Businesses Fire Alarm Maintenance Guide: Everything you need to know

At Crusader Fire, we understand the importance of protecting your staff. Fire alarm maintenance ensures that they are protected in case of a fire. Without a working, compliant fire alarm system, you leave yourself, your staff, and your building at risk of being caught in a fire.

All fire safety legislation in the UK is under ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’. We have broken down the main points and further legislation that make sure your business’s fire alarm system is your first and most effective line of defence.

What UK businesses need a fire alarm?

Although no outright law states what businesses need to have a fire alarm system, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement. The findings of this will determine the necessary fire safety measures. Equally, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that all non-domestic premises must have appropriate fire detection and alarm systems. Regardless of the findings of the risk assessment, we would always encourage having a working fire alarm system in place at all businesses.

In the UK, a non-domestic premises refers to any building or part of a building that is not used solely as a private dwelling. This can include, but isn’t limited to:

• Office Buildings- from small independent buildings to skyscrapers.
• Retail stores- shopping centres, supermarkets, individual shops
• Industrial properties- manufacturing, production, warehousing
• Hospitality- restaurants, cafes, pubs
• Hotels and guest houses- any lodging for tourists
• Hairdressers and beauty salons- including nail salons
• Healthcare centres- hospitals, dental practices, nursing homes
• Gyms and leisure centres- cinemas, sports facilities
• Transport facilities- airports, train stations, bus stations

It is important to remember that with any commercial building, you will also need to follow general fire alarm regulations that may be in place in these buildings, as well as any regulations your risk assessment reveals.

What are the UK’s regulations for business fire alarms?

There are multiple regulations and legislations to follow when it comes to your business fire alarm system:

• Regulatory (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• Businesses building regulations
• BS 5839
• BS EN 54
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The Regulatory (Fire Safety) Order 2005

This is the primary fire safety legislation in England and Wales, which places responsibility for fire safety onto the ‘responsible person’ (typically the owner, employer, or building manager). They must conduct a fire risk assessment to determine fire safety measures, which include fire detection and alarm systems.

BS 5839

The British Standard BS 5839 is a code of practice for fire detection and fire alarm systems. While not a legal requirement, it does provide recommendations for fire alarm systems at a premise, including:

• Design
• Installation
• Commissioning
• Maintenance
• Grade- system construction
• Category- area coverage

BS EN 54

The BS EN 54 is a series of European standards for the minimum requirements of components of fire detection and fire alarm systems. They are benchmarks of quality and performance for individual parts of a fire alarm system, including but not limited to:

• Fire alarm panels
• Sounders
• Power supply
• Smoke/heat detectors
• Manual call points (break glass)

Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974

Not exclusively a fire safety act, or a fire alarm system guide, yet this act places a duty on employers in the UK to ensure the welfare of their employees while at work. Part of which is protecting them from the risk of a fire.

Who in the business is responsible for the fire alarms?

The responsibility for having a suitable fire alarm system can fall on:

• The employer.
• The owner of a premises.
• Anyone with control of the premises- facilities/building manager, a managing agent.

This person is known as the ‘responsible person ’ or the ‘competent person’. Some businesses may have one fire safety official to report to, or, depending on the size, there may be multiple people or a committee in charge of enacting the fire safety procedure. If there is more than one person or a committee, they must coordinate to ensure the fire alarm system is compliant.

How to choose the right fire alarm system for your business

A workplace fire alarm system will look different for each business, depending on the:

• Size of the premises.
• Layout of the premises.
• Types of activity on the premises.
• Materials on the premises.
• Monitoring procedure- how long it takes for a fire to be discovered in an area, and the closest fire alarm point.

The minimum fire alarm system at a business will consist of:

• A control panel.
• Fire sensors and detectors.
• Alarm or bell box.

Depending on these factors, a fire alarm system can be as simple or intricate as necessary. It is always best to consult with a fire safety consultancy.

How often should the fire alarm system be tested?

The national fire alarm regulations state that the responsible person must visually check the alarm control panel for faults daily, as well as perform weekly and monthly checks.

Weekly fire alarm tests

Weekly fire alarm tests should be held to:

• Check that the system is operating correctly.
• Detect any possible faults early.
• Increase familiarity with employees.
• Record keep- keep a log book of each fire drill.
• Verify connection with an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)- if you are connected with a fire brigade, you should notify them of the test.
• Test that different call points are working- each test should be a different call point.

Monthly fire alarm tests

Monthly fire alarm tests should be performed for more in-depth checks of fire safety. This includes:

• Emergency lighting.
• Backup power supply.
• Visual inspection of detectors and call points- make sure they’re undamaged, unobstructed, and visibly present.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Check for any unauthorised modifications.
• Review logbook entries.
• Check for any environmental changes that might affect the plan.

How to implement a business fire alarm system

The most important things to remember about implementing a fire alarm system are:

• The fire needs to be easily detectable.
• Fire alarms must be checked and tested regularly.
• Fire alarms need to be serviced regularly.

The best way to implement a fire alarm system for your business is to consult a professional fire safety specialist. Here at Crusader Fire, we offer a fully custom fire alarm design, installation, and servicing, as well as the initial fire risk assessment.