Bardic has issued a warning to contractors that a new approach to fire safety in buildings will be necessary when the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order becomes effective in October.

Bardic warns that the onus of proof that a fire detection and alarm system complies with the law will no longer rest with the local fire authority but on the building owner/occupier and those who have designed, installed and commissioned the system.

Fire certificates as currently issued by the local fire officer will be scrapped. In their place, owner/occupiers will have to produce a series of certificates to confirm that the fire safety system installed in their premises has been designed, installed and commissioned by competent persons to the requirements of BS 5839-1 2002.

Building owners/occupiers are being urged to only use service providers with recognised third party certification. This can be achieved through accredited schemes such as BAFE and LPS1014, which will satisfy the competency requirement necessary to sign-off fire alarm and detection system design drawings, commission the installed systems and deliver on-going maintenance programmes.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor