Fire Standards & Regulations

Are you confused?

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
• Local Licensing Requirements
• BS 5839-6: 2013
• Building Regulations Document B
• LACORS – Fire Safety Guidance
 Fire Alarm Systems
There is no risk low enough to negate
the need for some form of system
• Single household up to 4 storey –
Grade D, Category LD3
• Shared House HMO up to 4 storey -
Grade D, LD3 + Kitchen, Lounge, cellar
• Shared House HMO 5 –6 storey -
Grade A, Category LD2 + all risk rooms
 Fire Alarm Systems
• Bedsit HMO up to 2 storey – mixed system
Grade D, Category LD2 in common areas
+ heat alarm in bedsits.
Grade D alarm in each bedsit
• Bedsit HMO 3 to 6 storey – mixed system
Grade A, Category LD2 in common areas
+ heat alarm in bedsits.
Grade D alarm in each bedsit
 Fire Alarm Systems
• 2 storey house converted to flats, not to
Building Regs – mixed system
Grade D, Category LD2 in common areas
+ heat alarm in entrance to flat
Grade D, Category LD3 in each flat
• 3 - 6 storey house converted to flats, not
to Building Regs – mixed system
Grade A, Category LD2 in common areas
+ heat alarm in entrance to flat.
Grade D, Category LD3 in each flat
 BS 5839-6:2013 – What is it?

• Guidance for selection, siting

& installation of fire alarm
systems for dwellings
• The ‘Best Practice’ guide
• Building Regulations & other
guidance based on this
standard
 Grades & Category

• Grade of system - the type of system to

be installed...
Battery, Mains only, Mains with back-up etc
• Category of system - the extent of the
system...
The number of alarms installed & where
 Grades of system
• Grade A – similar to commercial
type fire alarm systems
Sounder circuit

Detector circuit

Manual Call Point circuit

Central control panel

All circuits at 24VDC in fire
with zoning
resistant cable
Mains
power
supply
 Grades of system
• Grade D - mains smoke/heat alarms
with an integral standby supply

Standard PVC
cable

Rechargeable cells OR PP3 Battery

Mains power
supply
 Categories of system

• LD3 – a system incorporating

detectors in all circulation spaces
that form part of the escape routes
from the dwelling.
• Hallways, Landings
• Open Plan – Lounges, Sitting Room
Category LD3

Optical or
Multi-Sensor

Hallway Landing
 Categories of system

• LD2 – a system incorporating

detectors in all circulation spaces
that form part of the escape routes
from the dwelling, and in all
specified rooms and areas that
present a high fire risk to occupants.
• Same as LD3 plus high risk rooms e.g
Living Room & Kitchen
 Category LD2

Kitchen
Optical or
Multi-Sensor

Hallway Landing Ionisation,

Optical or
Multi-Sensor

Heat

Living
Room
Mixed System – Grade D

Separate
System in each
flat
Escape
Flat 3 Route Flat 4
Smoke alarms
in escape route

Escape Heat alarms

Flat 1 Route Flat 2 connected to
escape route
system
Mixed System – Grade A & D
Grade A system –
smoke detectors +
heat detector in each
dwelling

Separate Grade D
alarm system in
each dwelling
The problem with Hard-wiring

Smoke alarm
on landing

Mains Power
Supply
Smoke alarm
in hallway
 RF interconnect
1st floor light pendant

Smoke alarm
on landing

No cables & trunking

Ground floor light pendant
Smoke alarm
in hallway

Radio signal interconnects the system

 RadioLINK Alarm Controller

• Test, Locate & Silence

from one button
• Fire or CO indicator
to easily identify
source of alarm
• Memory feature
• Engineers Mode for
interrogation
 Other Applications
Relay to trigger other devices
• Warden Call Systems • Door closer/opener
• Strobe light • Panel system
• Sounder • Smoke vent
Switched Input Module to activate
alarms from a sprinkler system
 Promoting professional fire alarm
system installation in dwellings with

The Aico Fire Products Trained

Installer Scheme

Aico Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics

Europe’s Leader in Residential Fire + Gas Detection Made in

Ireland
Ei Electronics, Shannon, Ireland
All combustion processes generate CO

Natural Gas / LPG 20 – 200 ppm

Oil / Liquid Up to 1,000ppm

Solid fuel Up to 20,000 ppm

 Tragic Incident
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 1
1 woman poisoned
1 man died due to
By CO
CO poisoning

Boiler flue dislodged

in boiler room

• Boiler slow to fire-up resulting in a build up of gas in firebox.

