Video – Fire alarm systems on London Underground and Network Rail

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Will Mason


Fire Systems Ltd, have worked on numerous projects on the London Underground (LU) and Network Rail.
Some of the projects we have been involved in include the High-Speed Rail Link Stations such as: Kings Cross, Ebsfleet and Stratford international stations. The work carried out on these stations included: design, installation and commissioning of fire alarm systems.

To be considered to work on such projects, London Underground (LU) and Network Rail require fire alarm companies to have a high standard towards Health and Safety, to be very competent and knowledgeable in the design and installation of fire alarm systems. To ensure the expected high levels of safety and skill levels are maintained at all times, LUL and Network Rail have in place, a rigorous and continuous process of training and assessments. There are numerous amounts of training courses that have to be completed before you can work on the Underground. You must have a Health and Safety, CSCS or ECS card to be allowed to attend the training sessions. The assessment card that everyone must hold to be able to enter onto a LUL site is something called a LUCAS card. This can be obtained by attending an LUL training facility such as Stratford and a Health and Safety training course is undertaken to ensure you fully understand all the basic Health and Safety requirements when working on the Underground. Without the LUCAS card, you cannot work anywhere on the Underground. Another important card to have is a SPC (Site Person in Charge). All works are usually supervised by a SPC. Fire Systems Ltd, have staff that are both trained and hold LUCAS and SPC cards.

Because of our experience working in this type of environment, Fire Systems Ltd is currently working at Neasden depot upgrade project on behalf of Kingfell Engineering and NG Bailey Rail. Working on such projects enables Fire Systems Ltd to be at the forefront of fire alarm design and installations on LU. The levels of Health and Safety, management systems, competency of the engineering and management staff must all be of a very high standard to enable the company to perform at the high levels expected on London Underground and Network Rail.

In the past, we have carried out fire alarm service and maintenance inspections on behalf of Siemens on the Piccadilly and Northern lines. Fire alarm servicing is carried out during non-operational hours, and this would involve starting at 11pm and completing your works by 4pm to hand the station by to the station supervisor. It is important that the fire alarm is back online at this time or the station will not open. Therefore, the engineers working in this field have to be trained to a very high standard.

Having experience working within this field is vital, as all fire alarm equipment must be LU approved before it can be installed. Therefore, our fire alarm designers are fully conversant with the LU equipment approval list.

Fire alarm panels are either Kentec or Advance and are Red in colour. The protocol of the addressable field devices is Hochiki.

Our engineers are fully conversant with LU procedures and equipment. We are able to provide fire alarm designs, carry out fire alarm installations, commissioning and fire alarm servicing to the standards required by LU and Network Rail.

If you require any further information please contact our office on 020 8541 5646 or visit our website and complete our contact page.

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Video – Wireless Fire Alarm – Residential Apartments London

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Will Mason

Fire Systems Ltd, service and maintained fire alarms in many residential properties. We are increasing the number of wireless fire alarms we are installing into such properties since the Fire Safety Order came into force in 2005.

One such complex was Lloyds Wharf, close to Tower Bridge. Lloyds Wharf offers luxury apartments and is contained in blocks of approximately six apartments per block. Following a Fire Risk Assessment, it was recommended that a fire alarm be installed to protect the communal single escape route.

As shown in the video, you will see that the structure of the buildings is of a solid construction, with concrete ceilings and brick type walls. With only one escape route, the assessment recommended smoke detectors to protect this escape in the event of fire.
There is a limited amount of areas to hide or conceal the cables required to install the alarm. You can also appreciate that installing any cables or containment such as plastic trunking would damage the decoration and lower the look of these apartments.
The solution was a wireless fire alarm. As you can see by the video, the installation is very neat and there are no cables on show. The client was and the residents were very pleased with the outcome, so much so, that we were asked to install another system in an adjoining block.
The client has also accepted our contract to provide the fire alarm maintenance for both buildings.
If you require more information on our range of Radio fire alarms, please contact our office or visit our website and complete our contact form on www.firesystems.co.uk

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Video – To be a Specialist in Wireless Fire Alarms – You need Training.

