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Contents
Users of fire alarm
systems are legally obliged to ensure that their system is kept working,
tested and free from false alarms. Here are some tips that you will find
helpful.
Routine
Testing
A fire alarm should be
tested once a week. Many people don't bother to do this, because they
feel that bells ringing are too disruptive or they are too busy : but it
is vitally important. Disruption can be kept to a minimum by carrying
out the test at the same time, on the same day each week. With a little
preparation, a test can be carried out swiftly and the disruption kept
to an absolute minimum.
Weekly Test - Place your
panel key in the activate controls keyswitch, turn the key in the
keyswitch on the control panel to activate the controls. Have your
logbook and callpoint test key ready. Go to a callpoint (breakglass) on
the first zone and insert the test key. The bells will now ring. DO NOT
PANIC. Take the test key out and return to the control panel. Note the
displays shown on the control panel. Fire in the zone you activated
should be shown. Power On should also be shown. No fault lights should
be shown. Now (ensuring the controls are still active), press Alarm
Silence. The bells will now stop, but the panel will still register an
alarm and the internal sounder will still be running. Enter your
findings in the logbook and press RESET. The system will now return to
normal. Turn the activate controls keyswitch to normal and REMOVE the
key.
If any fault lights came
on during the test, or the system did not operate as it should, call a
fire alarm engineer to fix your system NOW.
To
request a CODRUS fire alarm engineer, click here.
Servicing your Fire Alarm
This is something that
should only be attempted by a fire alarm specialist. Do not be tempted
to use a general contractor, they will not have the specialist training,
equipment or insurance required. Servicing should only be carried out
once a contract is signed, to protect your insurance liability and to
comply with the Fire Officer and Insurance company's requirements.
Remember, you will be asked to produce the documentary evidence that the
system is covered by a service contract, that regular visits have been
done and that any repairs outstanding have been dealt with. Remember,
people's lives are at risk : safety first. A fire alarm specialist will
give you a service contract that not only gives you regular service
visits, but also gives you access to a 24 hour callout number so you can
get an engineer any time of the day or night (problems don't just happen
9 to 5, and you can't just turn a fire alarm off if it's making a funny
noise: they are permanently powered up and wired direct into the mains).
Want to know more about CODRUS service agreements ?. Click Here.
False Alarms
False alarms are the most
disruptive thing that can happen to a fire alarm user (short of a real
fire). They are infuriating and many people feel that the system is
malfunctioning, but this may not be the case. If you are experiencing
false alarms, you should accept some truths about the situation now, so
that you can better deal with the situation.
-
DON'T PANIC
-
DO call your fire alarm
specialists the FIRST time you have a false alarm. Ask for a copy of
their false alarm procedure, by fax. TODAY.
-
FOLLOW the procedure to
the letter. Don't keep pressing buttons in the hope of "stopping the
noise"
-
ACCEPT that it may take
more than one engineer's visit to site to cure the cause of the false
alarm
Possible causes of false
alarms are diverse. False alarms can be caused by cooking, hoovering,
building works, laying carpet, lack of servicing, storm (thrip) flies,
interference from other electronic equipment, even welding in a nearby
building. Whatever the cause, you should deal with the problem the same
way : follow the false alarm procedure.
Your service provider
should give you a copy of their version of the procedure when you first
report a false alarm to them. If they don't have one (they don't have
one ?) please feel free to use the CODRUS false alarm procedure below.
What to do in the
event of a false alarm.
-
Always treat the alarm
as if it is a real fire. Don't assume it's a false alarm. Follow your
evacuation plan and only follow this guide if you have established
that it is a false alarm.
-
If you have established
that it is a false alarm, go to the control panel and activate the
controls.
-
Press the Silence
button. DO NOT PRESS RESET.
-
Make a note of the
lights that are lit on the panel.
-
Call your Fire Alarm
specialist and call an engineer to site urgently.
-
While you are waiting
for the engineer, the panel will still be making a noise, even though
the bells have stopped ringing. DO NOT be tempted to press any more
buttons. If you reset the system before the engineer arrives he will
have no way of identifying where the problem is, and you will still
have to pay for his trip !!.
Want to know more
about CODRUS service agreements ? Click here.
Why you need a Service
Agreement
The main advantage of
having a service agreement with a fire alarm specialist, is that you can
call a qualified engineer to attend your system any time of the day or
night. This is particularly important when you have a building that
contains people who would be distressed if the bells rang continuously.
In healthcare sites, nursing homes, mental healthcare sites and hotels,
a constantly ringing fire alarm system can quickly become an intolerable
situation. Having a "handyman" you can call on won't help you at 3
O'clock in the morning, when you need the system silenced straight away.
With a service agreement you are given an emergency number which
puts you in contact with an "On Call" engineer out of hours and during
weekends and holidays. Once contacted, the engineer will attend site as
soon as possible to resolve your problem.
It is important to ensure
that you know where the emergency number is kept. Your fire alarm
specialist should provide you with the callout number when the contract
is started, and update you whenever it changes (it should change every
so often for security purposes). If you don't know your callout number,
contact your provider immediately. Don't be surprised if they refuse to
give you the number over the phone, but insist on sending you the
information by post or fax instead. This again is a security measure to
protect against releasing the number to people who don't have a
contract. Avoid companies that give mobile numbers as emergency callout
numbers.
We, like many fire alarm
specialists, will not allow an engineer to work on your fire alarm
system unless you have a service agreement with us. We are happy to
provide you with a quote for a service agreement.
Click here to learn more. |
