TESTING & MAINTENANCE OF FIRE

DETECTION SYSTEMS
2020 CPD Revised Edition
PAUL GATENS
COURSE LEADER
COURSE OVERVIEW

1 2 3 4 5 6
Competency & British Standards Unwanted Fire Aerosol Solo 330, Testifire
Responsibility & Best Practice Signals Canisters 460 & 423

7 8 9 10 11 12
Solo 365 Solo Battery ASD System Removal & Working at General Testing
Batons, Chargers Testing Cleaning Height Tips & Care of
& Accessories Products
 • The basic concepts of • The importance to • The importance of
The Regulatory keep knowledge and monitoring and
Reform (Fire Safety) skills, relevant and reducing unwanted
Order 2005 (RRO) current fire alarms
COURSE • The role and legal • The basic duties of • Understand what is
obligations of the competent meant by best
OBJECTIVES competent & person practice
responsible person • The intent of the • How to test
By the end of the training course, you will • The role of the various BS 5839 detectors correctly
have a full understanding and appreciation premises manager clauses that relate to using Solo; Testifire
of the following subjects: • How a competent test and maintenance and Scorpion
person demonstrates of fire detectors products
competency /alarms • How to look after
• The difference your test and
between commercial maintenance kit
detectors and
residential alarms
1
Competency &
Responsibility
 1. Competency & Responsibility

ENGLISH LAW AND THE

BRITISH STANDARDS British Standards is a code
of practice/recommendation,
it is not law

• BS5839 Part 1 – 2017 =

Commercial premises
The Law = The Regulatory Reform (Fire • BS5839 Part 6 – 2019 =
Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) Domestic premises

Three basic concepts

• Fire risk assessment (FRA)
• Responsible Person (RP)
• Competent Person (CP)
Compliance with British Standards cannot
automatically confer legal immunity.

However, for a competent person and

responsible person compliance with the
latest code is obviously the best line of
defence in any court case.
THREE BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE LAW
Responsible Person
The owner/occupier designated responsible person (under the RRO), must ensure that the
regulations are complied with, and risk prosecution if they fail to do so

The responsible person must be able to provide evidence that their fire system is fit for purpose,
being designed, installed, commissioned and maintained in accordance with BS5839 part 1

This is achieved by enlisting the help of a competent person, which is you!

Fire Risk Assessment

The Responsible person must be able to produce a current Fire risk assessment. – mandatory
requirement

Competent Person
British Standards definition of a competent person (CP):

Person with the relevant current training and experience, and with access to the requisite tools,
equipment and Information, and capable of carrying out a defined task
 1. Competency & Responsibility

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE
COMPETANCY?
For the Competent Person (Engineer)

Through training and accreditation

• Good knowledge of standards & Industry/manufacturers ‘best practice’
• Document all recommendations to the client

Keep Training current in the following three areas:

• Standards
• Manufacturers product training
• Health & Safety training

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

• Certificated CPD training helps prove competency

How does a company demonstrate competency?

Third party certification, as awarded by a UKAS accredited body such
as BAFE and LPS 1014
 1. Competency & Responsibility

ARE YOU COMPETENT

OR JUST CAPABLE? Hackitt
Report:
Capable = Perceived and assumed ability Mentions the word
‘competency’ 152
times in her report!
Competent = Proven and demonstrated ability

Regulatory Reform Order & BS5839 calls for a

Competent person, not a Capable person
 1. Competency & Responsibility

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR FIRE SAFETY?

Responsible Person
Normally the employer, manager or
In The Law Courts
• Both RP and PM (employee) Hackitt
owner is responsible
(Responsible Person (RP) under the
can both be implicated
• Unlimited fines and up to 20 Report:
Regulatory Reform Order) months imprisonment “Don’t wait for
• ‘Matrix of responsibility’ is regulations to
widening raise the bar”
Premises Manager
Changes to BS5839-1 in 2013, Section 7,
Engineers and Risk assessors
Clause 47
have been prosecuted. Who
Responsible Person was replaced by
next? Service managers or
Premises Manager (PM)
owners of service companies?
• Has the budget, authority and the
• Regulatory Reform (Fire)
knowledge to look after the system.
Safety Order 2005 is under
Can be the same person as the
review. Better definition of
Responsible Person in a smaller
responsibilities?
company
 1. Competency & Responsibility

THE FIRE SAFETY

LOG BOOK
Must be kept up to date and readily available for Hackitt
inspection/audit by the Fire and Rescue Service as and
when required Report:
“Golden thread of
The Engineer (Competent Person)
information”
• Needs to be familiar with the Fire Safety Log book
for any site they maintain
• It should contain important information to assist
with on going maintenance
• Make sure it is kept up to date
• It can be used in a court of law to defend the RP/PM
and CP
 1. Competency & Responsibility

OVERVIEW OF THE COMPETENT

PERSON ROLE
• Help, advise and train the RP/PM
• Provide technical know how
• Give all relevant recommendations/best practice in writing
• Independent review / inspection
• Carry out detailed tests, repairs, modifications
• Work with RP/PM to identify causes of unwanted fire signals (UFS)
• Keep up with changes in standards and best practice
• Record and make sure the log book is being kept up to date
 1. Competency & Responsibility

ROLE OF THE
FIRE
BRIGADE
• No longer issuing fire safety certificates (since RRO)
• Focus on reducing cost relating to Unwanted Fire Signals
(UFS)
• Potential fines for RP’s in the event of repeat UFS
(Localism Act 2011)
• In England, every FRS has its own attendance policy
• Now being targeted to increase inspections and
prosecutions
• Drive to offer a more cost effective fire service
 1. Competency & Responsibility

• RP/PM/CP unaware of legal responsibility and

implication of cutting corners
• No record of details on UFS
• Fire log book not kept up to date or missing
• What it is to be responsible or competent

• RP/PM has no way of checking/proving what work carried out. Is the

CP cutting corners?
WHAT ARE THE • Detectors in hard-to-access locations - many are not tested
COMMON ISSUES? • Optical smoke detectors that are not regularly cleaned can cause UFS
• What has been tested and what needs to be tested = where is the
asset register?

• Checking the competency of the competent person (are

they current and relevant?)
• Is the service company third party accredited? (BAFE etc)
• Competent Person not always documenting all
recommendations; best practices and issues
TESTING & MAINTENANCE OF FIRE
COURSE OVERVIEW
DETECTION SYSTEMS
2020 CPD Revised Edition

1 2 3 4 5 6
Competency & British Standards Unwanted Fire Aerosol Solo 330, Testifire
Responsibility & Best Practice Signals Canisters 460 & 423

7 8 9 10 11 12
Solo 365 Solo Battery ASD System Removal & Working at General Testing
Batons, Chargers Testing Cleaning Height Tips & Care of
& Accessories Products
KEEP IN TOUCH
Detectortesters1

@NoClimbProducts

Detectortesters (No Climb Products Ltd)

Detectortesters1