Standards & responsibilities
Five guides covering the legislation, British Standards, and legal duties that underpin fire alarm practice in the UK — written with as little jargon as possible.
If you are trying to understand what the law requires, what BS 5839 means in practice, or who is legally responsible for fire alarm testing in your building — this is the right place to start.
| Guide | What it covers | |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding BS 5839 | The British Standard that underpins fire alarm practice across the UK — system categories, grades, the required maintenance schedule, and what compliance actually means in practice.Start here if you are new to fire alarm compliance | › |
| Fire alarm legal requirements | What the RRO 2005 actually requires — who the Responsible Person is, the fire risk assessment obligation, and the consequences of getting it wrong. Covers unlimited fines, custodial sentences, and personal liability for directors.RRO 2005 · Responsible Person · enforcement · prosecution | › |
| How often should a fire alarm be serviced? | Weekly manual call point tests, six-monthly full services, annual Clause 45 inspections — the complete maintenance schedule required under BS 5839-1, what each visit must cover, and how to choose a certified contractor.Servicing schedule · weekly testing · six-monthly · Clause 45 · BAFE | › |
| Who is responsible for fire alarm testing? | One of the most commonly misunderstood areas in fire safety. Covers tenants vs landlords, managing agents, employers, directors — and what personal prosecution under Article 32 of the RRO actually means.Responsible Person · delegation · Article 32 · personal liability · tenant | › |
| Grenfell Tower and UK fire safety reform | The fire that changed UK building safety regulation — what happened, what the public inquiry found, and the sweeping legislative changes that followed including the Building Safety Act 2022.Grenfell · Building Safety Act 2022 · Fire Safety Act 2021 · higher-risk buildings · cladding | › |
Not sure where to start?
If you are new to fire safety compliance, start with the BS 5839 guide for an overview of the standard, then move to the legal requirements guide to understand your obligations. The servicing and responsibility guides are most useful once you have a system in place and need to understand the ongoing requirements.
Need advice specific to your premises?
A fire engineer can review your current arrangements and give you a clear, honest assessment of whether you are compliant — before the enforcing authority does it for you.
Get in touch