ISO 8201:2017
(Main)Alarm systems — Audible emergency evacuation signal — Requirements
Alarm systems — Audible emergency evacuation signal — Requirements
ISO 8201:2017 specifies the requirements for an audible emergency evacuation signal intended to indicate without ambiguity, to all persons within the reception area of the signal, that an emergency situation (fire, gas leaks, explosion, nuclear radiation, etc.) requires immediate evacuation. Two acoustic parameters of the audible emergency evacuation signal are defined: the temporal pattern and the required sound pressure level at all places within the intended reception area of the signal. NOTE Recognition of the signal does not require the specification of its spectral content, which can be selected to satisfy specific site requirements. The signal specified in this document is intended to be used in buildings, including but not limited to schools, hotels, residential buildings, public institutions and work places (such as factories and offices) The signal can also be used in outside areas. ISO 8201:2017 is not applicable to warning signals, to signals for public disaster control or to alarm systems on board ships or in outdoor moving vehicles, such as police cars, fire engines and ambulances. The individual signalling-system components of the signal are also out of the scope of this document.
Systèmes d'alarme — Signal sonore d'évacuation d'urgence — Exigences
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Standards Content (Sample)
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 8201
Second edition
2017-11
Corrected version
2018-03
Alarm systems — Audible emergency
evacuation signal — Requirements
Systèmes d'alarme — Signal sonore d'évacuation d'urgence —
Exigences
Reference number
ISO 8201:2017(E)
©
ISO 2017
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ISO 8201:2017(E)
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ii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved
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ISO 8201:2017(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Requirements . 1
4.1 General . 1
4.2 Temporal pattern . 2
4.3 Recognition . 2
4.4 Sound pressure level . 2
4.5 Duration . 3
4.6 Supplementary instructions . 3
4.7 Visual and/or tactile signals . 3
Annex A (informative) Examples of application of the temporal pattern to commonly used
audible signals . 4
Bibliography . 6
© ISO 2017 – All rights reserved iii
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ISO 8201:2017(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
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expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www .iso .org/ iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 21, Equipment for fire protection and fire
fighting, Subcommittee SC 3, Fire detection and alarm systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 8201:1987), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— the evacuation signal temporal pattern has been modified to allow for the use of signals from voice
alarm evacuation systems.
This corrected version of ISO 8201:2017 incorporates the following corrections:
— the title of the document has been corrected from Acoustics — Audible and other emergency
evacuation signals to Alarm systems — Audible emergency evacuation signal — Requirements.
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ISO 8201:2017(E)
Introduction
There has been a growing interest in the past decade in the development of an international audible
signal which, when heard, would unequivocally mean “evacuate the building immediately”.
In searching for an appropriate audible signal, it was considered that levels of background noise and
frequency patterns are so variable, particularly in the industry, that no signalling device would be able
to “penetrate” all background noises and frequency patterns. For this reason, it seemed prudent to select
the kind of sound best able to audibly “penetrate” a particular background noise in a given building and
then make that sound unique and understandable by imposing on it a standard recognizable pattern of
“on” and “off” times.
It is frequently found that, whatever sounding device is already in place in a building, it is there because
it has been shown to be successful. Consequently, all that is needed in many cases is to impose a
standardized temporal pattern on the existing sounding devices. For new buildings, a signal that can
“penetrate” the background noise inside that building should be selected and then the standardized
temporal pattern is imposed on that signal.
An additional advantage of using a standardized temporal pattern as the distinguishing characteristic
of the audible emergency evacuation signal is that the temporal pattern can be applied to visual and
tactile signals to aid those who have impaired hearing. Visual and tactile signals incorporating the
temporal pattern can also be applied in areas where the background noise is so intense that no signal is
capable of “penetrating” audibly.
This document is one of a series of standards covering danger signals. Other standards include ISO 7731,
ISO 11428 and ISO 11429.
© ISO 2017 – All rights reserved v
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 8201:2017(E)
Alarm systems — Audible emergency evacuation signal —
Requirements
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements for an audible emergency evacuation signal intended to
indicate without ambiguity, to all persons within the reception area of the signal, that an emergency
situation (fire, gas leaks, explosion, nuclear radiation, etc.) re
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