Quarterly Or Bianually

[john@total]

Just a quickie

What do your maintenance contracts indicate 25% or 50% service of the fire alarm system

is it nessecery to carry out 25% or can you carry out 2 visits per annum.

please help as it is not 100% clear what is required in bs5839-1:2002

john

[sparky999]

Just a quickie

What do your maintenance contracts indicate 25% or 50% service of the fire alarm system

is it nessecery to carry out 25% or can you carry out 2 visits per annum.

please help as it is not 100% clear what is required in bs5839-1:2002

john

Usually we carry out quarterly services unless it is a very small system then possibly bi-annual.

Copy of part of the BS5839 - hope this helps

Pete

Recommendations for periodic inspection and test of the system.

Some fire detection and fire alarm systems and components include features that permit functions to be automatically monitored, and faults or warnings to be annunciated, or otherwise made available to authorised persons. In such cases, the recommendations for routine testing under this sub-clause and may be modified to omit testing which is declared to be unnecessary by the equipment supplier, provided it can be demonstrated that the automatic monitoring achieves the same objective as the appropriate test recommended in this sub-clause.

The recommendations in this clause should be carried out by a competent person The period between successive inspection and servicing visits should be based upon a risk assessment, taking into account the type of system installed, the environment in which it operates and other factors that may affect the long term operation of the system. The recommended period between successive inspection and servicing visits should not exceed six months. If a risk assessment shows a need for more frequent inspection and servicing visits, then all interested parties should agree the appropriate inspection and servicing schedule. If this recommendation is not implemented, it should be considered that the system is no longer compliant with this part of BS 5839.

The following recommendations are applicable:

a) The system log book should be examined. It should be ensured that any faults recorded have received appropriate attention.

B) A visual inspection should be made to check whether structural or occupancy changes have affected the compliance of the system with the recommendations of this standard for the siting of manual call points, automatic fire detectors and fire alarm devices. Particular care should be taken to verify whether:

1) all manual call points remain unobstructed and conspicuous;

2) any new exits have been created without the provision of an adjacent manual call point;

3) any new or relocated partitions have been erected within 500 mm horizontally of any automatic fire detector

4) any storage encroaches within 300 mm of ceilings, such as to obviate compliance

5) a clear space of 500 mm is maintained below each automatic fire detector and that the ability of the detector to receive the stimulus that it has been designed to detect has not been impeded by other means;

6) any changes to the use or occupancy of an area makes the existing types of automatic fire detector unsuitable for detection of fire or prone to unwanted alarms;

7) any building alterations or extensions require additional fire detection and alarm equipment to be installed

c) The records of false alarms should be checked. The rate of false alarms during the previous 12 months should be recorded. Action taken in respect of false alarms recorded should comply with the recommendations.

d) The standby batter should be disconnected and full load alarm should be simulated.

e) Batteries and their connections should be examined and momentarily load tested with the mains disconnected (other than those within devices such as manual call points, detectors and fire alarm sounders of a radio-linked system), to ensure that they are in good serviceable condition and not likely to fail before the next service visit. Vented batteries should be examined to ensure that the specific gravity of each cell is correct.

g) The operation of the fire alarm devices should be checked.

h) All controls and visual indicators at control and indicating equipment should be checked for correct operation.

i) The operation of any facility for automatic transmission of alarm signals to an alarm receiving centre should be checked. There more than one form of alarm signal can be transmitted (e.g. fire and fault signals), the correct transmission of each signal should be confirmed.

j) All ancillary functions of the control and indicating equipment should be tested.

k) All fault indicators and their circuits should be checked, where practicable, by simulation of fault conditions.

l) All printers should be tested to ensure that they operate correctly and that characters are legible. It should be ensured that all printer consumables are sufficient in quantity or condition to ensure that the printer can be expected to operated until the time of the next service visit.

m) Radio systems of all types should be serviced in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer.

n) All further checks and tests recommended by the manufacturer of the control and indicating equipment and other components of the system should be carried out

o) On completion of the work, any outstanding defects should be reported to the responsible person, the system log book should be completed and a servicing certificate should be issued.

Recommendations for inspection and test of the system over a 12 month period

In addition to the work recommended, it is recommended that the following work be carried out every year:

NOTE 1 The work described may be carried out over the course of two or more service visits during each twelve month period

a) The switch mechanism of every manual call point should be tested, either by removal of a frangible element, insertion of a test key or operation of the device as it would be operated in the event of fire.

B) All automatic fire detectors should be examined, as far as practicable, to ensure that they have not been damaged, painted, or otherwise adversely affected. Thereafter, every detector should b e functionally tested. The tests used need prove only that the detectors are connected to the system, are operational and are capable of responding to the phenomena they are designed to detect.

c) Every heat detector should be functionally tested by means of a suitable heat source, unless operation of the detector in this manner would then necessitate replacement of part or all of the sensing element (e.g. as in fusible link point detectors or non-integrating line detectors). Special test arrangements will be required for fusible link heat detectors. The heat source should not have the potential to ignite a fire; live flame should not be used, and special equipment might be necessary in explosive atmospheres.

d) Point smoke detectors should be functionally tested by a method that confirms that smoke can enter the detector chamber and produce a fire alarm signal (e.g. by use of apparatus that generates simulated smoke or suitable aerosols around the detector). It should be ensured that the material used does not cause damage to, or affect the subsequent performance of, the detector; the manufacturer

[james.wilson]

it is in 5839. didnt read peter post my screen isnt big enough... lol

but you can do 6 monthly visits IF after the RA it is deemed appropriate and ALL relevant parties are in agreement

[esp-protocol]

it is in 5839. didnt read peter post my screen isnt big enough... lol

but you can do 6 monthly visits IF after the RA it is deemed appropriate and ALL relevant parties are in agreement

errr..... 6 monthly is the the minimum.

More frequent visits are fine if RA requires it.

[MatonTE1]

errr..... 6 monthly is the the minimum.

More frequent visits are fine if RA requires it.

As Dave says 6 monthlys/bi-annual is within recommendattions of BS 5839-1:2002 + A2:2008 with regards to the maximum interval between visits.However,if the client goes against the recommendation of "The Responsible Person" then the system can be deemed as no longer being serviced under the recommendations of the above standard.

However,we still go quarterly unless specified by the client or not financially sound to be there moe than twice per year.