Fire Alarm Testing involves the periodic testing and inspection of all the key components of your fire alarm system, including fire sensors, smoke alarms, manual call points, bells, sounders, and fire extinguishers.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, applies to all commercial environments as well as to any place the public reside in or visit. The Order requires employers to undertake a comprehensive fire risk assessment. A designated member of staff must be made responsible for Health and Safety and accountable for the servicing of both fire extinguishers and alarms, and for ensuring that, where fitted, any fire protection equipment is maintained to the relevant standard and with proper records being maintained.
Failure to properly maintain your alarm system puts you in violation of Health and Safety and Local Authority guidelines as well as National and European legislation. It may also place you in breach of the terms of your insurance cover, invalidating any claim you might make in the event of fire. Failure to undertake and hold a written Risk assessment is a Criminal Offence. Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (As Amended 1999) require any business with 5 or more employees to carry out a written Risk Assessment and have an Emergency plan.
P K Teasdale’s certified engineers test the condition and proper functioning of every component of your system, update your certification and advise of, and carry out repair or replacement to, any defective component.
If you are concerned about the condition of the fire alarms and associated system in your workplace and need professional advice, or would like a quotation for contract testing and certification of your installation, please feel free to contact us.
Because of the possibility of a failure of the normal lighting supply occurring shortly after a period of testing of the emergency lighting system or during the subsequent recharge period, all full duration tests shall, wherever possible, be undertaken just before a time of low risk to allow for battery recharge. Alternatively, suitable temporary arrangements shall be made until the batteries have been recharged.
The following minimum inspections and tests shall be carried out at the intervals recommended below. The regulating authority may require specific tests.
Daily emergency lighting inspection (only for central backup systems)
This check only applies to emergency lighting systems with one central backup battery system/emergency generator. In this case there is a daily visual inspection of indicators on the central power supply to identify that the system is in a ready condition. No test of operation is required.
Monthly emergency lighting tests
All emergency lighting systems must be tested monthly. The test is a short functional test in accordance with BS 5266-1: 2011.
The period of simulated failure should be sufficient for the purpose of this test whilst minimising damage to the system components e.g. lamps. During this period, all luminaires and signs shall be checked to ensure that they are present, clean and functioning correctly. A record of the test must be recorded in the emergency lighting log book.
Annually
A test for the full rated duration of the emergency lights (e.g. 3 hours) must be carried out. The emergency lights must still be working at the end of this test.
The result must be recorded and if failures are detected, these must be remedied as soon as possible.
Types of system
Most emergency lighting schemes fall into one of the following categories:-
Non-maintained – The emergency light units only illuminate in the event of a mains failure.
Maintained – The emergency light units are illuminated at all times using the same lamps for both normal and emergency operation.
Sustained – The emergency light units are fitted with 2 No. Lamps or 2 No. Sets of lamps, one of which operates on mains 240V a.c.supply, the other which operates from the battery supply in the event of mains failure. It is basically a non-maintained system with the addition of mains lamps which should be illuminated whenever the premises are occupied.
Generator or battery alternative supply.
