Angus has been involved in developing and writing British and International Fire & Safety standards since the mid-1980s. The list of standards that he has participated in is impressive and includes BS5839-1, BS8629, EN54-18 and ISO7240-2. Angus utilises his extensive experience to provide an authoritative perspective on the key issues that affect the Fire & Security Industry today.
Open protocols allow interaction between different makes of equipment, preventing any manufacturer from cornering their customers.
When specifying and installing a fire alarm system, two costs are considered; the upfront cost, and the ongoing maintenance costs. It is tempting to buy the cheapest system upfront, but these may have both higher and hidden costs further down the line.
How can costs be kept down?
Fire Protection products can protect against hidden or unfair costs in two ways:
1. By allowing any trained and competent engineer to service, test or install the products
2. By allowing the product to be interchangeable with products from other manufacturers
How might manufacturers keep prices up?
Many fire alarm products don't offer these cost-saving benefits. The manufacturer will justify cheaper upfront costs either by restrictive service requirements to guarantee future maintenance contracts, or by locked-down protocols both to ensure whole-system dependence on the manufacturer, and to allow for planned obsolescence without competitive pricing. In some cases the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has stepped in to restrict these practices, but they are still common.
What’s the alternative?
These locked-down systems are known as ‘Closed Protocol’. By contrast, true ‘Open Protocol’ are designed to be widely available and supported and are usually backward compatible. When committing to an open-protocol solution your commitment is to the system and not the provider and you can expect realistic life-cycle longevity and costs.
Muddying the waters
In response to CMA intervention, some manufacturers have made devices that meet only one of the above two open criteria, and used this as an excuse to claim their devices are open-protocol. Some have also tried to further trick customers by claiming different ‘levels’ of open protocol, guised as 'Managed Protocol' for example or 'testing and maintenance options', to distract from the fact that their devices are still incompatible with those made by others and may have planned obsolescence.
Test your suppliers!
At FixFire, whilst we manufacture parts which enhance Fire Alarm Systems we do not manufacture systems. Our policy has always been that our clients should deal with us for the experience and not because they are tied.
If you are considering investing in a new system for your building, be warned and ensure you consider overall life-cycle costs. Cost of installation is only part of the story, the true picture is the whole life experience and aggregate cost of ownership.
If in doubt, don’t guess; Ask.
If you’re looking to get peace of mind in having fully compliant, open-protocol and up-to-date systems for life and property protection, talk to us and see how we can help.
Following the recommendations of BS5839 Part 1 2017 (Fire Alarm British Standard), it is a mandatory requirement to have an up to date, clear and accurate Fire Alarm Zone Chart adjacent to your Fire Alarm Control Panel and any repeater panels you have in your premises.
The purpose of the Zone Chart is to assist persons responding to an alarm to quickly identify the specific location in the building and to help the Fire Brigade understand the building layout before they enter.
When the Fire Alarm System is installed, the building is divided into Fire Zones. Any Manual Call Point (Red Box) or Fire Detector that is fitted will trigger a particular zone when activated.
The Zone Chart shows the division of each zone area with a ‘You are Here’ arrow to identify the position of the Fire Alarm Panel. The view of the building should be orientated in relation to the Fire Alarm Panel position to minimise confusion.
What is involved in producing a Zone Chart?
- Hard copy
- Or preferably AutoCAD (dwg) format
You have a legal duty of care to dispose of waste legitimately and safely via a licensed waste carrier. Failure to do so can result in prosecution, even if you have outsourced the disposal to a third party.
The Fixfire® Extinguisher Recycling Process is your reassurance that any Fire Extinguishers we remove from your premises have been disposed of in a safe and legal manner. 97% of each processed Fire Extinguisher is recycled.
Our contracted Extinguisher Recycling Unit (ERU) is a dedicated facility offering a service for the safe processing and recycling/disposal of fire extinguishers. The facility operates closely with the local Water Authority and the Environment Agency to develop safe, efficient and environmentally friendly processes, ensuring that ISO14001 certification is upheld.
Got a question about Fire Extinguisher Disposal? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
False Fire Alarms remain a huge concern within the education sector- interrupting already carefully scheduled, planned and well-prepared lessons or even causing major disruption and distress to exams.
Clearly, these false alarms cause significant inconvenience and disruption to students, staff, and visitors. They compromise everyone’s safety in the school and present a significant risk to the local community since the Fire Brigade will prioritise the school over other emergency callouts.
Solutions you should consider:
The first and most straightforward way is to use anti-tamper products.
Fixfire® supplies a wide range of solutions designed to protect Fire Alarm Devices from inadvertent damage or deliberate misuse/vandalism.
Products include:
- Local plastic cover flaps which attach directly to manual call points.
- The stopper consists of a clear, tamperproof, tough polycarbonate cover, frame and spacer that retrofits over a break glass call point. When lifted to operate the break glass unit, its optional battery powered integral sounder emits a piercing 96dB (at 1m). Immediate attention is drawn to the area and a prankster will either run or be caught!
- A range of steel web stoppers designed to protect fire detectors and warning devices. They are constructed from heavy-duty galvanised steel rod which is plastic-coated for durability and external use.
- A range of polycarbonate enclosures are available for the protection of devices such as fire alarm control panels and associated control equipment. The enclosures combine tough rugged construction with stylish design and offer excellent protection with a key lock for authorised access.
We also provide anti-tamper devices for fire extinguishers and associated products.
KeyCall® is a patented anti-ligature Fire Alarm and Access Control call point. It is designed to use the same key as the doors, providing simple operation for staff whilst eliminating nuisance activations by service-users.
KeyCall® has been developed by Fixfire® specifically for approved applications where standard versions would be vulnerable to abuse.
It is one of the best solutions for SEN schools and it is also compatible with a wide range of Conventional and Addressable Fire Alarm Systems.
Got a question about False Fire Alarms? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
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