It cannot be underestimated how crucial simple devices like fire alarms are.

Fires in communal buildings, such as workplaces, schools, universities and hospitals, are potentially devastating if those inside are not alerted to the dangers in time.

Do you know what a continuous fire alarm means?

We all know that fire alarms are designed to detect smoke, fire and heat inside buildings, and sound loudly if these hazards are present.

But do you know that fire alarms can make different sounds according to the situation? And do you know when, or whether, you should be taking the alarm seriously, whether it’s a drill or how you should respond?

These are key areas of fire safety training for workforce staff, and while it may seem obvious, these warning systems are vital to keeping staff and businesses safe from fire, especially as the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health estimates there are about 22,000 fires in workplaces every year in the UK alone.

What should you do if a continuous fire alarm is sounded?

The simple answer is that you should ALWAYS respond to a fire alarm, whether it’s continuous or intermittent. Unless you have been made aware of a fire alarm test taking place at a particular time, you should take the warning seriously.

As soon as the continuous fire alarm sounds, you should:

Stop what you are doing and evacuate to the closest safe exit, or according to the instructions of the fire warden or emergency responders.
Assist anyone who needs help if it is safe to do so.
Walk to the designated assembly point, as directed in your fire safety training or by a fire warden. Make sure you’re at a safe distance from the fire.
Ensure everyone is accounted for and report anyone missing or any information about the incident to officials.
Wait for further instructions from investigating personnel.

What NOT to do when a fire alarm goes off

Don’t spend time collecting belongings, especially if they aren’t near you – leave everything behind.
Try not to panic or run – rushing can lead to accidents or congestion.
Do not use lifts to evacuate – use stairwells or emergency staircases instead.
Don’t leave fire doors open behind you – making sure they are closed can stop a fire from spreading, giving people valuable time to escape.
Don’t block any fire escapes as you are leaving.
Do not attempt to investigate or tackle the fire yourself – only use a fire extinguisher if you are fully trained to use one
Do not return to the building unless you have been authorised to do so.

What does an intermittent fire alarm mean?

There could be several reasons for a fire alarm to be making an intermittent tone, rather than continuous.

Sometimes it can be a fault or a warning that the batteries need changing. Or it could be signalling that fire may have been detected but you should stay where you are for the time being.

Unless you have been instructed of exactly to do when you hear an intermittent fire alarm, or have had confirmation that you should remain inside, always err on the side of caution and evacuate.

Types of workplace fire alarms

There are different kinds of fire alarms, and it is the responsibility of employers, or a designated fire warden, to ensure the correct ones are installed in a building.

For example, some are hardwired and some are connected wirelessly. Some can be part of a wider fire safety systems, with links to sprinklers and automatic door releases. Steam or dust can trigger some alarms, and some detect carbon monoxide as well as heat and smoke.

What does the law say?

The law is clear of the legal requirements around fire alarms in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

It states that all non-domestic premises must have an appropriate system to detect fires and alert the designated ‘responsible person’, so they can oversee the safest response of the workforce in the event of a fire.

Why is proper training needed?

There are several responsibilities of the fire warden when it comes to installing and understanding fire alarms.

As well as knowing how to respond in an emergency, they must also carry out regular testing of devices. A big part of this role is communications with staff, too.

Gary Ellis, CE Safety’s training specialist, said: “To keep people safe, they must be informed. Fire wardens should be highly proficient, not just in the fire alarms themselves, but in passing knowledge this on to the entire workforce.

“Fire wardens must be skilled enough to draw up tailored procedures suited to their specific premises, as well as ensure all staff are up to date with them via fire drills, so they know exactly what to do when a continuous fire alarm sounds.

“Fire alarms are the starting point to these safety measures being put in place, and fire wardens must see any incident through from training to implementation.”

Read more about our Fire Warden Training Course here.