FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Adrian Keats at Honeywell’s Home Safety business, explains why
connected alarm systems are the future of home safety.
As technology develops, so too do the products designed to safeguard homes. For health and safety professionals, who could be tasked with specifying or assessing a building’s alarm system, it’s crucial to stay abreast of the latest solutions, which offer the greatest level of protection for tenants.
According to recent figures, there are a rising number of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning incidents throughout the UK, with a 10% increase in suspected cases over the last two years. There has also been an increase of nearly 300 house-related fires since last year.
This is particularly relevant when applied to high rise residences, where there has been a growing number of fire incidents throughout the UK, with an average of two fires a day in London apartment blocks alone.
What’s more, high profile incidents such as the tragic Lakanal tower block fire in 2009, which caused the death of six people, mean that CO and fire safety in multi-dwelling units has come to the attention of Government.
“THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE OR CO
TO SPREAD FROM ONE RESIDENCE TO ANOTHER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SERIOUS CONCERN.”
In October last year, the Government introduced new smoke and CO regulations in a bid to tighten parameters on home safety in the rented property sector, both public and private. This legislation requires that a smoke alarm is installed on every floor of each property, and a CO alarm in any room that contains a solid fuel burning appliance. The penalty for non- compliance is £5,000, and although no price can be put on the cost of lives put at risk by not having an alarm, it is hoped that this financial penalty is a great enough deterrent against failing to specify the relevant products.
However, this legislation is just a foundation level, offering the bare minimum of safety. For example, unlike Scottish requirements, there is no stipulation for interlinked alarms.
The potential for fire or CO leakage to spread from one residence to another has always been a serious concern. The challenge presented here lies in alerting an entire building to a problem that has developed in one home. For example, in the case of a CO leak or outbreak of fire, an alarm within the affected residence might alert the
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immediate tenants, and potentially their neighbours, but not those on other floors.
In this situation certain individuals may not be alerted to a hazard in their building until it has developed into a threatening situation. This is especially problematic when we consider that those on higher floors cannot use lifts in a fire emergency, therefore limiting their means of escape.
It is for this reason that connected smoke and heat alarm systems are mandatory in Scottish housing. However, for true safety, a connected system should also include a CO alarm to ensure that all hazards are appropriately guarded against.
A connected system offers full scale protection by linking every smoke, heat and CO alarm in the building together, so that if one is triggered all the others will also activate. This ensures that every occupant is alerted to the danger no matter where in the building they are.
Although in the past there has been a perception that wireless systems are perhaps not as dependable as wired, wireless systems which incorporate high-quality, sealed units are easily just as reliable as wired variations, especially if the alarms can be locked to the wall for protection against damage or tampering.
When considering the health and safety requirements of a residential building, fire and CO safety is a major concern. After the Lakanal House fire of 2009, the Southwark Council officially introduced wirelessly connected fire alarms, and this is just one example of a health and safety plan going above and beyond legislation to ensure tenant safety. For health and safety professionals, innovations such as these provide an invaluable safeguard, and should be taken into account when assessing the needs of any dwelling.
www.homesafety.honeywell.com 37
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