Product category:
Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Aico | Subject: Requirements of BS.5839 Pt 6: 2004
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 November 2005
Aico warns landlords of smoking tenants.
Landlords needing to meet the requirements of BS.5839 Pt 6: 2004 must pay particular attention to smokers, according to smoke alarm specialist Aico.
Landlords needing to meet the requirements of BS.5839 Pt 6: 2004 must pay particular attention to smokers, according to smoke alarm specialist Aico - supplier of the best-selling Ei range of mains powered smoke alarms Last year's revisions to BS.5839 Pt 6 have placed a very heavy emphasis on fire risk assessment
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 23 Sep 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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'Smoker's materials' are the most frequent cause of accidental fire deaths in dwelling, accounting for almost a third of all such deaths.
Malcolm Brown, Sales and Marketing Director of Aico, says: "On at least three points, smokers need to be taken into serious consideration when conducting an adequate fire risk assessment".
"If they are treated the same as non-smokers, against all the statistical evidence to the contrary, that may be a failure to perform an adequate risk assessment." According to Aico, serious consideration should be given to fitting additional smoke alarms in every room in which smoking occurs to adequately meet the fire risk.
"Just over half of all deaths take place in the room where the fire breaks out".
"Indeed, that figure rises to 60% in HMOs", points out Malcolm".
"This is often because smokers fall asleep without properly extinguishing their smoking materials".
"Another concern is when a cigarette is left burning downstairs in the living room when the occupant goes to sleep upstairs.
By the time smoke reaches an alarm in the upstairs hallway, the house could be well ablaze and there is a greatly reduced chance of escape".
Aico makes the point that not only should smokers have extra alarms fitted in all smoking areas but they should also have an interconnected alarm system to warn them of fire at the earliest possible opportunity.
"Interconnection is always the best course of action," claims Malcolm, "because the occupier has more chance of hearing a closer alarm." However, Aico recognises that sometimes achieving hardwired interconnection can be expensive, disruptive and labour intensive.
"We understand the time and cost associated with hardwired interconnection.
Unfortunately this problem would just be compounded by adding extra alarms to an existing system or fitting a new, more extensive system to give smokers the protection they need".
"Fortunately, with the advent of wireless interconnect systems, such as Aico's RadioLINK, it's now possible to extend systems in a retrofit application or build a far more extensive new system quickly and economically".
"This can also include control devices such as low level remote test switches" says Malcolm".
"The unique flexibility of RadioLINK means you can put alarms where you need them, whenever you need them".
"If your tenants are smokers, a wireless interconnect system may be the safest, most economical way of providing adequate protection.".
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