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Improved fire alarm systems for safer buildings

A new ISO standard on the design and installation of fire detection and alarm systems will help save lives and protect property and the environment. The purpose of such systems is to be able to detect a fire inside or outside a structure as early as possible. In the past, equipment performance has often been hampered by poor system design and installation, as well as inadequate maintenance.

In order to work well, a fire detection and alarm system must be installed and maintained correctly by experienced personnel. This is where ISO 7240-14:2013 steps in. We spoke to Peter Parsons, Chairman of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 21, subcommittee SC 3, which developed ISO 7240-14, about the importance of the new standard.

Why was it important to develop ISO 7240-14?

Part 14 is the missing part of the jigsaw puzzle. For the first time, we have a series of standards dealing with both the equipment and its configuration and installation. This will help ensure that fire detection and alarm systems give building occupants early warning of fire.

What are the benefits of ISO 7240-14?

It is great to be able to bring together the various fire detection and alarm system standards into one system design and installation standard. The earlier we can detect a fire, the more chance we have of reducing human and material losses. This standard will help save the lives of building occupants.

Who will benefit from this International Standard?

Experts from around the world pooled their know-how into this standard giving us a life-safety system solution that can be widely adopted, especially in countries where building fires continue to produce an unacceptably high death toll.

Although many developed countries have national standards for fire detection systems in buildings, ISO 7240-14 is particularly suited to emerging economies, providing a solution that can be easily adopted as a national standard.

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