Disabled Refuge Systems

BAFE-certified engineers with over three decades of combined experience. London and Kent. Updated September 2026

Key facts

BS 5839-9 Compliant Design
Installation & Maintenance

Professional disabled refuge systems in London and Kent

At a glance

Two systems, two purposes

Fire and intruder alarm monitoring both route a signal to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), but they exist for different reasons and answer to different standards.

Is it a legal requirement?

Yes, for residential buildings above 18 metres. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require evacuation alert systems in higher-risk residential buildings, following a direct recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The requirement sits within the Building Safety Act 2022, and the system must be designed, installed and maintained to BS 8629.

How does it differ from a fire alarm?

A fire alarm warns everyone to evacuate. An evacuation alert system gives the fire and rescue service a tool to manage evacuation deliberately, alerting specific floors as the incident develops. The two systems are independent, and a building cannot meet its evacuation alert duty with a fire alarm alone.

How Smartec delivers this

Smartec Integrated Systems is BAFE SP207 registered, covering the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of evacuation alert systems to BS 8629. Every test and visit is recorded in tamper-proof Digital Logbooks on the Smartec Client Portal, alongside any fire alarm or emergency lighting system we maintain in the same building.

What does installation involve?

Site survey to assess the building layout, escape routes and refuge point locations

System design, setting the number and position of outstations and the EACIE panel location

Installation of the panel, outstations and fire-resistant cabling

Commissioning, with a full system test and sign-off documentation

Handover, with certification and the system added to the Smartec Client Portal

Who needs this?

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Mandatory under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

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Housing associations & councils

Managing high-rise residential stock across multiple sites

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Developers

New-build high-rise residential schemes, designed in from the outset

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Accountable Persons

Under the Building Safety Act 2022 higher-risk building regime

PROJECT

Wembley NE03

Smartec delivered the evacuation alert system as part of the wider life safety installation at Wembley NE03, working alongside the Honeywell Gent fire detection system already in place at the development.

FAQs

What is a disabled refuge system?: A two-way Emergency Voice Communication (EVC) system linking refuge points on escape routes to a control point, so people who cannot use stairs can call for help during an evacuation.
Is a disabled refuge system a legal requirement?: Approved Document B requires refuge points on protected escape routes where stairs are the primary means of escape, supported by Approved Document M and the Equality Act 2010.
What's the difference between Type A and Type B outstations?: Type A is a handset used by fire officers during an evacuation. Type B is a hands-free unit used by the person awaiting assistance.
How often is a disabled refuge system tested?: BS 5839-9 sets out a structured regime: weekly user checks by site staff, periodic inspection, and a full annual service by a competent engineer. Smartec's maintenance contracts are fully compliant with this.
What are the new Residential PEEPs regulations?: The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 require person-centred evacuation plans for relevant residents in certain residential buildings, in force from 6 April 2026.
Does a disabled refuge system replace an evacuation alert system?: No, they serve different purposes. A disabled refuge system lets a person awaiting assistance call for help. An evacuation alert system lets the fire and rescue service issue evacuation instructions to residents. Buildings may need both.