In the UK, around
80% of all fire deaths and injuries occur in domestic premises , totalling
over 300 deaths and around 9,000 related injuries each year.
Fire detection and
fire alarm systems are proven to substantially reduce the risk of death or
serious injury from fire.
The fire fatality
rate is an estimated two to three times higher when no smoke detector is
present and functioning than in those premises with adequate installations.
BSI, the business
improvement company, has recently published the revised BS 5839-6:2019 Fire
detection and fire alarm systems for buildings - a code of practice for the
design, commissioning, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire
alarm systems in domestic premises. It provides the latest recommendations for
fire detection and fire alarm systems in both new and existing domestic
premises in order to make them safer to live in.
The main revisions
include:
• Re-grading, and
revision of statistics and recommendations
• Updating guidance
to take all other standards in the BS 5839 series into account
• New table on
testing and servicing by grade of alarm system
• New
recommendations for ensuring alarm signal transmission required within social
care and sheltered housing settings function accordingly
• Increased
protection in sheltered housing and supported housing
• New recommendation
that communal fire alarm systems should not normally be installed in purpose
built blocks of flats
Ant Burd, Head of
Built Environment at BSI, said: “Fires in the home are one of the biggest
threats occupants can face and therefore fire detection and alarm systems are a
crucial fire safety component in helping make sure people can get out of their
home safely. BS 5839-6 provides detailed guidance on the design and
specification of fire detection and alarm systems in domestic and residential
properties.”
The standard is
aimed at architects, engineers and other building professionals, enforcing
authorities, installers and others responsible for implementing fire
precautions in domestic premises. It is not intended for occupiers, for who
government advice is published. However, the standard does provide
recommendations for simple systems that may be installed by non-specialist
installers.
Further information
on BS 5839-6:2019 is available at: https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail?pid=000000000030370704
