Building Fire cause and effect testing

I think that you only have to look at the new 'Risk' based Fire assessment that is to be implemented for guidance.

As Ted Thornton mentioned there is a deal of information already about regarding the fire system - in your fire certificate & notes/Plans, in the various Britsih Standards and no doubt EN standards. Additionally your insurers may have an idea or two about the 'standard' to which you test and maintain your F/systems guded perhaps by the loss prevention council.

Back to the New fire risk assessment though, this will squarly put the onus upon the building/business owners/operators to ensure that 'in their view' they have done all that is possible to ensure not only the safety and welbeing of users of the business/property but also anyone else affected by the actioning of the fire evacuation process itself, basically it is now your responsibility to make sure all that can be done, is being done and not only seen to be done but extensivly recorded and reviewed too! Have fun with it, the first Aid regs will soon follow suit.

Chris Morris.

Neither of the items of legislation, the Fire Precautions Act 1971, nor the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997, go to this level of detail in requiring tests. However in both the requirement ? either explicitly or implicitly ? is for fully functioning means f raising the alrm, ensuring safe evacuation and fighting the fire, which is what your systems do. Thus you will need to ensure that they are properly installed, properly maintained and properly tested on a regular basis to ensure that they are in fact working correctly. In general the maintenance and testing regime will be recommended by the supplier or installer. However it is likely that it will comply with the relevant British Standard such as ?BS5839-1:2002 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance? (available from BSI), which you could consult for further guidance.

With the move to less prescriptive legislation, making it more risk assessment based, the onus is on the employer or controller of the premises to determine ? usually in conjunction with the installers and suppliers ? a suitable test regime for all their fire protection systems.

Thanks for this, and I hope that helps.

Is there legislation or regulations which clearly state that a full building fire system test, inclusive of lifts grounding, PA sounders and smoke vents etc. needs to be carried out, and if so, what at what regularity?

Many thanks.