MODULE information
Here's what you need to know
Stay up to date with the most recent amendments to BS 5839-1: Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems for Buildings. This free course provides a concise and practical overview of the key changes introduced in the latest version of the standard.
What you will learn:
-
Overview of BS 5839-1 and its role in fire safety
-
Detailed breakdown of the 2025 updates to the standard
-
Impacts on design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance
This module is for individuals responsible for the design, installation, commissioning, or maintenance of fire alarm systems, as well as those who need to understand the impact of changes to BS 5839-1 across a range of building types and risk levels.
These individuals might include:
-
Fire risk assessors
-
Alarm installers and engineers
-
Building and facilities managers
-
Responsible persons under the Fire Safety Order
-
Health and safety professionals
-
Anyone needing to understand changes in fire detection and alarm systems
National Safety Academy qualifications are designed to take you on a learning journey. This course is fully online and self-directed, with instant access to the learning materials.
You can navigate through the course content in your learning portal online.
To support your learning, you'll also have access to:
When the need arises to extend a fire alarm system, several key principles must be followed. Firstly,
all new work must comply with the requirements of BS 5839-1:2025, regardless of whether the existing parts of the system were installed to an older standard. Secondly, a
competent person with a thorough understanding of fire alarm system design must assume responsibility for the entire extension project.
It's also important to consider the scale of the extension. If the planned addition is substantial, perhaps similar in size to the original system, it might be more practical and economical to consider installing a
completely new fire alarm system. This is particularly relevant if the existing system is aging or utilises outdated technology.
For addressable or networked systems, careful attention must be paid to cable compatibility. Using incompatible or older cable types to extend circuits can lead to disruptions in communication or even system failures. If the original cable type is no longer available, it might be necessary to undertake the more significant task of rewiring the entire circuit.
Following any extension, recommissioning of the entire system is essential. This process ensures that the new additions haven't negatively impacted the functionality of the existing system. Key aspects of recommissioning include checking the battery capacity to ensure it can still adequately support the expanded system, verifying signal strength in radio-based systems to guarantee reliable communication, and confirming the cause-and-effect programming to ensure the extended system integrates seamlessly with the existing operational logic.
Finally, a formal "Extensions or Modifications" Certificate must be issued and meticulously kept as part of the system's permanent records.
