Strange fire alarm system in the New Year 2008 ???

[Chris Houston]

Enforcement
Notwithstanding regulation 3 of the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1989(a), the enforcing authority in relation to fire safety signs provided in pursuance of regulation 4(4) as applied by regulation 4(3) (signs provided to comply with the provisions of any enactment) shall be-
(a) the Health and Safety Executive,  in the case of-
(i) premises where the Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations
1976(') apply; or
(ii) premises and activities to which these Regulations apply by virtue of
paragraph (2) (b) of regulation 3;
(b) in any other case, the authority or class of authorities responsible for
enforcing the relevant provision of the enactment which applies to the
case.

It's late in the day, but does your quote not confirm my thoery that the HSE enforce this?

[kurnal]

The last quote was from the Regs themselves.

Heres the relevant clause from the guidance  document L64

Enforcing authority for fire safety
115 Further advice on the application of these Regulations to fire safety signs
can be obtained from your enforcing authority for fire safety, that is, from fire
officers, environmental health officers or building control officers of local
authorities, or in cases where the Fire Certificates (Special Premises)
Regulations 1976 apply,(a) HSE inspectors.

Tis my belief and understanding that unless special premises where fire safety is enforced by the HSE in all respects, the Fire Authority are, under these Regs, the enforcement authority for fire safety signs under both the fire safety order and the signs and signals regs. The Fire Safety Order may require more signs than those under Signs and Signals regs and bring in the whole issue of BS5499.............

[JonnyG]

Thanks for the update guys!! I only service 1 school with a 240v system, it does have battery backup. Will just have to deliver the bad news on the next service.

[AnthonyB]

240V with a battery back up? Does it use an inverter?

It's probably a very old 24V system - identical looking to it's more common contemporary 240V only system using the same equipment - the only outward way of telling was if you found a battery box (which was sometimes nowhere near the panel- seen one with the drop flag panels in a cupboard at the entrance and the batteries in an obscure room in the basement)or the bells still had their data plates on showing they were DC bells not AC.

[JonnyG]

It does use an inverter, plans are already in progress for an upgrade.