Everyone has experienced this: hearing the alarm go off and remaining silent until someone physically tells us to leave the building. According to statistics, voice instructions elicit a 75% greater response rate from individuals than traditional bell sounder systems. A voice and public address alarm system installation lowers the possibility of a delayed emergency response. Undoubtedly, the capacity to configure systems in zones is crucial in intricate applications like office buildings, since it guarantees emergency services complete control over building evacuation.
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And what makes this significant? Large multi-company, multi-story buildings are becoming more common in city centers, which presents a difficulty for emergency services in terms of mass evacuations. By being able to provide far more useful guidance, they can prevent a mass panic evacuation in which everyone flees in one piece, hence offering a safer and lower-risk evacuation method. When a bell sounds, people often head for the closest exit, but in the event of a fire, they may be increasing their risk by going in that direction. In contrast, a voice alarm can guide evacuees to a safe location or away from the danger.
London has a long history of towering structures; towers and cathedrals dating back to the 11th century were constructed with a maximum height of 27 meters. However, it wasn’t until the lifting of building limits imposed by the London Building Act of 1894 in the 1960s that this type of development really took off. From this point on, we witnessed the construction of several towering structures, including well-known landmarks that rose to 177 meters. However, even these pale in comparison to more contemporary constructions that reach 300 meters or more and have somewhere between 50 and 90 stories.
The conundrum then becomes how to securely evacuate or, if necessary, relocate inhabitants to a safer region. The people in charge of the situation must be able to oversee many zones and issue directives that go beyond just telling people to evacuate the building. Imagine the mayhem that would result from attempting to evacuate and disperse that many people without a clear action plan, with lifts out of commission.
Managing a public facility has taught me that it’s not always simple to communicate an emergency to others. “It doesn’t apply to me” is a common response, and when handling an event, you frequently run across people—mostly strangers—trying to come back and retrieve personal things. Installing a system that allows for the provision of effective and clear instructions is the appropriate choice if you need to maintain control over the situation while you wait for emergency services and offer clear reporting.
Since the 1960s, the majority of residential high-rise buildings have been urged to follow a “stay put” policy in the case of an emergency or fire. This makes it feasible for firefighters to get out of the building as quickly as possible by evacuating the floors that are most in danger first.
In essence, therefore, what is a voice alarm? In the case of an emergency or fire, a public address system connected to a fire alarm is activated. It is intended to assist with the safest possible evacuation of a building by using pre-recorded messages or live announcements.
The British Standard BS5839-8 governs voice alarms, and it is recommended that best practices be followed in the areas of design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance. All newly installed equipment has to be independently certified as EN-54. Voice alarms for power supply equipment, control and signaling devices, and speakers are required by law.
Voice alarm systems fall into five categories, and each system should be created to fit the needs of the end user within these categories:
V1: Completely automated departure
Version 2: Live emergency message capability
Support for live, zonal emergency messages (V3)
V4: Controls by hand
V5: Systems designed specifically.
As producers of voice and public address alarm systems, we want our installers to know that a life safety system is exactly that—a life safety system—and that no design should endanger human life.
Our technical staff is available to provide advice on the best alternatives for each project and is a specialist in PA/VA. We can provide a complete system design from a single manufacturer, including the site survey, quote, commissioning, and handover.
Larger buildings, higher employee turnout, and a rise in hybrid work arrangements all contribute to the complexity of staff attendance tracking daily. However, a public address/voice alarm system can offer additional flexibility, enhance the safety of evacuation plans, and give emergency services vital information to guarantee people’s safe passage.