98% of Fire Services alarms are FALSE
The CFOA's policy highlights more than ever the need for fire detection and alarm systems to be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained by persons competent in the requirements of the British Standards for fire protection systems.
The RRO (Regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order 2005) highlights the need for 'competent persons' to be appointed for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems. The new policy goes one further, prescribing a definition of 'competent persons' as those who are accredited by the BAFE SP203 and LPS1014 third party approval schemes. The schemes are an industry standard mark which assures end users and insurers alike that a company is well versed in the requirements and recommendations of BS 5839-1:2002 and BS 5839-6, and demonstrates that the company understands the importance of maintaining effective system management to control the occurrence of unwanted fire signals. Under the RRO poorly managed and maintained systems may provide evidence for potential prosecution.
The CFOA's policy will soon require that each system is issued a unique reference number (URN) by the Fire Service and that only a 3rd party accredited fire detection and alarm company will be able to register a system. This minimises the risk of Fire Service attendance to unwanted fire signals. The services are assured by the third party accreditation that the fire systems designer, installer and maintainer are competent to do so.
The CFOA policy will address unwanted alarms from any system (whether monitored locally or remotely) that results in Fire Service attendance. Fire Safety officers will focus their attention on assessing performance of systems that do not promptly address risks generated by ineffective system management. Failure to address the risks ultimately resulting in refusal to issue a URN to systems not compliant with BS 5839, or in some cases refusing to provide an emergency response.
This is reassuring for those companies who are already accredited. With the Fire Service promotion of accreditation as a requisite for the issue of a URN, the customer is actively encouraged to consider quality assurance as part of their tender package as well as purely commercial factors. The CFOA's policy aligned with the third party schemes 'levels the playing field' for scheme subscribers, promotion of the scheme helps to justify the inclusion into installers price of the high level of handover documentation required. Often scheme subscribers may loose jobs to those less competent companies who don't consider meeting the requirements. In this case it is the customer who looses out, the CFOA's policy protects the end user from bring urged toward a cheaper but inferior supplier.
The LPS1014 and BAFE SP203 scheme's flexibility to certify against the 'L5' category supports the interaction between the requirements of BS 5839 and the RR(FS)O's risk based approach to the provision of fire detection and alarm systems. This allows for a design which, through risk based variations to standard, can provide best cost for the customer. Rather than adhering to the letter of the law, an L5 category allows for flexibility of provision, which in itself is another effective system management tool to control the occurrence of unwanted fire signals.
The L5 category is a premier design solution, drawn from the recommendations of detailed risk assessment and fire strategy. The system designer is required to specify requirements for maintaining the ongoing integrity of the FDA system ensuring effective system management long after system handover. Kingfell Fire Engineering has a long history of providing bespoke fire system design solutions in environments where a premises operating restrictions conflict with the recommendations of BS 5839. The flexibility of certifying to L5 category accommodates designs which integrate BS 53839 with infrastructure specific standards and requirements such as those employed by NHS Estates, London Underground and Network Rail.
There are currently over 200 companies accredited by either the LPS1014 or the BAFE SP203 schemes, so there is no reason to claim that a local provider is not readily available. In utilising an accredited FDA contractor the end user is not only paying for a quality assured product but also for peace of mind. The RR(FS)O requires an FDA certificate that puts the 'duty of care' for the system in the hands of the end user's 'responsible person'. The LPS1014 and BAFE SP203 schemes give the end user confidence in the certification they are issued and that the risks to business and premises have been effectively managed.
For further information on Kingfell's approach to fire system design contact.
James Winter
KINGFELLPLC 12th Floor Capital Tower 91 Waterloo Road London SE1 8RT
Tel: +44 (0) 845 2582 8235
Email: jameswinter@kingfell.com
Photography by Ruth Knight
www.ruthknight.com
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