Fire alarm Hush Buttons

It is common place to specified a Fire alarm with a “Hush Button” facility within HMO’s.

Around 80% of all UK fire deaths and injuries occur in dwellings. Nowhere is the risk greater than in houses of multiple occupation where a fire in one ‘dwelling’ can quickly spread to another.

Unfortunately, an increased risk of fire means an increased risk of fire alarm systems, that produce false alarms. Failure to reduce false alarms can lead to unnecessary building evacuations, irate tenants, system vandalism and true fire alarm signals being ignored.

Hush Button fire alarm solution tackles all of these issues head on.

Designed to work with a wide range of fire alarm system protocols, from the leading fire detection companies, Apollo XP95 or Hochiki ESP analogue addressable fire alarm systems, it meets and exceeds the requirements of BS 5839 part 6 (the code of practice for fire alarm systems in dwellings) by providing reliable, fully monitored fire detection, alarm and silencing facilities INSIDE each individual flat or apartment.

Recommendations for fire alarm detection zones

If the fire alarm manual call points are located on the landings of an enclosed stairway, the manual call point on each level, other than a final exit level from the stairway, should be incorporated within the
fire detection zone that serves the adjacent accommodation on that level. A fire alarm manual call point located within the stairwell at a final exit to open air may be incorporated within the fire detection zone serving the stairwell.

If the total floor area of the building is greater than 300 m2, each fire detection zone should be restricted to a single storey.

If the total floor area of the building is less than 300 m2 a zone may cover more than a single storey.

When designing a fire alarm, voids above or below the floor area of a room, these may be included within the same zone of the room, provided that the voids and the room constitute a single fire compartment.

Fire alarm detection zones

In order to direct those responding to a fire alarm activation, particularly the fire brigade, to the area of a fire, all buildings, other than very small buildings, need to be divided into detection zones.

The fire detection zones need to be of a size, small enough for a fire to be located quickly.
Even if the fire alarm system is addressable, detection zone indication needs to be provided, as this often provides a quicker, albeit less specific, indication of the location of a fire than typical addressable fire alarm text displays. Zone indicators also provide a simple “at a glance” overview of the extent of fire or smoke spread.
If the fire alarm is raised by a manual call point, as opposed to an automatic detector, fire detection zone indication might be misleading; on discovery of a fire a person might operate a manual call point that is a considerable distance from the fire incident. The benefits of zoning in a Category M system are, therefore, less significant.

If a fire alarm detector is concealed in a relatively inaccessible area (such as a floor or ceiling void), it is normally
desirable to provide a remote indication of its operation. In an addressable fire alarm system, the provision of an
individual remote indicator might not be necessary provided that the location of each fire detector is clearly indicated at the control and indicating equipment.

Why do I need Fire Alarm Monitoring?

A question a person would ask a fire alarm company, is “Why do I need fire alarm monitoring"

The reason could be explained by the following. The majority of fires start after normal working hours, and if your premises are unattended, vital minutes can pass before a ringing bell gets noticed, and even if it was heard, would you be confident a passer by would react
accordingly and call the appropriate services. With fire
alarm monitoring, as soon as the fire detection has detected the fire, a signal will be on its way to a central monitoring station within seconds enabling them to summon the required help immediately.

24 Hour Alarm Monitoring
By having a monitored fire alarm system you are ensuring
that your property is watched over 24 hours a day 7
days a week. Monitoring has a wide range of applications
including commercial, industrial, government and residential.
A fire alarm company such as Fire Systems Ltd provide a remote monitoring service around the clock. This includes the monitoring of fire
alarm systems and building management systems. When an
alarm is activated, the ARC operators will immediately
notify the emergency services in the event of a fire.. Keyholders
and building managers are also notified.

Fire Alarms

Automatic fire alarm systems provide the earliest possible warning of a fire situation, enabling the building to be safely evacuated if required and the fire tackled in a safe manner.

Fire Systems Ltd, design, supply, install, commission and maintain fire detection systems, fire alarm systems, and especially wireless fire alarm systems.

