Mercury fire alarm maintenance audit.

Information

Document Number
Client / Site ID
Address
Conducted on
Prepared by
Time start

System Type
Category of System
- Category List
- L1
- L2
- L3
- L4
- L5
- P1
- P2
- M
Categories

L1
Designed for the protection of life and which has automatic detectors installed throughout all areas of the building (including roof spaces and voids) with the aim of providing the earliest possible warning. A category L1 system is likely to be appropriate for the majority of residential care premises. In practice, detectors should be placed in nearly all spaces and voids. With category 1 systems, the whole of a building is covered apart from minor exceptions

L2
Designed for the protection of life and which has automatic detectors installed in escape routes, rooms adjoining escape routes and high hazard rooms. In a medium sized premises (sleeping no more than ten residents), a category L2 system is ideal. These fire alarm systems are identical to an L3 system but with additional detection in an area where there is a high chance of ignition, e.g., kitchen) or where the risk to people is particularly increased (e.g., sleeping risk).

L3
Designed to give early warning to everyone. Detectors should be placed in all escape routes and all rooms that open onto escape routes. Category 3 systems provide more extensive cover than category 4. The objective is to warn the occupants of the building early enough to ensure that all are able to exit the building before escape routes become impassable

L4
Systems cover escape routes and circulation areas only. Therefore, detectors will be placed in escape routes, although this may not be suitable depending on the risk assessment or if the size and complexity of a building is increased. Detectors might be sited in other areas of the building, but the objective is to protect the escape route

L5
"all other situations" category, e.g., computer rooms, which may be protected with an extinguishing system triggered by automatic detection. Category 5 systems are the "custom" category and relate to some special requirement that cannot be covered by any other category

M
Manual systems, e.g. hand bells, gongs, etc. These may be purely manual or manual electric, the latter may have call points and sounders. They rely on the occupants of the building discovering the fire and acting to warn others by operating the system. Such systems form the basic requirement for places of employment with no sleeping risk.

P1
The system is installed throughout the building – the objective being to call the fire brigade as early as possible to ensure that any damage caused by fire is minimized. Small low risk areas can be excepted, such as toilets and cupboards less than 1m².

P2
Detection should be provided in parts of the building where the risk of ignition is high and/or the contents are particularly valuable. Category 2 systems provide fire detection in specified parts of the building where there is either high risk or where business disruption must be minimised
L1
L2
L3
L4
L5
M
P1
P2
L1
Battery date checked

Items Inspected

Manual call points suitably sited
Manual call points are unobstructed
Manual call points are conspicuous
All exits, including new exits have manual call points
Automatic fire detectors suitable for building or use of occupancy
Spur to panel wired in FP200 or other suitably rated fire cable
Fused Spurs of correct type (Stating fire alarm do not switch off
Automatic fire detectors suitably sited
Fire alarm devices suitably sited
Clear space of 500 mm exists below each automatic fire detector (Clause 22.3n)
Each automatic fire detector's ability to receive the stimulus it's designed to detect has not been impeded by any other means
Building use or occupancy does not make existing types of automatic fire detector unsuitable for detection of fire or prone to unwanted alarms.
Additional fire detection and alarm equipment provided in any extensions or alterations to the building
System log book examined
Any faults recorded have been attended to

False Alarms

A: Activations within the last 12 months
B: Quantity of sensors on the system
Rate of false alarms during the previous 12 months recorded (Clause 30.2i) % = (A) divided by (B) times 100
Action taken in respect of false alarms complies with the recommendations of Clause 30.2j

Testing

Is this a full system test

Intermediate Test

Fire alarm functions of control indicating equipment checked by operation of at least one detector or manual call point in each circuit and entry made in log book indicating which initiating devices used for these tests
Operation of fire alarm devices
Percentage of detectors tested
Controls and visual indicators at control indicating equipment checked for correct operation
Ancillary functions of control indicating equipment tested
Does the system have automatic transmission
Radio systems serviced in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations
For control indicating equipment, manufacturer's checks and tests performed
Fault indicators and their circuits checked by simulation of fault conditions
Standby battery disconnected and full load alarm simulated
Specific gravity of each cell of vented batteries checked
Mains disconnected and batteries momentarily load tested (other than those within devices such as manual call points, detectors and fire alarm sounders of a radio linked system)

Inspection

Automatic fire detectors unpainted
Automatic fire detectors undamaged
Visual fire alarm devices not obstructed
Lenses of visual fire alarm devices are clean
Readily-accessible cable fixings secure
Readily-accessible cable fixings undamaged

Documentation

Cause and effect programme confirmed as being correct

Testing

Switch mechanism of every call point
Radio signal strengths checked for adequacy
Fire alarm devices checked for correct operation
Automatic fire detectors functionally tested. including heat detectors, point smoke detectors, optical beam smoke detectors, aspirating fire detection systems, carbon monoxide fire detectors, flame detectors and multi-sensor detectors
All unmonitored, permanently-illuminated filament lamp indicators at control indicating equipment replaced
Control indicating equipment manufacturer's annual checks and tests carried out
For fire detection systems that enable analogue values to be determined , it should be confirmed that each analogue value is within the range specified by the manufacturer
Supply Load Value
Alarm Load Value
Battery size Cmin = 'Aging Factor'(('Standby Period' x 'Supply Load')+ 'De-Rating Factor'('Alarm Load' x 'Alarm Time')) = (1.25 x (24' x 'Supply Load')) + (1.75 x ('Alarm Load' x .5))
Battery Size Installed
Checks recommended by manufacturers of other components of system carried out
Comments

Documentation

Fire alarm functions of control indicating equipment checked by operation of at least one detector or manual call point in each circuit and entry made in log book indicating which initiating devices used for these tests
Operation of fire alarm devices
Controls and visual indicators at control indicating equipment checked for correct operation
Ancillary functions of control indicating equipment tested
For control indicating equipment, manufacturer's checks and tests performed
Fault indicators and their circuits checked by simulation of fault conditions
Does the system have automatic transmission
Radio systems serviced in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations
Other equipment, manufacturer's checks and tests performed
Is a printer installed
Standby battery disconnected and full load alarm simulated
Specific gravity of each cell of vented batteries checked
Mains disconnected and batteries momentarily load tested (other than those within devices such as manual call points, detectors and fire alarm sounders of a radio linked system)

Arrangements

Arrangements in place for repair of faults or damage equipment

Records and documentation give information on maintenance arrangements. See Clause 40
User records faults or damage in log book
User arranges for repairs to be carried out as soon as possible