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Will Mason

To ensure a wireless fire alarm system is design and installed to the manufacturers specifications, it is essential the design and installation engineers receive the required training. Too many companies are installing Radio fire alarms with little or no experience and in some cases no training from the equipment manufacture. Fire Systems Ltd, who specialises in the supply, design and installation of wireless fire alarms, ensures our engineers are trained by the manufacture and by our senior engineers who have years of experience installing such systems.

Wireless fire alarm Training

This video is a short insight into such a training session carried out by Sterling Safety Systems on their Hyfire wireless detection system at their offices in Warwickshire.

When a client is looking for a fire alarm company to install a fire alarm system, they may well be considering the benefits of a wireless fire alarm; such as ease and speed of the installation, no unsightly cables and trunking on show, no damage to the decoration, etc. However, they may be under the impression that any fire alarm company capable of installing a wired fire alarm, is also capable of installing a wireless fire alarm and this assumption is incorrect. Designing and installing a wireless fire system is a specialist field and requires in-depth knowledge of the wireless detection equipment, design experience of the various types of building construction, years of expertise and the having skilled trained engineers to install the systems.

The price of a wireless fire alarm system is an important factor, but one of many to be considered. Another important factor is the quality of the wireless equipment used, choosing the lowest price is not always the best option. So when choosing a fire alarm company to install your wireless fire alarm find out what type of equipment the company intends to install, does it comply with the latest EN54-25 Radio Fire alarm standards, how experienced is the company installing wireless fire alarms ask for references of systems installed similar to what they intend to install for you. Carrying out some research will help you to weed out the “Cowboys” and hopefully choose a company such as Fire Systems Ltd.

Fire System Ltd, continue to be at the forefront of wireless fire alarm systems because of our training, the high quality of the wireless equipment we use and our vast experience within this field.
If you require any information on wireless fire alarms, or a site survey by one of our design engineers please contact our office on 020 85415646 or visit our website to view more videos and complete our contact form.

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Radio fire alarm at School – Video

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Will Mason

This video is showing you the upgrade of an existing fire alarm system we carried out at the new independent Radnor House School in Twickenham. The school is located in a historical building on the banks of the River Thames.

The existing building had an old fire alarm with a minimal amount of smoke detectors. In consultation with the school’s deputy head “David Paton” and the insurance company, it was decided to replace the existing fire alarm system and add additional smoke detection throughout the building.

As you can see from the video, the building has a lot of character and a historical feel about it. Due to the age of the building, there was a minimal amount of voids to hide any wiring, and the walls and ceilings were of a solid construction.
The school head and interior designers did not want the architecture damaged or spoilt with any unnecessary cables or white trunking. As you can imagine running cables would be difficult and unsightly.

Fire Systems Ltd, the leader in design and installation of wireless fire alarms, put forward and designed a hybrid wireless fire alarm system in accordance to the requirements of the School and insurance company.
The proposed system has the ability to keep any existing wiring (if in good condition), and replace the existing wired detection with new addressable equipment. Plus any additional equipment required to enhance the detection coverage, could be installed using wireless fire alarm equipment. Hence, the new system had both wired and wireless addressable detectors and sounders.

As you can see in the video, the decoration was not damaged, and the detectors were installed with no wiring or cables on show.
The interior designers were pleased with the result, and the building now has a modern addressable fire alarm system with all the additional equipment as per the agreed design.

Because of our successful installation, the school has accepted our fire alarm maintenance contract and we now carry out the fire alarm servicing at the school.
For more information on our range of radio fire alarms, please contact our office on 020 8541 5646 or visit our website on www.firesystems.co.uk and complete our contact form.

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Video – Wired fire alarm zone, to a Wireless fire alarm zone. How?

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Will Mason

This video shows you how to convert a standard zone on a conventional fire alarm panel into a zone that can handle wireless detectors, sounders and manual call points.

Wireless fire alarm Convention Expander unit

It is useful when you have an area within a building that requires fire detection equipment. However, it is not always practical to install cables.

