• Alarm receiving centres normally provide the facility to contact the emergency services as well as call a named person, typically a nominated key holder or premises owner. What to consider in the selection of fire detection and fire alarm systems As detailed in previous sections (categories of fire alarm and detection systems) there are principal reasons for installing a fire detection and alarm system, which is to protect life and property. The factors to be considered in the selection of fire detection and fire alarm systems include: • Process risk • Behavioural issues • Social behaviour and minimising false alarms • Requirements for vulnerable people and people with disabilities and, or mobility problems Each needs separate consideration for a system's design and selection of appropriate equipment. In the majority of premises, there is a need for both life and property protection in differing degrees. Fire risk assessment should be relied upon to arrive at the optimum balance of life and property risk, it cannot be arrived at accurately in an arbitrary manner. The prevention of loss of life should always take precedence, but as a view of property risk, a good example would be perhaps a warehouse with high-value stock which only needed to be operated by a small number of people, add to which the design of the warehouse provided good passive protection and means of escape, the 'shift' towards the system to protect property is obvious. The opposite of this situation would perhaps, be the scenario of a cinema or theatre. The building and assets would be of great financial value, but the prevention of injury or loss of life to the occupants would be the overriding factor. The consequence of reducing the risk to life can be a synergy of also reducing the loss of property, also systems are designed to consider both aspects, but it remains that one aspect will remain the overriding factor for design. The example scenarios in the previous paragraph can be used to demonstrate the different factors to be considered in the selection of detection and alarm systems, as each scenario has separate requirements. The work or process being carried out in the building will also dictate the selection of the fire detection and fire alarm systems. Dusty working environments could easily trigger off smoke alarms and environments which consist of hot temperatures could trigger off heat detectors. Therefore, an alternative system to suit the process should be implemented. Warehouse (or similar) (M or P2/M or P1/M system category) A Category M system normally satisfies the requirements of the legislation. It is, however, often combined with a Category P system to satisfy the requirements of insurers, as company policy for the protection of assets, or to protect against business interruption. Cinema (or similar) (M & L1 to L4 category systems) Another factor to be considered is the reaction of any occupants: "During fire emergencies, occupants engage in a range of behaviours, all of which require time to complete. In order to assess the time required for the escape it is necessary to identify, quantify and take account of a range of factors
©SHEilds – All rights reserved FC V 5 JUN 2021
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