BS-5839 part 6 LD3

Does BS-5839 part 6 LD3 need to be reviewed?  Points to consider.

LD3 is considered the Minimum Protection for a domestic dwelling.

Normally in a 3 bed semi detached house Detectors are in all circulation areas that form part of the escape routes (hallways and landings) ONLY.  Would/Could it beneficial to include or mandate a heat alarm for the kitchen and/or plant room if present?  (Plant room could contain kit from Solar PV battery storage or inverter etc)

LD3 also seems to infer that the fire will/could start inside the dwelling rather than elsewhere.  As an couterargument example an e-bike may be left directly outside the front door or rear door.  Does LD3 take into full consideration the shear amount of electrical and electronic items now in the average dwelling?  Most dwellings will contain at least 1 mobile phone which may or may not be left charging overnight, same could be said for a laptop or tablet or small battery pack (20000mAh USB Power Bank or less).  With direct reference to the small battery pack reference is made to the fact that China requires CCC certification for power banks sold within the country and strictly prohibits non-CCC certified, unclear, or recalled power banks on domestic flights.


LD3 seems to only really apply in England & Wales as Scotland changed their law in 2022.  In Scotland every home (owner-occupied, private rented, social housing, and new build) must meet a minimum standard that is functionally equivalent to Category LD2.



As always please be polite and respectful in this purely academic debate.





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Parents
  • Dwelling fires are still falling in England from 28,504 in 2019/2020 to 25,408 in 2024/2025. That said the number of fatalities is creeping up 194 in 2024/2025 compared to 166 in 2023/2024 and 199 in 2022/2023

    (source assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/.../FIRE0205.xlsx)

    The guidance that supports the building regulations ADB v1 still up to 2029 only requires LD3.

    BS 5839-6 does recommend a risk assessment before picking a category. And categories are short hand not straight jackets adding a extra detector does mean its becomes another category.

    BS 5839-1:2019 + A1:2020 recommends LD2 for new dwellings. Plus it is starting its review in January so start your ideas on how it should be changed now!

  • New builds only have to meet LD3 as that all the approved document requires (England) and the approved document has been 

    revised with current revisions going up to 2029 I cannot see this changing anytime soon

    The Approved Document is slightly ambiguous. Paragraph 1.1: All dwellings should have a fire detection and alarm system, minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 standard, in accordance with the relevant recommendations of BS 5839-6.

    The phrase, "all dwellings" includes existing and new buildings. Whilst Table 1 of BS 5839-6:2019+A1:2020 lists LD3 for some existing premises, the minimum for new or materially altered premises is LD2.

    So, I interpret the Approved Document as recommending at least LD2 for new builds.

  • In the simplest form you could have a battery power smoke alarm

    Not if you want to comply with the Building regulations: they require mains-powered alarms.

    The caveat that most people forget is that the domestic smoke alarm / heat alarm / multi sensor alarm is only valid for 10 years max.  After this the sensor is deemed no longer accurate by the manufacturer.

    Or the battery is no longer reliable.

  • Not if you want to comply with the Building regulations: they require mains-powered alarms.

    This is another reason this discussion was started.  See first line of my post.  Does BS-5839 part 6 LD3 need to be reviewed? 

    Current/updated Building Regulation and BS-5839 part 6 need to match as BS7671 refers out to BS-5839 part 6 and the whole BS-5839 series throughout

  • At the moment the advice is inconsistent - and of course building regs are normally only considered when there is actual building or renovation work going on for another purpose that requires inspection. Personally I think that then, like new build, the threshold of how much is reasonable to do and disrupt is quite a bit higher than an upgrade to an existing property with folk living in with their carpets and  furniture in place and so on.
    Especially when folk reach an age when decorating is not an option, and disruption to the daily routine is not appreciated - I'm thinking of old folk especially on limited means who have had strokes or have limited sight and bumble about the place eating the same weekly menu because anything else is too difficult to remember. And pragmatically, some of them would probably argue that the next person to move in will do so in a few years anyway, and they can fix it then ;-) 

    And I'd agree I think with the current costs of stuff and labour, a stand alone or  interlinked by wireless battery set is probably just about OK for the latter minimum disruption case , and drilling holes and pulling wires is more suited to those doing renovations and new builds and similar "major" works.

    Mike

  • This is another reason this discussion was started.

    Yes, but the Grade (A to F) is independent of the Category (LD1 to LD3).

  • Dwelling fires are still falling in England from 28,504 in 2019/2020 to 25,408 in 2024/2025. That said the number of fatalities is creeping up 194 in 2024/2025 compared to 166 in 2023/2024 and 199 in 2022/2023

    (source assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/.../FIRE0205.xlsx)

    I've not studied the spread sheet but the numbers do, in some senses, imply that the housing affordability crisis is creating high occupancy situations with possibly poorer families and groups. 

    The law of underlying issues may be striking again. Maybe it's not a technical solution that's needed if "dwelling fires are still falling" ? 

  • I'm getting status "not found"

  • The link, as included, accidentally adds the close bracket to the link. Delete the trailing close bracket to get to the file.

  • The law of underlying issues may be striking again.

    Declining numbers of cigarette smokers. :-)

  • But more people are using Air Fryers

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