Hello - Hoping someone can cast some clarity on a suitable system for some stand-alone office pods.

I'm supplying / building some stand-alone office pods (think garden office type buildings - one room and a small WC - 6.2m long / 3.2m wide) for a commercial project. They'll be 4 pods sited approx. 5m from each other and will be used for general computer based office rooms in the grounds of a larger commercial office building.

We have specified a stand-alone, category M fire combined fire alarm and manual call point located at the entrance/exit to the pod along with a smoke alarm with additional sounder in the main office room and wc - see attached pdf showing the floorplan and provision.

Building control feedback is saying that 

specification is insufficient, manual call point

systems must be installed in accordance with BS5839 2017 part 1 as such

require a fire alarm panel etc. the specification notes must be increased to

demonstrate compliance.

As such could anybody help me out as to what extra specification we would need or indeed a change to what ive currently specified to fall in line with regulations. This is a little out of my knowledge and so some guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks ?

POD floorplan.pdf

The problem is that you have specified a mix of domestic (BS5839-6) and temporary construction site equipment (no standard compliance) for a finished non residential building and building control are correctly applying the requirement for a commercial grade alarm to BS5839-1 from Approved Document B to the Building Regulations (see below graphic). The construction site call points wouldn't meet the Health & Safety (Signs & Signals) Regulations 1996 either as these require fire alarm signals to have two power sources (not mains only or battery only)

As a small office you don't need detection so they only require the system to have manual call points and sounders off a control panel (Category M).

Of course you could simplify things even more (& reduce costs) by not providing any fire alarm as the pod is so small and the following provisions from ADB can apply:
General provisions

1.1 All buildings should have arrangements for detecting fire and raising the alarm. In most buildings, fires are detected by people, either by sight or smell, and therefore often nothing more is needed.

1.2 In some small buildings/premises, the means of raising the alarm may be simple (for example, a shouted warning). In assessing appropriate solutions, warnings need to be heard and understood throughout the premises.

Many thanks Anthony! Clarity restored ? 

Best regards.