Your Guide To Commercial Fire Alarm Systems

A fire alarm system is a necessary addition to any of the business’s commercial buildings. Installing a commercial fire alarm system protects your employees, customers, and company property in the event of a fire hazard. Common types of fire alarm systems available include conventional fire alarms, addressable fire alarms, and analogue fire alarms—each one having their own advantages and uses.

Commercial fire alarm systems are created for two main purposes: (1.) to detect and control fire outbreaks and (2.) to protect people and property from fire danger.

Key parts of a fire safety installation and design include:

• Conventional fire alarm systems
• Smoke detectors, heat sensors, sprinklers
• Commercial fire extinguishers
• Manual call points
• Water flow alarms (when needed)
• Voice evacuation systems (integrated into fire safety announcements)
• Fire alarm zone plans

What are the benefits of commercial fire alarm systems?

It’s a smart idea to have a well-installed and compliant fire alarm system, regardless of how large or small your commercial property is. A fire at your business premises can cause significant damage and immense loss, which may be difficult to overcome. Around 80% of companies that don’t recover in a month will likely go out of business.

Allow early detection

A huge benefit of commercial fire alarm systems is their ability to identify fire threats early, which affords occupants more time to evacuate and alert emergency services safely and helps your company avoid significant property damage. Using monitored fire alarms on your property will also send an alert to the local fire and rescue services so emergencies can be attended to quickly.

Infrared (IR) camera systems are usually the first fire detection device to alert you to fire threats. This is because IR devices pick up the heat generated in the early stages of a fire before any smoke or flames are detectable.

Enable quick response time

As you combine both early fire detection devices and fire alarm monitoring services, you make a very important step to ensure help is provided quickly, stopping the potential spread of fires and further damage to your people and your property.

With commercial fire alarm systems and your fire alarm monitoring service, the local fire services will be notified straight away of fire detection, and firefighters will be sent to your business as soon as fire is detected by your systems.

Smoke inhalation during a fire

The most common cause of death in fires is smoke inhalation*. This happens when individuals are unable to detect a live fire threat and flee from the property. In this situation, occupants get trapped and are overwhelmed by smoke from the fire.

To prevent situations like this, it’s best to install commercial smoke detector devices on your property, ensuring everyone is notified in the event of a fire and smoke detection.

How much does a commercial fire alarm system installation cost?

The cost of commercial fire alarm systems can be substantial. However, given the advantages and safety they provide to your business premises and occupants, they are more than worth the investment. In the event of a fire, well-functioned fire alarm systems and monitoring services will provide you with faster response times and help lower insurance premiums as well.

The cost of commercial fire alarm installations depends on the size of your commercial property, installation design, and requirements. As an example, on average, you can expect to pay £22.50 per square meter (materials and labour included). To provide a price range, a single fire alarm system may only cost £50.00, but larger commercial buildings needing comprehensive coverage with their fire alarm installation can see £5,000+ in costs.

How often should you carry out fire risk assessments?

According to the UK Fire Regulations, the responsibility for fire safety and security is placed on the employer. As the employer, you have a legal requirement to conduct fire risk assessments, which assess ways to reduce and prevent the danger of fire. You also need to record this if your company employs more than five employees.

Here’s why you should complete a fire risk assessment on your commercial property.

• Every 12 months since your original assessment is done.
• Every 5 years, a new assessment should be done.
• If your commercial property use purpose has changed significantly.
• If your commercial building structure or layout has changed.
• If there has been a significant change in building occupants.

If you need help completing your fire risk assessment, get in touch with us here.

How do commercial fire alarm systems work?

Although there are many different types of commercial fire alarm systems, they all work on the same principle.

If your smoke detector senses smoke, your heat detector picks up unusual temperatures. Or if your manual call point button is activated, your alarm siren will go off and warn everyone in your building about the fire threat, giving everyone time to evacuate. Your fire alarm control panel is your alarm hub, receiving signals from your detectors, activating your alarm systems when needed, and interfacing with other building systems like HVAC and sprinkler systems.

