Fire Alarm test and inspection.

Hi all,

Need a little help if possible please.

I have been asked to do a short contract testing and inspecting fire alarms but I have never done it before.

Can someone give me an over view on what is involved, I have done mostly domestic work so not done fire alarm testing before, is this something someone can tell me how to test or will I need to do a course the gain the testing experience/knowledge?

Many thanks

I beleive you need get some experience with testing alarm systems. The actual testing side is relatively easy but the inspection/knowledge side is a bit more tricky. I'd be inclined to pass the job on.

AdamDee said:

Hi all,

Need a little help if possible please.

I have been asked to do a short contract testing and inspecting fire alarms but I have never done it before.

Can someone give me an over view on what is involved, I have done mostly domestic work so not done fire alarm testing before, is this something someone can tell me how to test or will I need to do a course the gain the testing experience/knowledge?

Many thanks

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For a start, you probably won't have the test equipment needed to conduct a fire alarm testing schedule...
It's not rocket science, but you still have to know what you are doing, especially if it links to other services/equipment etc.... I would also imagine that your current insurances wont cover you undertaking this type of regulatory work.

Big Big insurance costs(thousands) and you are looking at buying about £10,000 worth of specialist tools, if not more.....then there's the courses that you would need to do to become legal, that's about another £3,000 ......the worst part is that the HS E expect you to have these specialist training certificates in hand to even just do a keyswitch test on emergency lighting, which to me is ridiculous and I know that very very few people who do the basic weekly key checks have done any certificates at all let alone spent thousands on doing what they want from you......even just a basic 1 day fire warden "responsible person" certificate is well over £1000........a few sparks I know have been sent out by the agency they were working for to wander around all night with a torch "doing fire checks" when a load of bank buildings were getting re-wired and there was no fire alarm system in place.........from what I have been told they were being made to do this illegally as they did not have their safety passport/training certificate for this...........which costs thousands to get( the Universities, and some of the biggest hotel chains pay to put their janitors and handymen through these)

grantr37 said:

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^^
Ignore this post!

You can test and inspect for alarm systems as long as you are a competant person, the courses I done are with the FIA in design, installation, inspection and testing, and maintenance. And also emergency lighting, these courses are excellent and I couldn't recommend them enough

They are around a grand for all of them over 4 days

However just doing these courses will not make you competent, you will need good experience in fire alarm systems
Before hand, just like in electrics(I suppose without experience this would make you an equivalent of a fire alarm Electrical Trainee)

Testing fire alarms are not simply making the bells ring and walk away, and are normally taken on as a regular testing/maintenance contract

Insurance

For an example My insurances are with Niceic and cover me for fire/intruder alarm efficiary and professional indemnities which are ESSENTIAL for any work like this, this package was about £250 per year

Also check the amounts you are covered for against the type of work you are taking on and adjust it accordingly so you don't get caught out

Lastly (just like as in electrical systems) are you adequately experienced at undertaking this work? If the worst happens it can mean serious consequences!

What would you think if a fire alarm engineer come to your house to undertake an EICR ??

Depends on the job spec but testing the system is BASICALLY panel into test mode, you may need codes or keys for this and instructions so let's hopes the sites have them then test the break glasses with a key, smoke detectors with a can of smoke, dont spray it for too long just 2-3 seconds then wait otherwise it will keep going off, heat detectors with some heat etc etc and make your report. Dont forget to check the battaries out inside the panel too. If it's a warehouse there could be fire beams to consider.

If it's a monitored panel make sure it's taken off watch by the monitoring company, you dont want the fire brigade turning up while your working on it...



Sent from my Xperia S using next doors WIFI

Brightspark2 said:

Depends on the job spec but testing the system is BASICALLY panel into test mode, you may need codes or keys for this and instructions so let's hopes the sites have them then test the break glasses with a key, smoke detectors with a can of smoke, dont spray it for too long just 2-3 seconds then wait otherwise it will keep going off, heat detectors with some heat etc etc and make your report. Dont forget to check the battaries out inside the panel too. If it's a warehouse there could be fire beams to consider.

If it's a monitored panel make sure it's taken off watch by the monitoring company, you dont want the fire brigade turning up while your working on it...

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You are joking here aren't you??

We seem to be going from one extreme to another here...Firstly make sure you a happy servicing alarm systems and have the skills to do so, at this time 2 sparks are serving time for failing to do so, and we have all seen the news reports. There are plenty of BAFE courses available on testing. Now dont let this put you off. Maintanence of a fire alarm system is to first evaluate the existing system..1. has the system been installed correctly..2. how old are the detectors...3. are there O&M available to show all design and install details...4 are battery calculations correct...5 if system is addressable, you need to take a download of software. These are very crucial details you need to know before you take on some other companies install. On testing you will need a good kit, like Solo, smoke and heat testing kit and poles, plus a battery tester like ACT. and a calibrated sound meter...this may sound alot, but not the thousands mentioned, and the BAFE are a great insight to our trade. Hope this helps

Engineer54 said:

You are joking here aren't you??

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ha ha no...

Thats the basics my friend...









HTH :smug:

solo smoke kits on ebay for£1200............heat detector test heads on ebay £1,400.......poles about £300 each, smoke £15.00 a time for 100ml cans......books and manuals probably about £300....head changing tool about £300....1 day training course for a "designated person" ie janitor or hotel manager and not a full course = £1000..........never heard of 4 tickets for £1000........having the right (expensive) certificates is the difference between an insurance claim or a term in the clink if for example somebody else damaged your fire install or maintenance contract......then millions of pounds in damage happens by fire or if somebody should expire due to smoke etc....you would get asked what your professional standing was in terms of training, then they would throw the book at you , pick it back up and club you with it.......not having the right certificates means your feet wouldn't touch the floor...


I know you can get a throw away smoke tester for £10 odd and put a hairdryer on a heat detector head......but that's not a proper recognised smoke aspirator or a calibrated heat unit with a digital temperature read out and PC download interface for filling out the proper forms....

grantr37 said:

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Mate try the FIA (fire industry association) ask most decent fire alarm engineers where they go for training?

Brightspark2 said:

ha ha no...

Thats the basics my friend...

HTH :smug:

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There is a bit more to even the basics, than what you have posted, unless your talking about a domestic set-up, that is!! ....lol!!

Well we all have to start some where, and at some point, So Adam I hope you can get some good experience and a Bafe or FIA all good caurses...The maintainence is not as crucial as the design or install by insurance cover, but does need to be conducted properly