‘Responsible Person’:

If a system is to respond reliably when there is a fire, it is essential that it is properly maintained for what may be a period of many years before this happens. The expenditure on the system will have been completely wasted if, through neglect, it is faulty on the day that it is needed. The difficulties involved in motivating people to carry out (or Supervise) regular testing and maintenance were recognised by the committee which wrote the standard. They very rightly decided that the best way of ensuring that the job is done properly is to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’ . The standard asks for the appointment of such a person but in case this is not done it says that ‘ the person having Control of the premises’ is the person responsible for the system and for the observance of proper procedures. The duties of the responsible person are mentioned in various parts of the code, and are summarised here:

1. To organize procedures for dealing with alarms and other happenings. These should be discussed with the fire brigade and should be appropriate to the premises.

2. To ensure that everyone who has to use the system is instructed in its use. For many people this might simply mean a knowledge of the escape routes to be used when the alarm sounds. Members of fire teams, and fire marshalls, would need to know how to use the system to locate the fire.

3. To ensure that work being done in the building does not adversely affect the system. Contractors, sometimes, through no fault of their own, are notorious for their effect on both active and passive fire protection.

4. To ensure that the efficiency of the system is not reduced by obstructions which affect the movement of fire products to the detectors, or the access of people to manual call points.

5. To maintain and update the system drawings and operating instructions.

6. To keep a record of every significant even affecting the system.

7. To prevent or reduce the frequency of false alarms.

8. To ensure that the system is properly reinstated after any work on it has been completed.

9. To ensure that the correct maintenance procedures have been followed at the correct intervals.

10. To ensure that the system is serviced after it has alarmed or has been repaired.

11. To carry a stock of suitable spares, so as to ensure the rapid replacement of any fault equipment.

Although the appointed person is responsible for the work he can of course delegate, and indeed will probably need to because he is unlikely to have all necessary skills. The code gives details of the tests and maintenance which are needed at various intervals. The responsible Person should be able to do the daily, weekly and monthly checks but it will probably be necessary for other work to be done by a competent engineer under a service contract.

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Bapi Sarkar.