Not every business or site requires a fire alarm. However, there are some minimum requirement of fire alarms in the workplace. This is what we look at in this blog post to ensure that you are meeting the minimum requirements for fire alarms in your workplace.
- Easy Detectable Fire
It is not a legal requirement to have a fire alarm system installed in your business. However, it is a legal requirement to have what is termed as a ‘appropriate fire detection system’ in place within your business premises. In simpler terms, this means that you must have some type of system or procedure in place that detects that a fire has broken out and everyone can be alerted to this.
If you are in a small and open-plan office, for example, which has no high-risk fire sources or substances, no vulnerable people and no high-risk activities that take place, then a fire alarm system is not needed. This is because it is likely to be obvious if a fire was to break out. The fire detection in this case is the visual eye.
However, if you have high-risk activities taking place, vulnerable people in the workplace or high-risk fire substances then a fire detection system will be required. This fire detection system would be something like a fire alarm, for example.
- Regular Alarm Checks
If you do have a fire alarm system installed in your workplace, it is essential that it must be checked and tested. These tests and checks must be completed on a regular basis. This is done to ensure that the fire alarms are working correctly in case of the event of a fire or other similar emergency.
Fire safety regulation state that the fire alarm control panel must be visually checked on a daily basis. This check will be to ensure that alarm is in good working order. The check will include ensuring the alarm is turned on, no alarm triggers and no damaged or broken parts.
The fire safety regulations also require that fire alarms are tested on a weekly basis. The fire alarm text must then be logged in the fire alarm log book. This must be done with the date and time the alarm was tested. If there is an issue with the fire alarm test, a fire alarm engineer must be contacted as a matter of urgency.
- Regular Fire Alarm Services
A regular fire alarm servicing appointment is required to ensure that the system is well maintained. The service will also check that there are no faults. This will give you peace of mind. You will know that your fire alarm system can be relied upon in case of a fire. Regular fire alarm servicing will also help to improve and extend the lifespan and reliability of your fire alarm system. This is because it will be kept in good working order.
If your workplace has a fire alarm system, the minimum requirement is to carry out a maintenance check. This needs to be done once every six months / twice a year. This maintenance check must be completely by a competent person, such as a fire alarm engineer. All tests and maintenance of your fire alarm system must be recorded within the fire alarm log book. This will ensure that you and your business remain compliant to the minimum requirements for fire alarms in the workplace.
