Commercial Fire Alarm Systems: What your business needs to know about compliance and maintenance
All commercial spaces i.e. anything that isn’t residential, must comply with the Fire Safety Order (2005). It requires that a ‘Fire Safety Assessment’ of the premises is completed and the right measures that negate the risks and hazards are put in place. Depending on the building and nature of business, there will be specific standards to meet. These can be found on the government website here.
It also insists fire wardens (also referred to as a fire marshal or company fire officer) are appointed and trained, and staff are given ‘adequate’ safety training. This should include training when they join the organisation, refreshers and fire safety drills.
Fire systems need to be maintained and tested regularly. It doesn’t matter if the system is wireless, addressable or conventional, they all need to be maintained. At the very least they should be tested weekly to ensure the bells sound, and the lights flash.
These sorts of regular checks should form part of a continuous maintenance programme along with staff training, so they know what to do in the event of a fire, and rehearsals of evacuation procedures.
Fire Alarm System Maintenance and servicing
TouchStar can audit properties and business operations with a fire engineer to ensure the right system is installed. It’s a useful service as businesses evolve over time and small changes that could make a big difference to fire procedures could creep in. An external professional can ensure nothing goes unnoticed.
TouchStar also provides nationwide servicing and maintenance contracts to provide the peace of mind needed to meet compliance every day. Depending on the installation, access to a 24/7 helpdesk and a minimum six monthly ‘preventative maintenance’ visit may be all that’s needed. In more complex scenarios, where the installation uses multiple systems and devices, more regular reviews are necessary.
This service helps ensure manufacturer guidance for specific devices is followed and upheld. It also includes several Service Level Agreement (SLA) options on response times from our fully trained engineers, who can respond to call outs the same day or within hours.
Get professional guidance and support
Failure to comply with the Fire Safety Order can result in serious financial penalties and even prison. That’s why it’s recommend that anyone responsible for training, selecting a system, installing it and maintaining it seeks professional support.
Find out how TouchStar can deliver a fire assessment for your business here.