We had such a situation at some plush offices in Regent Street, (as shown in the video,) whereby the client had just completed their decorating and then following a fire risk assessment had to install extra smoke detectors and sounders throughout the building. Their fire alarm panel was a standard conventional panel and therefore, the additional smoke detectors and sounders would have to be wired and as there were no ceiling voids the wiring would have to be installed on the surface.

Now in cases such as this, you would usually have to upgrade the system to a Radio fire alarm replacing all the equipment or leave the existing fire alarm in place and install a secondary wireless fire alarm panel to accommodate the wireless equipment. Having two fire alarm panels would be confusing to operate or to upgrade the complete system would be costly.

Fire Systems Ltd, the wireless fire alarm specialist proposed a device called a conventional wireless interface. This device can be wired into a spare zone on a conventional fire alarm panel and wireless equipment such as: detectors, manual call points and sounders can be supported on this fire alarm zone.

As you can see in the video, it would not have been practical to wire the additional smoke detectors as there was no ceiling voids to hide the cables. All the wiring would have had to be installed on the surface and concealed in white plastic trunking. This would have been unsightly and ruined the plush look of the decoration.

Fire Systems Ltd, well renowned within the fire alarm industry as a fire alarm company that specialises in wireless fire alarms has the experience and expertise to design and install a cost effective system for a small office or residential property to a large complex network comprising of many wireless fire alarm panels networked together.

For more information on the conventional wireless fire alarm interface shown in the video or if you require a quotation, please contact our office on 020 8546 5646 or complete our contact page on our website www.firesystems.co.uk.

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Fire Systems Ltd, Wireless fire alarm and Aspirating systems protecting the Art’s. (Video)

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Will Mason

The video within the blog shows our fire alarm installation within the “Old Vic Tunnels” under Waterloo station.

Fire Systems Ltd, originally got involved with the Old Vic Tunnel project in 2009, because of our reputation of installing wireless fire alarm systems. The client “The Old Vic” acquired the space of five tunnels under Waterloo station. However, an art exhibition had been arranged to start within 3 weeks of acquiring the lease, and a fire alarm had to be installed and commission before the tunnels could be open to the public. The five large tunnels were 25,000 sqm, and were numbered 232, 231, 230,229 and 228.

To get a fire alarm installed and commission in time for the opening was not going to be an easy task. Our system designers put forward a wireless fire alarm mainly consisting of manual call points, a few heat detectors and sounders. Our design was submitted to the authorities who accepted our proposal. The system was installed within a two-week programme, and the Old Vic Tunnel opened on time.

However, a year later the Old Vic Tunnel was force to close due to a fire in December 2010. A blaze broke out just before midnight on a Tuesday, following a performance. It was reported that four fire engines and 20 fire fighters tackled the fire, and it took four hours to get the fire under control. A spokesman for the Old Vic stated, “The show had finished and all audience members had left the premises.” The fire was to believe to have started by a spot light close to a curtain.
The fire led to the cancellation of a sell-out arts festival that was due to take place that weekend.

Following the fire, a comprehensive fire risk assessment was undertaken. The recommendations suggested within the assessment were to upgrade the passive fire protection within the tunnels. This would include installing fire doors between the five tunnels forming smaller fire compartments. All exits from the tunnels had their fire rating increased.

The fire alarm system also had to be upgraded to provide automatic smoke detection in all five tunnels. The radio fire alarm also had to be connected to a security monitoring centre. Our designers opted for an Air Sampling system to provide the required automatic smoke detection, plus wireless heat detectors to provide coverage during art performances where artificial smoke was used as per of the performance.

The aspirating system used on this project was the Stratos Micra 100 detectors. We installed one air sampling detector in each tunnel. The detectors are all interfaced onto the wireless fire alarm which is connected to a security office within the underground station.

The radio fire alarm equipment used on this project was the” Hyfire” radio fire alarm range of equipment.

