The Fire Alarm Chain Reaction You Must Maintain
(Or: why a beeping panel is only half the story)
Your automatic fire detection and alarm system (FDAS) isn’t just there to shout “FIRE!” and wake everyone up. In modern buildings it also tells other systems what to do—release doors, start smoke control, drop shutters, trigger paging, even shut down fuel and ventilation. That domino run is called cause and effect: a detector (the cause) activates, and connected systems (the effects) react exactly as your fire strategy intended.
What counts as “effects”?
- Door hold-open releases and access control releases
- Smoke control, curtains, dampers and shutters
- Fixed suppression (e.g., kitchen/water mist/gas)
- Intelligent wayfinding/paging/alerts
- Plant shutdown: lifts/escalators, fuel and ventilation
If any link sticks, your beautifully written fire strategy becomes… fiction.
Why maintenance matters
UK fire safety law expects life-safety systems to be kept efficient, in working order and in good repair (hello, Fire Safety Order 2005). Best practice points to BS 5839-1, BS 9999 and the BS 7273 series for how to look after interfaces. In plain English: don’t just service the panel—prove the reactions happen.
The matrix: your cheat sheet for compliance
Create (or update) a cause & effect matrix: a simple document mapping inputs to outputs. It should show devices, zones, sequences, fail-safes, interface details, and any special/high-risk scenarios. When contractors test, they verify one cause triggers the right effects—and record it. Change the building, process, or equipment? Update the matrix.
Practical testing rhythm (no drama, just diligence)
- Weekly: Spot-check critical interfaces (e.g., door releases actually release).
- Monthly: Visual checks—access clear, devices intact, signage legible.
- 6-Monthly: Competent person inspects interfaces (BS 7273 guidance).
- Annually: FDAS service (BS 5839-1) plus cause & effect checks—at least one cause per device type, observing all linked effects.
- Always: Close out defects fast; log everything.
Common own-goals we fix every week
- Door closers “temporarily” wedged open
- Smoke curtains that haven’t descended since the last refurbishment
- Dampers wired but never commissioned
- Kitchen suppression live… but the panel isn’t talking to it
- No matrix, no records, lots of shrugging
Bottom line: Early detection is great. Correct reaction is what protects people, preserves escape routes and limits damage.
Ready to make your cause & effect actually… effective?
Call Sanjay at The Fire Safety Company on 01748 811992 or visit www.firesafetycompany.com.
We’ll build/refresh your cause & effect matrix, test interfaces to BS 7273/BS 5839-1, fix the snags, and hand you audit-ready records. Serious compliance—without the drama.
