False fire alarms are a significant issue that affects both the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and businesses across the UK. According to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, an overwhelming 98% of automated fire alarm calls turn out to be false alarms. These false alarms not only disrupt businesses but also place an unnecessary burden on the fire service. In this blog post, we will explore some common causes of false alarms and discuss practical measures that can be taken to prevent them, ensuring the safety and efficiency of fire alarm systems.
Understanding the Impact: In 2022 alone, the UK Fire Rescue Service responded to a staggering 242,756 false alarms. This alarming number not only diverts valuable resources away from genuine emergencies but also generates substantial disruption and costs for UK businesses. When a false alarm occurs, employees must evacuate the premises, disrupting operations and potentially causing financial losses. Additionally, false alarms can harm the reputation of businesses, leading to diminished customer trust and negative public perception. It is therefore crucial to address the issue proactively to protect businesses and support the effective functioning of the fire service.
Accidental Activation: Accidental activation of fire alarms by employees or visitors is one of the primary causes of false alarms. Examples include burning food in kitchens, steam from showers setting off smoke detectors, or the accidental breakage of alarm components.
Equipment Malfunction: Faulty or poorly maintained fire alarm equipment can trigger false alarms. Dust, debris, or insects within the system, as well as outdated or improperly installed devices, can lead to false alarms and unnecessary evacuations.
System Design and Installation: Inadequate system design with a lack of planning or knowledge of the buildings day-to-day use can lead to an increase in false alarms. Items such as placing detectors too close to sources of steam or dust, unsuitable device type for the risk in the building, poorly designed detection coverage or call points placed in areas where there is a high risk of false activations or misuse to name but a few.
Property Management: Building uses change on a day-by-day, week-by-week basis. When making these changes, the fire alarm system can often be overlooked. For example, it would be an easy task to relocate the toaster from one room to another, however, what impact would this have on the fire alarm detection?
Building User / Staff Education and Training: Educating building occupants and employees about fire safety protocols, including the proper use of fire alarm systems, can significantly reduce false alarms. Regular training sessions should cover how to handle emergencies, proper reporting procedures, and awareness of alarm triggers within the workplace. Ensure your team knows what action to take in the event of an alarm activation.
Be aware and take care: Accidental activation of a fire alarm is one of the most common causes of false alarms. When using devices such as toasters, dryers, kettles, or even hair dryers never leave them unattended. All of these items which are commonly used could have an impact on a fire alarm system, so be aware of your surroundings at all times. Other items such as aerosols, water, vapor, and steam can also impact a fire alarm system. So ensure building occupants keep bathroom doors closed, ensure any extractor fans are in working order, and do not leave any running water unattended. We also see far too often that a lack of forward-thinking causes false alarms, such as a simple task of moving a desk from one room to the other, only for the desk to be moved through a tight hallway and knock a manual call point off the wall.
Regular Maintenance: Proper maintenance and inspection of fire alarm systems are crucial to minimise false alarms. Under UK legislation, the responsible person has a legal responsibility to ensure all fire safety equipment is maintained and in working order. So, you need to ensure your fire alarm system is tested weekly (For more information on weekly testing visit our previous blog post "Weekly Fire Alarm Testing - Why is it important and what do I need to do?"), and that your system is serviced twice per annum, with a duration not exceeding 6 months, by a competent and qualified engineer or company. You should ensure your system is serviced in compliance with BS5839.
Resolve known faults as quickly as possible: Fire alarm systems, from time to time, develop faults. It's the nature of any electrical system. When you are aware of a fault, act on it quickly, as far too often repairs are pushed back or delayed, only for the fire alarm system to "go off" at 2am, evacuate a group of disgruntled individuals awaken from their sleep and in addition an emergency response may then be required, which costs more than the initial repairs.
Choose the right installation and maintenance partner: Fire alarm systems are electrical items that require good care and maintenance. From initial design to installation and maintenance, ensuring you have the correct provider in place who understands your property, understands the requirements of use for the building and works with you to ensure that your fire alarm system is designed and maintained correctly. You should ensure your partner is third-party accredited (such as the BAFE SP203-1 scheme), has sufficient knowledge of your system (ie the manufacturer/equipment installed), and can provide not only maintenance cover but offers a 24/7/365 emergency call facility).
False fire alarms pose a significant challenge for businesses and the fire service alike. By understanding the causes and taking the to ti implement preventive measures (which are often be quite simple), we can minimise false alarms, safeguard employees and customers, protect business operations, and enable the fire service to respond efficiently to genuine emergencies. Some of the steps mentioned above are crucial in reducing false alarms and promoting a safer environment for everyone.
At Safe I.S. Ltd, we are committed to providing comprehensive fire alarm solutions tailored to the unique needs of your business. As a third-party accredited company to BAFE SP203-1, we can assist you from the initial design phase, Fire Alarm Installation and ongoing Fire Alarm Maintenance. Our expert team can assist you in implementing effective fire alarm systems and offer ongoing support to ensure optimal performance and minimal false alarms.
Please feel free to contact us today to discuss your fire safety requirements and learn how we can help you safeguard your business, and reduce false alarms whilst supporting the fire service in their vital role.