The Old Vic now has an enhanced and robust fire system protected the tunnels. The air sampling system offers advance early warning of any smoke within the tunnels, backed up with wireless fire alarm heat detectors, manual call points and sounders. The system is now connected to the rail security network should an incident occur when the tunnels are unoccupied.

Fire alarm servicing is important to ensure the fire protection equipment remains in good working order. Fire Systems Ltd, now undertake the fire alarm maintenance, plus the maintenance of the emergency lighting and the fire extinguishers.
If you required a fire alarm system why not connect our office for more information or complete the contact form on our website.

If you required a fire alarm system why not connect our office for more information or complete the contact form on our website.

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Fire Systems Ltd – New Fire Alarm installation at Neasden Depot’s new service facility. See video

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Will Mason

Fire Systems Ltd, will be working with Kingfell Engineering, NG Bailey Rail and BAM Nuttall on the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a new fire alarm system on the Neasden Depot upgrade project.

Neasden Depot located in North West London is the largest facility on the network, and is where the Metropolitan fleet of trains are serviced, cleaned, inspected, repaired and stored.

However, to accommodate the new generation ‘S’ car stock of trains the Depot is in the process of constructing a new train maintenance facility to accommodate the new generation ‘S’ car stock of trains. The new facility will consist of two sheds, each approximately 180m long and 25m wide.

Fire Systems Ltd, is currently working with Kingfell Engineering to finalise the fire alarm design for the project. The fire alarm system will be protecting two new large maintenance sheds and an accommodation facility area.

The new maintenance facility will be divided into three areas.
1. The Lift Shed
2. The Maintenance Shed
3. Accommodation Block.

Due to the height of the maintenance sheds approximately 12m, the chosen form of detection will be an aspirating system. The make and model we have selected with be the AirSense Stratos HSSD-2 detectors.

Our proposal is to have four HSSD-2 detectors in each of the two sheds. Each detector will be protecting approximately 1000m2. The accommodation block will have your standard point detection in the form of dual sensor Hochiki detectors.

All eight Stratos HSSD-2 detectors will be connected via a RS485 network communication highway, back to a central control panel. The benefits of using a network as appose to individually interfacing each detector onto the loop, is that all the commissioning and fire alarm maintenance can be carried out at one central point, rather than having to go to each panel individually, especially as the detectors are spread over a large area.

The fire alarm panel will be a four loop Kentec Syncro London Underground specification with Hochiki protocol.

All exits will have a fire alarm manual call point installed at all exits leaving the facility, plus manual call points will also be installed at the exits of the maintenance pits.

Due to the expected ambient noise levels within the maintenance facility, personnel working within these areas may have ear defenders and therefore, visual fire alarm notification in the form of Xenon Beacons, will be installed in all areas in conjunction with the voice alarm system.

The accommodation area will have fourteen dampers within the ceiling voids. The dampers will be control by four, four way damper control panels. The damper panels will be interfaced onto the fire alarm panel to activate on common alarm.

The design category will be to L1, and the fire alarm system will be on a site wide network to the other buildings on the depot.

All equipment selected for this design must be on London Undergrounds approval register.

As this is a London Underground project the specification and quality of work is of a very high standard.

We will be posting blogs and videos throughout the project, showing the progress of the installation.

If you require assistance with design or installation of fire alarm systems contact our office on 020 85415646 or complete the contact form on our website.

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Wireless Fire Alarm Protecting Parkway Newbury Development

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Will Mason

Following on from a previous blog announcement that we had been awarded the contract to supply and install a networked wireless fire alarm for the Parkway Newbury development, we now have some video footage of the installation on site.

Our contract was to protect the timber framed apartments that were situated above the retail shop outlets. The development included a large Debenhams department store, three more large stores, 50 shops, eight kiosks, a “food terrace” and 184 apartments.

During the construction of the apartments, the units were protected against fire under the JCOP (Joint Code of Partice) for timber frame sites. Fire Systems Ltd, a specialist supplying and installing wireless fire alarms, installed a network wireless fire alarm systems protecting the apartments and communal areas on the project.

The large complex has eight external blocks. All blocks had an independent wireless fire alarm system, interfaced on a wireless network to enable the fire signals from each block to be transmitted back to the security office.

