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.

 

 

Stand-alone battery operated call points were designed to be used on building sites, if it is a very small premises you could use one, but equally you could raise the alarm verbally.

Stand-alone alarms can be linked to each other if they are the same brand, but not linked to an existing hard wired fire alarm as they are not compatible. What does the fire risk assessment say?

They are for temporary/site use. Systems in buildings are required by the Health & Safety (Safety Signs & Signals) Regulations 1996 to have two sources of power and a fire alarm system to BS5839-1 is required where the control panel, connected to the mains, powers the system on 24V and has batteries to back up the system if the power fails.

Small single storey premises where a shout could be clearly heard throughout do not need an electrical fire alarm system unless their layout presents a need (e.g. inner room situation) and you could in theory use a stand alone here as more effective than a shout with verbal warning being a back up if it fails.

You can link some standby alarms, but the installation would be non compliant in many ways if not a temporary site.

Many thanks AnthonyB and Green-foam. Your information was very helpful.