BS 5839-1 asks the user to test the fire alarm every week. It is a simple test, but the details matter, and a well-kept record is one of the first things an inspector asks to see.
Before you start
- Tell the alarm receiving centre if the system is monitored, so the Fire and Rescue Service is not called.
- Tell occupants the test is about to happen and what a real alarm would sound like by comparison.
- Have the logbook and the test key ready.
The test
- Choose a different manual call point from last week, working through all of them in rotation.
- Operate the call point with the test key.
- Confirm the panel shows the alarm and identifies the correct zone or device.
- Confirm the sounders operate throughout the building, and any visual alarms and interfaces such as door releases.
- Reset the call point and the panel. Confirm the panel returns to normal with no faults.
- Take the ARC off test.
The record
Write in the logbook: the date and time, the call point tested (its number or location), the result, and any faults or observations. If any part of the test failed, record it, report it to your maintenance contractor the same day, and record when it was fixed.
Keep the test short. The sounders should run only long enough to confirm they work. Prolonged weekly tests train people to ignore the alarm, which is the opposite of the point.
When staff change
The weekly test is often the job of one person, and when they leave the routine stops. Name a deputy, write the procedure down, and check the logbook when you review the fire risk assessment.