30 April 2025 – Revised guidance providing critical information around fire protection in and around non-domestic premises is being published by BSI in its capacity as the UK national standards body, following extensive consultation.
The revised standard, which aims to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems, provides recommendations and guidance on planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance.
Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings – Part 1: Design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of systems in non-domestic premises – Code of practice (BS 5839-1 is designed to enhance fire protection, reduce risk, and support safety for building occupants in the event of a fire. The updated guidance has been published today.
BS 5839-1 covers systems that include manual call points, sounders, automatic fire detectors, and interlinked control and indicating panels. It also addresses systems that are capable of providing signals to initiate the operation of other fire protection systems or safety measures — such as smoke control systems, automatic door release mechanisms, gas or oil shut-off valves, and lift grounding.
The latest edition, a revision of the previous guidance published in 2017, updates the recommendations—including design, installation, commissioning, and certification—so that new work, including those aspects of extensions and alterations that involve new work, can be carried out consistently. BS 5839-1 is also intended to play a vital role in supporting compliance with UK building regulations and fire safety legislation. It is referenced in both volumes of Approved Document B (Fire safety), forming the basis of key fire safety recommendations aimed at safeguarding lives. Approved Document B provides guidance on how to meet the fire safety requirements of the building regulations for common building situations. Part B contains guidance on fire safety, including means of escape, fire spread, structural fire protection and fire service access.
Revised standards generally include changes made due to new evidence or information relating to a topic. In this case, the guidance on modifications and extensions has been expanded further, and introduces a shift in approach for rooms used for sleeping and covers buildings mainly used for commercial, public, or industrial purposes such as hotels, shops and restaurants. Specifically, it recommends prioritizing forms of automatic fire detection other than heat detectors (or sprinklers functioning as heat detectors), to improve early detection and occupant safety. The new guidance also explicitly sets out those variations that are now considered, in the light of a number of fatal fires, to be unacceptable.
Ant Burd, Director of Built Environment at BSI said: "Detection and alarm systems are of critical importance to people’s safety in the event of a fire breaking out. This latest revision of BS 5839-1 reflects BSI’s continued commitment to ensuring that fire detection and alarm systems meet the evolving needs of modern buildings and their occupants.
“By incorporating lessons learned from recent research, industry feedback, and real-world incidents, the updated standard is designed to offer clear, comprehensive guidance. Ultimately, this is about saving lives, supporting compliance, and strengthening fire safety across the built environment."
