ADVICE
ANDY GREENHORN, NORTHERN REGIONAL SALES MANAGER AT FIREANGEL, EXPLAINS HOW PROFESSIONAL INSTALLERS CAN HELP LANDLORDS COMPLY WITH THE NEW UK AND NI SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM REGULATIONS… Taking a proactive approach to fire and carbon monoxide protection
T he UK’s updates to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations aim to achieve greater consistency for all types of rental properties. From 1st October 2022, private and social landlords are required to install one smoke alarm on each storey of their property and a CO alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, including boilers, fire, and water heaters, but excluding gas cookers. Landlords will also be legally required to install a CO alarm when a fixed combustion appliance is fitted. Whilst gas cookers are not included within the amendments, British Standards still recommends that a CO alarm is fitted in any property with this type of appliance. In Northern Ireland, The Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022, which came into force in April 2022, included changes to fire, smoke, and CO detection within the private rental property sector. The legislation requires landlords to install and maintain enough fire and smoke alarms, in addition to enough CO alarms.
Changes to The Building Regulations (NI) 2021, which came into operation on 31st October 2021, also state CO alarms are a mandatory requirement for all homes with a new fossil fuel appliance installed. To comply with the regulations, electrical contractors should recommend and install mains and battery-powered smoke, heat and CO alarms that feature Smart RF technology and can be wirelessly interlinked throughout a property to provide the fastest warning of a potential fire or CO event. A hybrid system can be created by meshing both mains and battery- powered devices onto a single network, eliminating costly and time-consuming channelling or trunking. This enables installers to update the level of protection quickly and safely without the historical cost and resource implications. By choosing systems such as FireAngel Specification, which can be continuously extended and upgraded to include additional safety products, the highest levels of protection can be achieved, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
A Connected Gateway can also be added to an existing network to provide remote real-time monitoring of every alarm on the network. Device data can be accessed via a free app, which can send optional notifications regarding the system’s status to the landlord or other nominated individual. This provides consistent clarity regarding the level of protection in relation to the risk level of the resident. This interconnectivity enables contractors to document the completion of each installation phase and validate the overall installation, as information can be instantly logged via the wireless network. By taking a photograph of each completed installation, the images can be wirelessly uploaded to a centralised platform to generate immediate sign-off, which produces a certification of fire legislative compliance, following BS 5839-6.
For information on FireAngel’s comprehensive portfolio of smoke, heat and CO safety solutions and how they wirelessly interlink with FireAngel Specification, please visit www.fireangel.co.uk/pro/products or contact your local specification manager at www.fireangel.co.uk
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IRELAND’S ELECTRICAL MAGAZINE | 17
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