RiskXtraSeptember2018

FIRE SAFETY
Ensuring Fire System Effectiveness at Historic Sites
The characteristics of heritage buildings tend to
be complex. Ensuring the safety and integrity
of occupants, infrastructure and contents
within is of paramount importance, and especially
so where large numbers of staff and visitors are
involved, such as in stately homes, museums or
other historical attractions.
An in-depth fire risk assessment covering active
and passive protection methods needs to be
carried out and, in the case of historic structures,
normally needs to be supplemented with a more
in-depth fire safety management plan in line with
the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Discrete detection
Features such as irregular room geometry, large
windows, archways, open fireplaces and high,
suspended or decorative ceilings can create
detection challenges. The standards for detector
placement are dictated by BS 5839 in the UK,
which also gives detailed guidance on the options
for different detection types in unusual spaces.
Another key to effective fire safety is to ensure
that critical or high-risk areas, such as kitchens,
boiler rooms or gallery spaces, are specified for a
higher level of detection, using single or multiple
detector types so that incidents are confirmed as
quickly as possible.
Extreme care must be taken to ensure that
smoke can reach detectors. For this reason, there
are many detection methods suitable for historic
structures. Commonly, you may find many of them
on a single system, including:
• Optical smoke detectors – the most common type
of detector with many detection options available
and analysis methods used
• Heat detectors – commonplace in spaces such as
kitchens, where steam from cooking smoke is very
often present
• Wireless point detectors – these offer a far less
invasive solution to their cabled counterparts and
are faster and cheaper to install
• Aspirating detectors – widely used in harder to
access spaces such as cellars or attics, they
continually sample the air several times a second,
and can be set to various sensitivity levels
• Beam detectors – work well in taller spaces such
as great halls or chapels and function on the basis
of smoke obscuration of a beam of light
• Video and CCD-driven flame detectors – flames
will often (but not always) be detected after
smoke. These devices are useful where quickly
visible flame fires are more likely
• Linear heat or heat sensing cable – This can be
run through any area and is especially suited to
sensitive installations. It alerts the fire system to
tiny changes in temperature, even pinpointing the
exact location
Matters of compliance
BS 5839-1:2017 recommends that the system user
appoints “a single, named member of the premises
management to supervise all matters pertaining to
the fire detection and fire alarm system”. This
places responsibility firmly in the hands of one
individual whose role is “to ensure that the system
is tested and maintained in accordance with the
recommendations of this part [Section 7: User’s
responsibilities] of BS 5839”.
Service Tool from Advanced is a simple and
efficient tool offering a range of features that can
demonstrate proof of servicing by allowing you to
download service reports, inspect device history
and keep track of service schedules. This tool for
powerful and flexible service reporting helps to
ensure compliance and delivers peace of mind to
the individual with ultimate responsibility.
In conclusion, historic structures have always
presented a unique challenge for the fire system
industry, but innovation is delivering more choice
and performance for end users, specifiers and
responsible individuals within the sector. The
choices made need to be based on a thorough
understanding of the technology and standards
present within the context of a particular site.
System selection
A fire in any building
can have grave
consequences, of
course, but such
episodes occurring
within historic
structures pose a
particular challenge
for the people and
systems responsible
for protecting them
Advanced has produced a
comprehensive brochure for fire
protection at historic and
heritage sites which is available
by sending an e-mail to:
marketing@advancedco.com
At the centre of any active system is the fire panel – single or multi-loop, standalone
or networked. The choice available is wide and the installation costs are likely to
dwarf equipment prices. For this reason, finding a system that’s easily installed, with
flexible cabling, a range of communication options, multiple cause and effect
options to accommodate the wide range of uses, room sizes, layouts and technical
challenges should be the priority.
A recurring challenge is to make the system as unobtrusive as possible without
impacting performance. Thanks to repeater panels, such as Advanced’s TouchControl
touchscreen, the larger fire panel can be hidden from view. TouchControl is designed
to suit many locations and flush fit, and includes new performance features such as
digital zone plans and active maps highlighting fire status throughout a site.
www.riskxtra.com
41