Fire Alarms

A fire alarm's job is simple: raise the alarm loud enough and early enough that everyone in the building can get out safely. Whether you need a single standalone alarm for a small workshop or a full networked system for a large site depends on the size of the premises, the fire risks, and what the building is used for. If you are specifying components like panels, sounders and call points for a professional installation, our fire alarm systems section is a better starting point.

Types of fire alarm

Standalone alarms are self-contained units that sense smoke or heat and sound their own alarm. They fit small premises, single rooms, temporary buildings, and construction sites, where a single unit protects a defined area.

Interlinked alarms talk to each other, so if one triggers, they all sound. Interlinking can be hardwired or wireless. Where fire could break out at one end of a building and needs to be heard at the other, interlinking is what makes that possible.

Addressable systems are the next step up: each device reports its own identity to a central control panel, so the panel can tell exactly which detector has activated. That level of information matters in larger or more complex buildings, where knowing "smoke detected on the second floor east corridor" gets the fire service to the right place faster than "an alarm somewhere in the building has gone off." Addressable systems are typically specified through our fire alarm systems section.

Manual call points are the wall-mounted units that let someone raise the alarm before automatic detection has caught up. They belong on escape routes near final exits, and on every storey.

Legal position

For non-domestic premises in England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to make suitable arrangements for detecting fire and warning occupants, based on the findings of a fire risk assessment.

BS 5839-1 is the British Standard code of practice for fire detection and fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises. It sets out how systems should be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained, and defines categories from L1 (full protection throughout the building) to M (manual call points only). BS 5839-6 covers domestic premises.

Neither standard is statute in itself, but a fire risk assessment that departs from BS 5839 without justification is a hard position to defend.

Choosing what your building needs

Start with your fire risk assessment. The category the assessment recommends, the size and layout of the building, and the fire loading of what you store and do inside will determine whether you need a single alarm, an interlinked pair, or a full system.

For domestic buyers looking to fit smoke alarms in a home, our smoke alarms range is the right starting point.