Fire Alarm Systems Technical Note 1 - Installation and Design Guidance (Ref: QM_OHSD_FS008)

Transcription

1 Occupational Health and Safety Directorate Fire Alarm Systems Technical Note 1 - Installation and Design Guidance (Ref: QM_OHSD_FS008) QM_OHSD_FS008_Fire Alarm Systems-Technical Note 1- Installation and Guidance-Academic Buildings Status: Live June 2013 Author: Dennis Brown

2 Introduction

3 1.0 Introduction The following document is for the benefit of all parties concerned in the specification, design, installation, commissioning and handover of fire alarm systems in any building that is part of Queen Mary University of London s (QMUL) demise. The maintenance of all QMUL s existing fire alarm systems, although not explicitly addressed in this guidance note, should be carried out in accordance with BS 5839: Part 1, 2013 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings Part 1: Code of practice for system Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises and under the instruction of the relevant campus maintenance manager. This document outlines industry guidance and best practice in addition to providing a general over view of QMUL s fire safety objectives when installing fire detection and will help ensure communality of systems across all campuses. It also aims to ensure that all new & refurbished fire alarm systems meet the relevant design guidance documents to afford all occupants a highest practicable level of safety in the event of fire. 2.0 Statement of Intent 2.1 The provision of a fire alarm system and a method to give warning to building occupants in the event of an outbreak of fire is a legal requirement. The addition of automatic fire detection (AFD) is very often desirable to assist in early detection, provide warning to occupants, benefit property protection and in some instances act as a compensatory feature for a lack of fire protection or where an extended travel distance maybe present within building. Therefore, the design, complexity and cost of a fire alarm system including both capital and whole life maintenance costs, will need to be considered carefully in the project design phase. 2.2 The following information will be of assistance to design consultants, project managers and contractors employed by QMUL or its agents. It is to be regarded as a general statement of requirements and is in addition to any British Standard recommendation or other instructions received from either the local fire service authority, building control authorities or college insurers. 3.0 Design Standards 3.1 Fire detection systems for all academic buildings with no sleeping risk should be designed, installed and commissioned in accordance with BS 5839: Part 1, A2:2008:2013 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings Part 1: Code of practice for system Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises: and all relevant devices, control and indicating equipment and power supplies shall meet the relevant guidance in the BS EN 54 series. It is a mandatory requirement of QMUL that the company appointed to design, install, commission and maintain fire alarm systems in any Queen Mary building is not only competent to do so but can demonstrate their competence by way of a third party certification scheme. Two such schemes that QMUL will accept is the British Approvals of Fire 3.2 Unwanted Alarms QMUL is committed to reducing unwanted fire alarm signals in all of its buildings and has several initiatives in place: such as

4 covering detectors and changing detection from smoke to fixed heat during construction or other works which could cause an alarm. More information can be found in the document Fire Safety Guidance for Project Managers. All those responsible for Project Management, should ensure that provisional resources and time are provided to employ the Universities appointed fire alarm Maintenance Company to undertake this task before any construction works commence in any building. Subsequently, fire alarm system designers should take considerable care to ensure that their fire alarm design proposal continues to reduce unwanted fire alarms through consideration and understanding of room/space function where the detection is to be provided. This will help substantially reduce the potential for unwanted alarms. In all cases the principles in BS 5839: Part 1, A2:2008:2013 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings Part 1: Code of practice for system Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of systems in non- domestic premises; Section 3: Limitation of false alarms should be followed 4.0 General Requirements 4.1 All new fire alarm systems provided in College properties must use standard equipment and open protocols to ensure communality of systems, efficient maintenance, control of software and engineering access. No other fire alarm panels or systems will be acceptable unless written permission of QMUL s Electrical Maintenance Manager and Fire Safety Team is obtained. 4.2 Loop Capacity- In accordance with good engineering practice all addressable system loops should be designed so that numbers of devices on each loop is limited to ensure there is approximately 20% spare capacity on each loop. This will allow for a degree of flexibility were significant design changes occur to the building. 5.0 Design Issues Fire Detection Category and Type 5.1 The design fire safety objective for all Queen Mary academic buildings fire alarm systems is, as a minimum, to give early warning of fire to all occupants in the building by informing them that smoke has entered part of the escape route. This will allow lone workers who may be located in the building outside normal working hours to escape in all circumstances. During normal working hours there will inevitably be a large number of persons present in each of the buildings who could raise the fire alarm manually. Subsequently all new and refurbished fire alarm systems are to meet a minimum standard of BS 5839 Part 1: Type L4M and a maximum standard of Type L3M provision for automatic fire detection. The extent of L3 coverage required should be identified during the design phase and should be done in consultation with QMUL Fire Safety Advisers with consideration of relevant local authority guidance documents**. Additional smoke detection to category type L5M may be considered for specific areas (high risk/ intrinsic value) or where part of an engineered solution. This requirement again should be identified during the risk assessment process and in all cases the QMUL Fire Safety Advisers should be consulted. To mitigate the risk of arson all toilets that DO NOT open onto the escape route i.e. where smoke detection is fitted as in accordance with the minimum L4M system, then the

