Improved life safety awareness

February 2017 Fire & Safety

New research from Hochiki Europe shows improvements in building owners and managers’ knowledge of maintenance requirements for life safety systems.

A 2016 study of European Installers found that the number of building owners and managers unaware of the legal requirements surrounding life safety system maintenance has halved. The company’s 2015 research found two in five, or 46%, had no awareness, however that figure has dropped to one in five, or 22%, in the past 12 months.

The study also showed an increase in the number of customers’ installers visited with up-to-date fire detection and emergency lighting logbooks. In 2015, two fifths of customers (40%) failed to have an up-to-date fire detection logbook. This figure now stands at less than a third (30%). The number failing to have an up-to-date emergency lighting logbook has dropped even further, falling from over two thirds (67%) in 2015 to under half (48%) in 2016.

Despite the improvements in these key areas of maintenance, the number of building owners and managers experiencing false alarms showed little change, dropping just 1%, from 29% in 2015 to 28% in 2016.

Equally, the number of installers encountering buildings where customers had changed the use of their spaces, but failed to adjust their life safety systems accordingly dropped only slightly, reducing from just over half (55%) to exactly half (50%). More worryingly, this year failing to update the system correctly was the most common issue installers found when visiting a customer site.

The top five fire maintenance issues encountered by installers in 2016 were:

1. Change of building/room use without correctly altering the fire system (50%).

2. Inadequate logbook records (44%).

3. The original installer didn’t install the best system for the environment (40%).

4. Detectors need cleaning (33%).

5. Detectors need replacing (27%).

The top five emergency lighting maintenance issues encountered by installers in 2016 were:

1. Broken/faulty lamps (44%).

2. Inadequate logbook records (42%).

3. Inadequate emergency lighting signage (39%).

4. Batteries not charged in emergency lighting units (35%).

5. Inadequate lux levels (25%).

Tracy Kirk, GM of sales and marketing for Hochiki Europe, commented: “Our annual study shows a marked improvement in both understanding and meeting maintenance requirements among building owners and managers. This suggests that, as an industry, our efforts to educate and train those responsible for maintaining life safety systems is proving successful.

“That said, we acknowledge there are still some serious gaps to continue addressing, and while these are encouraging results we cannot be complacent. Ensuring the legal requirement for keeping up to date logbooks is met, the correct system is in place and reducing false alarms, are all vital to keep people safe. We will continue to provide training and information that can help our installers educate even more building managers and owners on the importance of life safety maintenance and the correct ways to carry this out.”

For more information contact Paul Adams, Hochiki Europe (UK), +44 1634 266 568, padams@hochikieurope.com, www.hochikieurope.com





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

How to prevent and survive fires
Fire & Safety Risk Management & Resilience
Since its launch in August 2023, Fidelity SecureFire, a division of the Fidelity Services Group, has been making significant strides in revolutionising fire response services in South Africa.

Read more...
Spate of Joburg fires calls for proactive fire-safety planning
Fire & Safety
The incident of fire that occurred recently in Johannesburg's Central Business District (CBD) has brought to light the criticality of performance-based fire safety systems. It is imperative to design safety systems that are efficient and effective in managing such unforeseen events.

Read more...
Beagle Watch adds fire to its portfolio
Editor's Choice Fire & Safety News & Events
Beagle Watch Armed Response and FIRE OPS SA announced the enhancement of the two companies' combined service offerings to provide professional fire safety services to Beagle Watch clients and Johannesburg residents.

Read more...
Different types of fires
Fire & Safety
Fire is a powerful force of nature; according to SafeQuip, a distributor of fire-related equipment; understanding the different types of fires and how to combat them is essential for safety and protection.

Read more...
SafeQuip introduces lithium fire extinguishers
Fire & Safety Products & Solutions
With the use of Lithium batteries increasing in many types of portable devices and battery storage solutions, SafeQuip, in partnership with AVD Lithex, is introducing a fire extinguisher aimed at suppressing and extinguishing, and also preventing re-ignition of lithium fires.

Read more...
Modern warehouses come with added fire risk
Fire & Safety Transport (Industry)
Along with increased investments in modern warehousing in Africa, there is also a need to focus on protecting warehouses from crime, however, fire can arguably be a greater danger to business continuity.

Read more...
How to prevent solar inverter short-circuits and fires
Fire & Safety
With many South Africans installing inverters as part of solar power systems to mitigate the impact of load shedding in homes and at businesses, users need to be aware of the potential fire risks.

Read more...
Fidelity SecureFire steps into critical fire response space
News & Events Fire & Safety
With the majority of fire stations around the country being crippled by a lack of resources to offer effective responses, Fidelity Fire Solutions has launched its own ‘first responder’ model, Fidelity SecureFire.

Read more...
Long-distance connectivity with Simplex ES Net Life Safety
Johnson Controls Global Products Fire & Safety Products & Solutions
ES Net Network Bridge allows fire alarm system data to be transmitted across distant buildings via a customer’s existing network infrastructure, improving system-wide monitoring and control in facilities and campuses where life safety networks are often widely dispersed.

Read more...
Elvey Group and Technoswitch part ways
Elvey Security Technologies Fire & Safety News & Events
The Elvey Group (a division of the Hudaco Group of Companies) is relinquishing its distributorship of the Technoswitch brand, following Hudaco’s acquisition of Brigit Fire.

Read more...