Identifying and installing the right smoke control system is only the start of a long-term strategy in fire safety.
Once this stage is complete, an ongoing maintenance programme needs to be put in place in order to ensure the system you have so carefully chosen will perform as expected in the worst-case-scenario of a fire.
Maintenance might not be your priority when budgets are tight, but failure to consider a maintenance plan can prove far more costly in the long run. If fire safety systems are not maintained to an adequate level, the risk to the building and the lives of all those who reside in it could be fatal. On more than a moral and financial level, lack of compliance with Building Regulations may result in severe action from the evacuation and closure of the building to fines or even potential prosecution for the owner of the building.
Fire Safety and Smoke Control Systems maintenance
By their very nature, fire safety and smoke control systems are rarely activated, which means it can be very difficult to assess the condition they are in. It could be the case that unrelated building work has accidentally damaged a component of the system and you would have no way of knowing. Something as small as paint covering a sensor or entering a delicate part of the system could mean the system will not work effectively when the time comes, and it is needed.
Regular maintenance checks of fire safety and smoke control systems can assist building owners with managing their annual budgets by replacing large, unexpected costs with small, regular and manageable payments. Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) will highlight any developing issues and find any parts that may need replacing before they cause a major system failure and compromise compliance. This, in turn, replaces the need for costly reactive work.
Experienced Maintenance Team
Fire safety systems should be thoroughly checked and tested twice a year without fail to remain compliant. The expert FDS team carry out visual inspections as well as a thorough check of all safety components to ensure the standard is as expected and fully compliant. In the event of an emergency, we offer a 24-hour emergency call-out facility. All call-outs and routine maintenance checks are fully documented for your information or if you should need to prove compliance.
Planned preventative maintenance will ensure these life-saving systems are fully operational and working to the standard you would expect. It offers you security and peace of mind, not to mention meets legislative requirements for the industry.
Contact us today to find out more about smoke control maintenance and how we can help.
