BS 5839 provides recommendations for the planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detector and fire alarm systems in and around non-domestic and domestic premises.
BS 5839 Part 1 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings – Part 1: Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises[1] is a standard published by the British Standards Institution. BS 5839-1:2013[1] supersedes BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2008, which has been withdrawn. It’s the first of 9 parts in a series on national standards relating to fire alarms.
BS 5839 Part 1[1] provides recommendations for the planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems for non-domestic premises. Recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises are given in BS 5839-6. It does not recommend whether or not a fire detection and alarm system should be installed in any given premises, nor does it provide any exceptions for non-domestic premises which are under construction.
The term "fire detection and fire alarm systems" is a fairly wide definition, including small systems whose field devices consist only of sounders and manual call points, to complex networked systems with a large number of automatic fire detectors, manual call points and sounders, connected to numerous networked control and indicating panels.
Fire detection and alarm systems are installed in premises in order to protect either life, property or both. Other objectives, such as the protection against business interruption or protection of the environment are likely to be met by the recommendations of BS 5839 Part 1.[1]
BS 5839 Part 1 [1] categorises fire alarm systems as:[2]
Categories for automatic systems are further subdivided into L1 to L5, and P1 to P2:
No recommendations are made in BS 5839 Part 1[1] as to which (if any) category to specify for any given premises (although it does include examples of typical categories of typical buildings in Annex A). System category recommendations can be found in BS 9999.
Fire detection and alarm systems substantially reduce the risk of death or serious injury from fire and the fire fatality rate is between two and three times greater in premises where a smoke detector isn’t working or present. BS 5839-6 sets out the latest recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in both new and existing domestic premises in order to make them safer to live in.
Who is this standard for?
NOTE: This standard is not intended for occupiers, for whom government advice is published. However, recommendations are given for simple systems that may be installed by non-specialists.
Why should you use this standard?
It gives recommendations on planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises that are:
a) Designed to accommodate a single family
b) Houses in multiple occupation that comprise a number of self-contained units, each designed to accommodate a single family
c) Sheltered housing, including both the dwelling units and the common areas
The recommendations apply to both new and existing domestic premises and recommendations for routine attention are also given.
The systems covered range from those comprising a single self-contained smoke alarm to systems of the type described in BS 5839-1.
The recommendations in Part 6 may also be applied to the fire detection components of combined domestic fire and intruder alarm systems or fire and social alarm systems.
Note that the recommendations refer principally to fire detection and fire alarm systems installed for the purpose of life safety. However, recommendations are given for systems that are also intended to protect property.
The 2019 revision has removed Grades E (mains-powered, no backup) and B (a mix of domestic and commercial alarm systems), split Grades D and F into two parts each (1 for tamper-proof batteries, 2 for user-replaceable batteries), and now officially acknowledges the option of connecting CO alarms into the same interlink system as smoke and heat alarms. The example recommendations for the Grade and Category of system in various types of property have been revised based on those changes and also has increased the level of protection required in rented dwellings. There is also an increased focus on testing and maintenance of installed systems. The Government has updated the Building Regulations to refer to this new revision.