Brad Parker

Good afternoon. I have been asked to comment on the mains supply circuit for a proposed fire alarm & fire detection installation and would welcome some advise please. The premise in question is a 6 flat Victorian built property. The mains intake area is within an outside basement, which seems not to be adjoining the main building. The CIE is required within the ground floor communal lobby entrance. There does not seem a direct route from electrical intake to mentioned lobby. Where holes could be drilled, there is a risk of hidden electrical / plumbing services, becoming damaged. Due to the difficulty of wiring a dedicated mains supply, is it ‘acceptable’ to wire from the local ring main circuit, with associated double pole isolation unit, and 1) making all relevant parties aware (the user, purchaser, enforcing authority or insurer) 2) completing the appropriate paperwork (design, installation, commissioning, acceptance certificates) with a noted Variation. Thanks in advance for any guidance and advice. Brad.

Questions reference borrowed lighting; 1) if the 'street lighting' is on the same phase as the 'premise lighting' and there is a power failure to the street lighting and/or area, then the premise has no emergency escape lighting. Is this acceptable when considering designing emergency lighting systems 2) there are different lux levels, required at the points of emphasis within a premise i.e. centre line of an escape route and say, a manual call point. How is the photometric data gathered and designed around borrowed lighting, when most certainly shadows will form in areas not covered by windows. Thanks.

I have been advised, by a Senior Property Manager, the following “Emergency lighting is only required for buildings larger than two storeys. Smaller buildings do not require emergency lighting if the escape route is short and ‘borrowed’ lighting is shining into the building from the outside”. I have reviewed The Building Regs 2010 Approved Doc B V2 and in Table 9 (page 60) point 1 states - Residential _ all common escape routes, except in 2-storey flats. Can anyone advise reference ‘except in 2-storey flats’. Is this terminology for a maisonette? i.e main front door – open into a lobby whereby the ‘old lounge door’ is now a front door (flat 1) – stairs directly ahead – top of stairs, another flat door (flat 2). Thanks.