Renaker Build, a Manchester based construction company, has recently switched hardwired fire alarm systems for wireless, and they wouldn’t go back.
Renaker’s goal is that when its staff go home each day they do so without any accidents or ill effects from their work. As part of this guiding principal, fire safety is a key focus on all its developments, including the 28 storey Water Street project in Manchester.
Water Street comprises a 28 storey building and three further interconnected blocks. The site has quickly progressed into one of the largest construction projects in Manchester, which meant that the fire alarm system had to be scalable.
The WES+ wireless fire alarm system they are using has been designed to offer simplified on-site setup and allows activation, addition or cloning of up to several thousand units with just a few button presses as the build progresses.
Water Street (right)
Until relatively recently Renaker had used a wired fire alarm system on site but had become increasingly concerned with its cumbersome nature. Adam Priest, Quantity Surveyor at Renaker Build Limited, explained; “We have used wired systems until relatively recently although we didn’t find them practical. Trailing leads were an ongoing concern because they caused trip hazards and other safety issues around site.
Another significant factor was that wire fire alarm systems prevented us closing up elements of the build. For instance, we would hardwire each section of a development for the fire alarm system and then when it was ready to be boarded out and plastered we would have to dismantle it, carry out the work, and then reinstall the wires. Even explaining how the wired system works makes it sound cumbersome, but when you factor in that specialist electrical trades are needed to do this, you can see why it was causing us real issues.”
After consider all these factors the site decision team at Renaker specified a WES+ wireless fire alarm system for Water Street. Adam said: “We’ve used both wired and wireless fire alarms and there’s no comparison – wireless wins hands down, every time.”
To emphasise this point Adam pointed out that the WES+ wireless frequency passes through all solid materials found on site, which means that secondary phases such as boarding out and plastering can be carried out without having to reposition wires. “If we do need to move one of the WES+ units it only takes seconds.”
Other factors considered by Renaker when specifying WES+ was the fact that the system is fully compliant with EN54 and the Construction Products Regulation, which is confirmed by the CE marking and four digit test centre number on each and every unit in the system.
The three year battery life keeps replacement costs and waste to a minimum, and the WES+ system can simply be transferred to the next Renaker project when the development is complete. Being installable to BS5839-1 means that the company can also use it in its temporary accommodation units on site.
Visit: www.wesfire.co.uk
