Fire Alarm Servicing: A Guide for Commercial Premises in the North East

A fire alarm system is only as good as its last service. Detectors collect dust, batteries age, sounders fail and building layouts change over time. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for a commercial building must make sure fire safety equipment is maintained in efficient working order, and for fire alarms that means a regular, recorded servicing regime.

This guide sets out what is expected, what you can do in house and what needs a competent engineer.

How Often Should a Fire Alarm Be Serviced?

BS 5839-1, the code of practice for fire detection and alarm systems in non domestic premises, recommends that systems are inspected and serviced by a competent person at intervals not exceeding six months. Some sites, such as those with a history of false alarms or a demanding environment, may need more frequent visits, and this should be guided by your fire risk assessment.

Weekly Tests You Should Do Yourself

Between service visits, the standard recommends a weekly test, carried out by a nominated member of staff:

• Operate a different manual call point each week, in rotation
• Check that the control panel receives the signal and the sounders operate
• Carry out the test at roughly the same time each week so staff recognise it
• Record the result and the call point used in the fire alarm log book

Any fault found during a weekly test should be logged and reported straight away, not saved up for the next service.

What a Professional Service Visit Includes

A service visit goes well beyond pressing a call point. A typical visit covers:

• Checking the control panel, fault history and event log
• Testing standby batteries and chargers
• Functional testing of detectors, call points and sounders on a rotating basis so every device is tested over the year
• Checking any links to door holders, ventilation or remote monitoring
• Reviewing false alarm records and recommending changes where needed
• Issuing a servicing certificate and updating the log book

Common Problems We Find

On commercial sites across the North East, the issues that come up most often are flat or ageing standby batteries, detectors covered during refurbishment and never uncovered, new partitions that leave rooms without detection, and repeated false alarms from detectors placed near kitchens or loading doors. Each of these is easily fixed once found, and each can undermine the whole system if left.

Combine Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting Visits

Fire alarms and emergency lighting sit side by side in most fire risk assessments, so it makes sense to look after them together. Booking both on the same visit reduces disruption and keeps your records in one place. Our emergency lighting testing service and fire alarm servicing can be scheduled together, or included in a planned maintenance contract.

Fire Alarm Servicing Across the North East

LC Electrical Services designs, installs and services fire alarm systems for offices, shops, schools, bars and industrial units across South Shields, Jarrow, North Tyneside, Washington and the wider region. Visit our fire alarm installation and servicing page or get in touch for a quote.