Hi,

I have recently been noticing on some completed fire alarm service records the following statement.

"50% test done on fire alarm all ok" and passed as "Satisfactory"

Obviously this is at 6 months with the recomendation then going on to say it requires servicing again in 6 months time.

My belief has always been the whole system 100% requires servicing at 6 monthly time periods. Am i missing something here or are the actual interpretation of the ACOPS/Guidances etc being misconstrued.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has come across this and if they think its right?

Alan

The plot thickens as they say, What i dont understand then is why all the goverment info on this which was released after the New Fire Reform Order states quite clearly the Alarm system should be serviced 6 monthly, why would they say that if they actually mean the whole system needs to be tested over a 12 month period.

We also often see lots of Installers actually advising Quarterly, and i know a lot of shopping centres do this. There must be a definative here somwhere, why does everything have to have a grey area?

Alan

Thank you for all replies thus far, but the one defining thing that puzzles me is this;

The Government Fire Safety Guidance states the following;

Six-monthly tests and checks

A competent person should test and maintain the fire-detection and warning system

The BS 5389 Recomendation 45.4 states the following;

Recommendations for inspection and test of the system over a 12 month period.

Note 1: The work may be carried out over the course of two or more service visits during each twelve month period.

Ok, so my issues are;

If the British Standards say the whole system should be checked yearly, why does the goverment guidance say it should be checked and tested every 6 months, why not just simply say "The whole System should be checked yearly"

Secondly; The actual British Standard says "May" be tested over the course of two or more visits, It doesnt say "Must" "Will" or "Shall" so that says to me you could test the whole system once a year and be covered.

Is that how others see it or not?

Thanks again, its just i like to get definative answers where possible lol.

Alan

I see it the same as you, once a year............however I was once told that in a huge building the simply split the regime for ease. Also informed that as e lighting need two checks 1 hour and 3 hour that it was simpler to do the fire system and panel at the same time.