26.1 Commentary
It is essential that the system is subject to periodic inspection, so that unrevealed faults are identified, and,
in the case of more complex systems, so that preventive measures can be taken to ensure the continued
reliability of the system.
In dwellings in which a Grade A system is provided, periodic inspection and servicing needs to be carried
out by a competent person with specialist knowledge of fire detection and fire alarm systems, including
knowledge of the causes of false alarms, sufficient information regarding the system, and adequate access to
spares. This will normally be an outside fire alarm servicing organization. Competence of a fire alarm
servicing organization can be assured by use of organizations that are third-party certificated, by
a UKAS-certificated certification body, to carry out inspection and servicing of fire alarm systems (e.g.
certificated under the British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE) SP 203 scheme or the BRE Certification
LPS 1014 scheme).
26.2 Recommendations
The following recommendations are applicable.
a) Grade A systems should be inspected and serviced at periods not exceeding six months in accordance
with the recommendations of Clause 45 of BS 5839-1:2002. An inspection and servicing certificate of the
type contained in G.6 of BS 5839-1:2002 should be issued. In houses in multiple occupation, batteries in
any radio-linked devices (such as manual call points, automatic detectors and fire alarm devices) should
be changed by the servicing organization before the low battery warning condition recommended by
27.2b)3) of BS 5839-1 is likely to be given.
b) Grade B and Grade C systems should be serviced every six months in accordance with the supplier’s
instructions.
c) Smoke alarms in Grade D, Grade E and Grade F systems should be cleaned periodically in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
d) Where experience shows that undue deposits of dust or dirt are likely to accumulate, so affecting the
performance of the system before detectors are cleaned or changed at the intervals necessary for
compliance with the recommendations of 26.2a), 26.2b), or 26.2c), more frequent cleaning or changing of
detectors should be carried out
I fail to see how any person could possibly argue the above taken from the regulations.
However I see it more and more these days, many people are installing fire alarm systems without even having a copy of the regulations! How do they fill out the documentation if they have no idea of what are the fundamental requirements?
You will note above that 26.2 (d) is also very important. I did an assessment at a wood working shop a few years ago and although they had complied with the regulations in providing the recommended tests, most of their system would not operate because essential maintenance had not been carried out effectively.
