Fire alarms – do I need to carry out a weekly test?

Fire alarms – do I need to carry out a weekly test?

10:02 AM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago 6

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Hello, I am aware in properties such as blocks of flats it is now required to have a six monthly safety test on the fire alarm, which includes the control panels, sounders, call points and emergency lighting batteries, tested with a drain down.

However, the local fire officer told another local agent that they must test the call points (i.e. the break glass points) in all their properties’ communal areas every week. There seems to be some confusion as to whether this is a legislative requirement or simply best practise.

The process would involve travelling to site to put the special keys in the bottom of the call points and sounding the alarm once a week. Something which is very unpopular with residents.

Perhaps someone could advise.

Paul


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Comments

Dave S

10:35 AM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago

I’m the MD of a fire alarm installation company (as well as a Landlord) and yes in accordance with BS 5839 a weely test of the fire alarm should be carried out and the onsite log book duly completed I would recommend you keep the log book in a lockable box next to the fire alarm control panel so it doesn’t go missing. Hope this helps

Reluctant Landlord

11:04 AM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago

yes its a bloody nightmare and has to be done. Narks the tenants off and if you don't live local you have to employ someone to do this. We had tenants destroy the log book so had to lock this away as previous posted suggested.
Ended up selling the three flat block as lost the will to live with all the requirements and idiot tenants who failed to grasp it was for their own safety. As far as I am aware buyer evicted them all and now its Air BNB

Judith Wordsworth

14:20 PM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago

What did your fire risk assessment state?
New regs in force Jan 2023 communal fire alarms - which must also be linked to an alarm inside each flat in the block - need testing weekly. Serviced 6 monthly.
Communal emergency lighting tested monthly and serviced annually.
On site log book must be completed after each test

Gunga Din

17:47 PM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago

Interesting. I had a 3 story Victorian terrace, 3 s/c flats, L2 alarm system. I have a letter from a fire brigade inspector telling me that removing and blanking off the call points is acceptable because they're more trouble than they're worth, or words to that effect.

Another similar building, shop and two flats above, also has an L2 system. Two doors up, the other one doesn't have an L2, because the plans approved by the LA accepted interlinked smoke detectors of the round, white disc type with a push-to-test button, in the common areas and each property.

I wonder whether the testing requirement differs because its not an L2.

Dave S, I will review BS 5839 but does the weekly test requirement mean each of the 9 smoke or heat detectors in the building needs testing weekly?

Dave S

18:16 PM, 25th August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 25/08/2023 - 17:47
BS5839 is one of the few standards whereby a variation can be written in at design stage ie the system meets the standards of BS5839’except for …. A typical example would be a shopping centre that doesn’t have call points due to malicious activation or a night club that would normally require smoke detectors in voids but are not accessible for servicing. To answer your direct question i guess if the fire officer is happy (in writing) not to have call points then that’s acceptable with regard to testing apart from the weekly tests by the user the system has to tested at least bi annually with an appropriate company with the skills and a 24 hour service provision so that every sensor is tested over a 12 month period

Puzzler

11:14 AM, 26th August 2023, About 9 months ago

Some of my flats do not test weekly and the recent FRA agreed with this. I will query this.

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