Overview

This European Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 72 "Fire detection and fire alarm systems" (secretariat: BSI, Great Britain); on the national level the responsible Working Committee is NA 031-02-01 AA "Brandmelde- und Feueralarmanlagen" ("Fire detection and fire alarm systems") of FNFW. The purpose of a visual fire alarm system device (VAD) is to warn (a) person(s) within, or in the vicinity of, a building of the occurrence of a fire emergency in order to enable such person(s) to take appropriate measures. This European Standard allows manufacturers to specify VADs in terms of the range at which the required illumination is met. Three categories of these VADs are defined, one for ceiling mounted devices, one for wall mounted devices, and an open category. The maximum range of the VAD is tested by measuring the light output in a hemisphere surrounding it to determine its light distribution. As the light output of some VADs can change over time due, for example, to the effect of self-heating, a method has been developed to check that the variation of light output over time is within an acceptable limit. This European Standard specifies common requirements for the construction and robustness of VADs as well as for their performance under climatic, mechanical and electrical interference conditions which are likely to occur in the service environment. VADs are classified in one of two application environment types, that is Type A and Type B. More severe climatic conditions are applied to devices that are primarily intended for outdoor applications (Type B) than those primarily intended for indoor applications (Type A). This European Standard specifies the requirements, test methods and performance criteria for VADs in a fixed installation intended to signal a visual warning between the fire alarm system and the occupants of a building (see item C of Figure 1 of EN 54-1:1996). It is intended to cover only those devices which derive their operating power by means of a physical electrical connection to an external source such as a fire alarm system. This European Standard specifies the requirements for the evaluation of conformity and the marking of VADs. This European Standard applies to VADs that rely on software for their operation and to those that do not. This European Standard applies only to pulsing or flashing VADs, for example xenon beacons or rotating beacons. It does not apply to devices giving continuous light output. This European Standard does not apply to visual indicators, for example those on detectors or on the control and indicating equipment.

Document: references other documents

Document: referenced in other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 031-02-14 AA - Alarm devices - mirror committee of CEN/TC 72/WG 3  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 72/WG 3 - Fire alarm devices