Business has a duty to provide and maintain effective systems to ensure legal compliance and the requirements of most insurers is met by our:

• Biannual or quarterly service of your fire alarm system in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and in compliance to BS 5839
• Our engineers trained to service a wide range of fire detection systems by various manufacturers, covering open and managed protocol fire alarm systems

Our experienced and highly skilled fire alarm engineers will work with you to support your business in the best possible way.

Why not visit our website for more information, on www.firesystems.co.uk

Fire alarm test and inspection

In the form of two six monthly fire alarm maintenance visits, the following work is to be carried out every year.

The switching mechanism of every fire alarm break glass call point should be tested, either by removal of a frangible element, insertion of a test key or operation of the device as it would be operated in the event of fire.

All automatic fire detection devices should be examined, as far as practicable, to ensure that they have not been damaged or painted. Then every fire alarm detector should be test-operated. The tests used need prove only that the detectors are connected to the fire system, are operational and are capable of responding to the phenomena they are designed to detect; they need not prove the sensitivity of the detector.

Smoke detectors should be operated by a method that confirms that smoke can enter the detector chamber and produce a fire alarm signal such as simulated smoke or suitable aerosols. Use of a test button or test magnet, does not satisfy this recommendation.

Every heat detector should be operated by means of a suitable heat source, unless operation of the detector in this manner would then necessitate replacement of part or all of the sensing element (e.g. as in fusible link point detectors or non-integrating line detectors).

All of the above, should be part of your fire alarm maintenance.

Fire alarm maintenance and routine testing

Fire alarm maintenance is a legal requirement under the Fire Safety Order 2006. Although your fire alarm system incorporates a high degree of monitoring so that faults are indicated automatically, it is still necessary for you to ensure that all fault indications that appear on the fire alarm panel are identified so that you can take appropriate action. The importance of regular testing being carried out is to ensure that there has not been any minor or major system failure, between the visits for the fire alarm maintenance. It also helps the site personnel to familiarise themselves with the operation of the fire alarm panel and testing of the fire detection.

The routine testing of the fire alarm system also provides an opportunity for all the occupants of the building to become familiar with the alarm and the signals that it produces. If your alarm has staged signal that give both an “Alert” and an “Evacuate” alarm, both signals should be operated when each test is carried out to ensure that the occupants are aware of the existence of both signals and their different meanings.

Fire alarm maintenance, should be carried out as a minimum, every six months.

Fire Alarm issue at Euston station

Issues have been raised as to  whether fire alarm and fire detection equipment was working properly when apparently, smoke was spotted coming from an escalator at Euston Underground station last month.

Tube union RMT claims that on 6 July, a major disaster was only averted by the actions of a member of staff spotting the smoke and raising the alarm. But Transport for London (TFL) which is responsible for London Underground, says that fire alarm systems were working but that the employee spotted the fire before the fire alarm had time to activate.

The station was evacuated and closed for around an hour while London Fire Brigade crews attended the incident. They discovered smoke coming from a cable inside an escalator panel.

At Oxford Circus station, In another incident last Friday, 15 fire fighters attended a small fire in a wall mounted air conditioning unit. The station was evacuated for a few minutes but damage was limited to a small amount of wiring within the unit.

RMT has concerns regarding the fire alarm and fire detection equipment and has put in writing, a request, that all fire alarm detection equipment at sub-surface stations be inspected within 72 hours.

Meanwhile, RMT members voted yesterday to take industrial action in response to proposed budget cuts to London Underground, and the union says that staff who spotted the fire are among 800 jobs that are threatened.

Referring to the Euston station fire, a London Underground spokesperson said: London Underground has carried out a full investigation and re-tested all fire alarm systems at the station, to ensure they are fully working.

“The fire alarm system would have been automatically activated within the standard time frame of two minutes, as is the case across the London Underground. However on this occasion, a member of staff raised the alarm within this time frame.

“London Fire Brigade gave permission to reopen most of the station within an hour. If they had any serious and ongoing concerns about our fire alarm, they would not have done so.”

The type of fire detection underneath the escalators is a fibre optic linear detection system.

fire safety and fire alarm breaches at CLG headquarters

We can today reveal that the London headquarters of Communities and Local Government – the government department that steers fire safety policy in England and Wales – has been served with an enforcement notice under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

In a damming review of the building’s fire safety, an inspector from the enforcing authority, states:  “The concepts of ‘responsible’ and ‘competent’ persons, and the duties placed upon those persons under the Order, appear not to be understood within CLG premises”.
The notice, served on 16 February on the then secretary of state for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, details numerous shortcomings in fire safety measures and management at CLG’s Eland House premises in Victoria. It lists alleged breaches of 13 of the 15 Articles of the Fire Safety Order that impose duties on the CLG, as the responsible person, including:

• Introducing a fire load in the atrium which was not considered in the building’s fire engineered design, by installing a cafeteria which, it is said, may lead to “uncontrolled fire spread throughout the building”
• An unsuitable and insufficient fire risk assessment
• Failing to nominate competent persons to help the responsible person discharge his duties
• Failure to adequately provide fire alarm maintenance for the fire alarm system, interconnections between fire alarm systems, and smoke vents throughout the building
• Lack of evidence of adequate training and provision of essential fire safety information to staff

In an apparent reference to other CLG premises, the inspector goes on to say: “At present there is a lack of national policy, guidance and ownership of fire safety management across the CLG estate.”

Details of the fire inspection and the enforcement notice have come to light under a Freedom of Information request made to CLG by an individual linked to the fire safety industry.
“Unacceptable” policy
Other deficiencies found include an “unacceptable” policy that no one should use portable fire extinguishers in the building; the inability of the building to support the phased fire alarm evacuation strategy; no adequate arrangements to ensure visitors and contractors are accounted for in an fire alarm evacuation; and shortcomings in the means of escape for the number of people likely to occupy the building.

Although Eland House is categorised as Crown premises, it is still subject to safety legislation including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, and enforcement procedures are similar to those of other premises. However, Crown Immunity means the responsible person cannot actually be prosecuted for offences.
The enforcement notice also reveals that the contracted facilities company, having some control of the premises, was sent a copy of the notice. However, it makes it clear that although the company is considered a ‘nominated competent person’, they had not been provided with sufficient means to carry out their duties.

We at Fire Systems Ltd, find this story extraordinary, as this is the governing body responsible for ensuring we all abide by the new legislation. And to add insult to injury, they are immune from prosecution.

They appear to have failed on so many basic items, such as fire alarm maintenance, fire alarm interconnection, supplying a expectable fire risk assessment.

The Benefits of Wireless Fire Alarm Systems

Radio or wireless fire alarm systems first became available in the early 1980’s. In these early days of radio, the early radio or wireless fire alarm systems began to gain a poor reputation for reliability, mainly related to the radio transmissions and battery life of the devices and poor fire alarm design.  However over time the technology involved in these fire systems has steadily advanced to where we are today.  Today’s Radio or Wireless Fire Alarm Systems are light years ahead of their early 80’s ancestors.  Interestingly the advance in technology with the radio fire alarm systems has occurred as a bi-product of major advances in technology in the computer, battery and mobile phone industries.  Radio Fire Alarm System designers and engineers have embraced and harnessed this new technology to create and manufacture a new generation of radio fire alarm systems that are much more sophisticated in terms of performance, fault monitoring and reliability.  These new systems are fully compliant to BS5839 and EN54 and are fully monitored.

One of the main benefits of A Radio Fire Alarm System is that they reduce the needs to install cabling to each individual device on the fire alarm system.  Modern radio fire alarm systems will only need cables to be installed to the control and signal booster panel positions to provide a mains supply.  This benefit of radio fire alarm systems means that have been ideally suited to listed type buildings.  It allows the installation of a fully functioning fire alarm system within the building while not ‘running’ cables where it is impractical to do so.  Examples of installations of this type are in Windsor Castle and The Ritz Hotel, both of which have radio fire alarm systems installed.  In some instances conservation bodies would also prohibit the installation of cables within protected buildings and radio fire alarm systems may be the only solution to allow the building to comply with current regulations and standards.