BYKHY Article 84: Fire Alarm Testing and Maintenance

The Turkish Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings (BYKHY) deals with testing and maintenance of fire detection systems in a single clause, Article 84, which has two paragraphs. It gives no intervals, test methods or forms; it leaves those to "the relevant standards". What the clause really settles is who is responsible. This article explains Article 84 together with Articles 6, 67/3 and 74/3, which complete the chain of responsibility, and with the Guide's checklist for acceptance.

Article 84: two paragraphs

84/1. The emergency lighting, wayfinding and fire detection and alarm systems required by the Regulation are subject to the periodic checks, tests and maintenance set out in the relevant standards and required by the system, under the responsibility of the owner and the manager, or of a building officer to whom they have delegated that responsibility in writing.

84/2. The same applies at acceptance. In other words, before the building is occupied, the system goes through the checks and tests the same standards call for.

Three things follow. First, the duty sits with the owner and the manager; a maintenance contractor does not take it over by contract alone, and a building officer with a written delegation is needed. Second, the yardstick is "the relevant standards": since the detection system is built to TS EN 54 (74/1), intervals and methods come from that series' maintenance provisions, or from the testing and maintenance chapter of NFPA 72 for a system designed to it. Third, the scope is wider than detection: emergency lighting and wayfinding are in the same paragraph.

Who is responsible for what: Article 6

Article 84 covers operation; Article 6 covers the whole chain from design to operation. The table summarises the split of responsibility that 6/2 sets for active fire safety systems.

Article 6 also deals with design documents: fire detection and suppression designs are prepared separately from the building services drawings and are implemented once approved by the permitting authority (6/4); that authority checks whether detection designs and installations comply with the Regulation (6/5); and insurers receiving a request for fire cover must check compliance with the Regulation (6/6). On the electrical side, Article 67/3 repeats the principle: the design and installation of detection and alarm systems are subject to the permitting authority's approval, and periodic checks, tests and maintenance are arranged by the owner or manager, or by a building officer with written delegation. For the approval process see the fire design approval process article.

Protection during maintenance: 74/3 and 75/6

Maintenance and faults are the times when the system is partly or fully out of service. Article 74/3 requires that, if the system goes out of service for any reason, the unprotected areas are patrolled by additional security staff and other measures are taken until it is back in operation. This is an operating rule to write into the maintenance plan: which zone is off and for how long, who patrols where meanwhile, and who restores the system.

Article 75/6 sets the physical precondition for testing: every detector must be reachable for periodic testing and maintenance. If test access to detectors on high ceilings, between racks or behind closed ceilings is not solved at design stage, the duty in 84/1 cannot be met in operation.

A similar provision for smoke control is in 85/4: acceptance testing, periodic checks, tests and maintenance are carried out for every system, and smoke control installations are tested and maintained under the supervision of the building's fire safety officer. The cause-and-effect functions linked to the alarm system should therefore be tested together; see the Articles 78–80 interfaces article.

The Guide's notes

Throughout operation (p. 136). The Guide adds to 84/1 that all evacuation, detection and suppression systems in a building must be kept active and working for their intended purpose for as long as the building is in use. To this end the building officer has all systems checked at intervals and has the suppression systems tested. Records of these checks, maintenance and tests should be kept safely by the owner, management or person in charge so they can be produced to the competent bodies in an emergency.

At acceptance (pp. 136–137). For 84/2 the Guide lists what the authority checks at the occupancy permit stage. The items on detection and next to it:

• whether fire detection systems, and the devices, cables and other equipment used in them, comply with the legislation and are active and working;
• whether smoke control systems are installed to the legislation for all relevant spaces and work;
• whether firefighting lifts are installed and work as required in a fire;
• whether suppression systems follow the design and the legislation and work, and whether pump sets are of a compliant type and working;
• whether the fire brigade and emergency teams can safely reach the evacuation and suppression drawings and all building information in an emergency.

The Guide treats carrying out these checks and tests, and establishing that the systems work as designed, as necessary at the point the building is put into operation.

Records list for the building officer

The Regulation provides no form; the list below is derived from the duties in the clauses, and each item rests on one.

The intervals themselves (daily, monthly, annual checks and how each device is tested) are not in the Regulation; the detail is in the planning, commissioning and maintenance provisions of the TS EN 54 series and in the testing and maintenance chapter of NFPA 72. For the building's emergency teams and drills, see the fire safety management and drills article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is responsible for fire alarm maintenance under the Turkish regulation?

Under Article 84/1, the owner and the manager, or a building officer to whom they have delegated responsibility in writing. Article 67/3 repeats the principle for electrical installations. Where a failure stems from operation, the operating organisation is responsible too (6/2).

Does the Turkish regulation set test intervals for fire alarms?

No. Article 84/1 requires periodic checks, tests and maintenance "as set out in the relevant standards". Intervals and methods come from the maintenance provisions of the TS EN 54 series, or from NFPA 72 for a system designed to it.

What if the system is switched off for maintenance?

Under Article 74/3, if the system goes out of service for any reason, the unprotected areas are patrolled by additional security staff and other measures are taken until it is restored. Write this into the maintenance plan.

What is checked on a fire alarm system at acceptance?

Article 84/2 requires the periodic test provisions to be followed at acceptance. The Guide lists, at occupancy permit stage, checks that detection systems and their devices and cables comply and work, that smoke control works and that the fire brigade can reach building information (p. 136).

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