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It is clear that installing a battery
powered smoke alarm unit and thinking
that it is sufficient to protect the tenant is
an outdated notion. Moreover, even
mains powered systems without a
reliable long term stand-by cannot be
relied upon to provide adequate
protection, as landlords cannot
guarantee that tenants will never have
their power cut off. The implication is
clear that some form of stand-by supply
(Grade D) is therefore required in
tenanted properties.
With BS 5839: Pt.6 now reaching its tenth
birthday, it is well established and
recognised. There is now every reason
to assume that it has significantly more
weight behind it than when it was first
introduced.
RAPID
REFERENCE GUIDE
Ionisation Smoke Alarms
• Respond quickly to fast flaming fires,
less sensitive to larger smoke particles
• Can be prone to false alarms from
cooking vapours so should not be
located near to kitchens
• Suitable for general use, appropriate
for dining and living rooms and areas
where flaming fires could rapidly
block an escape route
Optical Smoke Alarms
• Sensitive to larger smoke particles,
more responsive to smouldering fires
from foam filled furniture, bedding or
burning PVC wiring
• Less vulnerable to false alarms from
cooking vapours but more prone to
false alarm from dust or insect ingress
• Suitable for general use but most
appropriate for circulation areas such
as hallways and near kitchens
Heat Alarms
• Fixed temperature type, temperature
range 54° - 62°C. Not prone to false
alarms from dust or vapours, but
generally less sensitive than smoke
alarms
• For use in areas where a
conventional smoke alarm is not
suitable e.g. kitchens, garages and
perhaps living and dining rooms, but
not circulation areas
• Must be interconnected with smoke
alarms to provide adequate early fire
warning
LOCATION
• Smoke alarms - within 7.5m of any
door to rooms where a fire is likely to
start, and within 3m of bedroom
doors
• Heat alarms - max 5.3m from any
potential source of fire
LOCATIONS TO AVOID
Do not place a Smoke Alarm in any
of the following areas: bathrooms,
kitchens, shower rooms, garages or
other rooms where the smoke alarm
may be triggered by steam,
condensation, normal smoke, fumes
or excessive dust. Keep the smoke
alarm at least 6m away from sources
of smoke or vapours that may cause
nuisance alarms.
Do not place Heat Alarms in any of
the following areas: bathrooms,
shower rooms or other rooms where
the unit may be triggered by steam
or condensation.
Do not place Smoke or Heat Alarms
in any of the following areas:
• Places where the normal
temperature can exceed 40°C or
fall below 4°C e.g. attics, furnace
rooms etc. Directly above ovens
or kettles as the heat/steam could
cause nuisance alarms
• Near a decorative object, door,
light fitting, window moulding etc.,
that may prevent smoke from
entering the smoke alarm
• Surfaces that are normally warmer
or colder than the rest of the room
(for example attic hatches,
uninsulated exterior walls etc.).
Temperature differences might
stop smoke from reaching the unit
• Next to or directly above heaters
or air conditioning vents, window
wall vents etc., that can change
the direction of the airflow
• In very high or awkward areas
where it may be difficult to reach
the alarm for testing
2 Where the smoke alarm is defective in
manufacture
3 Where the smoke alarm is located
where it cannot operate
4 When there are not enough smoke
alarms
5 Where the source of power fails
6 Where the source of power for the
smoke alarm is removed
7 When the smoke alarm has been
incorrectly installed
8 Where the smoke alarm has been
damaged during installation
9 Where the smoke alarm has been
damaged as a result of malice
10 Where the smoke alarm has been
removed from the property
No matter how circumspect the landlord
is, however, there is no cast iron guarantee
that they can fully protect themselves
against all possible liability claims.
However, with regards to fire safety, the
most fundamental step they can take
now is to install at least a Grade D mains
powered system. Failure to do so, for
whatever reason, would simply be
indefensible if and when a case came
to court.
‘Duty of care’ falls squarely upon the
landlord. Dr Ann Everton says that,
increasingly, landlords are under
pressure to install smoke alarms to avoid
the accusation that they are ‘failing to
fulfil their duty of care towards their
tenants’. This is particularly the case for
local authorities who, in enforcing
checks on private landlords, will have to
ask themselves if they too meet the
required standards!