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Head office: 0800 298 0258 | email: sales@fass-gb.com

Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd, Unit 22, London Rd, Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2LN

UK Flag Est. since 2003

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Fire Alarm System Categories

a quick guide to alarm types for buildings

There are many types of fire alarm systems each suited to different building types and applications. A Fire Alarm System can vary dramatically in both price and complexity, from a single panel with a detector and sounder in a small commercial property to an addressable Fire Alarm System in a multi-occupancy building. As can be seen from this example, these systems have to protect both buildings and occupants.

The brief guide below details classifications for commercial systems, we also have more information on domestic fire alarm systems. The categories of fire alarm systems are “L” if they are designed to protect life, “P” to protect buildings and “M” if they are manual systems.

M Fire Alarm System

Categories-M-Fire-Alarm-System

Manual systems e.g. hand bells, gongs etc, may be purely manual or manual electric, the latter may have call points and sounders. They rely on the occupants of the building discovering the fire and acting to warn others by operating the system. Such systems form the basic requirement for places of employment with no sleeping risk.

P1 Fire Alarm System

Categories-P1-Fire-Alarm-System

The system is installed throughout the building – the objective being to call the fire brigade as early as possible to ensure that any damage caused by fire is minimised. Small low risk areas can be excepted, such as toilets and cupboards less than 1m².

P2 Fire Alarm System

Categories-P2-Fire-Alarm-System

Detection should be provided in parts of the building where the risk of ignition is high and/or the contents are particularly valuable. Category 2 systems provide fire detection in specified parts of the building where there is either high risk or where business disruption must be minimised.

L1 Fire Alarm System

Categories-L1-Fire-Alarm-System

A category L1 system is designed for the protection of life, which has automatic detectors installed throughout all areas of the building (including roof spaces and voids) with the aim of providing the earliest possible warning. A Category L1 system is likely to be appropriate for the majority of residential care premises. In practice, detectors should be placed in nearly all spaces and voids. With category 1 systems, the whole of a building is covered apart from minor exceptions.

L2 Fire Alarm System

Categories-L2-Fire-Alarm-System

A category L2 system designed for the protection of life, which has automatic detectors installed in escape routes, rooms adjoining escape routes and high hazard rooms. In a medium sized premises (sleeping no more than ten residents) a category L2 system is ideal. These fire alarm systems are identical to an L3 system but with additional detection in an area where there is a high chance of ignition (e.g. kitchen) or where the risk to people is particularly increased (e.g. sleeping risk).

L3 Fire Alarm System

Categories-L3-Fire-Alarm-System

This category is designed to give early warning to everyone. Detectors should be placed in all escape routes and all rooms that open onto an escape route. Category 3 systems provide more extensive cover than category 4. The objective is to warn the occupants of the building early enough to ensure that all are able to exit the building before escape routes become impassable.

L4 Fire Alarm System

Categories-L4-Fire-Alarm-System

Category 4 systems cover escape routes and circulation areas only. Therefore, detectors will be placed in escape routes, although this may not be suitable depending on the risk assessment or if the size and complexity of a building is increased. Detectors might be sited in other areas of the building, but the objective is to protect the escape route.

L5 Fire Alarm System

Categories-L5-Fire-Alarm-System

This is the ‘all other situations’ category e.g. computer rooms, which may be protected with an extinguishing system triggered by automatic detection. Category 5 systems are the ‘custom’ category and relate to some special requirement that cannot be covered by any other category.

Would you like some help?

You can contact us in the following ways

Pre-Sales Question?
If you have a question about our products or services and would like to receive no obligation advice, please call
t. 0800 298 0258
Technical Support?
For technical information, support or advice relating to our products or services, please call us on
t. 01480 417 008
Email Us?
If you would like to find out more information but would prefer to email rather than call, please visit our
CONTACT FORM

Our Guarantee to you

No member of our team receives commission for sales, they are all salaried which means our clients receive the best impartial advice from us.

As an independent company, we have a direct relationship with equipment manufacturers so we can provide the best price to clients. If you receive a more competitive like-for-like quote from another BAFE approved company, we will better that quote. Guaranteed.

We are accredited by:

 
IFEDA
Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce
British Fire Consortium
CHAS
BAFE
BAFE Alarm
Fire Detect Prod Certlogo
SSAIB ISO Logo
SSAIB Registered
 

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We have a  24 Hours a day emergency call out number available to clients. Contact us for details.

Our usual business hours are:

  • Monday-Friday: 8.30am to 5pm
  • Saturday-Sunday: Closed

Contact us at:

Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd
Unit 22, London Rd, Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire PE29 2LN

t. 01480 417008
e. sales@fass-gb.com

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