5 toilet should be fitted with smoke detection to ensure any outbreak of fire will be detected. In particular areas of some buildings a specific category of fire alarm system is required as a compensatory feature for a deviation away from prescriptive fire safety design guidance. QMUL Fire Safety Advisers should be consulted about any change to a building s fire alarm system. **LFEPA Guidance Note GN48-Electro-Magentic Door Holders 5.2 Only fire detection equipment and peripheral devices manufactured and tested by Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd are to be used for all new fire alarm systems. This will ensure communality of systems across all Queen Mary University of London Estate. 5.3 Details can be found at: All new fire alarm systems will be hard wired. However, there may be some instances in which wireless systems need to be adopted, but written confirmation is provided by the relevant maintenance manager and Fire Safety Advisers where necessary. 5.4 Only Apollo XP95 Optical Smoke Detection should be used in escape routes, as systems installed in all academic buildings will be of an L category as per BS 5839 Part 1: All buildings and projects must be assessed specifically for the risk(s) present and the designer should, in all cases, select the most appropriate type of detector through consultation with the individual buildings occupiers, Project Managers and where required, QMUL Fire Safety Advisers. Designers should follow the principles and guidance provided in BS 5839 Part 1: 2013 (Para & 21.2.). The fire alarm system design process must involve a building survey and a visual inspection of every area to be covered to ensure the correct type of detection is provided. 5.5 In areas where there is an obvious risk of false alarms, including high risk laboratories, persistent dusty or dirty conditions and/or where materials or liquids that may not produce large quantities of smoke when ignited are present then the following types of detector heads should be considered: Apollo XP 95 Multi-Sensor detector heads or equivalent should be used in all laboratories/workshops and plant rooms. This will allow for clean burning fires to be detected and also allow for the operation thresholds to be extended or programmed to operate on heat only during normal working hours, if required to prevent unwanted false alarms. Fixed temperature heat detectors at 56ºC, 75ºC or 90ºC should be used only if there is a high ambient temperature, such as commercial kitchens, furnace rooms, combustion labs etc or in tea points if this requirement is identified at the design stage.

