Testing & maintenance

​How can I stop my automatic fire alarm system going off by mistake?

A few simple rules, along with normal good housekeeping practices, can help to keep false fire alarm activations to a minimum.

During routine testing:

• if the fire alarm system is connected to a 112 or 999 automatic dialling unit, transmission for the alarm should be prevented (for instance by disconnection) before the routine test is carried out, since under normal conditions 112 or 999 test calls are not permitted
• where transmission of signals to a remote manned centre is installed and the transmission of this signal is to be prevented during the test, a visual indication of their state should be given at the control equipment. If the link to the remote manned centre is to be used during the test then it is essential to notify the centre before undertaking the test
• the occupants of the premises should be notified of any test of the system that may result in the sounders being operated, and ideally again once the test has been completed

During renovation work:

• staff or visiting contractors should be made aware that the building is protected by an automatic fire alarm system
• staff or visiting contractors should not undertake any activity which may generate heat, smoke, flames or sparks without prior authorisation of a responsible member of the managerial staff
• no renovation work involving the generation of dust or paint spray should be carried out in any area protected by an automatic smoke alarm system unless proper precautions have been taken to protect the smoke detectors against the entry of dust
• if your system is monitored, you should inform your monitoring company if you are having any renovation work done

Warning:

If you have protected your smoke detectors against dust with plastic or paper covers during renovation work:

• the operation of these smoke detectors will be impaired by this action and alternative manual surveillance must be carried out whilst the system is out of action 
• a responsible member of the managerial staff of the premises should ensure that the covers are removed and the system reinstated, as soon as all work has been completed and residual dust has been removed
• an operational test of the fire alarm system by a qualified person is highly recommended, following any redecorating or building work in a protected area

It is the occupier’s responsibility to ensure all the necessary work and tests are completed.

What standard should my emergency lighting system be fitted to?

Emergency lighting systems should conform to British Standard BS5266-1:2016.

Routine inspections and tests

All tests should, wherever possible, be undertaken at times of least risk. This is due to the possibility of a failure of the normal lighting supply occurring shortly after a period of testing.

Daily inspections by the occupier

An inspection should be made every day to ascertain that:

• every lamp in a maintained system is lit
• the main control of any central battery system indicates normal operation
• any fault found is recorded and the action taken noted

Monthly inspections by the occupier

Two tests should be carried out as follows:

Self-contained emergency lights

• each self-contained emergency light and illuminated exit sign should be powered from its battery, by simulating a mains supply failure. This should only be for long enough to ensure that each lamp is illuminated
• the period of simulation failure should not exceed one quarter of the rated duration of the emergency light or sign
• during this period all emergency lights and / or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly
• at the end of the test period the supply to normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that the normal supply has been restored

Central battery systems

• each central battery system should be powered from its battery by simulating a mains supply failure to the normal lighting. This should only be for long enough to ensure that each lamp is illuminated
• the period of simulation failure should not exceed one quarter of the rated duration of the battery
• during this period all emergency lights and / or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly
• if it is not possible to examine visually all emergency lights and / or signs in this period, further tests should be made after the battery has been fully recharged
• at the end of each test period, the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that the normal supply has been restored. The charging arrangements should be checked to ensure proper functioning

Six-monthly inspections by the occupier

Every six months, the monthly inspection should be carried out and the following two additional tests made:

Self-contained emergency lights

• each three-hour self-contained emergency light and illuminated exit sign should be powered from its battery for a continuous period of one hour, simulating a mains supply failure to the normal lighting. If the light is rated as having a duration of one hour, then the period of simulation failure should be 15 minutes
• during this period all emergency lights and / or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly
• at the end of this test the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that the normal supply has been restored

Central battery systems

• each three-hour central battery system should be powered from its battery for a continuous period of one hour, simulating a mains supply failure to the normal lighting. If the system is rated as having a duration of one hour, then the period of simulation failure should be 15 minutes
• during this period all emergency lights and / or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly
• at the end of the test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that normal supply has been restored. The charging arrangements should be checked for proper functioning

Three-yearly inspections by the occupier

Every three years, the monthly inspection should be carried out and the following two additional tests made:

Self-contained emergency lights

• each self-contained emergency light and / or illuminated exit sign should be tested for its full duration
• at the end of the test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that normal supply has been restored

Central battery systems

• each central battery system should be tested for its full duration
• at the end of each test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp checked to ensure that it is showing that normal supply has been restored

Subsequent annual test by the occupier

For self-contained emergency lights with sealed batteries, after the first three-yearly test, the full three-yearly test should be carried out annually.

