Fire Alarm Systems

We have a customer that has a Tunstall nurse call system throughout the building and has smoke alarms linked into each speech unit in each flat, this is powered from the Tunstall unit and has back up battery in each smoke. would this be classed as a grade D fire alarm within the flats? I would argue not as they are not mans powered. if not what grade would this be classed?

Small block of flats - 3 storeys. Ground floor is retail unit. Flats have separate entrance than the retail unit, with 2 flats on the first floor and 1 on the second floor. The front entrance of the block opens into a small courtyard, where there are several other flats (with private entrances). Exit to the street from all the flats (including the communal block) is through a communal enclosed pathway leading to the street. There is 1 MCP in the pathway, near to entrance to the communal block. My question is, do further MCPs need to be installed within the communal block (none there at the moment)? The travel distance from the top floor flat to the existing MCP is a…

Hi, I live in a Victorian terraced house converted into 4 flats over ground and first floor, 2 flats on each floor all privately owned. There is a communal hallway, stairs and landing. Do we need a professional fire alarm system and weekly alarm testing, which seem expensive, one flat owner thinks we do, while 3 think differently, no argument we simply don't know. One flat owner has been told that each flat is responsible for their own flat and the installation of smoke alarms and that the communal area needs emergency lighting. Also that as the house is only ground and first floor, there is little more regulation than an ordinary house, if anybody can help please do, tha…

Hi This is a private block of 21 flats owned by leaseholders and with their own management company. A new leaseholder has said we are legally responsible for the common area (hallway) fire Alarm to be at between 65 and 75 decibels at his bed head in his furthest bedroom with all doors closed. Are we responsible under law to ensure this?

Residential property above a leisure facility. Currently both areas are linked into one fire system so tenants burning toast leads to the whole building being evacuated. What are the advantages and risks in separating out the fire alarm system so that activation in the residential area of the building does not lead to full evacuation of the building as a whole? In short, two separate zones each with their own evacuation procedure but relying on current infrastructure of detection? Thank you in advance IanT

In a refurbished residential care home....Architected has omitted installing smoke detectors inside linen cupboards citing that there is no ignition source (fuse boxes, lights etc.) inside. Would this be appropriate by reliance upon managing the spaces? Thanks Tony

Hi all, Just wanted to get your thoughts on smoke detectors in Open plan kitchens/lounges that form part of the escape route in an L1 multi-occupancy building. As you have to get through the kitchen to escape to me this needs to be a smoke detector or multi to try limit false alarms. 2 Scenarios both for an L1 system; Open plan kitchen/lounge on an escape route Open plan kitchen/lounge not on an escape route what detector would you recommend for both scenarios Thanks

We are nearing completion of a new build and have been asked by the building control officer to explain why a fire detection system lower than grade A has been installed. The system installed by the electrical contractor was an LD2 grade D. The building inspector has seen it earlier in the build and was approving of the fact that we wanted detection in every room and every escape. My contractor has confirmed that as no floor area on any level exceeds 200m sq the regs are met by the system. The building control officer disagrees and wants the plant room and hallway leading to the plant room on a different level to be included in the floor area calcula…

Can you have an alarm system that has a panel and no call points ,it’s block of flats and each flat has its on hyfire detector there are detector heads and smoke vents.

My wife's company works in a separate building (leased) from the main one (100 yards away) in which the fire alarms are on separate systems. She has been told that if the alarm goes off in one building they must phone the other. Surely this cannot be right? What if they don't hear the phone and the assumption is made that the building is unoccupied, and it may not be? They say the alarms cannot be connected. In this day and age, really? Surely all people need to evacuate ASAP and not make a phone call? They won't do a site check to see if anyone is there.

Hello,1 What’s the name of the round silver metal part (that generate sound)?2 I’ve tried to reduce the noise sound, by covering this part with scotch tape, foil, painters tape, rubber, cotton balls…. But it’s still super loud, I bought it to use on my fridge, the door occasionally doesn’t close all the way… I don’t need super loud alarm noise, I need it to be just small alarm noise… Is there any decent way to reduce the noise of this thing?3 It seems whatever touches it (round silver metal part) amplifies the alarm sound…. But I still need to get it in the box and function properly, just need to reduce the sound… I already tried to glue gun the area on the box, it doesn’…

Hi, I've been responsible for the last 10 years, periodically check and testing the fire alarm system and emergency lighting. There is a requirement by the council to provide a certificate this year for this. For the emergency lighting, I have inspected the lighting, performed a simulated power outage for 3 hours. The fire Alarm is tested, incorporates the following Smoke/Fire Detectors. Heat/Fire Detectors. Manual Call Points, to sound the alarm. Central Control Panel for maintenance. Fire Alarm Sounders. The log is updated. Is there any requirement that this can't be self certified by a non qualified electrician?

When are stand alone battery operated manual call points acceptable? Can they be incorporated into an existing alarm system? Are they suitable for office buildings or medium sized buildings used for engineering/fabrication? Any advice is much appreciated.

If a house has three storeys and it has been converted into flats, then I understand that it will need a Grade A fire alarm system. What about if there are three storeys, but there are only 2 flats. I.e. there is a flat on the ground floor, but the two upper floors are just one (2 storey) flat. They may even have their own private staircase from the ground floor (behind a closed fire door), which means that the only communal area is the ground floor lobby. Does this building still need a Grade A alarm system? Thanks

When installing a new Fire Alarm system to BS5839-1, what is the maximum distance allowed between the exit door and the MCP? I have looked at BS5839-1 but cannot find anywhere that states a specific distance (only heights from floor)?

We manage an office block of 6 floors - some of the floor levels are unoccupied due to COVID. Building strategy is full / simultaneous evacuation (approx. 300 people). At present, the fire alarm is a single knock system - would it be acceptable (subject to risk assessment) to change the system, or just the system on unoccupied floors, to a double-knock style? We are worried that faulty detectors in unoccupied levels may result in the whole building evacuating unnecessarily. The idea is that if a double knock system is introduced, if the alarm panel shows a detection in unoccupied areas, the site security / reception can investigate, and then after 5-6 mins, t…

Hi folks Just a quick query for you experts. For a company maintaining fire alarm systems in a university, do they have the leeway of 1M before/after the due date to do the maintenance? Thanks John

There has been a recent Fire Risk Assessment with a declared deficiency, which is described below: Property: Victorian terraced building that has been converted into 3 private single dwelling one-bedroom flats, one on each floor. Each flat is self contained with single occupancy. Each Flat leads directly to the communal area that comprises an entrance hallway, stairs with a landing on the first floor. The communal area is also the fire escape route. Fire Risk Assessment deficiency: "Recommendation is made to install an automatic fire alarm system for purpose-built flats and buildings converted into self-contained flats to a standard not i…

Good Evening I am near completion on my 2 bed flat we conducted minor changes to our kitchen without the consent of the free holders have requested retrospective consent from our free holderthey constructed fire assessments yo help make there decision although the report stated no increased risk consent has not been given we need to know what the next step to take . Thank you Pauline

I may have asked this in another topic( but waiting for approval and not sure if it went through) Situation : 1800 Victorian conversion, History : boarding house / hotel/hotel with flats/ now all flats, last conversion 2003 signed off by council building control in 2004, - fire panel been maintained by a local company since 2005, Basement flat with own entrance / small 3m corridor to main door, In the area are the electric meters and the Alarm control panel 2nd basement flat- round the back of building- own entrance, Ground floor flat own entrance ( also at back) Rest of the 6 flats accessed through a central front door and a staircase FRA- Re…

Hi, Are you aware if it is a legal requirement for commercial tenants to be notified of a fire alarm sounder test prior to the test being carried out every week under the health and safety at work act? They are aware of a window when it is due to be tested. Thanks

Hello, I have been maintaining, fault finding and servicing fire alarm systems in excess of 20 years. I have recently been questioned regarding a routine maintenance regarding a fault on a panel. Could anyone please answer the following questions? Is a non working fault buzzer on a fire alarm panel classed as a critical condition? Can a system be serviced with this fault present? Is this issue documented in BS5839? For the different companies I have worked for over the years it has been practiced that the system should not to be serviced until the critical fault has been rectified.

Morning I have a small office building on site which is around 60 sqm with 2 floors, 5 offices a kitchen and external boiler room. Normally there will be 4 office staff in the building who are all familiar with the lay out which has 1 exit. My question is do I need to install some kind of fire alarm system or would hardwired interlinked smoke alarms suffice? Thanks in advance.

TLDR: is there a legal requirement to have a landlords supply to power an L2 alarm system? Mornin'. We're under the cosh from an iffy managing agent. I'm one of four leasehold flats in a three story Victorian semi, converted to flats in the mid 1980s. It's an HMO for fire/health/safety purposes. Apologies if this is more of an 'HMO' forum question. Ryefield board, meters etc are the external steps to the main front door. At present, I'm supplying electricity to the common parts from my aged metal CU (conveniently situated above the door to my flat, ie inches from the common parts). Bit of a mishmash... a PIR porch light and associated immersion timer appears …

Can software be used between the fire alarm system in a building, and the alarm alert to the local fire brigade?