This page aims to provide the reader with a brief overview of our products and services relating to fire alarms.

Fire-Alarms - Legislative Background

Since 1^st October 2006, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (“Fire Safety Order”) (for England & Wales) and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (for Scotland) have been in effect imposing drastic changes to the regulatory regime for fire safety.

Both sets of the legislation above require the legal duty holder ensures that:

• relevant premises “are, to the extent that it is appropriate, equipped with…fire detectors and alarms”¹; and

• any such equipment is required to be “subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”².

As a general rule, all but the very simplest, small, single-storey, open-plan premises with minimal risks, adequate exits, adequate exit routes and no special considerations (e.g. sleeping residents, noise) require some form of electrical fire detection and/or warning system.

The British Standard BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2008 lays down appropriate guidance for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of such systems.

Normally, the legal duty holder would be required under the Regulations to ensure the above measures were properly implemented through the use of a nominated third party (such as Anderstore) that satisfies the competency requirements of the legislation.

The most critical part of any fire alarm installation is the design and planning stage. A failure to get this stage right can result in a system that gives false alarms or even fully fails to detect the very fires it is designed to detect.

The latter problem is clearly serious and potentially fatal to the occupants, the premises and the business.

The former problem, false alarms, will, at best, be costly and inconvenient. At their worst, they can lead to occupants disregarding the very warnings that are in place to protect them. In turn, this leads to the same dangers that arise with failed detection.

Our experience in system design, installation and maintenance means that we are able to provide a truly first-class service whether you are looking for a system to cover a small shop, a group of  large hotels or anything in between. Our systems experience covers a large range of fire alarm panels, from single zone conventional systems to analogue addressable fire systems including:

• Kentec
• Morley
• Radio Fire Alarm Panels
• Wireless radio fire alarm systems

You can also rest assured that we design systems in accordance with good practice, the relevant British Standards (BS 5839) and applicable legislation. Please refer to the accreditation section below for further information.

System Design - Financial Considerations

To allow the customer total flexibility we supply and install open protocol products so that the client can have a complete choice and flexibility of change without being tied into just one maintenance company. In the medium and long term, this can have enormous benefits to the total cost of ownership.

Furthermore, we will often advise enhancements to the system where we feel a little extra expense can produce significant improvements. For example, a risk assessment will frequently advise on minimum life-safety levels of detection - in practice, it is often the case that the level of protection received can be greatly enhanced with a little careful planning and minimal extra expense. Alternatively, systems can be designed to facilitate such extra cover (e.g. buildings or business) at a later date when convenient.

System Installation

In addition to designing the systems set out above, the Anderstore Group is also able to offer a first class installation service to ensure that any design objectives are fulfilled and the system installed to project.

As with our design services, our systems installations are also in accordance with good practice, the relevant British Standards and applicable legislation. Please refer to the accreditation section below for further information.

Maintenance

In addition to designing the systems set out above, the Anderstore Group is also able to offer a first class installation service to ensure that any design objectives are fulfilled and the system installed to project.

Responsibility

Under the recent legislative changes, it is important to note that responsibility for ensuring the suitability and effectiveness of the alarm system lays very much with the legal duty holder.

Please contact us for details.

Accreditations

Within the Anderstore Group, we have membership of the FIA (the organisation that the BFPSA recently became), BAFE registration and ISO 9000 Certification.

Footnotes & References

1. Article 13, paragraph (1)(a) of the Fire Safety Order. Section 12 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. NB slightly different wording is used in the latter legislation.
2. Article 17, paragraph (1)(a) of the Fire Safety Order. Section 16 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.