what type of fire alarm system is required?

[danrich123]

Hi,
I personally don't deal with fire alarms much except the odd additional sounder etc. but i've been asked as a favour for advice on a prroperty a friend owns.
The property is a funny set up. It is an old building which did have lots of individual rooms for offices. Now however it is as follows:
situated over two floors, it has 16 rooms, 7 of which are bedsits, 5 are offices, 2 communial showver rooms, 2 communial kitchens, and an individual flat, which has its own access.
What sort of set up would a building like this require?
The owner just wanted to put a smoke alarm in each room, but I said it probably need some kind of communial fire alarm system with call points etc at a minimum.
But to be honest I don't know what is required?
Any advice is appreciated
Thanks

 

[OwainDIYer]

the Responsible Person under the Regulatory Reform Order has to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment which will determine the type of system required.

The property is likely to be covered by HMO registration as well.

However you are probably looking, at a minimum, at a 3 zone conventional panel (ground, first, and flat), the 7 bedsits and kitchens should to be tied in to the panel zones but with individual hush switches such as
http://www.onlinesecurityproducts.c...tec-hush-button-hmo-compliant-fire-alarm.html
to reduce nuisance false alarms.

If there is no-one responsible on the premises at all times then you may need a communicator to a central station who can monitor the panel and call out the brigade if fire is confirmed.

A proper system is cheaper than the alternative:

http://www.fire.org.uk/news/2011/03/30/ilfracombe-fire-landlord-joseph-draper-fined-£115k.html

http://www.fire.org.uk/news/2010/06/15/burns-victim-in-legal-action-for-£2m-from-landlord.html
Michael Billings, 55, from Barsham, near Beccles, was jailed for 30 months on 7 May when he admitted 14 breaches of health and fire safety law.

 

[oasistechnical]

the first thing you need to get done is;

a fire risk assesment!!!!

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING!!!!!

contact your local fire officer, they will be able to help you out
also contact a fire alarm compeny that specicically does risk assesments

then get threee quotes based on the FRA and the fire officers reccomendations!

do not attempt to fit a `simple` system, as you have said, you are not a fire alarm engineer` some of us (including our firm) do this for a living, and we wont do any install works unless we see a FRA

Oasis

 

[RF Lighting]

I'd imagine you're gonna need an addressable system in a place like that. CYA and let a specialist do the design, and install to their spec.

 

[danrich123]

Thanks for the replies, alot of things I didn't realise/overlooked.

I've spoke to owner breifly who says the local fire officer has fallen out with him and won't come into the building.....after hearing this i've told him to just get a dedicated fire alarm company to come and size it all up, but don't think i'll now get involved...think i'll stick to rewires.

Just out of curiousity what sort of courses are available to get abit more ofay with fire regs?

 

[bernardgreen]

who says the local fire officer has fallen out with him and won't come into the building.....

That sounds alarm bells.. ( ecxuse pun ) I would stay well clear.

 

[Workers]

The FRA can be done by the owner. Not satisfactory I agree.
Look at the FRA plus the fire officers reports and use the regulations and common sense.

NICIEC fire course http://niceic.com/training/electrical/fire-alarm
BAFE http://www.bafe.org.uk/about.php

You have done well to walk away from the above, the risks are too much and your insurance may not cover the installation.

 

[BigRobCanUFixIt]

the fia run courses to get you up to speed on the regs. some electrical wholesaler or security wholesalers are able to offer the courses at discount to non members.