Foreword

Publishing information

This part of BS 5446‑4 is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 30 November 2020. It was prepared by Technical Committee FSH/12, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Relationship with other publications

BS 5446 is published in the following parts:

• Part 2: Specification for heat alarms;
• Part 3: Specification for fire and carbon monoxide alarm systems for deaf and hard of hearing people; and
• Part 4: Specification for multi-sensor fire alarms using any combination of smoke, heat and carbon monoxide sensors.

This part of BS 5446 is aligned with the Working Group drafts of prEN 14604 (dated 21/02/2018) and prEN 54‑31 (dated 12/10/2018). The former includes several significant changes from BS EN 14604:2005. The latter was presented to CEN-TC72 (N3063) as the first example of how to prepare a product standard using the Open Descriptions (OD) approach (see Introduction).

For information, prEN 14604 includes the following changes compared to BS EN 14604:2005:

a) as required by the mandate, Clause 4 has been revised to state all the product characteristics, and Clause 5 has been revised to state all the corresponding tests;
b) additional product characteristics are specified for ingress for foreign bodies;
c) the sound output test method was modified;
d) product characteristics for smoke alarms using radio links have been added;
e) product characteristics for visual alarm indication have been added;
f) alarms with built-in batteries are required to automatically be connected to their power source on installation (8.3 in the revised standard);
g) requirements in 4.2.4.2.1, 5.2.2.2.1 and Annex M were revised and now require primary battery powered smoke alarms to have a minimum of 3 years battery service life, and details of the assessment of battery service life are included;
h) mains powered smoke alarms are required to have an integral back-up power supply;
i) the alarm silence facility test function was revised and replaced by temporary disablement and alarm muting;
j) a new Clause 6, “Assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP)”, has been added;
k) a new Clause 7, “Classification and designation”, has been added;
l) a new Clause 8, “Marking, labelling and packaging”, has been added;
m) text on the content of the user manual has been added in Clause 8; and
n) a new Annex A, Annex L, Annex M and Annex N have been added.

Information about this document

This publication can be withdrawn, revised, partially superseded or superseded. Information regarding the status of this publication can be found in the Standards Catalogue on the BSI website at bsigroup.com/standards, or by contacting the Customer Services team.

Where websites and webpages have been cited, they are provided for ease of reference and are correct at the time of publication. The location of a webpage or website, or its contents, cannot be guaranteed.

Use of this document

This British Standard follows the Open Descriptions (OD) approach being considered by TC72 for the EN 54 series. The OD approach provides for a common technical language to express the performance of a product. As such the only requirement of such European standards is that the manufacturer publishes a Declaration of Performance using the descriptors defined. For this British Standard the technique of using simple descriptors has been adopted, but the option of a descriptor “0” has been omitted.

Presentational conventions

The provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its requirements are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “shall”.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute a normative element.

Where words have alternative spellings, the preferred spelling of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is used (e.g. “organization” rather than “organisation”).

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Other requirements for multi-sensor fire alarms might be specified by general legislation on, for example, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), safety and the environment.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

BS 5446-4:2020

Fire detection and fire alarm devices for dwellings - Specification for multi-sensor fire alarms using any combination of smoke, heat and carbon monoxide sensors

Current

Published:

30 Nov 2020