6 Ultra-violet/Infra-red flame detectors should also be considered for labs and areas where gases such as hydrogen are in use. This detection would be in addition to the detection provided for the rest of the room. 5.6 In some academic buildings it may be necessary to install multi sensor detectors which offer various settings/modes to ensure any local environmental conditions do not contribute to false alarms but still satisfy the fire safety design objective in that particular building. Examples of areas that may benefit from this type of detector would be areas that use smoke machines and other theatrical effects. In some licenced areas with public access and/or which sell alcohol it may also be possible to provide different modes on the fire alarm panel by selecting a specific mode on each multi sensor that can be adopted to ensure any fire alarm activation will not adversely impact the licenced event as long as a sufficiently high level of fire safety management can be provided. Subsequently, multi sensors such as Apollo Discovery multi-sensing heads may be used which can be programmed to meet the local conditions by selecting the appropriate mode and subsequently changing the ratio of heat to smoke detection. Apollo Discovery heads have five settings as per: Mode 1 Most sensitive setting using both Heat & Smoke monitoring and reacting at around less than 3% obscuration of the optical head. Mode 2 - Optical sensing setting only and reacting at around less than 3% obscuration of the optical head. Mode 3 Medium sensitivity setting using both Heat & Smoke monitoring and reacting at around less than 3% obscuration of the optical head. Mode 4 Least sensitive setting using both Heat & Smoke monitoring and reacting at around less than 5% obscuration of the optical head this is the recommended setting for laboratories and periphery kitchen areas where XP(% thresholds are likely to be exceeded Mode 5 Heat sensing setting only and reacting to at around less than 3% obscuration of the optical head 6.0 Design Issues Fire Alarm Panels 6.1 Only Fire Alarm Panels which use Open Protocol and have been agreed with the Estates Electrical Maintenance Manager must be used. All but very small systems should be fully addressable. The following fire alarm panel manufacturer should be considered in the first instance as they are currently the only manufacturer to provide advanced software programming that can meet QMUL s Unwanted Fire Alarm Reduction strategy, but advice must also be sought from the Electrical Maintenance Manager. Advanced Electronic Ltd (See: Generally, the panel should be compatible and capable of using and switching between all modes of Apollo detection heads including XP95 and Discovery using alarm confirmation facilities. In addition, where necessary,

7 the panel should have adjustable time to alarm and be programmable to meet local conditions. 7.0 Design Issues Manual Call out points 7.1 The following Manual Call Points (MCPs) should be used for all systems: Apollo XP95 KAC Alarm Company Limited 7.2 In areas prone to vandalism and maliciousness, such as Student Union Bars or areas and/or buildings that have historically suffered from a high rate of unwanted fire alarm signals, anti tamper security covers, commonly referred to as screamer devices may be fitted to each call point in consultation with Fire Safety Adivers Examples of such devices can be found at: Design Issues Sounders 8.1 There must be a single tone throughout the building. Any changes or replacements to the fire alarm system involving sounders must be matched to existing. Experience has found that it is necessary to have higher sounder level in an attempt to further engage and motivate some staff and students to evacuate. Therefore, Queen Mary, University of London requires a higher standard of audibility than BS 5839 Part 1: 2013 for sounder coverage. As such the average sounder level throughout the building should meet or exceed 75 db (A) in all areas. Often the British Standard minimum sounder levels are not adequate for this task and furthermore, fire doors can reduce sounder levels by up to 30 db (A) when closed. The levels within the staircase can be maintained at 60 db (A). Consideration should be given to reducing the sounder levels even further in the vicinity of both Disabled Refuge Outstations and Master stations to enable two-way communication and as a result of a risk assessment and after consultation with Fire Safety Advisers; if this facility is required, then a Verification Certificate can be issued. 8.2 The following standard sounders should be considered: Apollo loop driven sounders or equivalent which should have a defaulted maximum setting of 90+dB (A) Fulleon further information at: Standard 8 or 10 ringing bells, where appropriate. 8.3 Project Managers, Consultants and Contractors should consider contingency funds from the project to be allocated at pre-contract, to ensure that additional sounders can be installed at commissioning should the sound pressure coverage fall below acceptable levels in any particular area. 8.4 At the commissioning of the system (regardless of the size of installation), a sound pressure check MUST be carried out, with sound levels being recorded on a log sheet. The log is to be submitted with the Commissioning Certificate.Any shortfall is to be increased with the addition of extra sounders to the area.

