PHPD discovers how WES+ has helped to keep Morris Property ahead of the curve when it comes to fire protection on its construction sites.
Commercial property developers are placing a greater weight on client and insurance concerns when specifying the type and functionality of fire alarm system used on construction sites. Morris Property’s health and safety team decided to specify WES+, a wireless fire alarm system that is both EN 54 compliant and has the option of incorporating automatic heat/smoke detectors. Specifying WES+ on its latest development meant that the construction site was aligned with the goals of its client and insurers.
Site safety
The WES+ fire alarm system was specified on its social and affordable housing development in Shrewsbury, comprising two blocks of 27 and 25 units.
Morris Property’s Steve Bowen said: “Safety on site is the number one priority for us and so when it came to choosing a fire alarm system we actively sought input from a number of sources. We were encouraged to discover that our insurers were perfectly aligned with our decision to incorporate automatic heat/smoke detectors into the WES+ system.
“WES+ immediately stood out to us because it is compliant with all the relevant sections of EN 54 and we could see that it could provide the same functionality as a hard-wired system in a completed building. For us that meant providing automatic 24/7 cover, even when our personnel were not present on site.”
Site-wide alarm
Automatic heat/smoke detectors in the WES+ system offer full coverage. If just one of the units is activated, it triggers a site-wide alarm as well as sending a SMS alert to nominated personnel, allowing them to contact fire and rescue services.
“WES+ immediately stood out to us because it is compliant with all the relevant sections of EN 54 and we could see that it could provide the same functionality as a hard-wired system in a completed building.”
WES+ includes fire alarm call points that are installed in accordance with the project’s Fire Plan. These call points are designed so that the system is interlinked, meaning all areas of the Morris Property site receive the same audible and visual alert signal even if the fire is contained to just one of them.
“We were looking to improve our preparedness for a fire onsite and we could see that the WES+ system gave us that ability,” added Steve. “Air horns served a purpose in their day. However, as a forward-thinking company and as sites become more complex, we felt that we needed a technological solution, and WES+ proved to be perfectly aligned with the expectations of our insurers and client.”
The WES+ system creates a secure radio mesh network, and alarms can be manually triggered by any personnel on site from any call point. Where WES+ heat and smoke detectors are specified, it provides automatic cover 24/7.
