Fire alarms in Tyne and Wear

Fire alarm testing in Gateshead

We provide fire alarm testing throughout Gateshead and the surrounding area, from single properties to large portfolios, with reports that stand up to scrutiny in England.

Service
Fire alarm testing
Location
Gateshead
County
Tyne and Wear
Region
North East England
Fire and rescue
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
Law
England
Sheet
AWF-GAT-431-FAT

Fire alarm testing for Gateshead buildings

Gateshead mixes riverside apartments with established industrial estates and trade parks, where multi-occupancy units often share a single fire alarm system that needs clear cause and effect between tenants.

A fire alarm that has not been tested is an assumption, not a safety system. Detectors drift, batteries age, sounders get painted over and rooms get partitioned without anyone thinking about the detection. Testing is how you find out before a fire does.

There are three layers of testing. The user carries out a weekly test from a different manual call point each week. A competent engineer inspects and services the system at intervals of no more than six months. Every detector, call point and sounder should be functionally tested over the course of each year. We handle the engineer visits and set you up to run the weekly test properly.

The rules that apply in Gateshead

Rented homes in England must have a smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. HMO licence conditions set by the local council often go further and call for a mains-wired, interlinked system to BS 5839-6.

What is included

  • One-off full system test and condition survey
  • Functional testing of detectors with test gas, heat and smoke
  • Manual call point and sounder or beacon tests
  • Sound level checks in bedrooms and occupied areas
  • Battery capacity and charger tests
  • Cause and effect verification (door holders, AOVs, lifts, plant)
  • Weekly test training and test rota for your staff
  • Written test report with pass, fault and variation notes

Buildings we work on in Gateshead

  • New building owners
  • Managing agents taking on a block
  • Landlords
  • Schools
  • Offices
  • Warehouses

Areas we cover from Gateshead

From Gateshead we also cover Newcastle upon Tyne (2 miles), Washington (5 miles), North Shields (7 miles), South Shields (7 miles) and Sunderland (9 miles). Elsewhere in Tyne and Wear we work in Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, South Shields, North Shields and Washington. If your building is not in a listed town, we still cover it: every enquiry for fire alarm testing in North East England is handled the same way.

How a job runs

  1. Tell us about the building

    Use the form or send us your fire risk assessment action plan. A few details on height, use and current systems are enough to start.

  2. Survey or desktop review

    Where we need to see the building, we visit. For some jobs, such as EWS1 scoping, we start with the documents you already hold.

  3. Fixed quote

    You get a written, fixed price with a clear scope. Nothing chargeable happens without your approval.

  4. Work and certification

    Our engineers carry out the work and leave the right certificates, photographs and logbook entries.

  5. Records and reminders

    Reports are filed by building and we remind you before the next test, inspection or review is due.

Fire alarm testing in Gateshead: questions

Do you provide fire alarm testing in Gateshead?

Yes. We carry out fire alarm testing in Gateshead and across Tyne and Wear, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Washington, North Shields, South Shields. Use the form to tell us about the building and we will reply within one working day.

Which fire and rescue service covers Gateshead?

Gateshead is covered by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, which enforces fire safety law for non-domestic premises and the common parts of residential buildings in the area.

How often should a fire alarm be tested?

The user should test the system weekly from a different call point each time. A competent person should inspect and service it at intervals of no more than six months, so that every device is tested over the year.

How long does a fire alarm test take?

A weekly user test takes a few minutes. A six-monthly service on a small system takes a couple of hours. Large addressable systems in multi-storey buildings may take one or more full days, split across visits.

Will the alarm sound during testing?

Sounders are tested for short bursts, and we agree timings with you in advance so occupants are warned. Detector testing can usually be done with the sounders silenced.

Other services in Gateshead

Request a quote in Gateshead

Tell us about the building and what you need. We reply within one working day with next steps or a fixed quote.

  • Fixed prices, agreed before any work starts
  • Written reports and certificates for every visit
  • Coverage across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland