Commercial Fire Alarm Systems: What your business needs to know about the different types of systems  

Commercial fire alarm systems are critical for protecting life and assets. They should be an integral part of a business continuity plans and an overall risk management strategy. More importantly, compliance with the UK’s fire regulation, known as the ‘Fire Safety Order’, is mandated as a legal requirement for commercial properties.  

As a rule, all fire systems are designed to detect fires early, alert people of the fire and mobilise them into action to contain and fight the fire and evacuate the building.  

The type of business you run, the type of premises you operate in, and the scale of your operations, will influence the type of alarm systems you install. It’s worth knowing, there isn’t a one size fits all solution.  

There are three categories; conventional, addressable and wireless. TouchStar offers all three as part of its integrated fire protection and security services.  

How do alarms work?  

Fires need three things – oxygen, a source of fuel, and heat. Fire alarm systems incorporate ‘devices’ that include smoke detectors and heat detectors. These devices will activate an audible warning (bell) and visual alarm (flashing light) when they detect heat, smoke or flames.  

A fire risk assessment will help determine the type of fire alarm system your premises adopt. Systems generally include visual and sound cues to notify people there is a fire risk and, in some cases, will also notify the authorities directly.

This added layer of notification might be something your business puts in place if you use explosive chemicals as part of your manufacturing process which would need specialist fire-fighting equipment. Similarly, it might apply at a campus site with high rise buildings requiring more complex evacuation procedures.  

Types of Commercial Fire Alarm Systems

There are three types of fire alarm systems, each designed for different needs and environments.   

1. Conventional Fire Alarm Systems

These systems are used when there’s a need to divide a building into ‘zones’. As a very simple example, a factory floor might be divided into raw material ‘goods in’ zone where there are flammable items, a ‘machinery’ zone where there could be more heat generated, and a ‘finishing and packing’ zone where there may high quantities of flammable packaging.  

When an alarm is triggered, the fire system identifies which zone it’s coming from. This helps the fire warden to locate the fire quickly and identify what type of fire could be the cause, and the most likely action to take. This is an affordable option for small businesses with less complicated layouts.  

2. Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

These systems are more advanced and best suited to larger buildings with more complicated footprints. Each ‘detector’ in the system will be identifiable, so a fire warden in one building can be alerted that a specific heat detector in another building has been triggered. This helps to shorten response times and ensure the right response is activated.

3.     Wireless Fire Alarm Systems

In a wireless system the detectors talk to one another and can be managed using a control panel. As they are wireless, the amount of wiring needed to install the system is minimised.  

This makes them easier and faster to install and can be useful in old buildings where it can be difficult to install cabling.  

Learn more about our commercial fire alarm systems.