8 8.5 Visual Alarms Visual alarms are to be provided (visual flashing Red strobe lights or LED technology) in the following locations: Noisy environments such as workshops/plant rooms/roof plant rooms etc. Environments where audible alarms are not appropriate (Control Rooms/Motion Suites/Sound or Anechoic Booths etc). Where Disabled or Hearing Impaired Persons may use facilities, such as WC s. Note this is all WC s and not just the disabled toilet. To identify and locate the main Fire Alarm Panel particularly in properties with identical frontage, where the panel location is not obvious or in the normal location of the main entrance area 9.0 Design Issues Facilities for Hearing Impaired 9.1 QMUL has specific policy and procedures for accommodating people with disabilities. Please discus with the Disability and Dyslexia Service and the QMUL Fire Safety Advisers. It will not be necessary to provide blanket coverage of a building with supplementary visual alarms due to the on-going installation of Deaf Watch systems in all academic buildings Deign Issues Fire Resistant Cabling 10.1 All cables used in the installation of Fire Alarms Systems, are to meet the requirements of BS 6387 and 7629 in design, construction and installation All cables shall be coloured Red, unless there are overriding aesthetic reasons for white to be used. Special attention is to be paid to the terminating of cables to ensure that earth faults are eliminated The following cables should be used in all instances: FP 200 Gold MICC cabling is required where routes provide mission critical signals, or pass through high risk or vulnerable areas (as required under BS 5839 Part 1: 2013) Fixing All fire alarm cabling is to be fixed to the structure of the building, in a cable tray or cable management system using metal ties only and usually fitted at 1m intervals. No other fixing method is acceptable. Where such cable runs penetrate fire resisting walls and floors fire stopping should be applied in accordance with the ASFP Red Book using 3 rd party certified products and be installed by 3 rd party accredited companies Design Issues Fire Alarm Batteries 11.1 It is strongly recommended that standby batteries for fire alarm systems in academic buildings should last for a minimum of 24 hours as specified in the British Standard.

9 12.0 Design Issues Marking and Indicating of Fire Alarm Devices 12.1 Labelling All fire alarm devices are to be permanently marked using suitable adhesive labels, to indicate the device zone and address number Identification Where remote or hidden detectors/devices are placed in voids, ducts or above ceilings, a suitable LED repeater indicator is to be provided in a logical and adjacent location. The devices are to be provided with a repeater LED unit in a readily accessible location and suitably labelled. All LED indicators are to be clearly marked specifying type of device, address number and remote device location Design Issues Ceiling, Ducts, Voids and Variation Certificates 13.1 Ceiling Voids Generally, where a void is 800mm deep or more it is only to be provided with appropriate automatic fire detection (irrespective of category of system) where the designer has identified a fire risk as part of the building survey, in accordance with BS 5839: Part Note 4. Examples of such risks would be: electrical panels/generators, electrical heating systems, electrical components excluding insulated wiring or anything the system designer identifies as being a risk, to ensure that any outbreak of fire would not spread uncontrollably from one area to another due to a lack of fire compartmentation before the alarm is raised. A variation certificate should be issued by the fire alarm designer in these cases Voids For maintenance purposes any void where automatic fire detection is provided must be fully accessible and not obstructed. This means that ceiling tiles or access panels must be available directly below the detector to allow maintenance and use of a testing pole. This requires a clear vertical path from below to be maintained Ducts Any duct where automatic fire detection is provided must be fully accessible and not obstructed to allow for maintenance of the head. Access panels must be provided directly below the detector to allow maintenance and a testing pole to be used in a clear vertical path Verification Certificates Any variation must be agreed by all relevant parties, be it as a result of a risk assessment by a competent person (either a 3 rd party accredited fire alarm designer or Fire Safety Adviser) and communicated to Queen Mary by way of a variation certificate. This certificate must detail all variations from the standard BS5839-1:2013, the supporting reasons for such variations and which party (ies) requested the variation i.e. the user, the designer, installer etc.

