Fire alarm installation regulations

The Regulations state that optical smoke alarms are generally more suitable for installation in circulation areas hallways and landings adjacent to kitchens. Heat alarms are recommended for kitchens. All alarms should be interconnected to ensure audibility throughout the property in event of an alarm being triggered. The Regulations also reference the British Standard BS and recommend that an alarm system is installed in-line with this Standard.

These regulations now cover all properties to include private rented, social housing, new builds, materially altered dwellings, loft conversions, certain building extensions and any work that requires a building warrant.

These regulations cover new build, materially altered dwellings, loft conversions and certain building extensions. Additionally you can contact our Technical Team — technical aico. There is no list of approved suppliers or fitters. You can buy both types of alarms online or in store from a number of retailers, and any qualified electrician can fit the mains-wired type. You need to check that each alarm complies with the following standards:.

More information on the standard, including the types of alarms, is in the Tolerable Standard Guidance Chapters 16 and Please note that the Nest Protect System will not meet the standard. This is because they do not meet the requirements for a heat alarm under the relevant British Standard. British Standard BS states that only heat alarms should be installed in kitchens. The more detailed information below may help to answer some other common questions about the new standard.

Any costs will be the responsibility of home owners and landlords, and will depend on what you currently have in place and the alarms you choose to install. This is based on using the type of alarms that you can install by yourself without the need for an electrician.

As a general principle, home owners must pay for any ongoing work needed on their own property. As with other housing standards, the homeowner must meet the new fire and carbon monoxide alarm standard. Local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide advice and help to home owners with work needed to look after their homes.

Older and disabled homeowners on low incomes can also contact their local Care and Repair service which gives independent advice and help. Social landlords local authority and housing association landlords are aware of the new standard and have been working to ensure that the new alarms are in place, where needed. The standard will be monitored by the Scottish Housing Regulator, which may intervene as they deem appropriate for any non-compliance. For shared ownership properties, as with other condition standards, responsibilities are set out in the occupancy agreement.

However, in general, it is your responsibility as the proportion owner, rather than the registered social landlord, to meet the new fire and smoke alarm standard. The new standards for fire and smoke alarms extend those which currently apply in the Private Rented Sector PRS to housing of all tenures, your landlord should already be complying.

The standard is enforced by the right of tenants to apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Housing and Property Chamber , so if you believe that your landlord is failing to comply, you can apply to the first-tier tribunal. Penalties for non-compliance would be determined by the tribunal. If specialist alarms are needed — such as for deaf people or Telecare systems — these must be fitted in addition to any smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.

If you have fitted or are planning to fit interlinked smoke and heat alarms, please do not remove your telecare smoke, heat or carbon monoxide alarms.

Different homes in a shared property like a tenement or block of flats do not need to be linked to each other, and there is no need for alarms to be fitted in communal areas such as entry halls and stairways. It is not necessary to disturb asbestos to install fire alarms. You may wish to seek specialist advice but it is possible to install interlinked, tamper proof long-life lithium battery alarms to ceilings with asbestos using a firm adhesive. It is unlikely that attaching an alarm with an adhesive pad would constitute disturbance of asbestos as it does not require cutting or drilling or similar intrusion to release fine particles.

The employer shall maintain or replace power supplies as often as is necessary to assure a fully operational condition. Back-up means of alarm, such as employee runners or telephones, shall be provided when systems are out of service. The employer shall assure that employee alarm circuitry installed after January 1, , which is capable of being supervised is supervised and that it will provide positive notification to assigned personnel whenever a deficiency exists in the system.

The employer shall assure that all supervised employee alarm systems are tested at least annually for reliability and adequacy. The employer shall assure that the servicing, maintenance and testing of employee alarms are done by persons trained in the designed operation and functions necessary for reliable and safe operation of the system.

Manual operation. The employer shall assure that manually operated actuation devices for use in conjunction with employee alarms are unobstructed, conspicuous and readily accessible.

By Standard Number Part Number:. Employee alarm systems.