A fire alarm system is only compliant while it is maintained. Section 6 of BS 5839-1 sets out a regime with two parts: routine testing by the user, and periodic inspection and servicing by a competent person. The responsible person under the Fire Safety Order is accountable for both happening.
Weekly: the user test
Every week, at roughly the same time, a manual call point is operated to confirm the panel receives the signal and the sounders operate. A different call point is used each week so that all are tested in rotation, and the result, including the call point identity, is recorded in the logbook. The test should be brief, staff should know it is coming, and any fault found should be reported to the maintenance contractor.
Six-monthly: inspection and servicing
At intervals not exceeding six months a competent person inspects and services the system. Over the course of the year every automatic detector, manual call point and sounder must be tested, so a typical arrangement tests half the devices at each visit. The visit also covers the panel, power supplies and batteries, the event log, the cause-and-effect outputs, remote signalling and the logbook. A certificate of inspection and servicing is issued, and defects are reported in writing.
Annual
By the end of the year all devices have been functionally tested, standby batteries have been checked against their expected life, and a full review of the false alarm record has been carried out with recommendations for improvement.
What to look for in a contractor
- Third-party certification to BAFE SP203-1 covering maintenance.
- Written confirmation of which devices were tested at each visit.
- A defect report graded by risk, separate from any quotation.
- Certificates uploaded to a portal, not left on the panel.
- A response time for faults that is stated and reported.
Who counts as a competent person?
Someone with the training, experience and knowledge to service the system. Third-party certification such as BAFE SP203-1 is the recognised way to demonstrate this, and many enforcing authorities and insurers expect it.
Is quarterly servicing ever required?
BS 5839-1 sets six months as the maximum interval, but the risk assessment may call for more frequent visits in high-risk or sleeping premises, and some insurers specify quarterly.