Posted By Alec Wood Hi all Can anyone give me guidance on how often must we check the fire alarm system and emergency lighting. I don't want to spend £200 on the BS docs just to satisfy my inane curiosity Regards Alec Wood alec.wood@samsung.com

Posted By Shane Johnston It all depends on your fire risk assessment. Pointless stating you will conduct three drills per year, if performance at those drills is not measured. If you have evidence to demonstrate that buildings are all evacuated in 2.5 mins, for say four drills, then this would suggest employees know what to do and you could consider holding less fire drills. However if you hold eight drills per year, and evidence is that it takes 35 mins to evacuate a building then you may like to consider holding more drills/training etc. We dropped from four drills per year to two recently, based on risk. With a 2500 workforce, and 15-20 mins down time per drill, we've saved £**,*** of previously lost productivity. This pleased the holders of the purse and enabled me to spend money on other more appropriate risks. Same goes for alarm testing, fire extinguisher inspections etc etc. While BS (guidance) may recommend every week for alarm testing and monthly FFE inspections, is this risk based? If you employ 6 people in a one room building, is it necessary to test the alarm every week? If you have evidence to suggest that over the past year monthly inspections of FFE have always found them where they should be and in a satisfactory condition, you could consider inspecting every three months, then six etc. If you see a fixed frequency for testing you have to question if the frequency is based on risk. If it isn't how can you ensure you are doing it enough ? Shane.

Posted By ivorfire Fire alarm system is provided to give warning in case of fire. If it is not maintained working it can't give warning n case of fire. If it's not tested how is it known if it's working. The following tests are incoporated into recommendations under the industry standard or (British Standard). Why? Because like most aspects associated with fire legislation, fire and fire equipment, people have been injured or died over the years, and it has come around / designed to avoid further deaths. On examination of most commercial fires, poor fire safety management is still one of the biggest factors associated with any losses today. The fire alarm should be tested weekly from a different call point, during normal working. Over a number of weeks the whole system is being tested to ensure that it is fully working and capable of giving warning to people on the premises. If testing is only from the button on the panel week in weekout, all that is being tested is the one circuit on the panel! Fire alarm testing can not be substituted by a "risk assessment" approach. BS 5839 part 1 2002 goes on further to say that: Daily check to ensure power suplies are ok and there are no faults on the system. Periodic testing for the system maintencance upto a maximum of 6 monthly periods and be determined by risk asessment,(determined by the service engineer inconjnction with responsible person). Yearly inspection for the system for things like testing detectors, visual alarm devices etc. Non routine test, if unfortunate to have a fire. Need to ensure sytem working corectly afterwards? Once a month if employees are not working normally when the weekly test is carried out. This test is to be timed when they are present to ensure they are aware of the signal. All tests and maintenace to be recorded. How else are you to offer evidence in the event of a fire and someone being injured / litagation? Emergency lighting should be in accordance with BS 5499 part 1 1999 for most workplaces where there is working during hours of darkness, windowless accommodation or specialist positions eg emergecny light for work processes , risk of injury from machines. In essence, testing is; Daily for same reasons above. Monthly, to ensure light is functioning (light tube may have blown). Six monthly to ensure the system can function in a similated fire and provide light for means of escape. Yearly / three yearly depending the system design, sealed batteries or mains and whole system check electrically. Again all recorded. Prudent weekly to record only things wrong. Just remeber in the event of an emergency in hours of darkness, you need light to help find your way out, ie see where to go, and read fire exit signs etc. If you think it's ok without the light working, try blind folding yourself and finding your way out of the building using a fire exit which you do not use normally. That is in essence what you could be doing, as fire/smoke may affect your normal (in) or way out of the building. One point on risk assessment. It should be both suitable and sufficent and be able to be demonstrated if called upon to do so, as the only legal defence is due diligence. Without evidence to support any arguement, how can this be proven! Regulations only say written record is required where there is 5 or more employed, it is prudent to record if you have less for the above this arguement. The whole point of doing fire drills/training is to remind people of the procedure in the event of a fire. From an caring employer perspective, (yes it can be frustrating from a business sense), but essencial to ensure the welfare of his/her workforce in the event of an emergency. We all need reminders now and then, fire procedures are no different. Cutting corners under the scope of risk assessment will surely catch up with people one day! Will that be saving money, if faced with litigation from criminal / civil proceedings. I hope this helps, and yes I am a serving fire safety officer.

Posted By Ken Taylor There seems to be some confusion in the responses between testing systems and equipment (regarding which you have enquired) and holding 'drills'. Ivorfire (better known as Shaun) is correct (of course). As to fire drills (including evacuation of premises where applicable) their frequency is a matter for published guidance and risk assessment (unless specified by fire certificate, etc). For example, offices may be holding one or two per year whereas schools will probably have one per Term and premises with frequent occupant turn-overs may need them more often.

Posted By ivorfire Alec & Shane, I have tried to offer advice and answer the question on the testing of fire alarm and emergency lighting systems, as posed. (As I agree the cost of getting information sometimes is outragerous, hence my comments). Fire drills are a different subject. I have briefly mentioned this by way of a general point for a little clarity. I did not mention anything about frequency as this will vary depending on a number of factors, such as some other points made by other persons. Other factors also have not been mentioned, such as: evacuation regime, (phased or staged evacuation) disabled and other impairments, occupants, layout, nightime day time employees, knowledge and experience of staff, etc etc. (this could go on). A balance of assuring procedures will be carried out at the time of emergency, against these other factors. This I agree with you is a form of risk assessment, which is balanced against suitable and sufficent. Ultimately the courts decide this. I did not mention carrying out fire drills or practices once a month. Again I was highlighting the fire alarm system test. The BS 5839 part 1 2002 deals with the fact that employees should be aware of the fire alarm signal. E.g. If part time staff are employed during the after noon and the fire alarm is always tested at 9am, the staff in the afternoon may not be aware of the fire signal. This is being catered with depending on the organisation / busines use and the fact that morning staff would be hearing the fire alarm once a week when the testing is being carried out! I have not suggested anything about FFE? (I am assuming your shorthand for fire fighting equipment). My experience as a fire safety officer is the basis of my other comments. These were not directed at any one in particular, but generic comments as experienced by me. One thing to finish upon, as I was offering advice on fire alarm systems etc, but it is worth mentioning, is that: I agree that a general safety is paramont and there is seldom enough money to go around. As I was reminding people just the other day, in terms of some risk; the worst case is that you will be injured by the loss of fingers or limb etc, but in the case of fire its effect is far more deadly, and that it has the potetial to affect the whole work force. However, I really do understand that there are other risks that must be addressed and often it is difficult in terms finance training and time. Hope this has now cleared things up and you can also see spelling is not one of my strong points!! Shaun

Posted By shaun allport As previously stated, it is a reflection of your Fire Risk Assessment, the industry you are in and the type of workforce or any special needs there may be present. note: your local Fire Service may advise as they are quiet good like that! the usual guidelines are call points varied - weekly total evacuation - 6 monthly don't forget fire extinuishers/hoses ect regards

Posted By Peter John Campbell Quill Dear Ken The order of priority you state "1. The Law 2. Published standards, codes of practice and guidance. 3. Industry practice. 4. What is reasonably practicable." may be correct in this field, but I would not accept it universally. There are for example published British standards for mercury thermometers but none for thermometers with organic fillers. This is despite the fact the the elimination of mercury is a United Nations health and environmental priority. Standards often lag behind industry practice, and certainly best practice. Best regards Peter