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Stand alone smoke alarm in store area

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:22 pm
by TWDB
Hi all, we are having an office makeover/ move, and I was not involved in the fire detection layout and the new "store" as been place without consultation.

This store area will hold document storage and some of our "small" monitoring equipment and will containing equipment charging area.

The Store area has no automatic fire/ smoke detection allocated to it (fire system went in via landlords, then partition walls and layout set out). Therefore I was proposing a standalone Smoke alarm to be located the store, above the charging area, and this is to be included I testing regime in our office safety inspections.

Do you think this is ok? other options?

Thanks

T

Re: Stand alone smoke alarm in store area

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:51 pm
by Messy
It all depends.......

To achieve compliance, and assuming you need fire detection for life safety purposes (only your fire risk assessment will determine that), you need to consider would a fire in the new store effect the means of escape? For example, does any door from that store open onto a corridor used as an escape route by anybody?

BS5839- breaks down fire alarm systems into categories based on their coverage. Most common categories of life safety fire detection systems require detection in escape routes and rooms leading onto escape routes. So if the store meets that criteria, you will probably need to add a detection in the store.

More here about categories http://www.fidelityintegrated.com/conte ... 5839-1.pdf

In any case, it is 99% certain that your fire risk assessment will need a review ASAP

More about fire alarm systems and fire detection design https://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/

Good luck

Re: Stand alone smoke alarm in store area

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:56 pm
by TWDB
Messy wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:51 pm It all depends.......

To achieve compliance, and assuming you need fire detection for life safety purposes (only your fire risk assessment will determine that), you need to consider would a fire in the new store effect the means of escape? For example, does any door from that store open onto a corridor used as an escape route by anybody?

BS5839- breaks down fire alarm systems into categories based on their coverage. Most common categories of life safety fire detection systems require detection in escape routes and rooms leading onto escape routes. So if the store meets that criteria, you will probably need to add a detection in the store.

More here about categories http://www.fidelityintegrated.com/conte ... 5839-1.pdf

In any case, it is 99% certain that your fire risk assessment will need a review ASAP

More about fire alarm systems and fire detection design https://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/

Good luck


Thanks Messy,

The Store does open out into one of the two escape routes ( we have two doors to exit the open plan office) one main entrance and an fire exit door - both to a stairwell refuge)

store would open out to route that passes through a kitchen are and corridor

so by that logic would need a fire detection unit connected to main system located in the store.

thanks again for the info and links

T