23.1 Commentary

1. Principal Functions:

● Automatic Monitoring: Control of external circuits and power supply.

● Signal Indication: Display fire and fault signals and their locations.

● Manual Control: Testing, device disablement, fire signal triggering, silencing alarms, and system resetting.

2. Facility Distribution:

● Facilities may be distributed based on user needs (e.g., site engineers vs. fire services).

● Small systems: Control, indication, and power supply in one enclosure.

● Large systems: Control circuitry, power supplies, and indicating equipment can be in different locations.

3. Siting Considerations:

● Manual controls and indicating equipment should suit fire and evacuation procedures.

● Control circuitry and power supply siting depends on engineering needs and user preference.

4. Display Requirements:

● Separate light-emitting indicators for each zone are valuable for firefighters.

● A zone plan or diagram should be provided near the CIE for clear fire location information.

Objective:

● Ensure unambiguous fire location information for responders (staff and firefighters).

23.2 Recommendations

23.2.1 The following recommendations are applicable to the siting of CIE.

1. Location:

● For Responders: Place indicating equipment and controls in accessible locations for staff and firefighters, typically on the ground floor near main entrances or in continuously manned control rooms.

● Consultation: Engage with the fire and rescue service for complex premises or multiple entrances regarding CIE placement.

NOTE 1 In complex premises, there could be benefit in consultation between the user or purchaser (or others acting on their behalf) and the fire and rescue service, regarding the siting of all CIE and the facilities provided. Where there are multiple entrances to a complex building, there could also be benefit in consultation with the fire and rescue service regarding the possible need for repeat control and/or indicating equipment.

NOTE 2 It is expected that the form of display, including the display at repeat CIE, will indicate the location of the first detector to operate without manual intervention.

2. Maintenance and Visibility:

● Maintenance Access: Site equipment in accessible locations for safe routine maintenance.

● Visibility: Ensure ambient light allows clear visibility of indicators, controls, and instructions.

● Audibility: Ensure ambient noise does not hinder audible indications.

3. Fire Hazard Considerations:

● Low Fire Hazard: Place CIE, ELV power supplies, and control facilities in low fire hazard areas.

● Automatic Detection: In Category L and P systems, protect CIE areas with automatic fire detection unless the fire hazard is negligible or the area is continuously manned.

NOTE 3 The above conditions often apply to a relatively low fire risk foyer of a building.

4. Multiple Occupancy:

● Communal Areas: Place main CIE in communal areas like entrance halls.

● Access: Ensure equipment is in areas accessible whenever the premises are occupied.

23.2.2 The following recommendations apply to the facilities provided for visual indication of fire signals.

1. Suitability and Consultation:

● Indicating facilities must align with the building’s fire and evacuation procedures.

● Adequate consultation with interested parties is essential for complex premises.

2. Primary Indication:

● Indicate the origin of fire signals by zone.

● Use separate light-emitting indicators (e.g., LED matrix or illuminated mimic diagram) for each zone, capable of simultaneous display.

NOTE 1 In very large premises it might be acceptable to use a hierarchical arrangement of displays. For example, CIE might indicate the sector of origin, while further indicating equipment in the sector indicates the detection zone(s) of origin

3. Large Premises:

● Hierarchical displays may indicate sectors and specific zones within those sectors.

4. Visual Display Units (VDUs):

● VDUs can display fire signals in all zones simultaneously without manual intervention.

● A backup form of zone indication is required (another VDU, LED indicators, or a printer).

NOTE 2 Printers are not considered suitable as a primary indication since, in the event of ink, ribbon or paper being exhausted, the indication will be lost. They might, however, be acceptable as a back-up or supplement to another display.

6. Diagrammatic Representation:

● Include a diagrammatic representation of the building showing entrances, main areas, and zones near the indicating equipment.

● Acceptable formats: illuminated mimic diagram, VDU with backup, or a printed zone plan.

NOTE 3 In some complex premises, e.g. shopping centers, additional information, such as occupier names, might be of value to those who are unfamiliar with the premises. This could be provided by a supplementary list that, for example, enables a unit number on a zone plan to be related to the occupier name, such as the name of a retailer in a shopping center. Where such information is provided, it is important that it is kept up-to-date.

23.2.3 The following recommendations apply to facilities provided for control of the system.

1. Suitability and Consultation:

● Ensure control facilities match the building’s fire and evacuation procedures.

● Consult with interested parties for complex premises.

2. Evacuate Control:

● Provide a clearly labeled evacuation control near the control equipment to start fire alarm sounders.

● It should not rely on silencing or disablement devices and may be the same as the re-sound control if it activates all sounders.

3. Phased Evacuation:

● Implement phased evacuation strategies with separate evacuate controls for each alarm zone.

● In buildings with inadequate stairway capacity, avoid a single control that activates all zones simultaneously.

4. Access Control:

● Restrict manual controls (e.g., disablement) to authorized personnel.

● Use key switches, locks, or restricted access to ensure only authorized individuals operate these controls.

NOTE The operation and access of all manual controls is defined in BS EN 54-2. Access level 1 has no security, but access level 2 requires authorized access. The control of certain facilities such as the manual evacuation control [see 23.2.3b) and 23.2.3c)], when included within the CIE, is restricted to personnel authorized at access level 2.

23 Control and indicating equipment