Multi Storey Car Parks

[Redone]

Can anybody direct me to multi storey car park safety/fire guidance info, that is out there please.

Owner has been told to fit a fire alarm...

30 year old stand alone carpark, 603 spaces, on approximately 3/4 separate levels (including Ground Floor). Open sides, there are three separate stairwell exits and a pedestrianised ramp, at least one attendant on duty which increases to at least 2 to 4 on Market Days.

The opening hours are 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. each day apart from Sunday which is 9.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.

[nearlythere]

Told to fit an alarm by whom?

[nearlythere]

Unless there is something new or local the 1995 Code of practice for ground floor, multi-storey and underground car parks by APEA is quite good, but no mention of fire alarm system.

[kurnal]

Risk assessment material I would suggest.
A few suggestions may be :
Is there any chance that a fire in any level of the car park could put people at risk so requiring an evacuation?
Is it all above ground and are the exit staircases protected routes?
Is there any cctv or other risk control measures in place?
Could the staff prevent people and cars entering if there was a fire?
would people respond to bells or sirens- would a PA be of more use even if not to fire alarm standards?

There is some information in the 5588 series usually where the car parks are ancillary to a shopping centre for example, and the ADB has just about enough information to design a car park from a fire safety point of view.
Dont think theres any hard and fast requirement outside the risk assessment approach for your scenario though.  
Hope these ramblings help a little.

[AnthonyB]

Theres no standard approach seen in practice - some were built with nothing, others had a 240V AC manual system. Over time some places have retained the alarm & changed it to 24V, others have removed it, pretty similar story with hose reels etc in MCP's

The main problem with alarms & hoses/extinguishers in MCPs is high vandalism rates & is why several that aren't attached to buildings (& the odd one that is!) settle for rising mains (patchy servicing though) and emergency lighting (often to the stair only with exit boxes to storey exits from the car park levels) and either have no alarms & reels or have removed them.

Like everyone says, it's mainly down to risk assessment.