PA and Voice Alarm System Installations
Public address, paging and voice alarm systems for public buildings, schools, churches and commercial sites
We design, install and commission PA and voice alarm systems across London, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the wider South East.
Projects range from straightforward paging and announcement systems through to larger zoned voice alarm installations linked to the building’s fire alarm.
We work directly with clients as well as architects, consultants, main contractors and fire engineers on new installations, refurbishments and extensions to existing systems. Where speech intelligibility forms part of the specification, we measure it during commissioning and include the results within the handover information.
Much of this work comes through main contractors, consultants and fire engineers who already know us.
PA and voice alarm systems across London and the South East
A public address system and a voice alarm system may use similar equipment, but they do different jobs.
A PA system is generally used for announcements, paging and background audio. A voice alarm system forms part of the building’s fire safety arrangements and provides spoken evacuation or alert messages.
Some buildings need both. In these cases, the system can be designed so everyday announcements use the same loudspeakers while the voice alarm takes priority if the fire system is activated.
We install these systems in public buildings, schools and education, churches and heritage buildings and other commercial sites. They can also form part of a wider AV installation.
Designed around the fire strategy
The requirement normally comes from the fire strategy or fire risk assessment for the building.
There is not a blanket rule saying every particular type of building must have a voice alarm system.
In England and Wales, article 13 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires suitable fire detection and warning arrangements to be provided for the premises.
What is suitable depends on factors such as the size and use of the building and the number of people present.
Approved Document B also refers to voice alarms where occupants may not respond quickly to a conventional warning, where people are unfamiliar with the fire warning arrangements or where phased evacuation is used.
Larger and more complicated buildings are therefore more likely to need spoken instructions rather than relying on sounders alone.
Sports grounds can have separate requirements through their safety certification.
OBAV does not carry out fire risk assessments or write fire strategies. Our role is to design, install and commission the system required by the strategy and work with the fire engineer or consultant where one is involved.
Making announcements clear
A PA or voice alarm system needs to be understandable, not simply loud.
Large halls, glazed spaces, high ceilings and hard finishes can all make spoken announcements harder to understand. Increasing the volume does not necessarily solve that.
We consider loudspeaker positions, coverage, room acoustics and system processing during the design.
Where speech intelligibility is part of the project requirements, we can measure performance using STI or STIPA during commissioning, with readings taken at appropriate positions around the areas the system is intended to cover.
If the room itself is preventing good speech intelligibility, acoustic treatment may also need to be considered.
Zoning and evacuation messages
Larger buildings are often divided into separate audio and evacuation zones.
This allows normal announcements to be sent to particular parts of the building and allows the voice alarm to operate according to the evacuation strategy.
For example, one area may need an evacuation message while another receives an alert or standby message.
The zoning, message sequence and response to the fire alarm need to be agreed before the system is programmed. We also consider how live microphones, pre-recorded messages and other audio sources will operate when the voice alarm is active.
Where music or entertainment systems are already installed, the voice alarm is designed to take priority when required.
Voice alarm standards
Voice alarm systems in the UK are normally designed and commissioned in line with BS 5839-8:2023.
The fire detection and alarm system they interface with is covered separately, and voice alarm equipment can also need to comply with the relevant EN 54 product standards.
For architects, consultants and main contractors, the important point is that the system specification, zoning, equipment, fire alarm interfaces, cabling, standby power and commissioning requirements all need to be considered together.
Where a consultant or fire engineer has already established the standards and design requirements for the project, we install and commission against that information. Where design is part of our scope, we agree the requirements with the wider project team before work starts.
Cabling and standby power
Voice alarm systems need to remain available during an emergency, so the cable routes, supports, containment and standby power form an important part of the design.
The cable type and installation method are selected to suit the project requirements, with fire-resistant cabling used where specified.
Battery capacity is also calculated around the standby and operating periods required by the system design.
