The team at Hochiki Europe examine the issue of false alarm incidents and how its ACD Multi-Sensor with CO unit can help combat the problems.
Data analysis released in August by the Home Office has revealed that 98% of automatic fire alarm incidents in 2020/21 were attributed to false alarms and 90% of those false alarms occurred because of faulty apparatus. Estimated to cost the UK £1bn a year in lost production and business disruption, false alarms not only pose challenges economically but also risk safety.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) stresses that false alarms lead to complacency in peoples’ responses to alarms, divert fire crews and resources away from real incidents, and unnecessarily put both the safety of fire crews and the public at risk. Installation of the correct type of life safety systems and devices for the environment, product reliability, and proper system and device maintenance are fundamental to minimising false alarms.
Commenting on these latest statistics, Commercial Director for Hochiki Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India, Shinsuke Kubo, said: “Building owners who choose to work with installers and manufacturers who understand that no two environments are the same will reap the benefits because the products recommended will be both fit for purpose and properly maintained.”
Those responsible for the building management must ensure the fire system installed in their premises is carefully considered for the type of building and occupancy.
“Multi-sensors could be the answer” continues Mr Kubo, “For complex life safety installation projects which have multiple usage scenarios, or are adapted over time, using intelligent devices can really help reduce false alarms. Modern devices which detect heat, smoke and in some cases, CO, can learn from their environments from the moment of installation.
The ACD Multi-Sensor with CO, Hochiki’s most sophisticated multi-sensor to date, is enhanced for false alarm reduction. Featuring a Reduced False Alarm function (+RFA), the sensor automatically adjusts the sensitivity of the optical sensing element over time. From the moment of installation, it learns from its surrounding environment, continuously monitoring the environment via a highly advanced algorithm – S.M.A.R.T (Suitable, Moving, AveRage, Time).
This product also offers 24 EN-approved modes of operation – each mode utilising different fire detection technologies in combination, or individually, to generate a fire condition. This enables the installer to “fine-tune” the ACD for any environment it’s installed in, making it ideal for a variety of applications.
It is important to emphasise that false alarms cannot be eliminated by technology alone. Design, commissioning, and maintenance must all be considered, to increase overall ‘alarm reliability’ of fire detection systems and devices.
As buildings often change over time, any changes in use and/or occupancy, must be reflected in the design and maintenance of the fire detection equipment installed. Furthermore, situations where a premise may have multiple uses must be considered – for multi-purpose buildings with different uses and types of occupancy, intelligent devices can help to significantly reduce the risk false alarms.
Read how Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, a building with multiple commercial and hospitality environments in one space, benefited from reduced false alarms by installing Hochiki’s unrivalled Multi-Sensor with CO – the ACD.
Explore Hochiki’s resources on false alarm reduction including a FREE Guide to BS 5839-1 and false alarm reduction CPD course and discover more about the ACD Multi-sensor with CO, here.
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