FEATURE
puts pressure on already stretched public sector resources and this has resulted in growing fines and regulation. A false alarm is referred to as an
‘unwanted fire signal’ as soon as the fire service is summoned and false alarms generated from remotely monitored fire detection and fire alarm systems cost businesses and Fire and Rescue Service authorities an estimated £1 billion a year in the UK.
Unwanted fire alarms PUT LIVES AT RISK
Steven Foxley, managing director of Siemens Building Technologies for the UK and Ireland, highlights a key health and safety issue relating to fire safety protection
T
he complexity of buildings, density of occupation and growing user
demands are heightening the urgency to introduce governance to ensure that life safety equipment fulfils its true purpose of preventing fire and saving lives. In 2014-15 unwanted fire alarms caused by equipment accounted for two- thirds of all false alarms, amounting to a total of 143,500. Although this figure is slightly lower than the previous year, it is still unacceptably high, despite the fact that the correct design, technology
selection, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems can virtually eliminate unwanted alarms. When alarms go off repeatedly, people start to disregard them and this could further endanger lives in the event of a fire. Most call-outs are either caused by badly maintained systems, or poor quality technology that cannot distinguish false triggers. Unwanted alarm alerts still automatically instigate calls to the emergency services which
More zones added to fire panels
Advanced has extended its QuickZone range of conventional and twin-wire fire panels with the addition of a 16-32 zone option which complements the existing 2-4 and 4-12 zone options. QuickZone offers a choice of three control
panels, allowing installers to specify the system that best matches their performance and price requirements. QuickZone (2-4 zones) is the most straightforward of the two and is appropriate for quick, simple installations. QuickZone XL (4-12 and now 16-32) has a rich array of features that can support passive or fully-functional repeaters; it is suited to use in larger conventional or twin- wire installations with more involved programming and configuration requirements. QuickZone XL also offers zone expansion cards and a range of installation features including earth bars.
Both product lines are approved to EN54-2&4 and are quick to install, quick to configure and quick to maintain. Both also feature false alarm management functions according to one of three different modes, as described in EN54-2. QuickZone supports mode A while QuickZone XL supports modes A, B and C. False alarm management can be selected for individual zones on both panels.
www.advancedco.com
Fire detection systems simply should not cause unwanted alarms. If an organisation suffers from excessive false alarms, the root cause is either poor technology, or poor service and maintenance support, and this is an addressable issue. Siemens is working with organisations across a range of industries to select and apply the correct fire detectors for their location and usage; this alone can reduce the chance of an unwanted alarm from the detector. It is the responsibility of fire alarm companies to install and maintain the technology, but also to advise on best use and minimisation of potential unwanted fire signals. Siemens has developed advanced fire
detection systems that can deliver full protection across all buildings and which also ensure there is no risk of false alarms. They are designed to operate in demanding environmental conditions where immediate and accurate fire detection is vital to life safety and business continuity. Each smoke, flame, heat and carbon
monoxide detector is configured with a unique set of parameters for each location. Even before smoke is visible, ASATechnology, Siemens dual wavelength sensing solution detects minute smoke particles and provides an instant fire alert. Importantly, it also determines whether the the smoke is due to a false fire phenomena and will not alarm in these instances. It is vital that manufacturers and
installers are trained to identify and assist with customer requirements, risks and business operations. Engineering teams must be fully qualified to interpret customer specifications, CDM requirements, relevant legislation and British Standards, as well as the impact on health, safety and the environment. In particular they should be trained on all parts of BS5839 – the code of practice that prescribes the manner in which fire systems are designed, installed and maintained across the UK.
Siemens Building Technologies
www.buildingtechnologies.siemens.com T: 01276 690195
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