Routine examinations and tests of emergency lighting systems should be recorded. 

As with any similar life-saving product, a fire door should be regularly checked to ensure it functions properly and is ready to use.

Most of the time, a fire door is used like any other door and is subject to the day-to-day wear and tear of opening and closing when people pass through. The building and the surrounding environment can also change and affect the door. It is important to check if regular use or changes to the surroundings affect it in any way.

Any slight alteration to the door or its surroundings can affect the performance of the door. This can result in a half-hour fire door lasting a lot less.

Fire door identification

All fire doors should have a controlled self-closing device fitted to them, either in the form of an overhead arm actuated type, a floor spring contained under the floor on the hinged edge of the door, or a ‘perko’ chain device installed on the hinge side of the door between the edge of the door leaf and the door frame.

In premises with multiple fire doors, it may be good practice to physically number every fire door for easy identification when carrying out maintenance checks and repairs.

Three-monthly inspection by the occupier

For certificated premises, tests should be carried out as follows:

• with a self-closing device, open the door fully and check it closes without binding on the floor. Open the door a few inches, the width of a clenched fist, and again check it closes fully, overcoming the latch or seal (if fitted). Check door closing speed to be approximately 10 seconds from 90 degrees and ensure that the door does not slam. Adjust speeds as necessary. Ensure that the doors are not being wedged open
• make sure that door hold-open devices (if fitted) are not straining the door against its self-closing device. A closer, fitted at the top of the door, should have a hold-open device at the top of the door. A floor spring at the foot of the door should have the hold-open device fitted at the bottom
• if fitted, ensure that any electromagnetic hold-open device is operating correctly and releases the door immediately after power is cut (when the fire alarm activates)
• if fitted, ensure any intumescent strips or combined intumescent / cold smoke seals are not damaged or missing. If in need of repair, they must be replaced with the same type as originally fitted. If smoke seals have to be replaced, they should be fitted in one continuous length if possible. If fixed piecemeal, they could potentially leak at the joints
• if fitted, inspect the glass. If it is cracked or broken it must be replaced immediately. If it is not replaced then, in the event of a fire, the smoke and gases will travel through the glass, which means the fire door will not last its fire rating. This work must only be undertaken by companies with appropriate third-party certification

Routine inspections and tests of self-closing fire doors should be recorded.

As a business owner, you have a responsibility for the provision of appropriate firefighting equipment. It is also your responsibility to check that all firefighting equipment is located correctly and in effective working order. 

Portable fire extinguishers must be tested at least once a year by a competent person. In addition, regular checks should be carried out to ensure that extinguishers are not obstructed and are readily available for use at all times.

Hosereels must be tested at least once a year to ensure that they are in good working order and will produce a satisfactory jet of water at least 6m (20 ft).

The servicing, use and replacement of firefighting equipment should be recorded. Provision is made in our fire safety log book for this purpose.

Why are fire drills important?

Fire drills, particularly if they are mandatory and unexpected, can dramatically reduce fear, should the worst come to happen.

Exercises for your staff should be held regularly to ensure the smooth operation of the procedure for dealing with an emergency.

Initial instruction

The training of staff should provide for the following:

• all members of staff should receive a personal copy of prepared written instructions, and initially should receive two periods of at least half an hour verbal instruction given by a competent person. Such instruction should include details of how to call the Fire and Rescue Service
• these two periods should be given within one month and, in the case of newly engaged staff, this should be as soon as possible after appointment

Follow-up instruction

After the initial instruction, all members of staff should receive at least half an hour verbal instruction, given by a competent person, as follows:

Premises which are in use throughout the year:

• at least once in every period of six months for employees engaged only on daytime​ employment
• at least once in every period of three months for employees who are at any time engaged on night duties

Premises having only seasonal use:

• at least once during the period in which the premises are open, preferably at the beginning of such period

Exercises

Large premises

• exercises which may be combined with the instruction, should be carried out once in every period of six months
• the exercise should include a simulated evacuation drill with the assumption that one escape route is not available
• each exercise should be started at a pre-determined signal and the whole premises checked as if evacuation were in progress

Small premises

• exercises, which may be combined with the instruction, should be carried out once in every period of six months and should take the form of a walk-over the escape routes, checking fire doors, the position of the fire alarm points, fire equipment and emergency lighting

Responsible person

One specific person should be made responsible for organising staff training and for co-ordinating the actions of the staff in the event of fire.

