Ensuring Safety Through Workplace Fire Alarm Maintenance
Fire alarms are one of the most vital components of workplace fire safety, as they immediately react to emergencies, allowing for a safe evacuation of large groups of people.
Most workplaces are home to a variety of people with different abilities, which means ensuring a prompt and safe evacuation is essential. There needs to be enough time for everyone to escape the premises during a fire and make it to the fire meeting points, no matter their ability, and fire alarms can help with this when fully functional.
When fully functional, fire alarms alert at the first sign of a fire such as high temperatures or smoke, allowing people to react accordingly. Fire alarms remain fully functional through regular maintenance, and the guidelines for workplace fire alarm maintenance need to be followed across the country.
At Full Circuit Fire & Security, we offer a variety of services to help keep people safe across the North West. We are a professional installer of fire alarms and deliver official testing and inspections to ensure that your workplace is fully compliant. In this guide, we are sharing everything you need to know about fire alarm maintenance in the workplace and how you can keep everyone safe.
Official UK Regulations For Workplace Fire Alarm Maintenance
In the UK, several regulations specifically outline the requirements for fire alarms in publicly accessed areas. These legislations are in place to ensure that all premises are safe and ae subject to change as we improve and technology advances.
These regulations outline everything from the design and placement of fire alarm systems to fire alarm testing and maintenance. These need to be followed to ensure your premises is safe, as well as to prevent legal issues such as fines or even jail time based on the severity.
In terms of workplace fire alarm maintenance, there are two main areas of legislation that need to be understood and followed:
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Fire Safety Order outlines the need for regular fire risk assessments in workplaces and other non-domestic premises across the UK. These need to be performed regularly by official inspectors to ensure the premises are up to date with current requirements and that the necessary precautions are in place to limit fire hazards.
This regulation also mandates regular testing of fire detection and fire alarm systems to ensure they are in an efficient state at all times.
British Standard BS 5839-1
The BS 5839-1 standard provides recommendations for workplace fire alarm maintenance, along with the planning, design, installation, and commissioning of fire alarm and detection systems in all non-domestic premises.
These are the required processes based on current fire safety regulations and should be followed to ensure that your workplace is not only protected to the highest standards but legally compliant too.
What Happens If You Neglect Workplace Fire Alarm Maintenance?
Complying with both the Fire Safety Order and the British Standards for fire alarm systems is not optional – it is compulsory for all kinds of premises across the UK.
Neglecting workplace fire alarm maintenance is not only dangerous, as you are failing to ensure that all fire alarms are fully operational and can protect people during an emergency, but a legal issue too.
Malfunctioning fire alarms can pose a serious threat to workplaces, as they will not deliver a prompt response to emergencies. This means in the event of a fire, the response may be delayed causing higher levels of injury and property damage.
Not following these regulations can cause serious issues for your business, including insurance complications, legal penalties and reputational damage which may never be recovered. This is why workplaces need to be aware of the fire alarm regulations and follow strict fire alarm maintenance protocols to keep their premises protected and compliant at all times.
Top Tips For Compliant Workplace Fire Alarm Maintenance
Now that you understand the regulations in place for workplace fire alarm maintenance, it is time to get to work. To ensure that your workplace is always fully compliant and safe, consider implementing the following:
1) Conduct Regular Fire Alarm Tests And Drills
Not only are regular fire alarm tests and inspections required under British Standards, but they are a great way to ensure that your fire alarms are fully operational at all times.
Regular fire alarm testing and fire drills should be performed across your premises, with tests every week and larger processes every month, to ensure that the fire alarms are functional and people know how to act during an emergency. This ensures that should the worst occur, your workplace will be protected and people can make a safe evacuation when needed.
2) Ensure Regular Fire Alarm Inspections
As well as performing your own workplace fire alarm maintenance, official inspections are required too. According to BS 5839-1, systems should be inspected at least every six months by an official inspector such as those at Full Circuit Fire & Security.
These inspections can help identify and then rectify any issues that may be present in your fire alarm system to ensure it is in line with current regulations.
3) Address Faults Immediately
If any faults are identified during testing or inspections, these need to be rectified immediately to keep your workplace safe.
When the inspections are done by officials like those on our team, we can deliver the necessary repairs or upgrades for you. However, when issues are found during routine, independent testing it is essential that you call in maintenance immediately.
The main purpose of testing is to ensure that your fire alarms are fully functional and if any issues arise, they need to be addressed immediately to keep your premises safe and compliant. Failing to repair any faults leaves your workplace at risk of injury, property damage and even loss of life so there should be no delay.
4) Maintain a Logbook
Maintaining a logbook of all inspections, installations, tests and maintenance work of your workplace fire alarms is essential. This is not only outlined in the regulations but also makes management of your premises easier as you have a working record of everything that you do in terms of fire safety.
These logbooks and records will be inspected in your annual fire risk assessments and should outline the previous maintenance done to bring your premises back up to standard. Logbooks and documents should be kept organised and accessible, so they can be easily assessed, and act as invaluable evidence of your compliance with fire safety standards.
5) Stay Informed on Regulations
To ensure that your workplace is compliant, you need to be aware of the current regulations. Fire safety regulations are subject to change and are always evolving as we discover better ways to stay safe.
This is why staying informed about the current regulations is essential and should be part of your ongoing workplace fire alarm maintenance routine. You need to ensure that you are being kept up to date on any changes in legislation for fire safety, as well as the industry best practices for your particular workplace.
Conclusion
Workplace fire alarm maintenance is a legal requirement and a great practice to ensure your premises are safe. There are regulations in place to ensure that all premises are protected and these need to be followed to prevent legal issues, such as fines.
At Full Circuit Fire & Security, we offer a range of fire safety services including fire alarm installation, testing and maintenance to help keep workplaces across the North West safe and compliant.
Contact Us Today
To book your next fire alarm inspection or fire risk assessment, please contact the team today.
