Fire Alarm System for Childrens home

[Guest TrudyDA]

I am opening a 3 bedded childrens home what type of fire alarm system do you reccomend.

Kind regards

[Tom Sutton]

You would need to give more information is it a a child minder with overnight facilities, is it a domestic property, how many floors and the size or is it a commercial property. Under which legislation are you operating?

[Guest Trudyd]

Hi

The home is a standard 5 bedroomed detached house. It is a childrens home for up to 4 boys aged 9 to 16, they will be living there. There will be staff on duty at all times. The home will have waking night staff on duty every night. The home is registered and inspected by OFSTED. Four of the rooms will be designated for boys and one room will be a staff office.

Kind regards

Trudy

[Tom Sutton]

I would suggest you the LACORS guide Housing – Fire Safety: Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/upload/19175.pdf and use the definition that fits your premises the closest. The guidance indicates the type of fire alarm to be installed for each category.

The information on child minders would be useful and relevant to small children's homes http://www.firesafe....care-providers/.

[Tom Sutton]

Further to my previous post if you check the small children's home guide http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4021209.pdf it is very similar approach OFSTED uses to the child minder guidance. There is no specific fire safety guidance on small children's homes, therefore the the link I provided you, to the guidance based on the OFSTED/CFOA (Chief fire officer association) guidance for child minders is the best available.

The lacors guidance is relevant as it deals with domestic premises and is more specific on fire alarm standards.

[Guest robjohn]

Is it a legal requirement to have a fire alarm in a small one storey building with two room (plus storage )? -It is a community run project , but we are a private company who rent it to provide a service to people with learning disabilities and a children's theatre school rent it out in the evening.

[Tom Sutton]

What does your Fire Risk Assessment say. Fire alarms are required if necessary its your FRA that will decide if one is necessary.

You are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and should check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ and select the appropriate DCLG guide for your premises and follow the instructions.