Irish Standard
I.S. 3218:2024

Version 4.00

About standard

Fire detection and alarm systems - System planning, design, installation, commissioning, servicing, and maintenance

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NSAI in exercise of the power conferred by section 16 of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 (No. 28 of 1996) and with the consent of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, hereby declares as follows:

1. This instrument may be cited as the Standard Specification (Fire detection and alarm systems — System planning, design, installation, commissioning, servicing, and maintenance) Declaration 2024.
2.
(1) The Specification set forth in the Schedule to this declaration is hereby declared, pursuant to section 16(3) of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 (No. 28 of 1996), to be the Standard Specification Fire detection and
(2) The said standard specification may be cited as Irish Standard 3218:2024 or as I.S. 3218:2024.
3.
(1) The Standard Specification (Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings – System design, installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance and Amendment 1:2019) Declaration, 2019, is hereby revoked, pursuant to section 16(5) of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 (No. 28 of 1996).
(2) Reference in any other Standard Specification to the instrument revoked under 3. (1), or to I.S. 3218:2013+A1:2019 therein prescribed, shall be construed, respectively, as references to this instrument and to Irish Standard 3218:2024
4. The Standard Specification (Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings – System design, installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance:2013) Declaration 2024, is hereby revok

Published: This Standard was published on 2024-10-01.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) produces the following categories of formal documents:

I.S. xxx: Irish Standard — national specification based on the consensus of an expert panel and subject to public consultation.

S.R. xxx: Standard Recommendation — recommendation based on the consensus of an expert panel and subject to public consultation.

SWiFT xxx: A rapidly developed recommendatory document based on the consensus of the participants of an NSAI workshop.

NSAI/… xxx: A National adoptio

COPYRIGHT :

© NSAI 2024

No copying without NSAI permission except as permitted by copyright law.

Foreword

This document has been prepared by the National Standards Authority of Ireland Technical Committee 16 - Fire Safety Standards Committee, Working Group 2, Fire alarms.

Guidelines and Standards for the planning, design, installation, commissioning, use, and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems are published by many different organisations within Europe.

This document has been drafted based on content from S.R. CEN/TS 54-14:2018&LC:2018, which was prepared by CEN Technical Committee 72 (CEN/TC 72) ’Fire detection and fire alarm systems’.

S.R. CEN/TS 54-14:2018&LC:2018 is intended as a template in the drafting, review, and revision of National Standards. It is intended that the technical specification will assist in the harmonisation of practices and Standards of fire detection and alarm systems throughout Europe.

When it has been determined that a fire detection and alarm system is required, then this document is suitable.

This document does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract and the user is responsible for its correct application.

Conformance with an Irish Standard does not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations.

There are a number of Annexes to this document. These Annexes are referred to as either normative or informative Annexes. Normative annexes are

This document has been drafted in line with international standards practice. The following representation of numbers and numerical values apply:

— The decimal point is shown as a comma ( , ) throughout this document.
— Each group of three digits reading to the left or to the right of a decimal sign are separated by a space from the preceding digits or following digits respectively.
The following verbal forms of expression are used:
‘’shall’ indicates a requirement;
’should’ indicates a recommendation;
’may’ indicates a permission;
’can’ indicates a possibility or a capability.
Information marked as ’NOTE’ is for guidance in understanding or clarifying the associated text

Introduction

The aim of this document is to promote wider understanding of the different types of fire detection and alarm systems and modes of operation which can be employed. It also aims to encourage uniformity of application, based on providing enhanced safety to persons in the event of an outbreak of fire and having due regard to the hazard level and degree of familiarity and alertness of occupants within particular buildings.

Fire detection and fire alarm systems are an integral part of the overall protection of a building. The contents of this document should therefore be considered by all disciplines involved in the design process.

The systems covered in this document are referred to as fire detection and alarm systems (FDAS). The document covers systems ranging from simple installations with one or two manual call points, up to complex installations with automatic detectors, manual call points, control and indicating equipment, and communication with the fire brigade, etc..

Consultation with the appropriate fire authority is recommended before undertaking the design or installation of an FDAS

Schedule

1 Scope

This document gives guidelines for planning, design, installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems (FDAS) in premises including those used for residential and domestic purposes.

This document is applicable to the use of a signal from an automatic extinguishing system as one initiating element of a fire alarm system.

This document excludes guidelines on:
— whether or not a fire alarm system should be installed in any given building,
— the required service, maintenance, and repair of ancillary services,
— systems combining fire alarm functions with other non-fire related functions,
— systems whose primary function is to extinguish or control the fire, such as sprinkler or automatic extinguishing systems, even though they can have a secondary alarm function,
— other integrated systems,
— design, installation, and commissioning of ancillary services,
— fire safety strategy.

2 Normative references

The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

S.R. CEN/TS 54-32, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 32: Planning, design, installation, commissioning, use and maintenance of voice alarm systems

I.S. EN 54-2:1999/A1:2006, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 2: Control and indicating equipment

I.S. EN 54-3, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 3: Fire alarm devices — Sounders

I.S. EN 54-4, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 4: Power supply equipment

I.S. EN 54-5, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 5: Heat detectors — Point heat detectors

I.S. EN 54-7, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 7: Smoke detectors — Point detectors using

scattered light, transmitted light or ionization I.S. EN 54-11, Fire detection and fire alarm systems — Part 11: Manual call points