All business owners, no matter which industry sector they work in, need to be aware of the fire risks within the workplace. As any fire department will advise you, in a fire emergency, a few seconds could save lives.
As a result, organisations should be aware of their fire risks within their working environment and take appropriate steps to prevent fires as well as installing systems to alert personnel if a fire event occurs. The aim is to keep your staff and your property safe.
A fire detection system is designed to sense smoke, excessive heat or fire and provide an alert for a particular area of the building. The type of fire alarm system needed depends on the age of the building and the layout of the structure.
The Fire Safety Advice Centre sets out the British Standards Specification for installing fire safety systems in a premises. These standards include the BS 5839-1:2013+A2:2008 and the BAFE Fire Detection and Alarm Systems Scheme No. SP203.
Business owners must ensure that all systems that they install, meet these specifications and that each system is installed correctly.
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Placement of Alarm Systems
Placement of a fire alarm system will vary depending on the type of alarm required and the layout of the building. Typical smoke alarms need to be installed in a centralised area of a passageway and should also be installed in the head of stairways on the top storey. Multi-storey structures should have a smoke alarm installed on each level. The alarm should be placed at a safe distance from lights, ceiling fans or air conditioning vents because the cooler air and flow could prevent proper detection of fire, heat or smoke.
Proper installation of fire alarm systems is important so that the detectors will operate effectively and the audible and lighted alerts can easily warn occupants in case of a fire.
Experienced fire safety systems providers, like CCTV Wales, can help to evaluate your facilities, determine the best locations for the installation of alarms and recommend the most effective type of alarm for your particular premises.
Not only should the fire alarm systems be installed and working properly, but you should also train your staff to make sure they understand how critical the alarms are in an emergency.
Fire Alarm Systems Monitoring and Testing
Fir Alarm systems should be checked on a weekly basis either by setting off a call point or setting off the sounders, and making sure that the system is tested by a competent person. Then, depending on the size of the system, a full service should be carried out from between once a year up to four times a year. The frequency should depend on the size and the complexity of your fire alarm system.
Testing is usually carried out byr releasing artificial smoke which will activate the detector and set off the fire alarm. Similarly, the heat detector will be set off which will also set off the fire alarm. So over a period of 12 months each detector shoud be tested to make sure it is functioning properly.
Fire Emergency Plan
Businesses of all sizes should have a fire emergency plan in place with key personnel who are fully trained in carrying out the emergency plan. The plan should also be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure everyone is clear on the procedures.
Too many businesses do not communicate the importance of responding to fire alarms but it is vital that everyone takes appropriate action as soon as an alert is sounded. Seconds do actually matter and any delay can result in injury, property damage and even loss of life.
This is why it is so important to ensure you consult with a professional alarm system provider for advice on the types of fire detection systems you need.
Types of Fire Alarm Systems
The different types of fire alarm systems are the manual system. So you can have call points on the wall so if someone sees a fire, they would activate it and set the alarms off. The next option to that is automatic fire detection.
So a fire goes off in a room and this would be automatically picked up by a detector and automatically set the fire alarm off. Most suitable system depends on the working environment. So if people are always working in a specific environment all the time then a manual system may be adequate; if there are areas where people aren’t working and don’t go into regularly an automatic fire detection system might be the better option for that reason.
Dan Hardman, Operations Manager at CCTV Wales, explains why it is important to have the correct fire protection solution for your business:
If you need help and guidance on the types of fire detection and alarm systems are the most suitable for your business, call the specialist team at CCTV Wales today on the number below:
