FP_JULY.
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Fire Protection DATA
Andy Scott
C-TEC/SigNET Voice alarm systems
1 Types of systems
A voice alarm (VA) system is a means of
alerting people to an emergency in a clear
and unambiguous manner with the minimum
of delay. In 1997, the British Standards
Institution published DD 240: Fire safety
engineering in buildings. Guide to the
application of fire safety engineering
principles, which recognised the benefits of
such systems in reducing the time it takes
people to respond in an alarm situation.
Voice alarm messages were found to result
in quicker recognition times than when
sirens or bells were used, and live
announcements were found to result in
faster recognition times than recorded
announcements.
In the UK and Europe, most VA systems use
100V loudspeaker systems connected to a
central equipment rack. The rack(s) contains
the audio inputs, message storage, routing
and prioritising matrix, amplification and
signal processing and the loudspeaker circuit
outputs. Most loudspeaker monitoring
systems use some sort of end of line device,
although some return the loudspeaker circuit
to the rack.
Apart from 100V loudspeaker circuits, there
is very little cross-compatibility between
manufacturers, and so it is normal to obtain
the whole system, except perhaps the
loudspeakers, from one supplier.
Provided that the emergency functionality is
not affected, a system can be used for
everyday announcements, as well as for
background or foreground music. In fact,
dual use is often a benefit because, when
the system is used regularly, problems are
quickly noticed.
As a voice alarm has to be clear and
intelligible, normal announcements will also
be good quality, thus avoiding the poor
quality sound often experienced with
ordinary public address systems.
Loudspeaker evacuation zones
Many applications require few loudspeaker
zones for evacuation but non-emergency
paging (and music) requirements may need
many zones. For instance, a multi-purpose
building may have seven evacuation zones
but 60 paging zones. Loudspeaker zones
July 2004 FEJ & FP
must not be confused with fire detection
zones. Whereas detection zones are of
strictly limited size, evacuation zones can
be any size that suits the evacuation
strategy. The only rule is that a detection
zone cannot contain more than one
loudspeaker evacuation zone. Care must
also be taken to ensure that sound from one
evacuation zone does not affect intelligibility
in adjacent evacuation zones.
Amplifiers
EN 60849: 1998: Sound systems for
emergency purposes says that failure of a
single amplifier or loudspeaker circuit must
not result in total loss of coverage in that
zone. This means that each evacuation zone
must have at least two circuits fed from
separate amplifiers. This is fine in large
open spaces where a lot of amplification is
required, such as the ‘bowl’ of a football
stadium, but means that small rooms must
have two separately amplified and cabled
loudspeakers, which increases costs
considerably.
BS 5839: Part 8: 1998: Code of Practice for
the design, installation and servicing of
voice alarm systems takes a different
approach. Part 1 recommends that, in the
event of a short circuit, at least one alarm
sounder should continue to sound in a
supervised location and, apart from that, a
single circuit fed from a single amplifier is
acceptable. However, it acknowledges that
large public spaces should have greater
integrity and recommends that
uncompartmented public spaces of over
4,000m2, or those designed to
accommodate more than 500 members of
the public, should have at least two
loudspeaker circuits. Provided that a short
circuit does not affect the other circuit, one
amplifier may be used. But the simplest
method is usually to use a separate
amplifier for each zone.
BS 5839: Part 8 also recommends that
failure of a single amplifier must not result
in intelligibility falling below the minimum
required. This can be achieved by
paralleling amplifiers so that there is still
enough capacity should one amplifier fail.
This is not practical in systems where
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several messages are broadcast in different
areas at the same time, and so most
manufacturers use one or more ‘hot
standby’ amplifiers that switch in
automatically in the event of an amplifier
fault. There has been a lot of debate about
the need for this facility, since modern
amplifiers are reliable and the increased
complexity of the amplifier switching
system reduces reliability and adds cost. In
fact, the most likely cause of failure is
physical damage to the external wiring, or
loudspeakers where a replacement
amplifier will be of no benefit.
Inputs and outputs
Emergency inputs must have surveillance
monitoring and fault reporting and typically
consist of microphones (either zonal or all-
call) and automatic messages, which must be
solid state and altered only by an engineer.
Non-emergency inputs can be whatever the
application requires, including paging,
advertising messages, customer information
announcements or background music.
Emergency control inputs fall into two
classes: automatic for selecting and
routing emergency messages; and manual,
such as paging zone selection. Once
triggered, the messages must continue to
play until reset by a separate signal.
Typical control outputs are cut-offs to
silence local sound systems, and volume
restoration outputs to make sure that
emergency messages are heard in areas
with volume controls.
Centralised or distributed systems
Centralised rack systems are the norm in
most installations but in large systems a
distributed solution may be preferred,
particularly where space is at a premium.
Such systems may distribute the audio
signals in the analogue domain or digitally,
and must not fail to operate due to a single
fault. Distributed systems may have a
‘master’ controller or may use ‘multiple
master’ technology, with increased system
resilience. Either way, control and fault
reporting must be maintained around the
system. Distributed systems can save
money by reducing cable requirements
significantly.
Voice sounders
Voice sounders are self-contained units
similar to normal sounders that repeatedly
play one or more short messages and
tones. They cannot relay live speech and
cannot be used for non-emergency
purposes. More importantly, they are
unlikely to achieve acceptable
intelligibility in difficult acoustic spaces.
Annex E of BS 5839: Part 8 states that
they may be used where voice control of
evacuation is required but the size and
complexity of the installation does not
justify a proper voice alarm system. VA
systems that are called for in BS 5588:
1996: Fire precautions in the design,
construction and use of buildings, have a
requirement for live speech and so voice
sounders have limited utility.
Until recently, VA systems were
considerably more expensive than voice
sounders, but recent developments in low
cost, wall mounting, integrated VA
systems mean that this is no longer the
case.

Indicators
Manual controls
Processing, prioritising and signal routing
Message generation

Amplification
Message riggers and reset
+ voice alarm fault

Fire alarm control & Voice alarm control &

End of line device
indicating equipment indicating equipment

Loudspeakers

Emergency microphone
Power supply unit

Figure 1: A simple voice alarm system

Paging microphone
Operational End of line device
Voice alarm control and indicating equipment
microphones and
control Indicators End of line device
Alarm zone
Emergency microphone
Emergency Manual controls outputs
End of line device
microphones and
control Processing, prioritising and signal routing
End of line device

Fire alarm control & Fire alarm Message generation Control Voice alarm and
indicating equipment interface outputs
Amplification public address zones

1 trigger per message

Power supply unit
per zone + 1 reset

Figure 2: A typical voice alarm system with four loudspeaker zones and non-emergency announcement
capability. Live speech and recorded messages can play in different zones at the same time

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2 Design and installation 4 Relevant standards

The type of building and evacuation
strategy/cause and effects will decide the
number and location of evacuation zones. If
the system is also for non-emergency use,
the client will consider this to be the most
important aspect of the system, so ensure
their needs are fully understood.
Acoustics must be considered, in particular
ambient noise level, reverberation time and
loudspeaker to listener distance. In quiet
non-reverberant buildings with standard
height ceilings, loudspeaker design is simple
and it is easy to work out the power in each
zone and hence the amplification required.
The architect will be concerned about
aesthetics, especially of loudspeakers in
public areas. This may cause difficulties,
since (generally) a loudspeaker that cannot
be seen, cannot be clearly heard.
In complex buildings it is usually necessary to
be able to address live and recorded
messages to each evacuation zone separately
but often all that is needed is an ‘all-call’
emergency microphone that can be used by
an untrained operator, such as a firefighter.
Intelligibility
BS 5839: Part 8 says that subjective
intelligibility testing is acceptable unless the
specification says otherwise or there is a
dispute, in which case intelligibility testing
using the Speech Transmission Index (STI)
method is required. An STI of 0.5 is a
sensible minimum but may be impossible in
some acoustic spaces, such as train sheds
and swimming pools, and this should be
reflected in the contract.
When STI was invented, computing power
was poor and analysis of results could take
days and be correspondingly expensive.
However, a new version of the test, STI-PA,
has been developed and several
manufacturers plan to launch STI-PA
intelligibility meters in 2004. If these prove
to be reliable, objective testing may become
economic for most systems.
A cut-down version of STI, called Room
Acoustic Speech Transmission Index
(RASTI), was developed years ago. RASTI
testing is sometimes called for in
specifications but this is inappropriate since
RASTI is only suitable for live speech.
The particular acoustic problems
encountered in stadiums mean that
BS 7827: 1996: Code of practice for
designing, specifying, maintaining and
operating emergency sound systems at
sports venues recommends objective
testing of the intelligibility, using either the
STI or Phonetically Balanced (PB) word
score methods, not just at installation, but
also as part of system maintenance. PB
word score uses panels of trained listeners,
which means that the tests are expensive
and often impractical.
Installation issues
The majority of installation problems are
with loudspeaker circuits. Obvious issues
are careless wiring and short circuits; less
obvious are wrong loudspeaker tappings or
mis-connection and omitting capacitors on
systems with direct current loudspeaker
monitoring.
An impedance meter can be used to
measure the loading of loudspeaker circuits
and a pink noise generator, which
generates a steady hissing noise, is useful
for checking that loudspeakers are working
without causing undue annoyance.
and other documents
BS 5588: Fire precautions in the design,
construction and use of buildings,
recommends voice alarm systems in various
parts, including Part 6: Places of assembly ;
Part 7: Atria; and Part 10: Shopping
complexes; and Part 11: Shops, offices,
industrial, storage and other similar
buildings
BS 5839: Part 1: 2002: Fire detection and
fire alarm systems for buildings
BS 5839: Part 8: 1998: Code of practice for
the design, installation and servicing of
voice alarm systems
BS 7827: 1996: Code of practice for
designing, specifying, maintaining and
operating emergency sound systems at
sports venues gives recommendations for
the special requirements for sound systems
for crowd control in sports grounds.
EN 60849: 1998: Sound systems for
emergency purposes, covers all kinds of
sound systems for emergency purposes.
prEN 54: Part 16: Voice alarm control and
indicating equipment will shortly be
available for public comment. This covers all
components of a system, except the cabling
and loudspeakers.
prEN 54: Part 23: Voice alarm loudspeakers,
is due to be published in mid-2005.
The Design and Installation of Voice Alarm
Systems, by Doug Mason and Colin Todd, is
available from CMP Information, 630
Chiswick High Road, London W4 5BG.

3 Inspection and maintenance

Operators must be trained in proper use
and interpretation of the system’s
messages and indicators. A weekly test of
the fire detection and alarm system should
be conducted to verify the interface and
ensure that the evacuation messages are
being correctly played and can be clearly
heard. Playing a different ‘test’ message
directly from the VA system does not test
the fire alarm interface or the evacuation
message itself.
Every emergency microphone should be
tested weekly and, over any period of not
more than 13 weeks, all loudspeaker zones
should be checked for correct operation and
subjective intelligibility.
Other tests, such as battery maintenance,
are required as part of the fire detection
and fire alarm system maintenance by
BS 5839: Part 1: 2002: Fire detection and
fire alarm systems for buildings.

Published by Fire Prevention & Fire Engineers Journal

Bastille Court, 2 Paris Garden, London SE1 8ND

July 2004 FEJ & FP

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