10 Two common examples that will result in Queen Mary seeking a variation certificate from the fire alarm designer are: The requirement for detection in voids over 800mm in height to be risk assessed and blanket coverage is not to be provided. Lobbies over 1m² with no risk do not need detection unless a risk assessment indicates otherwise. Any variation must only be issued after a suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been undertaken by a competent person Design Issues Door Holders Fire Dampers and Other Automatically Released Equipment 14.1 This ancillary equipment should adhere to the recommendations of the latest edition of BS 5839: Part 3. It should be noted that door holders, commonly referred to as door hold open devices or magnetic door holders are generally not acceptable on any fire door that leads directly onto a protected stair unless a suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been carried out. This must be discussed with Fire Safety Advisers. The London Fire Brigades Guidance Note GN48 Electro-Magnetic Door Holders on the use of this type of equipment may need to be complied with subject to a specific site fire risk assessment. In some cases the provision of any door hold open device in any building that is to be provided with a new fire alarm system may, subject to a risk assessment, require a L3 category fire alarm system in the surrounding areas and rooms. Further advice can be obtained from the QMUL Fire Safety Advisers Electromagnetic door release switches are to be positioned in a clear and accessible location, for test purposes and to prevent damage to fixings by doors being pulled close against the magnetic holders Where security Access Control Systems are to be installed in a building, it will be necessary to interface them with the fire alarm system in order to ensure all doors on access control fail safe on fire alarm activation and to comply with the Local Fire and District Surveyor Authority requirements. This interface is not to be connected to the sounder circuit. Further details can be obtained from the QMUL Fire Safety Team and/or the London Fire Brigade Design Issues Provision of Audible and Visual Warning at Internal Building Boundaries Connected to Fire the Fire Alarm System 15.1 Where the means of escape (MoE) passes through a building boundary to an adjoining building it will be necessary to provide visual and audible warning signs and that must be connected to each building s fire alarm system, to prevent access into a fire situation in an adjoining building. It will also be necessary to interface such devices with each fire alarm system to meet QMUL, Local Fire and District Surveyor Authority requirements.

11 16.0 General Commissioning Requirements Design, Installation, Commissioning and College Acceptance Certificates 16.1 The provision of the appropriate design, installation and commissioning certificates containing information based on the Model Certificates shown in BS 5839 Part 1 Annex H, are to be provided by the appropriate parties. Copies of the certificates are to be issued as following: All original certificate(s) to be placed in the Operational & Maintenance (O& M) Manuals. A copy of each certificate to be issued to the Electrical Maintenance Manager. A copy of each certificate to be issued to the Queen Mary Fire Safety Team A copy of the variation certificate if appropriate to be issued as above Design Certificate is to be provided in all cases by the Design Contractor on completion of the design stage of the fire alarm Installation Certificate is to be provided in all cases by the Installing Contractor of the fire alarm system, on completion of the installation stage Commissioning Certificate Is to be provided in all cases by the Commissioning Contractor (if different from the installing contractor) on completion of the testing and commissioning stage of the fire alarm Client Acceptance Certificate (Queen Mary University of London) This is to indicate that the client has witnessed the fire alarm system in operation and that they have accepted the system that has been installed as being capableof giving warning of fire and any other design objectives including a Soak testhave been met. The fire alarm systems operation should be witnessed on site by the following QMUL personnel/key stake holders whose contact details can be found in Appendix 1; Relevant Project Manager(s) Relevant Maintenance Manager(s) Relevant Maintenance Operatives as required Representative from Security Management Fire Safety Adviser(s) This witnessing process will include certain cause and effects such as; ensuring the panel addressing is clear and correct, panel operation, grounding of lifts, activation of refuge systems, supply and extract systems shut off, motorised dampers closing, audio visual shutting down, operation of fire shutters, doors on access control and/or powered open devices failing safe in the open position (list not exhaustive).

12 This certificate, which can be found in Appendix 2 should be provided by the relevant Project or Maintenance Manager, issued and signed by all College personnel that have attended with any comments or recommendations from each key stakeholder. This certificate should then be paced in the O+M s on completion of any remedial works identified, the Acceptance Certificate can then be provided to the Commissioning Contractor Only on completion of the Acceptance Certificate witnessed by a QMUL nominated person: May a new system become the primary warning in case of fire for the building; or, Where the fire alarm system has been replaced/upgraded etc) may the old system be switched off and decommissioned. The new system can then become the primary warning in case of fire for the building Where an addressable fire alarm system is provided, the programming of the device address must be done so as to ensure that its location accurately matches the panel reading to prevent confusion by staff, contractors or the Fire Brigade in locating the device. Subsequently, the following information as a minimum should be programmed to be displayed on the panel for each device; Device number; 001, 002, 003 etc Device type; MCP/SD/HD/MS/CVSD etc Device location; room number, room/area description etc Loop number; 1,2,3, etc Zone number, 1,2,3,4,5 etc 16.8 Designers and/or commissioners are also to provide a cause and effect chart in electronic format that details the following (not exhaustive): Shut off of any externally piped gas supply such as oxygen Shut down of M+E unless essential to protect critical plant/equipment Shut down of Gas Solenoid Valve (GSV) Operation of any safety equipment such as fire curtains/smoke barriers Open or closure of any installed and interfaced fire dampers, especially those that effect the means of escape Hold-open devices or power open doors relayed to the fire alarm system that affect the means of escape from the building or the comparmentation of the building

