not sure as this would be radical but who knows?