Fire Detection and Alarm Advanced Designer Course

5 days

The course material is presented over five days culminating in a multiple-choice exam. 

Delegates will be taken through the advanced techniques for detector spacing, accompanied with various exercises to practice these techniques that can be taken forward and used to achieve maximum coverage with the minimum number of devices.

Delegate will also work through advanced design techniques & exercises associated with cellular ceilings, closely spaced beams, and pitched ceilings/ roofs.

We will cover the basic requirements of BS 6266 with regards to FD&A systems within electronic equipment installations.

Further techniques will be explained and practiced with regards to achieving the required sound pressure levels within accessible spaces, along with design principles for Visual Alarm Devices. At a later stage in the course, we will also run through how to design radial circuits to take account of voltage drop and the different calculation methods available to do this.

We will work through the requirements of the BS 7273 suit of standards in relation to the operation of other fire protection measures, including part 4 for the actuation of release mechanisms for doors and part 6 with regards to interfacing with ancillary systems and equipment.

The requirements of the construction product standards, BS EN 54 will be discussed, in particular BS EN 54-13 for compatibility & connectability. BS 5266 and other standards associated with emergency lighting will also be touched on.

The recommendations and guidance of BS 9999 & BS 9991 with regards to the design & management of fire safety within buildings will explained to the level of extents deemed appropriate for the syllabus, with regards to occupancy characteristics, fire growth rates and risk profiles.

Towards the end of the course delegates will also be taken through false alarm management, fault finding and maintenance requirements.

For more information, please watch our short video of approximately 6 minutes to find out more - What's on the Advanced Design unit?

At the end of the advanced design course, you will have an understanding of:

• BS 5839-1 – FD&A System Design for non-domestic premises
• BS5839-6 – An introduction to FD&A Systems for domestic premises
• IS 3218 – FD&A Systems for buildings for the Republic of Ireland
• BS EN 54 – A series of FD&A System Product Standards
• BS 7273 – Code of Practice for the operation of fire protection measures
• BS 6266 – Fire Protection Equipment for electronic equipment installations
• BS 7671 – Requirements for electrical installations
• Emergency Lighting/Signage
• BS 9999/BS 9991 – Fire safety in the design management & use of buildings
• BS EN 12845 – A brief introduction to Fire Suppression & extinguishing
• Interpreting Customer Specifications
• Selecting system type/System design
• Communication, Liaising with third parties and Documentation
• Advanced System Design Principles
• Designing for Inspection and Test

At the end of the course, delegates will take an exam to test their knowledge. The examination is closed book and no reference material will be allowed.

For any courses held online, the exam will also be online. For details about the online exam process go to FIA online exams.

Delegates taking the course in the classroom, will be provided with a tablet to access the exam. If you are unsuccessful during the exam at the end of the course, you will be eligible for an exam resit.

A copy of the course syllabus is available by clicking on the following link, Advanced Designer Syllabus this takes you to the FIREQUAL website.

Any delegates who wish to progress onto the advanced qualifications will need to have completed and passed the foundation course in FD&A systems. Completion of any of the other advanced units before taking the design course would be beneficial to delegates.

It is highly recommended that anyone taking this course reads the Foundation Course manual (given to candidates when attending the Foundation Course), and watches the Foundation Course pre-learning videos located in the prerequisites section of the Foundation Course webpage, as revision before embarking on this course. 

It is also recommended that delegates watch the pre-learning videos across all the advanced courses as revision before embarking on this course. Links for the specific design pre-learning videos and to all our other pre-learning material are provided below.

Advanced Design Pre-Learning Part 1 - Categories

Advanced Design Pre-Learning Part 2 - BS 7974, BS 9991, BS 9999

Advanced Design Pre-Learning Part 3 - EN 54-13, BS 7273-4

Advanced Design Pre-Learning Part 4 - Audible, Visual & Tactile

All pre-learning and exam preparation material

Two practice exams are available via the survey monkey website, links to which are provided below. The short practice exam contains six questions, whilst the full practice exam contains 71 questions.

Advanced Design Short Practice Exam

Advanced Design Full Practice Exam

We recommend that delegates watch our short video with regards to exam techniques to help tackle multiple choice exam questions. This video will be especially useful for the advanced qualifications -FIA Multiple Choice Exam Techniques.

The successful completion of this course & the exam, could be your next or final step towards the overall Advanced Qualification, or alternatively this could lead to an additional advanced qualification for those that have already achieved the overall qualification.

Upon completion of the exam, delegates will get an instant result. The next step for successful delegates is very much dependant on individual circumstances with regards to your position on the qualification pathway.

Overall completion of the Advanced qualification also requires completion of two mandatory units covering Environmental Concerns for Field Service Technicians and Health and Safety for Field Service Technicians.

Delegates with pre-existing qualifications relating to the environment and/or health and safety may not need to sit all the mandatory units. Please refer to the links provided above for more information.

A level 3 certificate will be issued when the qualification is complete. In the interim period, emails will be sent out confirming your result that can be used as evidence.

Learners successfully completing this unit should feel confident to carry out design work relating to both new systems and alterations that maybe required to existing Fire Detection and Alarm Systems to the requirements of BS 5839.

Even after completion of the advanced designer course, delegates still have the option to undertake any of the other Advanced Qualifications for Installation, Maintenance and Commissioning.

Delegates will receive a course book at the start of the course. The course book contains a copy of the slides used during the course, along with an explanation to accompany each slide and space to make their own learner notes. These books can be kept by the delegates and are a useful reference tool for the workplace.

For face-to-face courses, a hard copy of the course notes is provided at the start of the course. For online courses, delegates will have digital access to the course notes. Upon completion, delegates will be given the option to receive a hard copy of the course book in the post.

This course has 32.5 CPD hours

• Members - £750+VAT
• Non-members - £1,375+VAT

Payable by debit/credit card. Members can also pay by invoice.