Posted By John Mulhern Please help to settle a debate, should detector heads be Tested for FUNCTION on a weekly basis? I do not suggest that every detector head should be tested weekly, just 1 or 2 so as to ensure each detector head has been proved as operational within a 3 month cycle, (as with call point testing). Pages 64/65 of "Fire Safety An Employers Guide" (ISBN No. 0113412290 states that "Electrical fire detection and fire warning systems should be tested weekly for function and to check whether they can be heard throughout the area covered. Make sure they can be seen or heard, particularly by disabled people, and that voice alarms can be understood. They should also be inspected and tested, quarterly and annually, by a competent person. A colleague disagrees that there is a requirement or need to test some detector heads weekly, and that 6 monthly maintenance inspection and testing by the installer is all that is required. Your comments are appreciated, thanks.

Posted By Heather Aston John Functional test of representative callpoints and sounders weekly -usually done internally as it's straightforward. (I have not heard of checking smoke detectors on this test before) System inspected (usually by external company) both quarterly and annually - the annual check is more thorough. Operation of all detectors using a smoke generating thingy at least annually. Your maintenance company should have the proper intervals for doing each type of test on the quarterly inspections. Heather

Posted By Merv Newman John, read the requirement out loud to the person who is disagreeing : SYSTEMS need to be checked weekly. Setting off a small number of heads in rotation once a week will allow you to test your system. Then get a six monthly maintenance check.