Although British Standards are not legislation, they do form the basis to what we work to as a minimum. With many organisations referring to compliance with BS 5839-6 the Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises why as an industry do, we fail to comply with this standard on so many levels?
This article will focus on the application of BS 5839-6 to new build houses. Building Regulations which is legislation states that fire detection and alarm systems must be properly designed, installed, and maintained. It also states that third party certification schemes for fire protection products and services are an effective means of providing assurances of quality, reliability, and safety.
The leading electrical certification bodies provide schemes which assess an electrical contractor’s competence to deliver work activities in compliance with BS 7671. So, when a house builder or Building Control receive a certificate bearing the logo of a leading certification body with a signed declaration of compliance with BS 5839-6 one can understand that they would assume that there is a technical assessment supporting this certificate.
Somewhat surprisingly, there is not.
At present and despite the installation of mains-powered Grade D fire detection and alarm systems being a staple of every electrician’s service offering neither of the leading electrical certification bodies offer a technical assessment scheme for mains-powered fire detection and alarm systems.
Design
As we know the basis of any compliant installation is a compliant design. For any design to be carried out the designer needs to understand what is needed, with reference Building Regulations Approved Document B1 which states that all dwellings should have a fire detection and alarm system, minimum Grade D2 (detectors with replaceable batteries) Category LD3 (smoke detection installed on hallways, landings and staircases that form the escape route), in accordance with the relevant recommendations of BS 5839-6.
So, what does BS 5839-6 state?
The standard says that where there is a need to specify a fire detection and fire alarm system for dwellings in which characteristics of the occupants are unknown (e.g., new dwellings) the recommendations given in Table 1 of the standard should be followed to select the type of system that shall be installed. Table 1 details all dwelling types and then details which system grade and category is appropriate for the dwelling type.
When one refers to Table 1 the minimum system for a new build owner occupied dwelling house is Grade D2 (detectors with replaceable batteries) Category LD2 (smoke detection installed on hallways, landings and staircases that form the escape route plus a heat detector installed in every kitchen and a smoke detector in the principal habitable rooms).
So, who is designing the fire detection and alarm systems in new build homes and why are they not applying the recommendations of standard?
When consulting electrical contractors working in the new build housing sector it is universally communicated that the design of the fire detection and fire alarm system has already been undertaken and the electrical contractor is required to undertake the installation and commissioning elements and provide a certificate in compliance with BS 5839-6 on work completion.
It was also universally communicated that a design certificate is not issued to the electrical contractor despite both Building Regulations and BS 5839-6 both stipulating that a design certificate is required.
It is therefore evident that from the offset it is unlikely that the fire detection and alarm system within the new build home has enough fire detectors with risk areas such as kitchens which house appliances and are a major cause of house fires and principal habitable rooms also do not have fire detection to early detect and raise the alarm before the escape route is compromised. Furthermore, without the design certificate being issued the organisation and person responsible for the design is not clearly defined and documented.
Disability Discrimination
New build homes understandably must cater for people of physical disability with the design and construction of the home being considerate to the accessibility of the dwelling. So, what about access to the test button of the fire detection and alarm system?
BS 5839-6 states that Grade D systems can be provided with a low-level test switch to permit routine testing without the need to access test controls on the smoke or heat alarms themselves.
In the spirit of accessibility in new build homes being a priority and with the occupier characteristics not being known and test buttons being integrated into the ceiling mounted detector it is therefore suggested that good design practice would be to provide a low-level test controller mounted at switch height in all new build dwellings.
Installation
The installer of a Grade D fire detection and alarm system is presented with many sets of criteria to comply with BS 5839-6. The main areas where compliance is not achieved are:
Testing & Commissioning
To comply with BS 5839-6 each smoke, heat, and multi detector must be functionally tested using apparatus that effectively tests if smoke can enter the chamber and or the application of heat can effectively activate the detector at commissioning stage.
Consultation with electricians identified that detectors are not tested in accordance with the British Standard and furthermore electricians did not have access to the test equipment required.
Electricians stated that some manufacturers promote and recommend not undertaking detector testing using test apparatus and recommend the use of the test button to carry out system commissioning.
This recommendation is a variation to BS 5839-6 and to comply with BS 5839-6 must be agreed by all relevant parties including the purchaser. One must consider if a choice were put to the purchaser to test in accordance with the British Standard against doing otherwise what the likely answer would be.
Handover to the Homeowner
BS 5839-6 states that the supplier of the system shall provide the occupier with some very specific information and important which is too long to list within this article. The information informs the home occupier on a host of matters from system testing, false alarm limitation, actions to be taken in the event of a fire.
On consultation with electrical contractors the universal response was that they did not comply with BS 5839-6 in relation to home occupier guidance.
Building Control Approval
Any Building Control approval must ensure that the system complies with BS 5839-6 and a design, installation and commissioning certificate issued. In instances where the design has not been undertaken by the installation and commissioning organization then a separate certificate shall be issued to comply with BS 5839-6. There is also evidence that a large number of electrical contractors are signing a declaration for the design of the system despite not having undertaken this element of work.
Given the issues raised in this article can we be confident that Building Control are undertaking a robust assessment of the fire life safety system before approving a dwelling for occupation?
If there is not any third-party certification scheme in operation where Building Control can rely on the assessment of work compliance being undertaken by others, then who is safeguarding the consumer of a new build home?
What is the solution?
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