Effective arrangements should also be made for a nominated deputy to be available to carry out the above duties.

Does the Fire and Rescue Service have to be notified when a fire alarm test / fire drill takes place?

If your automatic fire alarm system is monitored by an independent monitoring company, who would contact us whenever your fire alarm is activated, then we need to know before you carry out the drill. If it is not, there is no need to contact us, although you may wish to advise your neighbours to prevent them from calling us.

A record of the training and instruction given to staff and exercises held should be recorded. Provision is made in our fire safety logbook for this purpose.

Why should my business have an automatic fire alarm system?

The safety of your building and its occupants can be greatly enhanced by the installation of an automatic fire alarm (AFA) system. Properly used and maintained, the system can be a significant factor in reducing the risk to life and property in the event of a fire.

Automatic fire alarm systems should be fitted and regularly maintained by a qualified electrical or fire engineer. 

What standard should my automatic fire alarm system be fitted to?

Your automatic fire alarm system should conform to British Standard BS 5839-1:2013.

How would my premises be monitored?

The Fire and Rescue Service do not monitor premises for automatic fire alarm system activation.

You may wish your automatic fire alarm system to be monitored by an independent monitoring company. The installer of your system will be able to give you advice on arranging this. 

Who should I supply keyholder information to?

The Fire and Rescue Service do not hold information about keyholders.

If your automatic fire alarm system is monitored by an independent monitoring company, you must ensure that they have up to date information about keyholders for your premises. 

If you have a key safe for your property, you must inform the Fire and Rescue Service of its location, and ensure that the key inside is kept up to date.

What are the advantages of a key safe?

Rather than break into your building every time we are alerted to a fire alarm activation outside your normal working hours, we would prefer to achieve fast entry using a high security key safe system.

Abloy key safe system

The Abloy key safe system consists of a secure, unobtrusive, hardened steel key deposit cylinder that can be installed in the exterior wall of your premises, close to the main entrance. The front end of the key safe has a lock which can only be accessed with a master key by the Fire Service and the inner barrel contains the method of access into your property.

The benefits to you are:

• a quicker response by the Fire and Rescue Service
• less damage to your building
• faster recovery after a fire

If you have a key safe for your property, you must inform the Fire and Rescue Service of its location, and ensure that the key inside is kept up to date.

Where can I get an Abloy key safe?

Abloy key safes can be obtained from G4S Locksmiths.

To ensure reliability an agreement should be made with manufacturers, suppliers or other competent contractors for regular servicing. The name and telephone number of the servicing organisation should be prominently displayed by the indicating equipment.

It is the responsibility of the occupier of the premises to ensure that proper instructions are obtained from the supplier or installer regarding routine attention and test procedures. The following is a general guide to the routine to be adopted to ensure the continued good operation of the system. 

The routine may vary with the use of the premises.  For example, equipment installed in corrosive or dirty environmental conditions will need to be checked more thoroughly and at more frequent intervals than in clean and dry situations. In such instances, the recommendations of the supplier or installer should be followed.
 

Daily attention by the user

A check should be made every day to ascertain that:

• the panel indicates normal operation. If not, that any fault indicated is recorded and is receiving urgent attention
• any fault warning recorded the previous day has received attention
   

Weekly attention by the user

The following tests should be made every week to ensure that the system is capable of operating under alarm conditions:

• At least one manual call point should be operated to test the ability of the fire alarm control panel to receive a signal and sound the alarm and to ensure that the fire alarm signal is received at any alarm receiving centre to which fire alarms signals may be transmitted. It is not necessary to confirm that all fire alarm sounder circuits operate correctly at the time of the test. A different manual call point should be used at the time of every weekly test so that all manual call points in the premises are tested in rotation over a period of time.
• The duration of the sounding of the fire alarm signal should not exceed one minute at the time of the weekly test, so that, in the event of a fire at the time of the weekly test, occupants will be warned by the prolonged operation of the fire alarm sounders.
• Fire doors fitted with automatic releases and any other active fire measures triggered by the alarm system should be checked that they are operating efficiently.
• An entry should be made in the Log Book quoting the particular manual call point that has been used to initiate the test. Any defect should also be recorded in the Log Book and reported to the responsible person, and action taken to correct it.
• If the operation of the alarm sounders and/or the transmission of the alarm signal has been prevented by disconnection, then a further test should be carried out to prove the final reinstatement of the sounders, and if permissible, the alarm transmission circuits.
• The weekly test should be carried out at approximately the same time each week and occupants should be instructed to report any instance of poor alarm audibility. In premises in which some employees only work during hours other than that at which the fire alarms are tested, an additional test(s) should be carried out at least once a month to ensure familiarity of these employees with the fire alarm signal.
   

