Virtus Fire
About Virtus Fire
Here at Virtus Fire we can assist with all elements of Fire Facility Management, Getting you in touch with a local professional who works along side us and will provide the highest of standards. Services include but are not limited to fire risk assessments, fire alarm installation & servicing, emergency light installation & servicing, extinguisher servicing and much more, just ask! We also have in house teams taking care of compliancy testing, serving London and the home counties. We have regular routes that provide weekly fire alarm testing and monthly emergency light (flick) testing.
Weekly Compliance Testing
Having a well maintained, modern fire alarm system is essential to a safe working and living environment. Alongside six monthly service inspections (as a minimum) you are legally required to run weekly fire alarm tests, as governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) and BS 5839-6: 2019 standards.
To ensure compliance, a weekly manual call point must be operated with a test key using a different call point in rotation. This test should be carried out by a competent or 'responsible person' at approximately the same time of day every week. All results, including the location of the call-point tested, should be recorded in a log book.
Monthly Emergency Lighting Testing
As well as fire alarm testing, there is a legal responsibility to complete monthly emergency light testing. This is to make sure systems are in good condition and will properly and where relevant, automatically, operate during emergency situations.
It is the duty of Responsible Persons to ensure monthly testing of Emergency Lighting systems, under BS 5266 part 8 (EN50172.) The duration of the test should be sufficient to ensure the luminaire operates correctly, whilst minimising any damage to the system components, e.g. Lamps, Battery. The result of monthly emergency lighting testing must be recorded in a specified log book. And if failures are established, these must be resolved as soon as possible. Failure to comply with these regulations can put lives at risk and incur severe penalties.
Fire Risk Assessments
If you're responsible for a building, it's important to do all you can to reduce the risk of fire to keep people safe. It saves lives, it's your legal duty, and it makes good business sense.
WHY?
A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement. If you are responsible for a building, for example a employer, owner or occupier of premises that aren't a 'single private dwelling' (a private home), you need to make sure a suitably competent person completes a Fire Risk Assessment. It is your duty to identify fire risks and hazards in your premises and take appropriate action.
The Responsible Person must record all findings from their fire risk assessment, regardless of the size or purpose of the premises. This is a new requirement, effective from 1 October 2023. Previously this was only required for certain types of buildings. Responsible Persons must also record their fire safety arrangements.
Make sure you review your risk assessment regularly and whenever significant changes have been made that would have an impact on it. It's good business sense as well as a legal requirement, often businesses don't recover after a fire, and effective fire prevention starts with properly understanding the risks.
Broadly speaking, assessments are conducted in five key steps:
-Identify the fire hazards.
-Identify people at risk.
-Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks.
-Record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training.
-Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly.
Contact us for a FREE no obligation Fire Risk Assessment quote on 01895 590212 or use our Online Contact Form for further information.
Fire Door Testing
For fire door (reg 10) enquiries please use the contact form below
General Enquiries
Please complete the form below and a member of the team will be in touch