SAFETY & SECURITY 73


BEST PRACTICE FOR HOME LIFE SAFETY


When it comes to Home Life Safety, it is vital that systems specifi ed for domestic properties are as reliable as possible. Here, Phoebe Beddows of Aico details best practice for achieving fi re protection in developments.


C


hoosing the right fi re detection devices (system) for domestic properties starts with fi nding the correct sensors for the appropriate rooms. rimarily, smoke sensors should operate in circulation spaces and habitable living areas such as the livingdining room and bedrooms. Fires caused in these areas are often slow and smouldering, involving wood, cotton and plastic, and so, the smoke sensor is most appropriate. Heat sensors should be installed in kitchens, as opposed to smoke alarms, as the fi res which occur in the kitchen are more often a result of cooking, which produces fast fl aming fi res and increased temperatures. With the use of a heat alarm, false activations will not be caused by cooking fumes.


CATEGORIES OF PROTECTION British Standard BS53201A12020 states that the level of protection to the occupants needs to be directly related to this fi re risk. The standard lists three categories of system, including where and how many alarms should be installed. Category LD1 demonstrates a high level of protection, in all areas where a fi re could start. This includes all areas with the exception of the bathrooms and WC. With Category LD2, medium protection is demonstrated in escape routes and high risk areas, such as the kitchen, living room, hallways, landings, and lofts (where electrical equipment is installed, boilers,  systems etc). A Category LD3 system shows minimum protection, including hallways and landings. Across all categories, alarms should not be installed within toilets, bathrooms or shower rooms.


ALARM GRADES


The operational elements to each individual alarm place them within a Grade, as follows • Grade A  Separate detectors, sounders, central control and indicating equipment with backup power supply.


• Grade C  A system of fi re detectors and alarm sounders (which may be combined in the form of smoke alarms) connected to a common power supply, comprising the normal mains and standby supply, with central control equipment.


• Grade D1  A system of one of more mains powered detectors, each with a tamperproof standby supply consisting of a batterybatteries.


• Grade D2  A system of one or more mains powered detectors, each with an integral standby supply consisting of a userreplaceable battery or batteries.


• Grade F1  A system of one or more battery powered detector powered by tamperproof primary battery.


• Grade F2  A system of one or more battery powered detectors powered by a userreplaceable primary battery or batteries.


BEST PRACTICE APPROACHES FOR EACH PROPERTY TYPE


In rented properties (new build or existing), British Standards recommend a Grade D1 Category LD2 system, with smoke detectors installed in the living room, landing and hallway, and a heat alarm in the kitchen. Within existing sheltered housing, a Grade D2 Category LD2 system should be installed in individual dwellings. Where the property is being upgraded, electrical work is undertaken, or smoke alarms are replaced, a Grade D1 Category LD1 system should be installed in the individual dwellings. In communal areas, a Grade A Category L5 should be installed. In new materially altered sheltered housing, individual dwellings should operate a Grade D2 LD1 alarm system, with the communal area as Grade A Category L5.


WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76