It is also possible your property protection would need remote signalling equipment, alerting fire services via a central station, and providing you with automatic fire reporting, remote system diagnostics, and remote system control.

Conventional fire alarm systems

Your dedicated call points and detectors are connected to your fire alarm system via control panel zones. Your fire alarm zone is a circuit typically linked to one floor or fire compartment at any given time. These zones give you an estimate of the source of the fire using zonal LEDs to pinpoint its location on the panel. The accuracy of this is dependent on how many zones you have included in your plan.

Your fire alarm control panel will be connected to two sounder circuits, which could include bells, speakers, or other audible gadgets. Your sounder circuits and detection zones are also connected in a star-shaped pattern. For each of your circuits, an end-of-line device will also be installed for fire threat monitoring.

Addressable fire alarm systems

Unlike typical conventional fire systems, addressable fire alarm systems can automatically know which detector or call point triggered the fire alarm.

Your detection circuit is a loop, which can link up to 99 fire alarm devices to each circuit loop. Addressable systems are conventional fire alarms with an address built-in. Modifications such as DIL switches will regulate the addresses in each detector, as shown on your control panel when that specific fire alarm system is activated. You can also integrate other devices into your circuit loop, such as sprinkler flow switches that close when water from your sprinkler systems hits it.

A sounder system is made up of a minimum of two sounder circuits, such as a conventional system. For detection loops to be sectioned, loop isolation modules are available to be used to make sure your short circuit or one fault will only result in the loss of a minor part of the system and not the entire system.

Analogue fire alarm systems

Analogue fire alarm systems, aka intelligent fire alarm systems, are designed to reduce false alarms and allow more accurate alarm activations. You have various types of analogue fire alarm systems available to choose from, depending on the type of communication protocol you use. When selecting analogue fire systems, be mindful that some systems are not as effective as other systems on the market. Outputs may only represent the value of detected instances.

It is down to the control unit to determine if there is a fire or if the alarm activation is a test/false alarm. Each analogue fire alarm detector has its own computer, which inspects the surrounding environment and sends this information to your control panel, such as if there is a fire, a fault with the system, or if the analogue fire alarm needs cleaning.

Analogue fire alarm systems are much more complex with their comprehensive features; they offer more than conventional fire alarms and addressable fire detectors. To provide greater information about fire alarm activations and reduce false alarm triggers.

What are the different types of fire detectors?

Ionisation smoke detectors

Ionisation smoke alarms are a more responsive option for flaming fires and are a type of smoke alarm you can install on your commercial property. Ionisation smoke detectors work by having a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates. This ionises the air and causes current to flow between the two plates. When smoke is present, it disrupts the flow of ions, which activates the alarm.

Photoelectric smoke detectors

Photoelectric smoke alarms are really responsive to fires with longer periods of smouldering, better known as smouldering fires. Photoelectric smoke detectors work by aiming a light source into a sensing chamber at an angle pointing away from the sensor. When smoke enters this area, it creates a reflection which reflects the light onto the sensor, which triggers the alarm.

Thermal smoke detectors/Heat detectors

A thermal smoke detector, also known as a heat alarm or heat detector, is a fire detector that detects high and unusual temperatures instead of smoke or fire directly, which could be from hot smoke entering the room or a hot flame. Thermal smoke detectors/heat alarms respond to convected thermal energy produced by fires. The idea is to detect the temperature difference as a way to acknowledge fires in the early stages, preventing greater damage and danger.

Combination alarms

Combination alarms are systems with multiple sensor types; these can include heat detectors, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide (CO2) detectors. When browsing commercial fire alarms in this category, you may find a variety of options and combinations, such as heat and smoke detectors or smoke and carbon monoxide (CO2) detectors. Combination fire alarm installations are a common favourite among business owners for their comprehensive coverage and versatility.

