Hochiki Europe partners with Cornerstone Group on Waking Watch replacement project

Waking Watch was originally installed as a temporary safety measure as a direct result of fire risk issues being identified in many high-rise buildings across the UK following the Grenfell Tower disaster of June 2017. While Waking Watch allows for a physical presence and yields the manual monitoring of buildings for fire risk, it can be costly, inconsistent and heavily reliant on that human response. In the opinion of many commentators, such limitations render Waking Watch unsuitable when it comes to a long-term solution.

To eliminate the need for costly manual monitoring and meet updated fire safety standards, a fully compliant and flexible fire detection system was required.

Cornerstone Group has installed a Hochiki system combining Latitude fire alarm control panels, ESP hard‑wired addressable fire detection devices and Ekho hybrid wireless devices. The open protocol set-up has allowed integration with other building safety systems and provides flexibility for future expansion.

Hard‑wired detectors are fitted in common corridors, with Latitude EN 54‑compliant control panels managing the system. Ekho hybrid wireless units are installed in the entrance hallway of each apartment where cabling would have been disruptive or impractical.

Latitude’s compatibility with both ESP and Ekho makes it well suited for this multi-storey residential environment, allowing for the seamless control of hard‑wired and wireless devices through a single panel in each building, thereby reducing the need for invasive installation work and supporting clear event reporting for the building management team.

Installation challenges

There were some challenges facing the team during the installation process. Access into the individual flats proved difficult, with scheduled appointments with residents often having to be rearranged.

However, by maintaining clear communication and working flexibly around residents’ availability, the team was able to complete the installation with minimal disruption and ensure that every flat is properly protected.

A spokesperson for the Cornerstone Group informed Fire Safety Matters: “We chose Hochiki as the company’s product reliability is proven and the support in sales was very responsive. If we ever needed it, technical help was always first-class and helped to keep the project on schedule.”

The successful replacement of the Waking Watch regime has not only reduced long-term costs, but also delivered a consistent and high‑performance fire detection system throughout all three buildings.

*Further information concerning this project is available online at www.hochikieurope.com