Voice evacuation systems
Voice evacuation systems fall within the scope of the Construction Products Regulation, and their conformity with requirements shall be shown with a harmonised product standard SFS-EN 54-16 Fire detection and fire alarm systems. Voice alarm control and indicating equipment and SFS-EN 54-24 Fire detection and fire alarm systems. Components of voice alarm systems. Loud speakers. The manufacturer or the party placing the product on the market must mark the system pursuant to the above standards with a CE mark.
Standard SFS-EN 60849 Sound systems for emergency purposes is another standard that covers voice evacuation systems The basic idea in the EN 54 series of standards is that voice evacuation is regarded as part of a fire alarm system. EN 60849 does not include this requirement, but allows voice evacuation to be connected to other systems.
Supervision by Tukes only covers voice evacuation systems installed in response to Authority demands or requirements in legislation.
What is a voice evacuation or voice alarm system?
Examples of voice evacuation or voice alarm systems include evacuation alert and safety announcement systems. Law defines them as equipment for the detection of other risk of accident as well as alarm and warning equipment.
The following are not considered by law to be voice alarm systems:
public address systems used in schools
TV sets used in emergencies to transmit messages.
Sähkötieto ry published instructions related to voice evacuation systems in Finnish in 2015 (ST-ohjeisto ”Poistumishälytys- ja turvakuulutusjärjestelmät” ). Tukes participated in the working group that carried out preparatory work for the instructions.
