Tom Sutton

You could start with the annual fire statistics 2011/12 (the latest) at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/36467/FSGB_2011_to_12.pdf and go to page 34 and check out Smoke alarm analysis (Tables 2.3 to 2.9 and Figure 2.3). Try http://www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/fire/pdfreports/Duncan.PDF is a New Zealand document but may be worth a read, there are British reports as well and I will see if I can locate them.

The Regulations apply to the re-upholstery of furniture manufactured after 1 January 1950, to the extent that all filling material and cover fabric, supplied by the re-upholsterer, used in refurbishing such furniture must meet the levels of fire resistance defined within the Regulations. However you can get more definitive advice from http://www.fira.co.uk/ and download their guidance.

You need to find out why the Building Control Officer is recommending sprinklers, is it because fire service access is poor or is it as a compensatory factor for a poor means of escape or is there any other reasons?

Yes you do need a fire risk assessment for the common areas and front doors to each flat have to be FD30s with self closers. IMO the best guide to your premises is Lacors guide "HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing" and the DCLG guide Sleeping accommodation

I search the web with "Bespoke fire doors and frames" and came up with http://www.enfielddoors.co.uk/firedoors.php and http://www.1doors.co.uk/internal/bespoke-doors/ with many more contacts. You could contact them and see if any of them can help.

There is no particular law require office furniture to be fire resistant and labeled other than The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which requires the risk of fire, should be reduced to the lowest practical level and the spread of fire should be controlled. Check out http://www.fira.co.uk/publications/flammability-guides and download the publications relating to non domestic and contract furniture for more information.

Is the bulk head light above the main fire exit, part of the emergency lighting system, if so, you can either have the running man pictograph on the light or a standard BS 5499-1 fixed below providing it does not reduce the light level and if a standard sign is fixed below it is well illuminated. If you need to remove the fire exit sign pictograph, then replace it with a pictograph conforming to BS 5499-1 sign, check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-exit-signs/ You can now get 200mmx100mm Emergency Exit Sign (Self Adhesive Sticker Label) and hopefully more will be available in the future. Check out http://www.amazon.co.uk/200mmx100mm-Emergency-Adhesive-Sticker-Label/dp/B00BE339AK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1373482144&sr=8-4&keywords=emergency+exit+sign or you can get the standard BS 5499-1 (BS EN ISO 7010) from safelincs and fix it below the light to ensure it is fully illuminated.

As the window is to let light through I would imagine we are discussing a FINAL fire exit door leading to outside the premises and I am assuming the door is not fire resistant therefore the glass panel does not need to be fire resistant. There could be a situation were the glass panel needs to be fire resistant but there is no reason why you cannot provide a glass panel in that door. A point to consider is security and glass panels are easy to break though by an intruders.

Check out the Passive Fire Protection Federation they have a publication about upgrading fire doors and the Fire Risk Assessor and/or the Fire and Rescue Service may accept upgrading. http://pfpf.associationhouse.org.uk/default.php?cmd=210&doc_category=334

BS EN 1935: 2002: Building Hardware Single Axis Hinges is the current European standard for single axis hinges and being able to understand the CE markings, provided when purchasing hinges, is of some importance. Guide to Interpreting Markings for Single Axis Hinges. From the guidance, Door closers increase the loading on door hinges and their rate of wear. For closers without back-check it is normal to allow for this by assuming the effective door mass to be 20 % greater than the actual door mass. For back-check closers the effect is much greater, and the effective door mass is calculated to be 75 % greater. Timber doors fitted with door closers should normally use three or more hinges. Door manufacturers may recommend the use of only two hinges under special conditions, if experience allows demonstrating adequate performance of the door. If the paper work with the door stipulates two hinges then it must have bee tested with two hinges and therefore acceptable.

It depends if it is a trip hazard or not, if it is outside his front door and other tenants escaping a fire could trip over it then it needs to be removed. If it is inside his flat the fire regulations do not apply and it is up to him.

Hi Tracy What label have they removed is it the display label or the permanent label. The display label is only required when the item is in the store on display and the permanent label is fixed permanently to the upholstered furniture. The permanent label is located out of sight and is the proof that the item of furniture meets the requirements of the regulations. Check out the Domestic Flammability Guide for more information and images of the two labels.

The guidance for this type of premises (bedsit type HMO) is HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing and they recommend Grade A LD2 in the common areas and Grade D in the flats. Check out the guidance for more details. Grade A: a fire detection and alarm system that is designed and installed in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5839: part 1 (2002), except clauses relating to alarm audibility, alarm warnings for the hearing-impaired, standby supplies, manual call points and radio-linked systems, which are replaced by part 6. This comprises a system of electrically operated smoke and/or heat detectors which are linked to a control panel. The control panel must conform to current BS 5839: part 4 (or equivalent). In general the system must incorporate manual call points which should be located next to final exits, and, in larger multi-storey properties, on each landing. The alarm signal must achieve sound levels of not less than 65dB (A) in all accessible parts of the building and not less than 75dB (A) at all bed-heads when all doors are shut, to arouse sleeping persons. Grade D: a system of one or more mains-powered smoke (or heat) alarms each with integral battery standby supply. These are designed to operate in the event of mains failure and therefore could be connected to the local lighting circuit rather than an independent circuit at the dwelling’s main distribution board. There is no control panel.

