SANS 10139 and fire alarm maintenance in South Africa: who services it, how often, what to keep
In short
SANS 10139:2021 (edition 4) is South Africa's code of practice for designing, installing, commissioning and maintaining fire detection and alarm systems in non-domestic buildings. Metro fire by-laws turn upkeep into a duty: Johannesburg requires an inspection by a registered, competent person at least every 12 months. Keep the signed certificate and the service record for the fire service.
Headcore7 min read8 sources
What is SANS 10139 and when does it apply?
SANS 10139 is the South African code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems in non-domestic premises. The edition in force is SANS 10139:2021, edition 4, approved by the SABS on 3 May 2021. It replaced edition 3.02 of 2012.[1]
The SABS describes its scope as recommendations for systems in and around buildings other than dwellings. The standard is sold by the SABS, so its clauses are not quoted here.[1]
A sister page covers the portable side of the same duty, fire extinguisher service. Fire detection is a fixed installation, and different by-law clauses apply to it.[3]
When do the building regulations require fire detection?
Regulation T1(1)(e) of the National Building Regulations requires every building to have adequate equipment for detecting, fighting, controlling and extinguishing a fire. Regulation T1(2) deems that duty met when the building complies with SANS 10400-T.[2]
SANS 10400-T sets out which occupancies need detection. The SABS sells it too, so this page cites it by number only.[2]
Maintenance is part of the same regulation. Under regulation T2(1)(b), an owner who fails to maintain any provision made under T1(1)(e) is guilty of an offence.[2]
eThekwini's Fire By-law, 2022 adds a local rule. Under section 26, a fire detection or alarm system must comply with SANS 10400 Part T where applicable. A competent person must design, install and maintain it.[5]
How often must a fire detection system be serviced in South Africa?
In Johannesburg, at least once every 12 months. The Emergency Services By-laws require every owner to have all service installations inspected at least once every 12 months (section 16(1)(c)(iii)). The inspector must be an appropriately registered and competent person.[3]
Johannesburg's definition of a service installation names any fire detection, locating or alarm system (section 2(1)). The same section 16(1)(c) also requires maintenance by a competent person and servicing to the manufacturer's specifications.[3]
eThekwini's by-law sets no fixed interval for detection. Its section 31 schedule lists fire alarm and detection systems as "varies as per SANS10139", with SANS 10139 and the manufacturer's specifications as the reference.[5][3]
Cape Town's Community Fire Safety By-law requires regular testing and maintenance of a fire protection system (section 18(1)). The duty sits with the owner or person in charge. It defines a fire protection system to include any device that detects a fire or alerts occupants.[4][3]
What does a fire alarm service include?
In practice, servicing follows a ladder of checks from daily to yearly. In December 2024, the chairman of SAQCC Fire's detection and gas suppression committee summarised SANS 10139's routine this way.[7]
The end user appoints one responsible person to supervise the system and keep the logbook. Larger systems may need more frequent servicing than the steps below.[7]
- Daily: a visual check of the control and indicating equipment for faults, by the end user.[7]
- Weekly: an end-user test, normally by operating a manual call point and the sounders.[7]
- At least every six months: inspection and servicing by a competent person.[7]
- At least once a year: a full functional test by a competent person.[7]
Who may service fire detection systems in South Africa?
A competent person, and in some metros a registered one. Johannesburg defines a competent person as one qualified by experience and training (section 2(1)). Its yearly inspection needs an "appropriately registered and competent person" (section 16(1)(c)).[3]
eThekwini goes further. Its section 31(1) requires inspection, testing and maintenance by a competent person registered with a controlling body the Municipality recognises. Section 32(c) bars anyone else from servicing a fire protection system.[5][3]
Regulation 19 of the Pressure Equipment Regulations limits who may service a fire extinguisher. It says nothing of alarm systems.[6]
What must the owner keep on record for the fire department?
