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Smoke alarms, are they appropriate.

Sparkingchip
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Part of the communal areas of purpose built sheltered housing flats on three floors with a lift that has a full monitored fire alarm system, that closes the internal fire doors and opens the exterior doors when activated. 


Each individual flat has a heat alarm in its hallway connected to the communal alarm system and also has an Aico interconnected smoke and heat alarm system that is connected to the intercom system allowing the call centre to monitor them and speak to the tenants to ask why they have been activated. 


Can you think of any justification for installing very basic domestic battery operated smoke alarms in the communal areas?


Because I cannot think of any way their installation can be justified, particularly as they will not be monitored in any way and should not be required. 


Andy B
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    You would need sight of the Fire Risk Assessment to determine if they are suitable. You also need to know what the fault is on the Gent panel and what it’s affect is. If for example, the fault prevented some of the self-closing fire doors from operating, then replacing the failed detector(s) with a system that can not close the doors would seem to be inappropriate. If the new detectors alert the managing agents, but they cannot remotely close the fire doors, this would also seem inappropriate. The BS spec for fire alarms requires a percentage of detectors to be held as stock, so assuming a competent fire alarm company is carrying out the work, the provision of spares can not be an issue. 


    Regards,


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    Meanwhile, in the real world, Andy has a situation that concerns him.


    PS Happy new year one and all
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    The fire alarms have been disabled for over two weeks and the battery alarms are still in place, Christmas and New Year have past.


    I have held back on contacting the housing association, but seems  feels like a excessive delay in repairing the system, I assume everyone would agree it’s time to contact them?


    Andy Betteridge
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    Aye from me Andy
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    Email sent and fire brigade copied in on their raise a concern email address.


    I know we all delay things at times, but this delay seems beyond reasonable now.


    Andy Betteridge.
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    Alan Capon:

    You would need sight of the Fire Risk Assessment to determine if they are suitable. You also need to know what the fault is on the Gent panel and what it’s affect is. If for example, the fault prevented some of the self-closing fire doors from operating, then replacing the failed detector(s) with a system that can not close the doors would seem to be inappropriate. If the new detectors alert the managing agents, but they cannot remotely close the fire doors, this would also seem inappropriate. The BS spec for fire alarms requires a percentage of detectors to be held as stock, so assuming a competent fire alarm company is carrying out the work, the provision of spares can not be an issue. 


    Regards,


     




    8641df9b987855d7d4f047dcfd0a9ab5-huge-1c60741f-8bca-4af0-a893-b03639786ca3.jpg


    The final page of the Guide to BS Code 5839-1 confirms what Alan has said about spares for the system being held within the premises.

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    Guide to BS 5839-1 by Colin S. Todd
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    Sparkingchip:
    Guide to BS 5839-1 by Colin S. Todd




    Which I just happen to have on my book shelf.


    I install, maintain, test and certify part six fire alarm systems in homes and HMO’s, but don’t get involved with working on part one fire alarm systems, but when I bought the part six guide several years ago I also bought the part one guide as well for reference.


    Andy Betteridge 


     

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    I emailed the HA and copied in the fire brigade.


    The fire brigade forwarded the email to the personal assistant of their chief fire officer and their legal department as well as replying to me with a letter saying they will be conducting an investigation. I cannot fault the action by the fire brigade as they appear to have passed my email straight up to the highest level within their authority. 


    So I printed the letter from the fire brigade and my original email and hand delivered them to the HA onsite manager.


    I assume someone from the fire alarm contractor has come back up to have another go at fixing the alarm system, however the panel now shows a different error message and is now emitting an intermittent audible warning tone that was not present before. 


    Apparently the alarm has actually been partially disabled for four weeks and it looks like there is not going to be a quick resolution to the problem.

    b6b0f087f7ca5ecd8b70e9792dc65167-huge-20200110_174434.jpg


    Andy Betteridge 




  • 0
    The panel also says Gent 2020 on it rather than Gent 2019, I assume that is just an indication of the year rather than a software update version?


    Andy Betteridge

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