There is the latest guidance, BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2008 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance, which covers detection zoning fully and also alarm zoning but it covers quite a few pages, too many to give a resume here. You may be able to view it at your local reference library or you could purchase it, but it doesn't come cheap £ 254.00.

In general there should normally be at least two escape routes from all parts of the premises but a single escape route may be acceptable in some circumstances (e.g. part of your premises accommodating less than 60 people or where travel distances are limited). Providing the two escape route are separated by a minimum of 30 minutes fire resistance and terminate in an alternative final route it would be acceptable. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops for more information.

I haven't got a clue what the British standard you have been quoted but all I did was put " fire door risk assessors " in a search engine and came up with http://www.door-risk.co.uk/. You should try it and maybe there are others more suited for your location.

I haven't got a clue what the British standard you have been quoted but all I did was put " fire door risk assessors " in a search engine and came up with http://www.door-risk.co.uk/. You should try it and maybe there are others more suited for your location.

Front doors to flats need to be fire-resisting and self-closing and doors opening on to the hall and kitchen need to be fire resistant but not necessarily self closing. The flat (domestic premises) is not covered by the fire regulations but the common areas are, this is why the front door to your flat needs to be fire resistant and fitted with a self closing device. Therefore if you have removed the self closing device from the front door it should be replaced but the other doors are acceptable and self closing devices would not have been required when the flat was built in accordance with Building Regulations. If you live in a purpose built block of flats the guidance is Publications | Local Government Association and If you live in a building that has been converted to flats then your guidance is Guidance on fire safety provisions It depends on the type of property you live will dictates what other fire safety provisions is required and without a lot more details to be able to give a definitive answer.

The doormat will be a very low fire risk and having it rubber backed is more likely to prevent it slipping which could cause a trip hazard.

This sound like Standby lighting and not Emergency escape lighting, the former is not required by the fire safety legislation. Emergency escape lighting is operated by battery supply and has to illuminate all escape routes for the safety of people leaving a location or attempting to terminate a potentially dangerous process beforehand. It is part of the fire safety provision of a building and a requirement of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/emergency-lighting/ for more information.

If you live in a purpose built block of flats the guidance is Publications | Local Government Association and the flat is not covered by the fire regulations but the common areas are, also building regulation are involved when built or altered. Front doors to flats need to be fire-resisting and self-closing and doors opening on to the hall and kitchen usually need to be fire resistant but not necessarily self closing. If you live in a building that has been converted to flats then your guidance is Guidance on fire safety provisions and it depends on the type of property you live will dictates what is required. Without a lot more details it is difficult to give a definitive answer.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Art 21 says training should be repeated periodically where appropriate and the guide for office and shops section 7.4 details all about training, check out https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/14881/fsra-offices-shops.pdf for more information. There is no definitive answer, just ensure your staff know sufficient to escape, if ever there is an emergency in the premises.

Select the colour of your choice and use your company colour if you wish. What is more important is to ensure you fix the correct signs to the door and any other signs that is required. Starting with the emergency exit sign and as you mention push bars you will need the "push bar" sign.

You may use the paint or varnish of your choice however BS 8214:2008 says, Fire door leaves are generally not required to provide a specific surface spread-of-flame barrier, and may therefore be decorated as desired. There is no evidence to suggest that over painting of intumescent seals has any detrimental effect on the ability of the seals to perform efficiently. There are some benefits in over painting the seals as they are less likely to absorb atmospheric moisture. However, there are limits on how much paint can be applied without there being a risk of the seal being rendered inoperative. It is recommended that over painting be limited to a maximum of five coats of conventional oil-bound paint or varnish. When preparing a frame for redecorating, the use of heat or chemical strippers should be avoided if intumescent seals are incorporated. If seals are damaged by either of these processes, they should be replaced. If glazing beads have been painted with intumescent paint, it is essential that they be repainted with a similar paint. It also says, Painting of smoke seals or combined intumescent and smoke seals should be avoided as such coatings can inhibit the door from closing completely, and the seal could be damaged as a consequence of adhesion to the adjacent element.

There is no law that say there must be a night porter or member of staff on site at all times but it does say the Responsible Person (employer) has a duty of care to his employees and Relevant Persons (guests). IMO to exercise this duty I believe you must have a member of staff on the premises at all times to implement the Fire Plan and ensure all persons are evacuated safely. Whether this would be a sleeping or waking watch would depend on the circumstances, size of the hotel, complexity, number of staff and other considerations.