Ramtech Electronics’ WES+ wireless fire alarm system has been specified by BG BAU Praxiszentrum as an example of best practice in construction site alarming and evacuating systems.
BG Bau, Germany’s statutory accident insurer for the construction industry, has installed WES+ in its Nuremberg training centre principally because it is the only wireless fire alarm system in Europe to fully comply with EN 54.
EN 54 fire detection and fire alarm systems sets the standard for design, operation, production, testing and manufacture in Europe. EN 54 is the standard against which fire alarm systems should be measured and to comply, the complete unit – and every unit in the system including the base station, fire call point or smoke and heat detection unit – should have been tested in accordance with the relevant section(s) of EN 54.
WES+ features innovative, latest-generation wireless technology that offers construction sites across UK and Europe many unique features. These include a 3+ year battery life, cost-effective (no wiring, so no need for specialist installation and can be re-used on future projects), an unlimited number of units on one site and ability to quickly add and remove units as the build/demolition progresses.
The WES+ system has already generated a huge amount of interest at the training centre in Nuremberg, which is visited by 4-5000 inspectors, clients, construction companies and health and safety bodies each year.
BG Bau installed WES+ on a 4 storey mock construction site within the training facility to give visitors a practical, hands-on insight into how the system works. It is fully operational and that means visitors can experience the benefits of having a wireless fire alarm and evacuating system on site for themselves.
WES+ comprises manual fire alarm call points that are installed so that the system is interlinked, which means that if a visitor activates just one of the call points, all four storeys at the training centre’s construction site receives the same audible and visual alert signal, even if the ‘fire’ is contained to just one of them and a single call point is activated.
This completely secure mesh network means that personnel can evacuate immediately. Where heat or smoke detectors are incorporated into the system, it provides automatic cover 24/7, ensuring that the site is protected even when personnel are not present.
Being a wireless system makes WES+ easy to install, avoiding the need for specialist trades. It also allows the units to be easily repositioned as the construction schedule progresses – visitors to the Nuremberg training centre can try adding or removing units and then easily configuring them with the base station in seconds.
The Base Station itself delivers extensive system reporting and configuration functionality for the fire alarm system across the site. Once an alarm is activated, the base station allows personnel to identify quickly which unit has been triggered.
Dieter Terner, spokesperson for BG Bau Praxiszentrum said: “We installed WES+ in our Nuremberg training centre because we were impressed with its technical capabilities and regulatory credentials. The fact that it is very easy to use and re-use means that there really is no reason why a construction site shouldn’t be using an EN54 compliant wireless fire alarm system.”
Adam Kovics, Export Sales Manager at Ramtech Electronics, said: “BG Bau leads the market in setting the benchmark for work practices and safety in Germany. WES+ remains the only wireless fire alarm that is fully compliant with EN 54 and our uncompromising approach to quality and regulatory compliance means that it can be used on any construction sites across UK or Europe.”
