SANS322

© SABS.
This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
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ISBN 978-0-626-29387-1
SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL STANDARD
Fire detection and alarm systems for

hospitals
Published by SABS Standards Division

1 Dr Lategan Road Groenkloof  Private Bag X191 Pretoria 0001
Tel: +27 12 428 7911 Fax: +27 12 344 1568
www.sabs.co.za
 SABS
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
Table of changes
Change No. Date Scope
Acknowledgement
The SABS Standards Division wishes to acknowledge the valuable assistance derived from
publications of the British Standards Institute.
Foreword
This South African standard was approved by National Committee SABS/TC 021/SC 01, Fire safety
– Fixed fire detection and extinguishing systems, in accordance with procedures of the SABS
Standards Division, in compliance with annex 3 of the WTO/TBT agreement.
Reaffirmed and reprinted in October 2013.

This document will be reviewed every five years
and be reaffirmed, amended, revised or withdrawn.
SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
Contents
Page
Acknowledgement
Foreword
1 Scope ..................................................................................................................................... 3
2 Normative references ............................................................................................................ 3
3 Definitions .............................................................................................................................. 3
4 Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 4
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SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
Fire detection and alarm systems for hospitals
1 Scope
1.1 This standard provides guidance on the design and installation of new fire detection and alarm
systems for new hospitals.
1.2 It also covers modifications to existing fire alarm systems required by alterations or extensions
to existing hospitals.
2 Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text,
constitute provisions of this standard. All normative documents are subject to revision and, since
any reference to a normative document is deemed to be a reference to the latest edition of that
normative document, parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to take steps to
ensure the use of the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. Information
on currently valid national and international standards can be obtained from the SABS Standards
Division.
2.1 Standards
BS 5979, Code of practice for remote centres receiving signals from fire and security systems.
SANS 10139, Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings – System design, installation and
servicing.
SANS 10142-1, The wiring of premises – Part 1: Low-voltage installations.
SANS 50054-2/EN 54-2, Fire detection and fire alarm systems – Part 2: Control and indicating
equipment.
2.2 Other publication

