.svg)
BS 5839 Part 1 covers all aspects of the design, installation and maintenance of fire alarm systems in and around buildings, other than dwellings. This important Code of Practice has a new edition, and it supersedes BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2012, which will be withdrawn. The new edition is soon to be published, but what are the main technical changes? How will they affect electrical contractors, installers and specifiers involved in fire safety work? In this article, we - with the help of the Fire Industry Association (FIA - www.fia.uk.com) and BSI - reveal all (with the provisor that there may be some minor last minute alterations before publication):
Firstly, note that fire protection is not the same as fire prevention, and that installing a fire detection and fire alarm system can never be guaranteed to provide full protection against every fire. Even so, a properly designed, installed and compliant fire detection and fire alarm system will be an essential defence against fire.
BS 5839-1 makes recommendations for the provision of fire detection and fire alarm systems in a wide variety of premises, but this does not necessarily demand that all such premises are required by law to have such systems installed. For example, many small premises could rely on rotary gongs or word of mouth to warn building occpants if a fire occurs. This might be determined by a fire risk assessment.
Note, however, that the protection of a building with a fire detection and alarm system can sometimes mean money saved in terms of a reduced insurance premium, as long as the fire system is compliant.
Obtain good advice:
It is very important to be knowlegable about what is required from a fire detection and alarm system for particular buildings. Therefore, contact reputable bodies, and also the fire and rescue authorities, which can advise on the relevent fire legislation. If a fire system is to be installed, or updated or otherwise changed, it is very important to consult the authority, or authorities, responsible for enforcement of the legislation early on in the procedings.
Advice on the likely need for a fire detection and fire alarm system in certain types of buildings is provided in BS 9999. For advice on full fire engineering solutions, see BS 7974 and PD 7974-4.
The main changes:
This new edition, which is not a full revision, introduces a number of technical changes, which are listed below. These principal changes are as follows:
A) The title has been modified to more accurately reflect the scope/content of this Part of BS 5839 as - 'BS 5839, Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings - Part 1: Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises'.
B) Clause 4 highlights the importance of providing accurate and unambiguous information to staff in residential care premises about the location of a fire.
C) A definition of 'visual alarm device' has been added to the terms and definitions (Clause 3). Also, a new recommendation is made about such devices and has been added to subclause 11.2.
D) Note that Table 4 of the 2002 edition, 'Limits of ceiling height (Category P systems and five minute fire and rescue service attendance)', has been deleted in the new Edition.
E) Clause 15 has been updated with guidance and recommendations on providing automatic transmission of fire alarm signals.
F) A definition of 'zone plan' has been added to the terms and definitions (Clause 3), with additional guidance added to subclause 6.1 and Clause 23. Also, new recommendations have been added to subclauses 42.2, 46.2 and 47.2. D. Item e of 7.2 has been modified to emphasise how imprtant it is to identify and record variations.
G) The guidance and recommendations of Clause 19 and subclause 35.2.7 have been updated to help avoid delay in summoning fire and rescue service when a residential care home fire alarm system operates.
H) The dimension of the width covered by the optical beam detector (Fig. 13) has been corrected to 18.75m.
I) Subclause 45.1 now shows that routine servicing of a fire detection and alarm system is not a fresh review of system design.
J) The wording of Annex C has been altered to highlight its normative status.
K) A new Annex F has been added containing useful information on visual alarm device illumination characteristics from LPCB CoP 0001 [1]. Copyright is claimed on Annex F by BRE Global Ltd., (www.bre.co.uk) and the Fire Industry Association (FIA - www.fia.uk.com/).
L) The recommendation now is that major variations from the standard's recommendations be recorded in the system log book [see 7.2e)].
M) The term 'care home' has been changed throughout to 'residential care premises'.
N) The term 'fire service' has been changed throughout to 'fire and rescue service'.
O) The term 'responsible person' has been replaced with references to 'premises management'.
Note that carrying out the provisions of this standard must be entrusted to suitably qualified and competent people.