HOW REVISIONS TO BS 5839 PART 6 MAY AFFECT YOU

摘要

When BS 5839 Part 6 was first introduced in 1995, it changed everything. Whether you were a landlord, a specifier or an installer, here at last was a clear and detailed set of rules to be observed. The content of BS 5839 Part 6 was quickly taken up and digested, and became simply the way the industry did things. To deviate was to invite real legal problems in the event of a fire and adequate 'Duty of Care' meant strict observance. We've lived by those rules for ten years now, and they've served us well. No doubt they've saved lives. By their thoroughness, they've also helped cut costs incurred by any confusion and they've also set a simple best practice that anyone can follow. In September 2004, BS 5839 Part 6 received its first revision. At first glance, those revisions seem quite minor. This is deceptive and there is the danger that we will carry on essentially observing the pre-revision rules without fully understanding the requirements of the newly issued update. The publication of BS 5839-6: 2004 immediately superseded BS 5839 Part 6: 1995. The former publication is now withdrawn. The purpose of this article, I need hardly state, is not to act as a substitute for reading the revised code in depth. However, it is intended to help highlight the major changes and their implications.