Commercial fire alarm services for your Glasgow business

According to UK regulations, all businesses must have an operational fire detection system in which everyone inside the commercial property can hear the alarm when activated. On top of this, you need to test your fire alarm weekly and have a fire alarm service every 6 months by a certified and approved person competent in fire safety.

Although this all falls on you, the employer, you are not alone! If you’d like help keeping your business fire safe and compliant, check out our fire services below and get in touch for a free no-obligation quote today.

Commercial fire alarm installations

A commercial fire alarm installation is just as important as the quality of your fire alarm system. Your commercial fire alarm system installation should be completed with a real sense of skill and accuracy to ensure your business is protected. You should have commercial fire alarms installed in every area or floor of your building. When deciding the type of fire alarms to install on your business premises, we need to keep in mind:

• The size of your commercial property: The size of your property will require an appropriate fire alarm system to be installed that covers your space adequately.

• Your building’s requirements: The type of business you run and the property you operate from will play a hand when installing your commercial fire alarm systems. As an example, factories will need a completely different installation when compared to corporate office spaces.

For help with your business fire safety, reach out to our fire safety team for your customised commercial fire alarm installation and no-obligation quotes.

Commercial fire alarm system design

According to BS 5839 standards for commercial fire alarm systems in the UK, you should have a certified designer create a system that meets both the commercial building and insurance company requirements. System design is important for making sure your company is compliant with regulations and safe from fire threats. Any contractors or support brought into projects should be up to date on BS 5839 standards, as this is important to guarantee system design quality.

To guarantee your fire alarm system is following all fire safety regulations (both BS 5839 and BS EN 12845) and matches your business standards, get in touch with RACAM’s fire safety professionals for your commercial fire alarm system design needs.

Commercial fire alarm maintenance

Commercial fire alarm maintenance is an important fire safety service, with 38% of callouts to UK fire brigades being false alarms. It’s important for both emergency services and also for your business to maintain fire alarm systems, preventing unnecessary downtime at your property because of a faulty fire alarm system. On the flip side, it’s equally important to check up on your commercial fire alarms, as they are your safety device, helping prevent fire threats to occupant’s life and business property.

If you fall behind your commercial fire alarm maintenance, the following could happen to your business:

• Insurance Voided: If your commercial fire alarms are in poor working order, insurance companies may invalidate insurance due to failed safety standards.

• Costly Repairs: With poor maintenance fire alarm maintenance, you may end up in a scenario needing an entirely new fire alarm installation, costing your business.

• Damaged Reputation: If employees or customers find out you haven’t been keeping up with fire alarm maintenance, sour opinions of your business may be formed, hurting your brand image.

• False Fire Brigade Callouts: Faulty fire alarms could cause false alarms and callouts to the fire brigade, which can waste the resources and time of the fire brigade.

For regular maintenance and checks by fire safety professionals, get in touch with our safety team at RACAM.

Weekly fire alarm testing

Fire alarm testing is a legal requirement that businesses need to perform under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). You are also duty-bound according to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (2005). If your fire alarms aren’t checked and tested or in line with BS 5839, you could face penalties, fines, or even more severe actions such as jail time.

Your fire alarms need to be tested weekly to ensure operational efficiency by dedicated fire safety individuals at your business or carried out by fire safety professionals. If you would like commercial fire alarm testing, such as our weekly fire alarm testing services, to keep your business safe, employees and customers protected, and stay in line with laws and regulations, get in touch with RACAM’s security professionals today for a free no-obligation quote.

Fire extinguisher services

In the event of a fire threat, protect yourself, your business, and your employees with professionally supplied and installed fire extinguishers for your company. At RACAM, we offer a professional fire extinguisher installation with our BSI kitemarked products and a 5-year warranty to guarantee quality and safety. We offer:

• Water Fire Extinguishers (for class A fires)
• Foam Fire Extinguishers (for class A & B fires)
• Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers (for class A, B, & C fires)
• CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Fire Extinguishers (for class B fires)
• Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers (for class F fires)

If your business needs help with its fire safety, get in touch with us today for comprehensive commercial fire safety services tailored to your needs!