Call point testing in flats

[kurnal]

The counter to the reverse alarp argument can be,  in many cases,  "if I built this today what would the current design benchmarks say I need to install to create an acceptable level of safety"?

[hammer1]

Daily checks were dropped from BS 5266-1 years ago.

Are they still not in BS5266 Part 8? in regards to a visual inspection?.

[TFEM]

Gentlemen, the following is taken from Williams third post on this topic.

44.2 Recommendations for weekly testing by the user

When testing the fire detection and fire alarm 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.


Could somebody please explain what this last sentence actually means to somebody that doesn't do alarms but is involved on the periphery of a dispute over whether the sounders can be turned off during a call point test. We've already established that it isn't purely a test of the little red box on the wall.

Thanks.

John

[Graeme]

basically that means if you test the break glass unit -then you should hear the sounders going and if connected to a remote monitoring centre, they have received the fire signal.

you are not expected to run round the building and confirm that all the sounders are working.

and test the system through the day.

[AnthonyB]

The live sounder testing element of the weekly test rises in importance where site make their service firms do silent service visits - if you didn't check the sounders weekly they would never get tested in many buildings.

[TFEM]

Thanks......so would I be right in saying that the sounders in the circuit/zone that the tested call point is on should be audible thereby confirming that the alarm system is operating correctly?

Sounders in other zones can be silenced for the duration of that specific call point test?

John

[Mike Buckley]

No, all the sounders should sound to show that the entire system is working correctly.

The usual practice is to test the fire alarm at a set day and time every week. Hopefully if the alarm does not sound in another area of the building someone will come up to you and ask you why the fire alarm test didn't happen, which would indicate a fault. The purpose of using a different call point each test is to check that every zone is working on a rotating basis.

Generally fire alarm systems are very robust and do not go wrong that often so this procedure is adequate.

Obviously if there is a zoned fire evacuation system in place and the fire alarm will only go off in certain areas, each zone of the evacuation system needs to be teste4d weekly.

[kurnal]

The other purpose of the weekly test is to demonstrate the sound of the alarm to the staff. Silent mode is not quite so effective in this regard.

[colin todd]

Daily checks were dropped from BS 5266-1 years ago.
Are they still not in BS5266 Part 8? in regards to a visual inspection?.

No Hammy, they are not. Only a check of the visual indicator on a CB PSU, which are far from common.

TFEM, All that is necessary is to operate a single call point, and check that the CIE is not dead by hearing alarms sounding.  As someone said, you hope that people will tell you if the alarm is not adequately audible in their area.

 
 
 

[TFEM]

Thanks for your help gentlemen.

The guy that was annoyed by a tinkling bell once a week has instructed the responsible person to carry on as before following advice from their fire risk assessor, fire alarm company,  your comments on the forum, uncle Tom Cobbly and the realisation that he can't win.

John