Waking Watch Replacement — Everything Building Managers Need to Know

What Is Waking Watch?

Waking watch is an interim fire safety measure introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. It requires buildings with non-compliant external wall systems to maintain round-the-clock human patrols — with trained staff monitoring the building on foot and raising the alarm manually in the event of a fire.

While waking watch fulfilled an urgent need in the immediate aftermath of Grenfell, it was always intended as a temporary measure. It is expensive, relies entirely on human vigilance, and provides significantly less protection than an automated fire detection system.

Why Waking Watch Must Be Replaced

The fundamental problem with waking watch is precisely what its name implies — a human watcher who can become tired, distracted or simply fall asleep. An automated wireless fire alarm system detects fire at source, triggers simultaneous evacuation alerts across the entire building and notifies your monitoring station — without any possibility of human error.

Beyond the safety case, the financial case is equally compelling. A waking watch at a medium-sized residential development can cost £35,000 or more per week. One London building we work with spent over £1.6 million on waking watch over a two-year period. The cost of a compliant wireless fire alarm system is a fraction of that figure — and can be spread over 1 to 5 years through our preferred finance partner.

The Government Waking Watch Replacement Fund

The Government Waking Watch Replacement Fund was introduced to help leaseholders and building owners replace costly waking watch patrols with compliant interim alarm systems. The fund covers the full cost of installing a temporary common alarm system — meaning the installation can, in eligible cases, be completed at no direct cost to the building.

Eligibility criteria include: the building must be in England, waking watch must currently be in place, and the external wall system must have been identified as non-compliant. There is no minimum height restriction.

Applications required a minimum of three quotes from approved fire alarm contractors. The government funding window has now closed, but the cost and safety case for replacing waking watch remains compelling.

What System Is Required?

The interim common alarm system required to replace waking watch must comply with BS 5839-1 and provide a simultaneous evacuation alarm across all common areas and apartments within the building. In practice, this means a wireless fire alarm system with heat detectors, smoke detectors and sounders installed throughout.

The Cygnus wireless fire alarm system — of which Sysco Fire & Security is a certified installer — is the UK's most specified system for this application. Its mesh radio network provides exceptional reliability in occupied residential buildings, and its scalability has made it the system of choice across all four of our London waking watch replacement deployments.

Our Four London Deployments

Sysco Fire & Security have completed waking watch replacement projects across four landmark London developments:

• Cannon Wharf, SE8 — 335 apartments across 9 buildings, 1,500+ wireless devices, completed in 6 weeks
• Canada Water, SE16 — 143 apartments across 3 buildings, 700+ wireless devices, completed in 3 weeks
• Tideslea Path, Greenwich — 76 apartments across 2 buildings, 250+ wireless devices, BS 5839-1 certified
• Madison, Canary Wharf, E14 — 90 apartments across 8 floors, 300+ devices, completed in 2 weeks

Every one of these systems was installed in a fully occupied building, certified on the day of commissioning and handed over with a full compliance documentation package. In every case, the waking watch was stood down the day the system was commissioned.

How to Act Before the Deadline

With the funding deadline fast approaching, the immediate priority is to obtain the three quotes required for your application. Sysco Fire & Security can carry out a building survey and provide a fully compliant quote within 48 hours.

Call us today on 020 7183 7847 or use the contact form below. Don't let the deadline pass.