Ask most facilities managers whether their fire safety systems are compliant and the answer will usually be yes. Ask when the sprinkler heads were last individually inspected and the confidence can start to fade.
That gap between assumed compliance and verified compliance is the focus of a new article by Craig Mitchell, Technical Director at Trinity Fire & Security Systems, part of PTSG Fire Solutions, published in the latest edition of PFM magazine.
Craig argues that the buildings at greatest risk are often not those with obvious failings, but those where fire safety is presumed rather than proven. Service visits get rescheduled, minor faults sit unresolved, and equipment continues to operate on the assumption that it will perform when needed. Over time, that assumption quietly erodes confidence in systems whose failure can remain hidden – until it isn’t.
The article sets out three foundations of best practice: servicing in line with standards including BS 5839 and BS EN 12845, accurate lifecycle records, and full visibility of asset condition across an estate. Craig also examines the growing role of technology – from self-testing devices to cloud-based reporting – in reducing reliance on manual checks and bringing emerging issues to the surface sooner.
Crucially, as Craig notes, automation doesn’t replace maintenance. It improves it. By reducing time spent on repetitive testing, FM teams can focus on preventative action and forward planning.
Because when a fire occurs, the question won’t be whether the system was installed. It will be whether it worked.
For more information about PTSG Fire Solutions click here.
To read the full article in PFM click here.
