Liverpool Retail Fire Alarm Installation
New addressable fire alarm system designed and installed at a commercial retail premises in Liverpool during a refurbishment project. Advanced MX4 Pro panel, Apollo devices, installed to L3 standard.
Project Summary
This project involved the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of a new addressable fire alarm system at a commercial retail premises in Liverpool. The installation was carried out during a wider refurbishment of the building, which required careful coordination with other contractors working on site.
The system was specified and installed to L3 standard under BS 5839-1, providing life protection coverage throughout the customer-facing and staff areas of the building. L3 systems are designed to give early warning to allow safe evacuation of the parts of the building where people are present — appropriate for retail premises where public and staff access requirements need to be met.
Project Specification
Site Background and Requirement
The premises was undergoing a full commercial refurbishment. As part of this process, the building needed a new fire alarm system installed from scratch — the original installation was not being retained. The client required a compliant, addressable system that would meet the standard expected for a commercial retail building receiving members of the public.
The building included customer-facing retail areas, staff areas, a stockroom, and a staff welfare and office area. The L3 coverage standard was appropriate for this use — providing detection in all escape routes and areas in use by people, ensuring early warning and safe evacuation time.
Working during a live refurbishment meant sequencing our installation around other trades and ensuring that protection was in place progressively as each area of the building was brought back into use. This required clear communication with the main contractor and careful planning of the installation programme.
What Fire & Audio Solutions Delivered
We designed the system layout in advance of works commencing, confirming device positions, cable routes, and the panel location with the client and main contractor before starting on site. This reduced the risk of conflicts with other trades during the installation phase.
The Advanced MX4 Pro was selected as the control panel. It's a well-regarded commercial addressable panel — reliable, straightforward to programme, and well-supported long-term. Apollo addressable detectors and devices were installed throughout, providing individual device identification at the panel for every detector, call point, and sounder base on the system.
All cables were installed neatly and in line with the building's refurbishment standards. On completion, the system was fully commissioned, tested, and handed over with complete documentation.
Equipment Used
- Advanced MX4 Pro addressable control panel
- Apollo addressable optical smoke detectors
- Apollo addressable heat detectors
- Apollo addressable manual call points
- Addressable sounders and visual alarm devices
The Advanced MX4 Pro is a proven commercial panel widely used across retail, office, and managed building environments. Apollo detectors are a consistent choice for addressable installations across commercial sectors.
L3 System Standard — What It Means
Under BS 5839-1, fire alarm systems for commercial buildings are classified into L (life protection) and P (property protection) categories, with further subdivisions based on coverage extent.
An L3 system provides automatic fire detection in all escape routes. This is the appropriate standard for many retail and commercial premises — it ensures that any fire developing in or near an escape route is detected quickly, giving occupants adequate warning time to evacuate safely.
The choice of L3 for this project was appropriate given the building type and use. The system provides detection across all areas used by staff and customers, as well as all escape routes, meeting the requirements of the fire risk assessment for the premises.
Result and Benefits
- New addressable fire alarm system installed to L3 standard
- Individual device identification via Advanced MX4 Pro panel
- Installation coordinated and completed within the refurbishment programme
- Full commissioning documentation provided on handover
- System ready for ongoing maintenance and servicing
Planning a Commercial Fire Alarm Installation?
Whether you need a new system for a refurbished building, a replacement installation, or commissioning support — get in touch to discuss your project requirements.