13 16.9 As built drawings and zone chart information is to be supplied as part of the commissioning of the fire alarm system as follows: Clear fire alarm zone information in A4 Word format, is to be provided in a suitable clip frame position adjacent to the fire alarm panel. This is to provide quick reference to incident location. As Installed Drawings are to be provided on hard copy A1 sheets and an electronic AutoCAD 2004 Version format scale of 1:50, 1:100 or 1:200 as appropriate.

14 Appendix Maintenance Managers Mile End Campus Mr Ron Hodgson Room OB.1 Queens Building E1 4NS Tel: Mr. John Allum Buildings Management (Residential Properties) Varey House (ground floor) Westfield Way London E1 4PD Tel: Whitechapel Campus: Mr. Anil Gooneratne Garrod Building Turner Street E1 2AD Tel: Charterhouse Sq. Campus: Mr. Steve G. Wiles Joseph Rotblat Building Charterhouse Square London EC1M 6BQ Tel: Fire Safety Manager Queen Mary, University of London Mr. Dennis Browne 404 Bancroft Road London E1 4DH Tel: Senior Fire Safety Adviser Queen Mary, University of London Keith Vagg 404 Bancroft Road London E1 4DH Tel: Fire Safety Adviser Queen Mary, University of London David Scott 404 Bancroft Road London E1 4DH Tel:

15 Appendix 2 Queen Mary University Acceptance Certificate for the fire alarm system at: Campus: Mile End Whitechapel Charterhouse Square West Smithfield Other I/We being the competent person(s) appointed by Queen Mary University of London accept the fire alarm system and have witnessed its operation and its ability to raise the fire alarm in the aforementioned building. As a competent person, appointed by Queen Mary University of London, I can confirm that; (fire safety adviser to complete) All installation work appears to be satisfactory (visual only). The system is capable of giving a fire alarm signal and has been witnessed. All doors fitted with access control and/or power open devices fail safe in the open position. The facility for remote transmission of alarms to an alarm receiving centre appears to operate correctly (delete if not applicable). I confirm that this fire alarm system is considered acceptable to be used to provide the primary means of raising the alarm in the event of fire in the aforementioned building? Yes No Name: Position: Signature: Date:

16 It is recommended that the following work/comments/remedial works should be addressed by the fire alarm contractor before the system can be fully accepted by Queen Mary University of London: The following documents and instruction has been provided to the relevant Queen Mary University Project or Maintenance Manager; (PM or MM to complete): A hard copy of and an electronic AutoCAD compatible copy of the As fitted drawings. Operating and maintenance instructions including panel type and operation The associated fire alarm panel keys and reset codes have been provided. Sufficient representatives of the users have received training on the fire alarm system to include silencing and resetting of the system and the avoidance of false alarms. Certificates of design, installation and commissioning. A log book (if requested by Queen Mary Estates Department) It is recommended that the following work/comments/remedial works should be addressed by the fire alarm contractor before the system can be fully accepted by Queen Mary University of London:

17 The following documents and instruction has been provided to the relevant Queen Mary University Project or Maintenance Manager; (PM or MM to complete): The following persons were present during the on-site fire alarm demonstration;

18 Document Control Initial data Author: Position: Dennis Browne Fire Safety Manager Checked by: Position: Keith Vagg Senior Fire Safety Adviser Approved by: Position: Marion Richards Director of Occupational Health and Safety Status: Version 3 Live Date of Issue: May 2011 Version number Date of alteration and re-issue Details of Changes Changes made by 1 May 2012 Filename Path Darren Ford changed from QM/H&S/ December 2012 David Scott 3 June 2013 Review and changes made to whole document David Scott