A need to know basis? Scheduled PPM for your fire safety equipment and systems

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When did you last have your fire alarm, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers checked? If recently, do you know when the next check is due? 

Which leads to another question: do you actually need to know?

As a business owner or manager, you definitely need to know that all your fire safety measures are regularly checked, maintained and therefore protecting your workforce and your premises 24/7/365. Regular maintenance and testing of fire alarm systems to ensure they are fully operational and compliant is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

You also need to know the people who provide your Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) are reliable, qualified, thorough, and ensure every item of fire safety equipment is checked every 12 months. They should also conduct all their PPM in compliance with British Standard 5839-1 (BS 5839-1).

What you don’t need to know (or at least remember) are the dates. Life’s too short for checking calendars or holding fire safety dates in your head! 

At Spire, we create a PPM schedule that meets all your requirements with minimum input from you. Our engineers will visit every six or three months, depending on the scale of your fire safety installation. We always contact you in advance to say the PPM is due, and check if the date we plan to come is OK for you. 

This is important as we aim to minimise disruption and inconvenience to your business. We therefore schedule maintenance at convenient times to suit your business operations. Our engineers also work closely with your operations team to ensure your business continues to operate while the PPM takes place.

So all you need to do is confirm with us that the date is convenient, or reschedule on a better date for you, and relax. Your PPM plan is paid either a year in advance or on a monthly subscription by direct debit, so you can rest assured that we will call to arrange the visit, and come when we say we will!

Commercial Fire Safety Equipment Maintenance 

Our PPM for commercial fire alarm systems covers 5 key areas:

1. Inspection

Our experienced, qualified team conduct visual checks of all components including: 

  • Control panels
  • Detectors
  • Monitoring (where applicable)
  • Sounders (with minimal impact on your operation) 
  • Manual call points 

We ensure that all parts are in good condition and free from damage or obstruction.

2. Testing

We conduct functional tests to ensure all alarms sound correctly, detectors respond to smoke or heat, and control panels operate properly. We also test manual call points to confirm they trigger the alarm. (All your staff will therefore need to know that we are conducting tests and take extra care whilst others may be temporarily offline, which is why we contact you in advance.)

3. Servicing

In our experience, some fire safety companies don’t actually clean and service all components. We always do, as it is crucial to preventing dust and debris from affecting the performance of your detectors and alarms. We also replace batteries and other consumables to ensure your system remains operational at no additional cost to your annual contract. 

4. Repairs and Upgrades

We identify and repair any faults or issues found during inspections and tests, or replace faulty units with new. If the opportunity presents itself, we can upgrade components in your system to comply with the latest standards and improve system reliability.

5. Documentation

Part of the legislation on fire safety systems maintenance includes keeping detailed records of all maintenance activities, tests, and repairs. You will need to have these records available for inspection by fire safety authorities and insurance companies at any time.

Fire Safety Equipment PPM FAQs

Do I need 50% or 25% fire alarm testing?

All your detection and fire safety equipment needs checking over the course of a 12 month period. How you divide that up, whether 25% of equipment is covered every 3 months, or 50% every six months, usually depends on the size and complexity of your detection devices system. 
 
As a rule of thumb, if you have over 70 devices at your premises, we come every three months. For less than • 70 devices, we come every six months. What’s most important is that: 
• 100% of the fire alarm system is tested over a 12-month period
and
• The panel and batteries are tested as a minimum of twice a year
This way, we do not need to test every aspect of the fire alarm each time we visit, and we keep disruption to a minimum for your staff and your business. 

My fire safety equipment wasn’t installed by Spire. Can you still offer PPM for it?

We can offer PPM for almost all modern fire safety equipment installations that are compliant under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Our team of experts can assess your property and create an effective maintenance plan, to provide the levels of safety and security required, whether you have an office, warehouse, or retail unit. 
 
We conduct a free, no-obligation site inspection and consultation, and advise on any aspects of your system that might need updating or replacing at that point. We will then send you a customised PPM quote based on your system, so you know exactly what is required, when, and how much it will cost. You can choose to pay annually or monthly. Then, we perform a ‘takeover service’ to check all aspects of your fire alarm are functioning correctly.

What is British Standard 5839-1 (BS 5839-1:2025)?

Recently updated in April 2025, BS 5839-1:2025 is, according to the BSI website:

“A fire safety standard that provides recommendations for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises. It serves as a code of practice rather than a requirement to install fire detection systems in any specific building (and)… helps professionals design and install systems that effectively protect life and property.”

Compliance with BS 5839-1:2025 ensures your fire alarm system is reliable and effective, reducing risks and enhancing safety for occupants.

Solve your fire safety issues with Spire

Contact us for all your fire and security needs across the Midlands, London and the Home Counties.

Call us on 0800 112 3551, email us, or fill in our form.

About the author

David Whiteside is both Founder and Managing Director of Spire. David has been involved in the Fire & Security industry for over 15 years, experiencing the services at all technical and project levels. With a keen eye for detail, a passion for quality of work and unparalleled customer service, David ensures Spire F&D delivers a service that meets and exceeds to the demands of any industry and sector.

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