Fire specialist

New BS 5839 favours continuously monitored FDA systems

Just about to be published, the new version of BS 5839: Part 1 – the code of practice for the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems – will doubtless be of great interest to fire prevention professionals.

Since the standard was last updated in 1988, there have been major changes in the way we deal with fire, particularly from a fire fighting and fire prevention perspective. Changes in alarm and detection technology, building design and materials, and today's prevailing risk assessment culture with employer liability are all in the melting pot. On top of all this, there are the unacceptable rises in false alarms and deliberate fire setting, particularly to school buildings. For the future, the proposed new Fire Safety Order should support the position of fire safety officials in their advisory and enforcement roles.

It is against this background that the new BS 5839-1 sets out to be a user-friendly code for our times, encompassing not only life safety but also property protection. The most noticeable changes relate to the guidance on false alarms, servicing and maintenance, the fire safety of cables, and support for the vital role that a continuously monitored fire detection and alarm (FDA) system can play in preventing a minor fire incident becoming a major disaster.

In the words of the Standard: 'A system installed for property protection is unlikely to fulfil the objective without connection to a remote monitored 24-hour manned centre…. A system in which the transmission path is continuously monitored should be preferred.’ In the case of fire-engineered solutions, the need for detection systems to satisfy a high standard of operational stability and accurate information transmission is highlighted. For category P systems and certain L1 risks, or where the risk assessment deems it necessary, automatic transmission of alarms to the fire service is specifically recommended.

Commenting on the revisions, James Winter, BT redcare Fire Sector Manager, says :

"As fire prevention professionals know only too well, there has been a tendency for people with no previous experience of fire to underestimate the likelihood of fire occurring on their property, the speed with which it can take hold and the devastating after-effects. Now that employers have a statutory duty to carry out a fire risk assessment under the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997/99, fire is being taken much more seriously. The EU Precautionary Principle might also be of interest with regard to safety issues in the future.

The unpredictable nature of many fires means that while reducing potential hazards and their associated risks is paramount in the fire prevention armoury, being connected to a 24/7 monitored fire alarm and detection system is the obvious choice for responsible organisations.

BS 5839-1 is a timely reminder of the fact that early detection reduces loss and the important part played by a continuously monitored FDA system. The message in the Standard is clear ‘ . . . it is a missed opportunity for a system not to be able to report a fire automatically’."

It is to be hoped that the new BS 5839-1 will significantly improve fire safety in buildings and assist in the provision of FDA systems that are effective and yet minimise unwanted alarms. The responsibilities of the designer, the installer and the employer’s designated 'competent person' have all been enhanced; each has clear duties.

If you are intrested in attending a redcare workshop on the standard, please email redcare@bt.com

For further information, visit these websites:

British Fire Protection Systems Association
www.bfpsa.org.uk

National Security Inspectorate
www.nsi.org.uk

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