Scottish Fire Stats Update

Ref: 570/1426

Issued: 22 January 2010

PRESS INFORMATION

ALARMING FIGURES

The latest domestic fire death figures suggest that more needs to be done to warn occupants early of fires in the home with the right quality, type, number and location of smoke and heat alarms.

Government figures published towards the end of last year revealed 294 deaths in accidental domestic fires throughout the UK - a 10% increase compared with the 267 deaths recorded in 2007 and bucking the downward trend over the last few years. Bearing in mind that deaths in other buildings during 2008 fell to just 19, we now need to focus on alerting occupiers more effectively of dwelling fires with the best available smoke and heat alarms.

To meet this need, guidance can be found in the current code of practice for domestic fire alarm systems, BS 5839-6: 2004. With BS 5839-6: 2004, interconnected smoke or heat alarms are required in living rooms and a heat alarm in every kitchen, as well as the usual smoke alarms in circulation areas. But guidance to national Building Regulations applying to England and Wales effectively requires only smoke alarms in corridors with heat alarms in some kitchens only. Scotland’s Domestic Technical Handbook is similar but without any provisions for heat alarms at all. It is only in Northern Ireland and Eire that supporting guidance is fully in line with BS 5839-6.

So, in Scotland, England and Wales pressure must continue for an upgrade of the regulations - but, for now, the safe route is to simply implement the BS 5839-6 guidance as a minimum standard in both new and existing homes.

Hard-wired alarms with backup power are already a Building Regulations requirement for new-build in Scotland but steps are also being taken to require them in existing homes. For example, hard-wired alarms are a requirement of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Mains powered alarms with backup are particularly important for rented properties where landlords have a duty of care to their tenants and where battery failure or removal results in non-functioning alarms – sometimes with fatal consequences - and sealed-in rechargeable lithium backup offers the most secure system.

So, hard-wired, interconnectable smoke and heat alarms will become a more common feature of refurbishment and rewiring programmes, as well as new-build homes. And the latest generation of hard-wired smoke and heat alarms have been designed to match this need. For example, to meet the requirements of the BS 5839-6 code of practice Firex smoke and heat alarms – now manufactured and supplied exclusively by Kidde – are interconnectable up to 24 units, as are those from Kidde’s Slick® range which offers additional features. It is, however, essential to remember that only specified smoke and heat alarms from a single manufacturer should be interconnected, as those from other manufacturers are not compatible.

The latest information on domestic fire safety is available via www.smoke-alarms.co.uk.

ends