EC Directive 89/336/EEC, as amended by EC Directives 91/236/EEC and 92/31/EEC.
3 Definitions
For the purposes of this standard, the definitions in SANS 10139 and the following definitions apply:
3.1
hazard department
management units which contain high fire loads and are ignition sources
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3.2
notional noise level
noise level that is exceeded for 10 % of the noisiest period (for example, daytime in wards) (L10
noise level)
3.3
soak time
period after a fire alarm system has been commissioned, but before the handover, during which the
system’s performance in relation to false alarms and faults is monitored
3.4
sub-compartment
areas into which the building can be divided to reduce travel distances
4 Requirements
4.1 General
4.1.1 Fire alarm and detection systems employed in hospitals shall meet the requirements in
table 1.
Table 1 — Requirements for fire alarm and detection devices
1 2
No. of devices Type of system
Up to and including 50 Conventional
Over 50 up to but not including 100 Addressable
Over 100 Analogue or multi state addressable
4.1.2 Compatible system technology shall be used throughout the hospital with the exception of
the following:
a) isolated buildings requiring no more than 50 devices; or
b) isolated buildings requiring more devices but functioning separately from the hospital (for
example, nurses’ homes).
4.2 Design
4.2.1 Type M and type L1 systems shall be installed throughout all parts of the hospital, with the
exception of the following areas:
a) voids and roof spaces of any depth which contain only
– mineral insulated wiring or wiring laid in metal trays or in metal conduits, or
– non-combustible pipes and ductwork (or both);
b) bath/shower rooms;
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Edition 1
c) toilets in staff areas; and
d) cupboards less than 1 m2.
4.2.2 Detectors shall only be omitted from other areas on the basis of an assessment of fire risk.
However, the following areas shall be protected:
a) all patient access areas;
b) fire hazard rooms and areas;
c) rooms or departments below patient access areas from which fire can spread vertically to affect
patient access areas;
d) stairways, lobbies and corridors used as means of escape when not in frequent use;
e) patient hotels;
f) commercial enterprises;
g) atria;
h) mechanical and electrical services plant rooms (other than water tank rooms); and
i) toilets intended for use by the public.
4.3 Zoning
4.3.1 The hospital shall be divided into detection zones, in accordance with SANS 10139.
4.3.2 In patient access areas, alarm zones, shall correspond with detection zones, and no
detection or alarm zone shall extend beyond a single sub-compartment or compartment boundary,
as appropriate.
4.3.3 In non-patient access areas, alarm zones may be made up of more than one detection zone
in accordance with the operational requirements.
4.3.4 Atria, commercial enterprises and hazards departments shall be separate detection or alarm
zones.
4.4 Alarms
4.4.1 General
4.4.1.1 Audible alarm devices ranging from (45 to 55) dB (A), or 5 dB(A) above the notional noise
level shall be provided in all areas of the hospital.
4.4.1.2 Visual alarm devices shall be provided in areas where audible alarm devices are
unacceptable (for example, operating theatres).
4.4.1.3 In areas where patients can escape unaided and, in non-patient access areas, the audibility
of the alarm shall comply with SANS 10139.
4.4.1.4 All systems shall be provided with facilities for the disablement of fire detectors without
isolation of manual call points.
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Edition 1
4.4.2 Detectors
4.4.2.1 Smoke detectors shall not be installed in dusty environments. If smoke detection is
necessary in such an area, detectors shall be cleaned regularly.
4.4.2.2 Smoke detectors shall not be sited in close proximity to windows that are likely to be
opened during normal circumstances.
4.4.2.3 Optical smoke detectors shall not be installed in close proximity to sources of steam (for
example, showers).
4.4.2.4 In the kitchens and other areas in which rapid fluctuations of temperature are likely to occur,
any heat detector shall be of a fixed temperature type.
4.5 System control and display of information
4.5.1 Control and indicating equipment shall be provided at
a) the main entrance of the hospital,
b) the entrance at which the fire brigade attends (if different from (a) above), and
c) a location that is supervised 24 h.
4.5.2 Additional control and indicating equipment shall be provided by the hospital’s evacuation
procedures.
4.6 Ancillary equipment
4.6.1 General
Where required by the statutory requirements, or the overall fire safety strategy, ancillary equipment
shall be actuated by the fire alarm system.
4.6.2 Automatic door releases and door control systems
4.6.2.1 All doors fitted with automatic door releases shall be linked to the fire alarm and detection
system.
4.6.2.2 Automatic door releases within a compartment or sub-compartment shall be triggered by,
a) the actuation of any automatic fire detector, or
b) the actuation of any manual fire alarm call point.
4.6.2.3 Automatic door releases shall be provided with a ready means of manual operation from a
position at the door.
4.6.2.4 Automatic door releases shall be arranged to automatically close doors, both within and
forming the boundary of, alarm zones and where the "evacuate" and "alert" signals are given. It
shall also be possible to manually close all doors on automatic door releases by means of a
dedicated control button at the control and indicating equipment.
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4.6.3 Access control systems
Where required, access control systems shall automatically release (unlock) doors exiting from
alarm zones where the “evacuate” signal is given.
4.6.4 Mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning system
Mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems shall, where there is full or partial recirculation
system in an alarm zone in which the “evacuate” signal is given, be able to divert the extract to the
open air.
4.6.5 Lifts
4.6.5.1 Where lifts discharge into alarm zones in which the “alert” or “evacuate” signal is given, they
shall be returned to ground level or the level of the final exit from the building, if different, and
disabled.
4.6.5.2 Escape bed lifts shall not be controlled by the fire alarm system.
4.6.6 Smoke control systems
Smoke control and extract systems shall be actuated automatically when fire is detected in areas
they serve (for example, basements).
4.7 Communication with the fire brigade
4.7.1 The fire alarm systems shall be connected directly to the fire brigade, unless the alarm
systems are monitored in a location that is continuously manned 24 h.
4.7.2 Alarms shall be transmitted to the remote centre by a continuously monitored connection.
4.7.3 Remote centres shall be designed and operated in accordance with BS 5979.
4.8 Manual call points
4.8.1 In non-patient access areas, manual call points shall be sited in accordance with
SANS 10139.
4.8.2 In patient access areas, manual call points shall be sited as follows:
a) at or close to each nurses’ station;
