If maintenance is being carried out on the fire alarm of a multi-floor building should it be occupied? For example additional detection is being installed so the alarm system needs to be essentially off? The guidance I have found tells me that if automatic detection is required it needs to be maintained but it doesn't tell me what to do if the maintenance demands that the system is not working. Please can someone direct me towards guidance or approved documents. Many thanks

As Phil says, maintenance should be planned to allow a minimal shut down, but what about complete system failures. In a previous life as a FS Inspecting Officer, I would often quiz people on their plans for such an eventuality. Imagine a Hotel's AFD system goes down at 03:00. You can't turf your punters into the street with a pillow and a croissant (Unless your name is Basil Fawlty). There should be some standby management system in place. It is not possible or reasonable to merely shut down your business. Regular staff patrols (with records) and the use of radios, mobile phones, air horns and/or whistles may be the answer until repairs have been made.