A service record. Johannesburg requires owners to keep a comprehensive service record of all service installations (section 16(1)(d)). The owner must furnish it to the Chief Fire Officer every 12 months.[3]
Cape Town requires a detailed record of tests and maintenance (section 18(1)). eThekwini requires a detailed service record kept for examination by the Municipality (section 31(1)).[4][5][3]
Both coastal by-laws also require notice to occupants before an alarm test, with its start and finish times. Cape Town adds the parties who monitor the system (section 18(2)); eThekwini's rule is section 31(2).[4][5][3]
When the system is out of service, the owner must tell the fire authority at once and again on restoration. Cape Town sets this in section 18(6) and eThekwini in section 31(6).[4][5][3]
What should a fire alarm service certificate show?
That the system is fully functional, or what is still wrong with it. In Johannesburg, the technician must certify in writing that the installation is fully functional and give that certificate to the owner (section 16(2)(a)).[3]
If the installation cannot readily be repaired, Johannesburg's technician must notify the Chief Fire Officer in writing without delay (section 16(2)(b)). eThekwini's section 31(4) asks for the same certificate. Defects go in writing to the owner and the Chief Fire Officer.[3][5]
Cape Town requires the maintainer to inform the owner in writing of defects found, work done and work still outstanding (section 18(5)).[4][3]
What to put in your request
- The building's address and metro, so the supplier works to the right by-law.[3][4][5]
- The panel make and model, the number of loops or zones, and a rough count of detectors, call points and sounders.[7]
- The system category from the design documents (M, L1 to L5, or P1 and P2), if you have them.[7]
- The date of the last service and a copy of the last certificate and logbook pages.[3][7]
- Whether you want six-monthly servicing, the yearly full functional test, or both in one contract.[7]
- The technician's registration with a body your metro recognises, sent before the visit.[3][5]
- A written certificate that the system is fully functional, or a written list of defects and the work outstanding.[3][4]
- Who notifies occupants and the monitoring party before the test, and the planned start and finish times.[4][5]
Questions buyers ask
How often should a fire alarm system be serviced in South Africa?
Johannesburg's by-laws require an inspection by a registered, competent person at least every 12 months. In practice, SAQCC Fire's detection committee describes servicing at least every six months and a full functional test yearly. The end user adds daily and weekly checks.[3][7]
Is SAQCC Fire registration required for fire alarm technicians?
Not in the national regulations this page cites; the duty comes from by-laws. eThekwini requires registration with a body the Municipality recognises. Johannesburg asks for an "appropriately registered" person. In practice, public tenders ask for SAQCC Fire detection and gas certificates. A research council's tender of November 2022 required them for the company and the technician.[5][3][8]
Does SANS 10139 apply to houses?
No. The SABS scopes SANS 10139:2021 to fire detection and alarm systems in and around buildings other than dwellings.[1]
Sources
- South African Bureau of Standards (SABS webstore), SANS 10139:2021 (Ed. 4.00), Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems in non-domestic premises, 3 May 2021.
- Acts Online (consolidated text), National Building Regulations (GN R. 2378 of 1990, as amended by GN R. 574 of 2008), Part T: regulations T1 and T2, 30 May 2008 (amendment).
- City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Emergency Services By-laws (Notice 826, Gauteng Provincial Gazette Extraordinary 179, as amended by Notice 1118 of 31 August 2011), 21 May 2004, as amended 31 August 2011.
- Open By-laws (Laws.Africa), City of Cape Town, Community Fire Safety By-law, 2002 (version as at 21 August 2015), 21 August 2015.
- Open By-laws (Laws.Africa), eThekwini Municipality, Fire By-law, 2022 (version as at 27 October 2022), 27 October 2022.
- Department of Labour (Government Gazette 41256), Guidance Notes to the Pressure Equipment Regulations, Revision 2 (GN 1265), with the text of each regulation, 17 November 2017.
- SMART Security Solutions (Technews), article by the chairman of SAQCC Fire's D&GS committee, Standards for fire detection, December 2024.
- CSIR, RFP No. 3547/02/12/2022: servicing and maintenance of fire detection, gas fire suppression systems and sprinkler systems, CSIR Gauteng sites, 11 November 2022.