Posted By jervis Hello Mark isnt a weekly test !

Posted By Richard Hammer Does not have to be 6 monthly only. Subject to risk assessment for competent engineer and not exceeding 6 months between inspections, You must carry out at least 2 inspections over a 12 month period. Most will split that into Quarterly inspections covering 25%, so that a full inspection is covered over the 12 months. Or others do 50% which is 6 monthly. The weekly testing is to test the system using a different MCP on rotation, not the MCP. Over 12 months test all MCP's and detectors, inspect analogue detector levels, check alarm devices, cable fixings etc etc. Obviously if you have a unmanned site with only 3 or so MCP, you can justify the MCP tests are not done weekly, but say quarterly.....but that is another story/RA

Posted By Peter F Jervis, the weekly check you refer to is the break glass, they should be tested 1 a week per area over a thirteen week cycle. We have quartly checks, with 50%. but I think it all depends on your R/A and the business.

Posted By Adam Worth All this is from course notes so you may want to check original sources :) RRO - Equipment needs to be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair BS5839 Every Device must be tested at least once per year The control panel and stand-by batteries should be checked at a minimum of 6 monthly intervals. Weekly testing should be carried out by user comprising a single call point test for small sites. If more than 50 call points may require more than one per week. Also check out the guidance packs if you haven't already - http://www.communities.g...iresafety/firesafetylaw/ http://www.communities.g...ons/fire/firesafetyrisk3

Posted By Richard Hammer What is your query clairel??

Posted By Richard Hammer Everyone seems to be quoting guidelines. We are moving away from prescriptive ideals in fire safety, with the first big change coming from FSO and now with BS9999. It is all about risk assessing the property, people at risk, fire hazards etc etc first. If I had a small office 2 storey with 7 staff, would I recommend at least 2 evacs per year? Aspire to BS, but it can not always be hence we should risk assess.

Posted By Malcolm Greenhouse My understanding is that call points need testing every 3 months (quarter). This could either mean testing every point once every three months or testing a proportion of the call points at regular frequenceis so that every point is tested at least every 3 months. e.g. if you had 13 call points in a system you would check one a week (different point each week)If you had more than 13 but less than 26 you would check 2 per week etc. The logic behind this was that the number of soundings at each test was kept to a minimum. You could also tie it in to fire alarm familiarisation test. This is were you state that at each Tuesday at 10:00 the fire alarm will be tested (if heard at any other time treat as real). We also ask the tester to listen to the audibility of the alarm as they tested each point to identify if sounders were working. Needless to say the numbering of the call points and the recording of the number of points tested had to be entered in the fire log book to ensure that points were not missed.

Posted By clairel Then i wonder why the Fire Guide says different? Anyone??

Posted By Messy Shaw clairel, I am with Richard with this one. There is currently many (perhaps too many) guides available right now. In addition to the DCLG FS suite of Guides (to which I think you are referring) there are The LACORS Guide for housing, A raft of BS guides for anything from alarms and emergency lighting, BS 9999 a 450 page document explaining how to risk assess using engineering principles Approved Doc B Building Regs and many more Then some individual fire authorities have their own guidance, much of it available on the www Add to that mix, various advice from education authorities, licensing authorities, etc etc - its all a mess. But there is only one definitive document. The RR(FS)O 2005. The rest are, in effect, guides to show you different ways around a particular problem in a specific situation

Posted By GaryC40 Breathing life into an thread.. Before i start trawling through guidance of all sorts can anyone clarify if an organisation with 1 (yes 1) employee (likely that public or visitors will regularly be in the premises)is obliged to record weekly fire alarm tests? Also is there guidance on locations of muster points for offices in busy streets etc? The closest space for a muster area in this instance is over a busy road. We are a landlord and the prospective tenant is not wanting to record anything, however i have insisted they completed a FRA for their areas of control for the property, irrespective of the 5 employee rule. I also feel that they should carry out the weekly alarm test and record it. They have been gifted the property for a limited period hence why i think it is not asking too much for them to do this as good practise. Any thoughts? Gary