Author Topic: Detection in small bedsits  (Read 1967 times)

Offline Suttonfire

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Detection in small bedsits
« on: February 15, 2021, 08:00:33 PM »
Would it generally be required to be acceptable to have a single heat detector only in a hotel room which has been converted into a self contained unit containing basic cooking facilities (electric hob, mircrowave etc). Or would you consider that a fire could become established and present a life safety risk to the sleeping occupant prior to the alarm being activated?

The closest guidance I can find is on bedsits and BS 5839-6 appears to indicate that a heat detector on it's own is acceptable; whilst Lacors states that smoke detection should be in place to protect the sleeping occupants.

Offline AnthonyB

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Re: Detection in small bedsits
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2021, 06:57:05 PM »
Problem is that smoke risks going off all the time, especially if it's a smallish room. Heat on the main system for the main building & occupiers, Part 6 D1 self contained smoke for the occupier?

In larger rooms with combined sleeping & cooking I've seen a heat near the cooking area  and a smoke near the bed in the far corner as far away from the 'kitchen' as spacing rules allow and false alarms haven't been an issue.

BS5839-6:2019 is newer than LACORS, which is under review, so it would be logical to follow the latest approach.

This may give some thoughts too: https://www.fia.uk.com/static/uploaded/0a4a27c8-1216-4dbc-b609d2f157e1b34f.pdf
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Offline Suttonfire

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Re: Detection in small bedsits
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2021, 07:25:41 PM »
Thanks, given that the sleeping occupants risk profile is high in this case, i wouldn't feel comfortable relying on heat detectors alone (I ended up advising stand alone D1 smoke detectors in addition). Although the rooms are very small in some cases, so false alarms will be a potential problem. Thanks for the FIA guidance.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2021, 07:27:53 PM by Suttonfire »