b) at each exit or stairway (but not on stairway landings); and
c) on both sides of main doorways between detection zones (in close proximity to the doors).
4.8.3 In mental health units, manual call point type and sitting may deviate from the provisions of
SANS 10139 if false alarms are likely to occur due to deliberate operation of call points by patients.
In these cases, manual call points need not be readily accessible to patients. However, the call
points shall be easily and quickly accessible to staff.
SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
4.9 Automatic fire detectors
4.9.1 Where protection by automatic fire detection is required, point-type smoke detectors shall be
used, except in the kitchens and similar areas where false alarms would result from the use of
smoke detectors. In such areas, point-type heat detectors shall be installed. Other forms of fire
detection may be considered only if there is justification on the basis of efficiency of detection or
cost-effectiveness.
4.9.2 In circulation spaces, including stairways and corridors, smoke detectors shall be of the
optical type. In other areas, either ionisation chamber or optical detectors may be used. The choice
of detectors shall take into account both efficiency and avoidance of false alarms, but priority shall
be given to the former consideration.
4.9.3 If an L1 system has deviations (i.e. detectors omitted to assess the fire risk) in the immediate
area of any automatic door release mechanism, optical smoke detectors shall be sited on both
sides of that door.
4.10 False alarms
4.10.1 In order to minimize false alarms, suitable systems technology shall be utilized. If there is a
potential for a large number of false alarms (for example, due to the number of detectors required),
consideration shall be given to the use of multi-criteria fire detectors.
4.10.2 Smoke detectors shall not be installed in dusty environments. If smoke detection is
necessary in such an area, detectors shall be cleaned regularly, and ionisation chamber detectors
shall be used in preference to optical detectors.
4.10.3 Smoke detectors shall not be sited in close proximity to windows that are likely to be
opened under normal circumstances.
4.10.4 Optical smoke detectors shall not be installed in close proximity to showers, bathrooms or
other sources of steam.
4.10.5 If a smoke detector is installed in a room in which people are likely to smoke, ionisation
chamber smoke detectors shall be used, unless the ceiling height or ventilation rate (or both) is
such as to avoid the transport of sufficient amounts of tobacco smoke to the detectors to cause
false alarms.
4.10.6 Ionisation chamber detectors shall not be installed in close proximity to kitchens, or
equipment such as toasters, that may generate products that would cause false alarms.
4.10.7 In the kitchens and other areas in which rapid fluctuations of temperatures are likely to
occur, heat detectors shall be of the fixed temperature type.
4.10.8 All systems shall be provided with facilities for the disablement of fire detectors without
isolation of manual call points. The maximum area throughout which smoke detectors need to be
disabled simultaneously shall not exceed one of the fire detection zones into which the building is
sub-divided. In conventional systems, there shall be facilities to disable any individual detector on
the system.
SANS 322:2005
Edition 1
4.10.9 All systems shall be provided with facilities to disable fire alarm sounders to minimize
disruption during maintenance. Such facilities shall be designed to minimize the extent of the area
throughout which sounders are disabled and shall be accessible only at access level 3 as defined in
SANS 50054-2. In conventional (non-addressable) sounder circuits, it shall be possible to disable a
single sounder circuit without disabling other circuits.
4.10.10 A time-related system shall be used only if there is potential for a high rate of false alarms
that cannot be avoided by other means. The use of a time-related system may then be considered
in an area in which continuous surveillance, or rapid response by staff can be readily ensured at
certain times of the day. However, on receipt of an alarm signal, time-related systems shall always
alert someone in the hospital and not result in any delays in summoning the fire brigade on receipt
of an alarm signal.
4.10.11 For new systems installed in existing hospitals, there shall be a “soak time” during which
the system’s performance is monitored before handover. The required “soak time” shall be agreed
with the installer before awarding the contract for the system. The period shall be related to the size
and complexity of the system, but shall not be less than one week. In the case of large or complex
systems, a period of one month may be appropriate. During the “soak time”, any false alarm (or
other fault) shall be formally reviewed by the installation contractor and, where appropriate, suitable
modification to the installation shall be implemented before final acceptance of the system by the
user.
4.11 Audible and visual alarms
4.11.1 The same type of audible alarm device shall be used throughout the hospital (that is, either
bells or electronic sounders). Voice alarm systems provided in only part of the hospital may be used
to give the fire alarm, provided that any message is preceded by an alarm sound identical to that
generated by the audible alarm devices used elsewhere in the hospital.
4.11.2 Visual alarm devices shall comprise flashing lights and shall incorporate a sounder of low
sound output, for example, 50 dB(A) at 1 m.
4.12 Electromagnetic interference
4.12.1 All systems shall comply with the requirements of the EMC Directive (EC Directive
89/336/EEC, as amended by EC Directive 91/236/EEC and 92/31/EEC).
4.12.2 Installation design and installation practices shall be such as to minimize the susceptibility
of the installation to electromagnetic interference. Particular care shall be taken in the selection of
the cable, the continuity and equipotential of screens along their length, the bonding of metal parts,
such as the door of a control panel and the panel’s enclosure, and the termination of cables.
4.13 Power supplies
4.13.1 The mains supply to the fire detection and alarm system shall be derived from the hospital’s
essential services (automatically started standby generator-backed) supply.
4.13.2 The number of isolating devices between the incoming supply to the hospital and the fire
alarm control and indicating equipment shall be kept to the minimum practicable.
SANS 322:2005
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4.13.3 From the point at which the power supply circuit is first dedicated to the fire detection and
alarm system (that is, from the point at which the power supply is provided with the dedicated
isolating-protective device described in SANS 10139), the circuit shall be in accordance with
SANS 10142-1.
4.13.4 Standby battery supplies for any part of the system shall be capable of maintaining the
system in normal operation for at least 24 h, after which there shall be sufficient capacity to operate
all sounders in the evacuation mode for at least 30 min.
 SABS
10
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© SABS.

