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Product Manager, Notifier by Honeywell

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Product Management and Agile product owner in fire systems development
July 24, 2014

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Fire Safety in Public Buildings for Responsible Persons

The British Library - ExteriorThere are always plenty of challenges when it comes to implementing the right fire safety system in a public building.

The downward pressure on public spending presents difficulties, as does the requirement to conform very strictly to the transparency criteria in the tender process which is always under close scrutiny.

In this context, an open-protocol system opens everything up to competitive tender as it allows control panels from one manufacturer to be used to control detection and alarm devices manufactured by another.

This not only increases choice, but potentially leads to a lower price too. Equally importantly from a cost perspective, it gives the building operator more flexibility about choosing a maintenance provider throughout the fire system’s life.

Where the buildings are scattered around a campus, full networking capability is also essential to ensure effective early warning and a coordinated response in the case of any fire-related incident. The system must also be capable of quick and easy expansion as new buildings and facilities come under its umbrella.

At the same time, the fire-safety solution must be intuitive and easy to use so that different security and facilities management staff can operate it effectively with minimum training.

Refurbishment challenges

The tightening of budgets in recent years has inevitably seen building projects being shelved in favour of the refurbishment and upgrading of existing premises.

In the case of buildings designed for public use, fire-safety equipment providers find themselves facing both a challenge and an opportunity. Refurbishment demands a different approach by specifiers and suppliers, one based on maximum flexibility.

When meeting the demand to do more with less, new fire safety solutions may have to work with legacy systems –  ensuring protection during the changeover and on a longer-term basis.

Or they may have to provide suitable protection as an existing site undergoes change of use, as was the case as part of a major development at Edinburgh Trams Depot.

If only part of the system needs replacing, a replacement panel – or additional networked panels – will probably be the most suitable solution, operating on an open-protocol system and supporting existing devices that do not need upgrading.

Interoperability is also important in maintaining full continuity of protection across the site during what is often a phased implementation.

Responsibility under the law  

Whether a new build or refurbishment, the ‘responsible person’ under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) must be able to prove that the equipment is fit for purpose. One of the best ways to do so is to make sure the products, installer and maintenance provider are accredited and supported by documentary evidence.

In the case of nursing homes, schools or hospitals, for example, evacuation processes can be much more complex and time-consuming than many other environments. You cannot afford to take risks with fire alarm efficiency. Any temptation to cut down on maintenance to save money must be firmly resisted.

In addition to quality product design and installation, the responsible person needs to ensure regular servicing takes place. The British Standard code of practice (BS5839) requires that fire safety systems undergo service and maintenance checks at least once every six months. However, in every case this should be treated as a minimum.

Environments which present a greater than average risk, such as sleeping areas and busy or dirty environments where device efficiency can be compromised, should be subject to much more frequent checks.

Avoiding false alarms

Latest developments in fire safety systems also play an important role in reducing unwanted alarms and the disruption they cause.

A comparatively small investment is required to ensure the right fire detection devices are used with built-in features designed to reduce unwanted alarms. Employing skilled designers will also ensure that the premises benefit fully from the advanced safety functionality provided by today’s fire safety system manufacturers.

Building operators will protect themselves against possible risk of prosecution by using approved equipment, installed and maintained by approved providers. They will minimise the incidence of unwanted alarms and so avoid the risk of charges by local fire services.

Most importantly of all however, they will provide a safer environment for everyone using the premises.

2023 Fire Safety eBook – Grab your free copy!

Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.

Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.

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juliemyers31
juliemyers31
February 2, 2015 10:44 pm

I am sure that whenever there is a fire in a large, frequently used building, it would be very stressful. With so many people that could be in a building, so many people could get trapped. I think that taking fire safety precautions is a really good idea, because it will help to make sure that everyone is safe in case of a fire. I would like to get some fire safety training at my business to make sure that we know how to react in case of any fires! http://www.efireandsafety.com.au/fire-safety-training.html

chelseap
June 12, 2015 2:33 pm

One of the issues with false alarms is people accidentally pressing alarms so there needs to be the right medium where people can sound the alarm when necessary but they are protected to avoid misuse.
Chelsea
https://www.firesafetystore.co.uk/

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