This Question of the Day concerns toilets and whether smoke detection is necessary for them. It has been answered by the ECA (Theme – Regulations & Legislation):
Question: Could you please advise as to whether it is necessary to provide smoke detection within toilets that open onto escape routes, under a Category L3 fire alarm system?
BS5839 states that automatic detection need not be provided within toilets (if they are of low fire risk) in a Category L1 system, but mentions no such exclusions under a Category L3 system.
Presumably, if they're not required under an L1 system, then they wouldn't be required under a less onerous L3 system?
Answer: This should be based on a design risk assessment. I would suggest that unless the toilet area is greater than 9m2, there would be no requirement for automatic detection.
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