Compliancy Testing
Weekly Fire Alarm 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.