At a converted house into flats in Southbourne, we were instructed to carry out both an annual emergency lighting discharge test and a six-monthly fire alarm service under the building’s current maintenance agreement.
- Annual emergency lighting discharge test conducted — 4 emergency light bulkheads failed to last the full 3-hour duration.
- A quotation for replacement batteries has been issued for remedial work.
- Six-monthly fire alarm service completed.
- Fire alarm panel “fire condition” was reset on site.
- New printed zone labels applied to the panel to improve clarity.
- All accessible fire alarm devices tested and verified to be functioning correctly.
Emergency Lighting Discharge Test
A total of emergency lighting units throughout the common areas were tested for the required full three-hour discharge duration as part of the annual emergency lighting maintenance. Several units did not sustain illumination for the full test period and therefore failed to meet the minimum required duration.
A quotation for replacement batteries has been submitted to the managing agent for rectification and compliance. Under UK fire safety standards, the annual discharge test is a legal duty and must demonstrate that the system can provide illumination throughout an extended power failure scenario. Recording results and faults in a logbook is also required for compliance purposes.
Fire Alarm Service
On arrival at the property, the fire alarm control panel was showing a fire condition. The system was safely reset and restored to normal operation and all relevant indicators were checked to confirm that no active fires or faults remained.
During the inspection it was observed that zone description labels on the fire alarm panel had been written in fading ink, making identification of zones unclear. We replaced these with new printed labels to ensure clear zone indication and easier identification during future servicing or emergency situations.
All accessible devices including detectors, manual call points and sounders were tested and found to respond correctly within working limits. The fire alarm system is operating normally following completion of the six-monthly service.
Compliance Notes from EAC Fire & Security
Emergency lighting in communal residential buildings such as converted flats must undergo both monthly functional tests and an annual full duration discharge test to demonstrate reliability under simulated power failure conditions. Results must be recorded in an emergency lighting logbook to satisfy regulatory requirements.
Similarly, fire alarm systems require periodic servicing and testing to confirm correct operation of detectors and control equipment in accordance with BS standards and maintenance programmes.
