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Smoke alarms, are they appropriate.

Sparkingchip
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Part of the communal areas of purpose built sheltered housing flats on three floors with a lift that has a full monitored fire alarm system, that closes the internal fire doors and opens the exterior doors when activated. 


Each individual flat has a heat alarm in its hallway connected to the communal alarm system and also has an Aico interconnected smoke and heat alarm system that is connected to the intercom system allowing the call centre to monitor them and speak to the tenants to ask why they have been activated. 


Can you think of any justification for installing very basic domestic battery operated smoke alarms in the communal areas?


Because I cannot think of any way their installation can be justified, particularly as they will not be monitored in any way and should not be required. 


Andy B
Parents
  • 0
    66.3 Fire detection and alarm systems are not normally provided in the common parts of blocks of flats (with the exception of sheltered housing schemes). This has been the benchmark standard for many years (see Appendix 1) and continues to be the case for new blocks of flats under the current guidance in Approved Document B.

    66.4 As indicated earlier, there may be circumstances in which such a system needs to be provided in order to compensate for shortcomings in compartmentation and means of escape.

    66.5 In any block of flats where a communal fire alarm system is installed, the system should be of the type to which BS 5839-1 applies. Domestic smoke alarms are not appropriate for the common parts of blocks of flats, nor is it appropriate to apply the recommendations of BS 5839-6 to a communal fire alarm system. Where domestic smoke alarms exist in the common parts of a block, they may, and often should, be removed and replaced (if this is essential) with a fire alarm system of the type to which BS 5839-1 applies.

    Local Government Association


    Andy B
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  • 0
    66.3 Fire detection and alarm systems are not normally provided in the common parts of blocks of flats (with the exception of sheltered housing schemes). This has been the benchmark standard for many years (see Appendix 1) and continues to be the case for new blocks of flats under the current guidance in Approved Document B.

    66.4 As indicated earlier, there may be circumstances in which such a system needs to be provided in order to compensate for shortcomings in compartmentation and means of escape.

    66.5 In any block of flats where a communal fire alarm system is installed, the system should be of the type to which BS 5839-1 applies. Domestic smoke alarms are not appropriate for the common parts of blocks of flats, nor is it appropriate to apply the recommendations of BS 5839-6 to a communal fire alarm system. Where domestic smoke alarms exist in the common parts of a block, they may, and often should, be removed and replaced (if this is essential) with a fire alarm system of the type to which BS 5839-1 applies.

    Local Government Association


    Andy B
Children
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