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL STANDARD

Fire detection and alarm systems for

Published by SABS Standards Division

Reaffirmed and reprinted in October 2013.

2 Normative references ............................................................................................................ 3

This page is intentionally left blank

Fire detection and alarm systems for hospitals

SANS 10142-1, The wiring of premises – Part 1: Low-voltage installations.

2.2 Other publication

Table 1 — Requirements for fire alarm and detection devices

a) isolated buildings requiring no more than 50 devices; or

a) voids and roof spaces of any depth which contain only

– mineral insulated wiring or wiring laid in metal trays or in metal conduits, or

– non-combustible pipes and ductwork (or both);

c) toilets in staff areas; and

d) cupboards less than 1 m2.

a) all patient access areas;

b) fire hazard rooms and areas;

i) toilets intended for use by the public.

4.5 System control and display of information

4.5.1 Control and indicating equipment shall be provided at

a) the main entrance of the hospital,

c) a location that is supervised 24 h.

4.6 Ancillary equipment

4.6.2 Automatic door releases and door control systems

a) the actuation of any automatic fire detector, or

b) the actuation of any manual fire alarm call point.

4.6.3 Access control systems

4.6.4 Mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning system

4.6.6 Smoke control systems

4.7 Communication with the fire brigade

4.8 Manual call points

a) at or close to each nurses’ station;

b) at each exit or stairway (but not on stairway landings); and

4.9 Automatic fire detectors

4.10 False alarms

4.11 Audible and visual alarms

4.12 Electromagnetic interference

4.13 Power supplies

SABS – Standards Division

Amendments and Revisions

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