Fire Alarm & Emergency Communication System Limitations - Honeywell HW-AV-LTE-M Installation And Operation Manual

Honeywell Connected Life Safety Services | Honeywell Connected Life Safety Services
FIRE ALARM & EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WHILE A LIFE SAFETY SYSTEM MAY LOWER
INSURANCE RATES, IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR
LIFE AND PROPERTY INSURANCE!
An automatic fire alarm system—typically made up of smoke
detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, audible warning
devices, and a fire alarm control panel (FACP) with remote
notification capability—can provide early warning of a developing
fire. Such a system, however, does not assure protection against
property damage or loss of life resulting from a fire.
An emergency communication system—typically made up of an
automatic fire alarm system (as described above) and a life safety
communication system that may include an autonomous control
unit (ACU), local operating console (LOC), voice communication,
and other various interoperable communication methods—can
broadcast a mass notification message. Such a system, however,
does not assure protection against property damage or loss of life
resulting from a fire or life safety event. The Manufacturer
recommends that smoke and/or heat detectors be located
throughout a protected premises following the recommendations of
the current edition of the National Fire Protection Association
Standard 72 (NFPA 72), manufacturer's recommendations, State
and local codes, and the recommendations contained in the Guide
for Proper Use of System Smoke Detectors, which is made available
at no charge to all installing dealers. This document can be found at
http://www.systemsensor.com/appguides/. A study by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (an agency of the United States
government) indicated that smoke detectors may not go off in as
many as 35% of all fires. While fire alarm systems are designed to
provide early warning against fire, they do not guarantee warning or
protection against fire. A fire alarm system may not provide timely or
adequate warning, or simply may not function, for a variety of
reasons:
Smoke detectors may not sense fire where smoke cannot reach the
detectors such as in chimneys, in or behind walls, on roofs, or on the
other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors also may not sense a
fire on another level or floor of a building. A second-floor detector,
for example, may not sense a first-floor or basement fire. Particles of
combustion or "smoke" from a developing fire may not reach the
sensing chambers of smoke detectors because:
Barriers such as closed or partially closed doors, walls, chimneys,
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even wet or humid areas may inhibit particle or smoke flow.
Smoke particles may become "cold," stratify, and not reach the
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ceiling or upper walls where detectors are located.
Smoke particles may be blown away from detectors by air outlets,
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such as air conditioning vents.
Smoke particles may be drawn into air returns before reaching the
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detector.
The amount of "smoke" present may be insufficient to alarm smoke
detectors. Smoke detectors are designed to alarm at various levels
of smoke density. If such density levels are not created by a
developing fire at the location of detectors, the detectors will not go
into alarm. Smoke detectors, even when working properly, have
sensing limitations. Detectors that have photoelectronic sensing
chambers tend to detect smoldering fires better than flaming fires,
which have little visible smoke. Detectors that have ionizing-type
sensing chambers tend to detect fast-flaming fires better than
smoldering fires. Because fires develop in different ways and are
often unpredictable in their growth, neither type of detector is
necessarily best and a given type of detector may not provide
adequate warning of a fire.
Smoke detectors cannot be expected to provide adequate warning
of fires caused by arson, children playing with matches (especially
in bedrooms), smoking in bed, and violent explosions (caused by
escaping gas, improper storage of flammable materials, etc.).
Heat detectors do not sense particles of combustion and alarm
only when heat on their sensors increases at a predetermined rate
or reaches a predetermined level. Rate-of-rise heat detectors may
be subject to reduced sensitivity over time. For this reason, the rate-
ofrise feature of each detector should be tested at least once per
year by a qualified fire protection specialist. Heat detectors are
designed to protect property, not life.
IMPORTANT! Smoke detectors must be installed in the same room
as the control panel and in rooms used by the system for the
Installation and Operation Manual | REV. B
connection of alarm transmission wiring, communications,
signaling, and/or power. If detectors are not so located, a
developing fire may damage the alarm system, compromising its
ability to report a fire.
Audible warning devices such as bells, horns, strobes, speakers
and displays may not alert people if these devices are located on
the other side of closed or partly open doors or are located on
another floor of a building. Any warning device may fail to alert
people with a disability or those who have recently consumed drugs,
alcohol, or medication. Please note that:
An emergency communication system may take priority over a fire
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alarm system in the event of a life safety emergency.
Voice messaging systems must be designed to meet intelligibility
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requirements as defined by NFPA, local codes, and Authorities
Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
Language and instructional requirements must be clearly
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disseminated on any local displays.
Strobes can, under certain circumstances, cause seizures in people
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with conditions such as epilepsy.
Studies have shown that certain people, even when they hear a fire
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alarm signal, do not respond to or comprehend the meaning of the
signal. Audible devices, such as horns and bells, can have different
tonal patterns and frequencies. It is the property owner's
responsibility to conduct fire drills and other training exercises to
make people aware of fire alarm signals and instruct them on the
proper reaction to alarm signals.
In rare instances, the sounding of a warning device can cause
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temporary or permanent hearing loss.
A life safety system will not operate without any electrical power. If
AC power fails, the system will operate from standby batteries only
for a specified time and only if the batteries have been properly
maintained and replaced regularly.
Equipment used in the system may not be technically compatible
with the control panel. It is essential to use only equipment listed for
service with your control panel.
Alarm Signaling Communications:
IP connections rely on available bandwidth, which could be limited
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if the network is shared by multiple users or if ISP policies impose
restrictions on the amount of data transmitted. Service packages
must be carefully chosen to ensure that alarm signals will always
have available bandwidth. Outages by the ISP for maintenance and
upgrades may also inhibit alarm signals. For added protection, a
backup cellular connection is recommended.
Cellular connections rely on a strong signal. Signal strength can be
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adversely affected by the network coverage of the cellular carrier,
objects and structural barriers at the installation location. Utilize a
cellular carrier that has reliable network coverage where the alarm
system is installed. For added protection, utilize an external antenna
to boost the signal.
Telephone lines needed to transmit alarm signals from a premise to
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a central monitoring station may be out of service or temporarily
disabled. For added protection against telephone line failure,
backup alarm signaling connections are recommended.
The most common cause of life safety system malfunction is
inadequate maintenance. To keep the entire life safety system in
excellent working order, ongoing maintenance is required per the
manufacturer's recommendations, and UL and NFPA standards. At
a minimum, the requirements of NFPA 72 shall be followed.
Environments with large amounts of dust, dirt, or high air velocity
require morefrequent maintenance. A maintenance agreement
should be arranged through the local manufacturer's representative.
Maintenance should be scheduled as required by National and/or
local fire codes and should be performed by authorized professional
life safety system installers only. Adequate written records of all
inspections should be kept.
i Wednesday, February 28, 2024