Disabled refuge, intruder alarm, CCTV and Paxton access control for a new-build school in Lancashire.
RMEC Fire & Security was appointed as a subcontractor to EAS to design and install life-safety and security systems at a new-build school in Bolton, Lancashire. The school required a complete package covering disabled refuge, intruder alarm, CCTV and access control, ready for occupation at practical completion.
Working as a specialist subcontractor meant we coordinated closely with the main contractor, electrical contractor and other trades throughout the build programme.
We installed an emergency voice communication (EVC) system to BS 5839-9. The system provides refuge points where people who cannot use the stairs can wait safely during an evacuation and speak to the fire control point. The master panel was located at the main entrance so staff can manage calls during an incident.
On a new-build school this meant planning refuge locations on each floor, coordinating cable routes through the structure, and commissioning the system before handover so it was ready for the fire strategy and building control sign-off.
An intruder alarm was installed to protect the building out of hours, with detection covering the main circulation areas and key rooms. CCTV cameras were positioned to cover entrances, external areas and car parking, giving the school recorded evidence and the ability to review incidents after the event.
Both systems were designed so that the school could take ownership and manage them from day one of occupation, with clear handover documentation and user training.
A Paxton access control system was installed to manage internal doors, external gates and car park barriers. This allows the school to control who can enter the building, who can use specific internal doors, and who can access the car park, using cards or fobs issued to staff.
The system was programmed so that access rights can be changed easily as staff join or leave, and so that external gates and barriers can be controlled from the same platform as the internal doors.
As a subcontractor on a live construction project, we attended site meetings and coordinated with the main contractor so that containment, power supplies and final fix were completed in the right sequence. Working on a new-build meant we could agree cable routes and device locations before finishes were applied, which kept the installation neat and avoided cutting finished surfaces later.
We worked around other trades, protected installed equipment during the later stages of the build, and returned for final commissioning and handover once the building was ready.
This was a subcontract package for EAS on a new-build education project in Bolton, Lancashire. RMEC is BAFE registered (CHES122) and SSAIB certified, and we regularly work as a specialist subcontractor on schools, commercial buildings and public sector projects across Manchester, Lancashire and the North West.
If you are a main contractor or consultant looking for a specialist partner for disabled refuge, fire alarm or security systems on a new-build or refurbishment, get in touch to discuss your project.