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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
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    You would need sight of the Fire Risk Assessment to determine if they are suitable. You also need to know what the fault is on the Gent panel and what it’s affect is. If for example, the fault prevented some of the self-closing fire doors from operating, then replacing the failed detector(s) with a system that can not close the doors would seem to be inappropriate. If the new detectors alert the managing agents, but they cannot remotely close the fire doors, this would also seem inappropriate. The BS spec for fire alarms requires a percentage of detectors to be held as stock, so assuming a competent fire alarm company is carrying out the work, the provision of spares can not be an issue. 


    Regards,


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  • 0
    You would need sight of the Fire Risk Assessment to determine if they are suitable. You also need to know what the fault is on the Gent panel and what it’s affect is. If for example, the fault prevented some of the self-closing fire doors from operating, then replacing the failed detector(s) with a system that can not close the doors would seem to be inappropriate. If the new detectors alert the managing agents, but they cannot remotely close the fire doors, this would also seem inappropriate. The BS spec for fire alarms requires a percentage of detectors to be held as stock, so assuming a competent fire alarm company is carrying out the work, the provision of spares can not be an issue. 


    Regards,


Children
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