Fire alarm commissioning: programming, testing and handover
Commissioning is where an installed fire alarm system is programmed, tested and checked against the design. We commission systems we install and will consider commissioning systems installed by other contractors, subject to review.
What fire alarm commissioning involves
A newly installed system is not yet proven to work. Commissioning is the process of setting it up, testing it and verifying that it does what the design says it should. For non-domestic premises, BS 5839-1 recommends that a system is commissioned before it is handed over for use.
Typical commissioning work includes:
- Powering up and programming the control panel, including zone or device descriptions
- Testing each detector, manual call point and sounder
- Checking the cause-and-effect arrangements: what the panel does when each device operates
- Checking that the alarm can be heard where it needs to be
- Checking faults are indicated correctly and the standby power supply is adequate
- Testing any links to other systems, such as door release or ventilation controls
- Recording the results and preparing handover documents
Systems installed by others
Before we agree, we will normally want to see the design, drawings or as-installed information, the panel make and model, any certificates issued so far and the log book if there is one. We may need to survey the installation. If the system cannot be commissioned as it stands, we will record the deficiencies, tell you what needs to be resolved and by whom, and will not issue satisfactory commissioning documentation until they have been appropriately resolved.
Who it is for
- Customers whose new system we have installed
- Businesses, landlords and managing agents who have had a system installed by another contractor and need it commissioned or checked
- Facilities managers after an extension, alteration or panel replacement
- Schools, offices, shops, warehouses, industrial premises, community buildings and communal residential buildings
What information we need
- Site postcode and building type
- The design specification and drawings, or as-installed drawings
- Panel make and model and the type and number of devices
- Any certificates, test results or snagging lists already issued
- Details of any other systems connected to the fire alarm
- Who from your side will attend handover
How commissioning works
Documentation check
We review the design, drawings and any installation records.
Inspection
We inspect the installation against the design and for visible defects.
Programming and testing
We programme the panel and test every device and function.
Recording
We record results and note any issues that need to be put right.
Handover
We explain the system to the responsible person, including how to carry out routine weekly tests, and issue the handover documents.
Documentation you should expect
- A commissioning certificate in the form recommended by BS 5839-1, where the system is commissioned under that standard
- Test records and a record of the final programming
- Updated as-installed drawings or zone chart
- A log book for the system, ready for the responsible person to use
- A list of any defects or variations identified, and how they were resolved
- Reports and supporting documentation for our scope of responsibility, recording results, variations, limitations and outstanding issues
Next step
Tell us what has been installed and by whom. We will tell you what we need to review before we agree to commission it.
Other fire alarm services
Fire Alarm Design
A written specification and drawings for a new, replacement or extended system, based on your building, its use and your fire strategy.
Read more →Fire Alarm Installation
Installation of a designed system, including cabling, devices and the control panel, planned around how your building is used.
Read more →Fire Alarm Servicing & Maintenance
Periodic inspection, testing, servicing and repair of existing systems, including taking over maintenance from another provider.
Read more →Areas we cover
Fire alarm enquiries are handled across the areas Omni3 currently serves. Choose your area for local detail.
Common questions
What is fire alarm commissioning?
Commissioning is the stage after installation where the system is programmed, powered up and tested to confirm it operates as designed. It includes checking each device, the control panel, the alarm sounders and any links to other systems, and recording the results.
Is commissioning the same as a routine alarm test or service?
No. A weekly test is a routine check by someone at the premises. A service is a periodic inspection of an existing system. Commissioning is the one-off verification carried out when a system is new or has been significantly altered.
Can you commission a system installed by another company?
Possibly. We will consider commissioning systems installed by other contractors, subject to reviewing the design, installation, available documentation, equipment compatibility and our competence to undertake the work. Acceptance is assessed individually. Deficiencies must be recorded and appropriately resolved before satisfactory commissioning documentation is issued. Wireless and hybrid systems are outside our service, and we do not commission them.
What happens if the system fails a commissioning test?
We record what failed, explain the cause where we can, and agree what needs to be put right and by whom. The system is not signed off until the issues have been resolved and retested.
Tell us about your premises
Give us a few details and we will come back to you. The more we know about the building and any existing system, the more useful our first reply will be.
- Telephone: 01798 263333
- Email: [email protected]
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