Monthly attention by the user

The following tests should be made every month to ensure that the system is capable of operating under alarm conditions.

• If an automatically started emergency generator is used as part of the standby power supply for the fire detection and alarm system, it should be started up once a month by simulation of a failure of the normal supply and operated on-load for at least one hour. At the end of the test, the fuel tanks should be left filled and the oil and coolant levels should be checked and topped up if necessary.
• If vented batteries are used as a standby power supply, a visual inspection of the batteries and their connections should be made to ensure that they are in good condition. Action should be taken to rectify any defect including low electrolyte level.
   

Periodic inspection and test by a competent person

Periodic inspection and servicing needs to be carried out by a competent person with specialist knowledge of fire detection and alarm systems, including knowledge of the causes of false alarms, sufficient information regarding the system, and adequate access to spares.

The inspection and servicing is to be carried out in accordance with the maintenance recommendations described in British Standard 5839 Part 1.

The recommended period between successive inspection and servicing visits should not exceed 6 months and, in accordance with recommendations of the above British Standard, a contract between the responsible person and the competent person/servicing agent must be in place to make sure an agreement for emergency call out to deal with any fault or damage that happens to the system. The agreement should be such that, on a 24 hour basis, a technician of the maintenance organisation can normally attend the premises within 8 hours of a call from the user.

Competent person

This is a person in employment with the manufacturer, supplier or competent contractor.  This may also include a responsible person who has suitable experience of electrical equipment and who has special training with the manufacturer, supplier or installer to deal with simple servicing but not necessarily in employment with the above.

Does the Fire and Rescue Service have to be notified when a fire alarm test / fire drill takes place?

If your automatic fire alarm system is monitored by an independent monitoring company who would contact us whenever your fire alarm is activated, then we need to know before you carry out the drill.  If it is not, there is no need to contact us, although you may wish to advise your neighbours to prevent them from calling us.  

Action by the responsible person after any fire, whether automatically detected or not

It is the responsibility of the responsible person to ensure that the following tests are carried out as soon as possible after a fire and before normal use of the area is resumed:

• a simulated test should be carried out on each trigger device that may have been affected by the fire. This test should be carried out so as to simulate fire conditions. Smoke detectors should be tested by smoke or other aerosol to the detector and heat detectors by the application of warm air or gas. Each fire alarm sounder should be tested
• any defect should be recorded and reported to the responsible person, and action taken to correct it
• a check should be made of the state of the battery and charger
• the servicing organisation should carry out a further check for damage to the system, particularly any parts in which damage might be hidden, such as buried cables. The extent of a fire may necessitate a more comprehensive check of the system
• if the fire was not detected by the system or detection occurred in the late stages of the fire, the reasons should be investigated and if necessary considerations given to system modifications to prevent repetition

On completion of the work a certificate of testing should be given to the responsible person. 

Action to be taken by the responsible person after any false alarm

• False alarms can be a major hazard to any fire alarm system since they lead to a loss of confidence in the system. It is important that any alarm from the system is treated as an alarm of fire until it can be proved to be false, rather than being treated as false until proved to be a fire.
• Where an alarm has been found to be false the following immediate actions should be taken by the responsible person or persons to whom they have delegated this duty:
• where possible, identify the particular detector or call point which has operated. It is important that the detectors are examined before the system is reset
• where possible, establish the cause of the false alarm.  If only a general location can be established then a record should be kept of any events or activities in the area immediately prior to the alarm
• record the false alarm and inform the organisation responsible for servicing
• if one detector or group of detectors gives repeated false alarms then the organisation responsible for servicing should be informed and required to investigate
• if repeated false alarms occur, the organisation responsible for servicing should be informed and required to investigate.
   

Action by the responsible person following a fault

If a fault has been shown to exist, whether by the system’s own monitoring or by any other method, then the responsible person should ensure that the following actions are taken:

• determining the area affected by the fault and decide whether special action (such as fire investigation) is needed in that area
• if possible, determine the reason for the fault, or note the activities immediately prior to the fault in the area affected
• record the fault, inform the organisation responsible for servicing and arrange for repair
• provision is made in our fire safety log books for recording all of the above.