Fire Alarm MCP (Manual call Point) requirements

[Mattsparks]

There seems to be a lot of confusion around at the moment as some engineers are flagging up a non-conformity which i had previously never thought about.
Basically I've been sent to a few jobs where its been recommended that an MCP is put on the exit gate to a loading yard? Yes i suppose this is an escape route, but i cant find it anywhere in the Regs that you have to have them on external routes as well. Meaning to exit the building you would have walked (run like a scalded cat, lets face it) out of the warehouse triggering the MCP required by regs as an "exit to free air" and then across the loading yard to trigger the one on the gate nearly 100m away from the building?
"MCPs should be sited on the floor landings of stairways and at exits to open air"
I know common sense and external influences may at some point mean id have thought about it eg in an area with potentially explosive results or extremely flammable liquids/gases. but not in a builders merchants loading yard?
Thoughts?

 

[buzzlightyear]

you are not thinking about putting a MCP out side ?

 

[Mattsparks]

you are not thinking about putting a MCP out side ?

Nope after bashing my head with the regs book a few times I told them there was no requirement did my fire alarm test saddled up and rode off, i mean got in the van and left

 

[buzzlightyear]

Nope after bashing my head with the regs book a few times I told them there was no requirement did my fire alarm test saddled up and rode off, i mean got in the van and left

next time try a brick!

 

[Mattsparks]

Do you find they go in easier? Bricks i mean.
I couldn't believe it when i read the report that they thought one on an external gate was required. Nice to see i'm not the only one.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I couldn't believe it when i read the report

which cleaver clogs put that in report ?

 

[Mattsparks]

No idea...good way of creating work for yourself though, even if he didn't get it. Its the same as all the sparks running round telling people they all needed CU upgrades after ammendment 3 was released, just omit the part about "new installs/ builds"

 

[myristate]

Putting a MCP outside is generally a no no with exception to areas not appropriate such as EX environments (good example is distillery bonded alcohol warehouses). For a start its a significant risk for false activation and vandalism. Part of fire system design is to make false alarms as limited as possible and can be achieved by using coincidence detection where multiple devices generate the activation. An activation by a MCP is considered a confirmed activation so its position is actually very important in such that it can not be vandalised which by your description of its location could be a probability. Secondly a MCP has a travel distance maximum of 45m reduced to 25m in an area where disabled people may reside or 15m in high risk areas. A distance of around 100m from the escape route is not permissible. Of course if it was risk assessed by a competent assessor and there is a genuine reason for it being that far away. It could be done as a written variation from the regs.

 

[Mattsparks]

Putting a MCP outside is generally a no no with exception to areas not appropriate such as EX environments (good example is distillery bonded alcohol warehouses). For a start its a significant risk for false activation and vandalism. Part of fire system design is to make false alarms as limited as possible and can be achieved by using coincidence detection where multiple devices generate the activation. An activation by a MCP is considered a confirmed activation so its position is actually very important in such that it can not be vandalised which by your description of its location could be a probability. Secondly a MCP has a travel distance maximum of 45m reduced to 25m in an area where disabled people may reside or 15m in high risk areas. A distance of around 100m from the escape route is not permissible. Of course if it was risk assessed by a competent assessor and there is a genuine reason for it being that far away. It could be done as a written variation from the regs.

I completely agree especially with malicious activation, hence why nightclubs etc have them in staff areas only. Plus the travel distances are according to my interpretation only for exit routes "inside" a building i.e landings, stairwells, and exits to free air. and the 100m is the distance from the building to the gate, upon exiting the building you would have already passed (and hopefully activated) the one required by the regs on an "exit to free air".

 

[westward10]

Contact the originator of this comment there may be a good reason or not.