• Boiler eventually ignited, a small explosion caused the flue
to become displaced.
• Exhaust gases escaped into the boiler room
• Fumes leaked into 2 bedrooms above
• 1 man died and there was also a near miss.
• A CO alarm would almost certainly have saved them.
 Tragic Incident

• A flue leading from a boiler had been fixed just below the
bathroom window of a seaside hotel bedroom.
• The window had been screwed down but was later
undone – fumes entered the bedroom
• 1 man died from CO poisoning
• Flue and terminal were installed in the wrong place and in
the wrong way.
• Two employees of the installer company were charged
with manslaughter and received fines.
• Statements from family included ...
"We hope everyone who reads this will buy a carbon
monoxide alarm and pass the message on."
 A near miss

• Lady was complaining of flu-like symptoms

• CO Alarm was fitted and it did respond.
• Gas engineer could not find a problem – claimed
CO Alarm was faulty
• New digital alarm showed high levels of CO
• Exhaust gases were coming from the flat below
• A Near miss showing the value of fitting CO alarms
Flues in voids – existing installations
• Gas Safe Technical Bulletin 008
Edition 3 issued April 2013
• Inspection hatches must be
fitted, OR
• A void monitoring system should
be installed
• How many will be?
 Flues in voids – an alternative
• Install a CO alarm in all habitable
rooms that the flue passes through
 Gas Cookers
• Owned by the tenant –
rarely serviced?
• Can emit significant
amounts of CO – 400ppm
not uncommon!
• Low level CO poisoning can
cause long-term health
problems
• Can this be ignored as
being outside of your
responsibility?
 Corgi Report 2009

• ‘Just over 72% of installers said they have

discovered a CO leak on a customer’s
appliance’
• ‘Nearly 50% of CORGI registered installers
say they recommend that their customers
install an audible CO alarm’
• ‘through increased awareness of CO, it is
hoped that public knowledge about the
importance of installing an audible CO
alarm will increase’.
What the Regulatory bodies say
Gas Safe Register recommends the use of audible carbon
monoxide alarms marked with British Standard EN 50291. It
should also have a British or European approval mark, such as
a Kitemark.

England & Wales Building Regulations requires a CO alarm to

be installed when a new solid fuel appliance is installed or
when an existing one is replaced

Northern Ireland Building Regulations requires the

installation of a CO alarm when any fuel burning
appliance is installed – new and existing installations

Scotland Building Regulations requires the installation of

a CO alarm when any fuel burning appliance is
installed – new and existing installations
 What the Boiler Manufacturers say

Quote from Baxi website

‘For you and your family's safety, it is advisable to fit a carbon
monoxide alarm in each room in your home that has a gas
appliance’.

Response to e-mail enquiry to Worcester Bosch

We don't have a specific company stance on it [installing CO
alarms] - we would always refer customers to Gas Safe
Register's guidelines.

Quote from COCAA section of Vaillant website

Fit an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm. CO alarms need to
meet European safety standards and must be audible.
Standards & Regulations

BS EN 50291-1: 2010
BS EN 50291-2: 2010
Product Standards for CO Alarms

BS EN 50292: 2002
Code of Practice for siting and
installation
 Choosing a CO alarm
Battery powered alarm
• Lower purchase cost
• Easier to install
• Easier to remove
• Battery may have to be
replaced with some products
• Alarm has to be replaced after 7 years
• No interconnect with most products
• No signalling option with most products
 Choosing a CO alarm
Mains powered alarm
• No batteries to replace
• Less likely to be removed
• No back-up if mains fails
• Higher purchase price
• Higher installation cost
• Alarm has to be replaced after 5/6 years
• No interconnect option
• No signalling option
 Choosing a CO alarm
Mains powered with back-up
• Rechargeable back-up cells
• No batteries to replace
• Less likely to be removed
• Replace sensor after 5/6 years
• Hard wire and RF interconnect option
• Can be interconnected with smoke alarms
• Signalling via a relay option available
• Higher purchase price
• Same installation cost as mains only
 Where to site CO alarms
• In all rooms where there is an appliance
• 1st Priority – open-flued or flue-less appliances
• 2nd Priority – where people spend most time
• 3rd Priority – where appliance is most used

Open–flued
appliance
 Siting CO Alarms
• BS EN 50292 allows wall or ceiling mounting
• BRE GBG 30 recommendations based on trial results...
• Ideally, site on the ceiling at least 300mm from wall or
other obstruction - the easiest siting position
• Site 1 - 3m from the appliance

Ceiling mounted
Recommended
Siting position
 Wall Mounting
• If it must be on the wall:
a). High as possible – 150mm from ceiling
b). Higher than doors or windows
• Between 1 – 3m from source of CO.
• Not easy to meet these restrictions
 Siting CO Alarms
• Where the appliance is in a confined
space e.g a boiler room
 Interconnecting alarms
• If only one CO alarm is installed audibility
could be a problem
• Interconnection with smoke alarms can
overcome this
Alarms not Alarms
interconnected interconnected
Interconnecting CO & Smoke Alarms

Hard-wired
Only with a
switch

RadioLINK
Thank you