As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. This is also true when it comes to fire safety.

Preventing fires from occurring is as important, if not more important than having properly working fire safety systems to deal with a fire incident. An uncontrolled fire can obliterate an entire room's contents within a few minutes and completely burn out a building in a couple hours.

The main objective for organizations to protect themselves is to create an operating environment in which fires are prevented from starting in the first place. If a fire does break out, the aim is to prevent it from developing beyond a very minor event.

A key aspect of fire protection is to identify a developing fire emergency in a timely manner, and to alert the building's occupants and emergency services - this is the role of fire detection and alarm systems.

Depending on the anticipated fire scenario, building and use type, number and type of occupants, and criticality of contents and mission, these systems can provide several main functions.

Firstly, they provide a means to identify a developing fire through either manual or automatic methods, and secondly, they alert building occupants to a fire condition and the need to evacuate.

Another common function is the transmission of an alarm notification signal to the fire service or other emergency response organization. They may also shut down electrical or air handling equipment or special process operations, and they may be used to initiate automatic suppression systems.

How can Standards Help Organizations with their Fire Protection?

There are many contrasting approaches across the world in relation to fire safety, which have resulted in significant variations in the design, approval, construction methods, products, and operation of buildings.

The development of common standards of building design, construction, and protection and how the impact of fire affects these, helps to build trust and confidence among the many and varied sectors.

Standards aim to help organizations improve their performance, reduce their risk and become more sustainable. Fire safety standards are very important for the industry as they provide valuable information from fire protection to fire detection and alarm systems.

British Standard BS 5839-1 is vital for fire protection, providing recommendations for the planning, design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in and around non-domestic premises.

Anyone involved in the commissioning, installation, design, and planning of fire alarm and detection systems will find this standard useful, including:

• Head of Fire Engineering

• Commercial Manager

• Fire Consultant

• Fire Officer

• Fire & Safety Officer

• Principal Fire Surveyor

• Senior H&S Manager

• Fire Safety Advisor

Ensure your organization is complying with fire protection regulations by adding standard BS 5839-1 to your collection today.

Other Key Fire Detection and Alarm Standards

BSI’s range of standards for fire detection products can bring you peace of mind whether you are a manufacturer or an installer. Other key fire protection standards for your organization include:

• Smoke Detectors - BS EN 54-7:2001

• Sounders - BS EN 54-3:2014

• Visual Alarm Devices - BS EN 54-23:2010

• Voice Alarms - BS EN 54-16:2008

• Manual Call Points - BS EN 54-11:2001

Want to access and manage the fire detection and alarm standards you need - all in one place? With a BSI Knowledge subscription, you will have the flexibility and visibility to manage the essential standards you need in order to work with confidence and comply to fire safety regulations. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM08 Fire, Accident & Crime Protection module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

To learn more about the fire detection and alarm safety standards available for your organization, download our brochure here.