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Posted By Michelle McAloon
Hi,
I asked for issues/concerns/topics/ideas to be discussed at our H & S Committee Meeting and got this:
"Is it advisable to have a fire alarm test every Friday 2pm. What happens if there is a genuine fire at 2pm on a Friday when people have been told to take no action at this time"
(Anonymous)
Sometimes people really amaze me.
I supppose they think it is safer never to test the alarm and for no-one to know what it sounds like. lol
HR
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Posted By Tommy Cooper
Surely you would sound the alarm for a test intermittently, and for a real fire it would be continuous. Your display notices should indicate this.
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Posted By holmezy
Michelle,
the chances of having a real fire at 2.00pm on a Friday afternoon, the very time that you are testing the alarm, are remote....assuming all relevant controls are in place?
Perhaps you need to announce via a tannoy, phone, intercom, pigeon post, whatever,,,,
"that this is only a fire alarm test, do not panic Mr Mainwaring..."
Sounds like a real awkward lot you have!
Holmezy
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
Here's what we do;
Test it for a maximum of say 10 seconds (there is a British Standard to this effect whose number escapes me at the moment).
If the alarm continues past this period, then you have a genuine activation and evacuation should follow.
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Posted By Pete48
Michelle, we do exactly the same as Jonathan, staff are trained to know the routine test time and are told that if the alarm continues to ring for more than normal (usually about 10 seconds) then treat as a fire alarm. We have had 2 occasions in 3 years where we evacuated because the tester couldn't get the reset done it time. Good fun and useful test, saves all the hassle of arranging the next one anyway.
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Posted By peter gotch
Michelle,
Our alarm is tested at 1000 on a Tuesday for 15 seconds.
Took ages for some of our staff to react one Tuesday when it continued to sound.
Regards, Peter
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Posted By Merv Newman
I reckon that Prometheus got asked this one.
Merv
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Posted By Fred Pratley
Don't make the No Action announcement.
Presumably your People are well versed in the procedure and will realise its a test when the alarm quickly stops again.
If our alarm activates (for wharever reason)our policy is that we will leave the alarms running until either we are confident that all areas are evacuated (about 5 minutes) or the fire service arrives and tells us to silence.
And if there is an actual fire, most people don't need an alarm to tell them to get them out!!
Fred
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Posted By Saracen11
Hi Michelle, I agree with the other postings. Tell folk a test is to be carried out on 'x' day at 'x' time, by using different call points not only do you test the responses of the occupants, you test the system.
And of course record your actions...
Don't rely on people knowing it's just a test and that it should be ignored... again as others have suggested, tell your people, if it sounds for more than 'x' seconds then consider the activation real and get out!
Remember Kegworth - warnings were ignored... as they were in the Woolworths fire in Manchester. (The consequences speak for themselves!).
Regards
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