There are currently 300 workers on the site at the moment but more than 4000 construction workers, sub-contractors and specialist tradesmen were employed on the site during the two-year program.

As you can image this is a challenging project for our designers has the frame work of all the buildings are constantly changing. However, working with our client the electrical contractor we have been able to supply and install a reliable wireless fire alarm system.

The increased use of Timber Frame construction, particularly in larger residential accommodation has resulted in a number of serious fires. Unlike traditionally built property, a timber framed building is at the greatest risk of fire during the construction phase due to the amount of exposed and unprotected combustible elements. For this reason installation of a fire alarm on timber frame construction sites is now a priority.

A wireless fire alarm is a good option for this type of construction, as it is quick and easy to install with a minimal amount of wiring. The wireless fire alarm equipment can be relocated very easily with no disruption to the contractors on site. It is also very cost effective, as devices can be reused on different phases of the project.

For more information why not contact our office or visit our website.

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The benefits of using a Wireless fire alarm specialist

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Will Mason

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When considering installing a fire alarm, you may decide to consider the wireless option due to the many obvious advantages.

However, it is important to choose a good reliable fire alarm company, who have the experience and expertise to install this type of specialist system. There are many companies who are capable of installing wired fire alarms. However, wireless fire alarms are a totally different “animal.”  If a wireless fire alarm is poorly designed, by fire alarm companies who are not experts in this field,this can cause the client no end of problems.

It is important to carry out a radio fire alarm signal strength survey, as this will help the designer decide the location of any required radio boosters.

Another important factor to consider, is the quality of the Radio fire alarm equipment. Cheapest is not always best. When considering wireless fire alarms, it is important to install good quality equipment in accordance with the latest EN54 Radio Fire Alarm Standards.

Fire Systems Ltd, currently install more wireless then wired fire alarms, and is regarded with the industry as the “wireless fire alarm specialist.”

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Fire Alarm – Managing your Fire Alarm System can reduce false alarms.

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Will Mason

Knowing how to disable smoke detectors on your fire alarm system helps to reduce false alarms.

With some fire authorities now taking an approach not to attend commercial premises due to the amount of false alarms being generated by faulty fire alarms systems, it is necessary for all involved to manage and look after their system to ensure false alarms are kept to a minimum.

You may have to isolate an area or zone due to the activities that may generate smoke/hot works. Another scenario is you may have a contaminated detector that has activated the fire alarm panel. It is these types of circumstances that will require you to disable the detector until the works are complete or the fire alarm engineer arrives to investigate the false alarm.

Many clients are not aware of their responsibilities when it comes to managing their fire alarm system. They believe on the completion of the installation of their fire alarm, that their responsibility ends there. However, the reality is, this is where it should start.
Apart from the client arranging for the fire alarm maintenance (advisable to use an accredited BAFE company), the client themselves needs to know how to operate the fire alarm panel and follow a procedure:

1. Locate the device as indicated on the panel.
2. Try and establish the cause of the activation.
3. If the cause is due to atmospheric conditions, such as smoke from a known source, i.e Hot works, isolate the detector or zones effected, until the conditions are back to normal.
4. If the cause is due to a very old or contaminated detector, again isolate this device until it can be replaced.
5. If you are unable to establish the cause, call you fire alarm Maintenance Company to investigate. If possible, leave the fire alarm in the fire condition, but silence the sounders/bells. This will give the fire alarm engineer something to work with when he arrives.
6. If you are satisfied that the reason for the activation has been established reset the fire alarm.

Far too often, clients are not following the points above and resetting the panel without any investigation. Furthermore, without finding the cause of the activation, there is a good chance the fire alarm system will reactivate, causing unnecessary false alarms.

Managing the fire alarm in residential blocks can be challenging, as the caretaker or a responsible person is not always available. However, the managing agents and the residents should get together and discuss what is to be done in the event of the fire alarm activating.

If you require assistance or additional information why not contact our offices on 020 8541 5646 or complete the website contact form.

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