We coordinate these requirements with the electrical contractor and main contractor early in the programme, particularly where ceilings, walls and risers will later become difficult to access.
Where wider electrical work is required, we can work alongside our sister company Lake Electrical.
Working with existing PA and voice alarm systems
An existing system does not always need replacing.
We can inspect the installed equipment, check its condition and look at how well the system is performing before recommending changes.
That can include fault finding, speech intelligibility testing and reviewing the existing zoning and configuration.
Where part of the system is still suitable, it may be possible to retain it and upgrade only the areas that need attention.
Extensions also need to be checked carefully. Before adding another zone or part of the building, we look at whether the existing controller, amplification, standby power and network have enough capacity to support the additional equipment.
Working from architects’ and consultants’ specifications
A large part of our PA and voice alarm work forms part of wider construction and refurbishment projects.
Where a consultant or fire engineer has already produced the specification, we can price, install and commission against the drawings and documentation supplied.
Where the system design forms part of our scope, we work with the project team to establish the zoning, loudspeaker layout, equipment locations, power, cable routes, fire alarm interfaces and commissioning requirements.
The documentation is part of the installation. Drawings, zoning information, commissioning results and handover records need to reflect the system that has actually been installed.
This is particularly important on tendered, public-sector and education projects where the handover requirements are normally agreed at the start.
Hearing loops alongside PA systems
PA systems in public buildings are often installed alongside hearing assistance.
Where a hearing loop is required, we can design, install and test it alongside the PA or wider AV system.
Planning the two together allows the microphone feeds, equipment positions, cabling and controls to be coordinated rather than adding the loop after the main system has been installed.
Installation, commissioning and handover
Our engineers carry out the installation and remain involved through commissioning.
We test the loudspeaker coverage, zoning, messages, controls and required interfaces with the fire alarm and other systems.
Where speech intelligibility testing forms part of the specification, this is completed before handover and the results are recorded.
We also make sure the drawings and commissioning information match the finished installation and provide the relevant documentation to the client or main contractor.
What sits outside our scope
OBAV designs, installs and commissions PA and voice alarm systems, but there are parts of the wider fire-safety process that need to be carried out by other specialists.
We do not carry out fire risk assessments, write fire strategies or provide formal acoustic reports required for planning or licensing.
Where these are required, we work from the information provided by the fire risk assessor, fire engineer or acoustic consultant and design our part of the system accordingly.
Experienced PA and voice alarm installers
We install PA and voice alarm systems for public buildings, schools, churches, sports venues and other commercial sites.
Our experience includes straightforward paging systems, zoned public address, systems linked to fire alarms and larger projects delivered through consultants, fire engineers and main contractors.
We are used to working from tender documents, fire strategies and technical specifications, and to coordinating containment, power, cable routes and equipment positions with the wider project team before first fix.
OBAV is SafeContractor approved and ISO [[NUMBER: exact ISO standard to confirm]] accredited. Our engineers are employed by OBAV and remain involved through installation, commissioning and support.
PA and voice alarm installations
What clients say
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Other OBAV commercial work
PA and voice alarm systems often sit alongside other parts of a building’s AV.
In public buildings this can include general AV, sound systems and hearing loops.
Our schools and education work is frequently delivered through main contractors and tendered projects.
We also work in churches and heritage buildings, where PA systems, hearing loops and evacuation requirements can form part of a wider AV installation.
Our case studies show more completed projects, and you can find out more about the OBAV team.
Arrange a site survey
If you are planning a PA or voice alarm installation, extending an existing system or working from a consultant’s specification, get in touch and tell us about the building.
If you already have drawings, a fire strategy or tender documents, send them through with your enquiry.
Old Barn Audio Ltd
Unit 15, Wylands Farm
Powdermill Lane
Battle
East Sussex TN33 0SU
01892 752246
enquiries@oldbarnaudio.co.uk
We work across London, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the wider South East, and travel further for larger projects.