Author Topic: MCP Inside Fats  (Read 3937 times)

Offline SJGBlue

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MCP Inside Fats
« on: July 10, 2024, 10:20:59 AM »
Hi,
I have a Building that has had a fire alarm installed and there are some things I am not sure the alarm is fitted to standard.
The property is a 3 storey house with a basement converted into 4 flats one on each floor.
There is a fire alarm installed in the communal area only with sounders inside each flat and a single MCP at the main entrance, the flats have Mains Battery smoke/heat alarms fitted.

The Basement and ground floor have entrances from the communal area through the main door but also both have a separate exit each on the side of the building.

My question is, do the side exits need to have a Manual Call Point installed next to them?

They are in a self contained flat that has no detection connected to the main fire alarm just a sounder, I am just wondering if a fire broke out in one of these flats they have no way of alerting the other flats unless they go round to the front and activate the call point there.

Also is the chance of accidental false alarms a valid variation to not install MCP on each level in a converted buildings communal area?
thanks
S

Offline AnthonyB

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Re: MCP Inside Fats
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2024, 09:22:01 PM »
I'd be far more concerned that the flats only have a sounder off the common system inside and not a heat detector off it as well near the door to the common areas (as a minimum). If it has a common alarm & thus presumably a simultaneous evacuation policy then that is usually something not to the standard for stay put (compartmentation, lack of suitable common area smoke control, etc) so it's usually vital to sound the alarm whilst the fire is still contained & not yet fully developed in the flat of origin - the detection being a back up in case the occupiers of the flat of fire origin are out when the fire starts or forget to activate a call point.

Flats are not usually provided with call points (access and testing once a year for the detector is bad enough without adding a call point) however this doesn't mean they might never be appropriate - whilst there is a 'typical' minimum specification for an alarm system for simultaneous evacuation in flats it's down to the situation in a particular building as to what is needed and sometimes it's more - I've seen common systems take the place of the flats self contained LD2 system (using conventional zones with hush buttons or the addressable common loop with suitable C&E) or even, albeit rare, a common L1 system covering virtually every area & room, common or flat, in a building, due to the particular scenerio
Anthony Buck
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Offline SJGBlue

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Re: MCP Inside Fats
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2024, 09:58:31 PM »
Thanks AnthonyB.
That makes a lot of sense I did not think about the weekly testing etc.
and the Heat detectors inside the flat entrances will be done!

S