Cause for alarm?

Right on cue, fifteen minutes into the third seminar that morning in the national series of CPD training seminars organised by ADI-Gardiner, all the fire alarms in the regional city centre hotel shrilled into life.

The topic for the session, "Detector Testing – Professional Maintenance or Criminal Negligence", presented by No Climb, was highlighting the demands of BS5839-1:2002 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order), which require all smoke and heat detectors to be tested by a competent person.

If it had been planned, it would have added a nice bit of extra impact to the points being made. But there was nothing stage managed about it, nor the repeated alarm only minutes later – just two more incidents in the thousands of false alarms that the CFOA (Chief Fire Officers Association) and Fire Brigades nationwide are determined to see reduced.

New legislation is now firmly on top of the fire industry's agenda following a series of reforms, most notably with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order), also known as "FSO", in April 2006, which transfers the onus from the licensing authorities to the "Responsible Person" – the person who owns the premises or business or the person with control over the premises. The Fire Brigades are under strict instructions to enforce the legislation through considerable fines for non-compliance.

Know your legal responsibilities

The CPD Certification Service's invitation to ADI-Gardiner, one of the largest UK suppliers of fire products and systems, to organise the current series of BSi, BFPSA and BAFE backed seminars, has helped to raise the issue of legislation – highlighting the continued need for specifiers, installers and manufacturers to complete the communication circle - and to make sure that they do not neglect their legal responsibilities.

With two sessions topping and tailing the programme of 12 seminars in total, the BSi's role is a unique one, representing overall industry standards, while the remaining speakers cover between them the full spectrum of fire protection technology and products.

"These are important days in the fire and security industry for specifiers and managers as much as installers – exciting but certainly challenging," says the BSi's Business Manager for Kitemark Services Tina Tillard. "With the transfer of authority taking place right now, there needs to be wholesale recognition among businesses that CFOA are only going to recognise two formal standards for third party certification – LPS1014 and SP203".

Don't leave it to the last minute

Specifiers and installers need to understand why and when each product should be used - one size does definitely not fit all

"The message that we and all those involved in staging these seminars are putting out is that businesses, including small businesses, need to get the heads up and on board with this as soon as possible, and not to wait until the last minute, when there may not be places available to be trained and certified. What's more, it is not a huge task, it may mean just making a few tweaks to an existing practice to comply. But companies really must check out the documents themselves."

The BSi and other speakers all underlined the need to understand how to carry out proper risk assessments for different types of applications. It is the technical false alarms that the Government and authorities want to cut out, rather than those caused by intruders or for malicious reasons. Testing the competence of systems designers is a crucial part of the requirements, as the wrong type of sensor or the wrong location for a sensor can cause constant problems.

Delegates at ADI-Gardiner's free of charge seminars come from a wide range of fields, including architects, building engineers, housing associations and project managers, as well as fire services, safety advisers and installers. One county fire service had no fewer than 17 members of staff together at one venue. And according to sales manager Stuart Mason of Apollo, one of the ten equipment manufacturers on the panel of speakers, even some of the fire authorities are not aware of the array of fire products being used in the industry.

Knowledge gap needs to be filled

"Specifiers and installers need to understand why and when each product should be used – one size does definitely not fit all. There's no doubt that there's a knowledge gap in the industry that needs to be filled, now more than ever with the new legislation.

"The presentations, the question and answer sessions, and the accompanying exhibition are a good way to help those who attend to understand, but the message needs to get out much wider, and soon. There are different protocols at work, and unless people learn to plan properly and to adhere to appropriate EN standards, they are going to cause themselves all sorts of problems."

The seminars are raising all sorts of issues in the light of the FSO requirements, prompting questions to speakers such as: "How do you define a responsible person?", "What does it mean for third party maintenance companies to be third party certified?", and "Is it possible to achieve SP203 accreditation through BSi?"

Representatives from another one of the manufacturers speaking at the seminars, Morley IAS UK Sales Manager Keith Minster and Regional Sales Manager Russell Povey, both see the industry demonstrating a range of reactions to the new regulations.

Ample time to prepare

There's no doubt that there's a knowledge gap in the industry that needs to be filled, now more than ever with the new legislation

"On one hand, people might say there is no need for any concern – there are two years to prepare before the legislation becomes fully implemented, so there is ample time for everything. But unless you are already preparing and planning for the change, there could be real pressure. Meanwhile, all it needs is for a life to be lost, and then we'll see an extreme reaction, with a huge focus on risk assessments."

From a manufacturer's point of view, Morley IAS sees the third party certification of products as a crucial step, forcing up standards and benefiting leading players like themselves. "It will be interesting to see what happens among certain manufacturers who claim Part 2 and 4 accreditation, but whose subjection to third party testing is unproven," says Keith Minster.

Other speakers from Rafiki, Spel, Ventcroft, C-TEC, KAC, Vimpex and Firebeam, all ensured that delegates understood the FSO's implications for DDA compliance, sounders and visual devices, cable standards, manual call points, emergency lighting and multiple occupancy dwellings.

Several of these proved particularly relevant to many of the delegates attending, such as Anchor Trust's project surveyors, who as specifiers for sheltered housing are currently changing from a closed protocol.

Special needs to cater for "It's important and interesting to see where the likes of Morley IAS and Apollo stand and where they are heading," says Michael Austin of Anchor's Manchester office. "We are currently taking part in a wide ranging review of practices and are in favour of a stay put policy rather than an evacuation policy."

Also accumulating valuable information was Remploy's Regional Safety Adviser John Valavanis, for whom the DDA and individual safety are of paramount importance.

"Remploy is in the business of making life easier for the aurally and visually impaired, for those who suffer strokes and so on. As a multi-site organisation, we are seeking uniformity across our sites in terms of our installations, and we have special needs to cater for. For example, we've experienced various problems with strobes, and the deaf naturally need a separate LED display for different warnings."

Remploy's example highlights the importance of the FSO, and the life or death implications associated with non-compliance. Specifiers and installers please take note, and ensure that you obtain the necessary information, training and accreditation.

Useful links: www.bafe.org.uk www.bfpsa.org.uk www.bsi-global.com www.gardinersecurity.co.uk