Tom Sutton

For new or altered buildings and are only lines on paper you have to design a fire safety strategy and the guidance used is one of three guides. If you prefer a prescriptive approach then use Approved Document B (fire safety) and is the one Building Control Officers appear to favour. In complicated buildings you may consider a fire engineering approach using BS 7974 (series) Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Finally you could use BS 9999:2008 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings which is a hybrid, using a prescriptive approach based on fire engineering principles. You should not use cherry picking decide which guide to use and stick with it. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-safety-in-new-extended-or-altered-buildings/ For existing buildings there is a myriad of guides many produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and a many can be found and downloaded from https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities

Hi Harry I am not sure what Sarah is asking was the 1200 people in the library or waitrose store? Does the public in the library have to escape through waitrose or do they have there own MoE? There is no set time for an evacuation what you have to achieve is the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) has to be less than the ​Available Safe Egress Time (ASET). There is no minimum number of fire wardens required it is up to the responsible person to decide how many competent persons he/she requires to assist them in the safe evacuation of the premises.

Chris there is not sufficient information to help, for instance square meters doesn't help, you need the dimensions to calculate the travel distances and the size and location of the doors. How do you get to the outside from those rooms and what is the construction of the partition is there any glazing. Nobody can help without a fully scaled detailed plan.

Check out BS 8214:2008 Code of practice for fire door assemblies is the British standard that deals with the marking of fire doors. Section 5 Marking, details the colour codes, there is the Core colour and the Label colour or background colour. The core colour indicates if intumescent has been fitted, green for yes, red for no and the second colour indicates the fire resistance in minutes.

What do you mean by "minimum staff per sq foot" or do you mean occupants per sq ft and who said you have to evacuate in 15 minutes is this in your fire risk assessment?

I would suggest you get in touch with the Furniture Industry Research Association(FIRA) they are the experts on these matters. You could check the Guide to the Regulations which will give you an understanding and I think it is the domestic flammability guide you require.

The decision how many competent persons (fire marshals) would be required to evacuate the premises quickly and safely belongs to the Responsible Person as defined by The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 however I cannot see why he/she would require any with 5 persons who are suitable trained.

I do not fully understand the layout of these offices but if you are concerned talk to your boss or you could go direct to the Fire and Rescue Service who are the enforcement authority who would conduct a fire risk audit to see if the fire risk assessment is suitable and sufficient. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/ for your local FRS.

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ it shows the modern methods of identifying fire doors and check out http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii506/twsutton1196/BWF_PlasticPlugs.jpg it shows the old method.

The link to the HSE is a guide to the The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and as Steve doesn't carry DG then in my opinion this guide does not apply. I believe it applies when an operator of CDG unloads his load and his vehicle is empty he still has to carry a 2 kg ABC extinguisher in the cab when carrying DG he has to carry extinguishers as defined by ADR. I confused the issue mentioning workplace but I guessed you were suggesting the RR(FS)O applies and in my opinion art 6 (1e) applies and any road vehicle carrying a road tax disc, the RR(FS)O doesn't apply. Art 6.-(1) This Order does not apply in relation to - (e) an aircraft, locomotive or rolling stock, trailer or semi-trailer used as a means of transport or a vehicle for which a licence is in force under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994(2) or a vehicle exempted from duty under that Act; The only other legislation that applies is to mini-buses and PSV and they have to carry extinguishers so IMO builders van are not covered by any legislation that requires them to carry fire extinguisher so they do not have to but I still think it is a sensible thing to do.

Green-Foam what legal document supports your views? To require somebody to carry a fire extinguisher it has to be stated in law, like the the RR(FS)O requires all workplaces to have fire extinguishers. However The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states in Art 6.-(1) This Order does not apply in relation to - (e) an aircraft, locomotive or rolling stock, trailer or semi-trailer used as a means of transport or a vehicle for which a licence is in force under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994(2) or a vehicle exempted from duty under that Act; So a vehicle carrying a road tax disc is not a workplace in relation to the RR(FS)O but taxi's, PVC vehicles and vehicles subject to CDG (ADR) are subject to other legislation which requires them to carry fire extinguishers.

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/ there is a section named Inspection and Servicing which details the servicing for fire alarms. I would be surprised if the weekly test is applicable to your premises but it may and I would have to know more details.

Harry why do you suggest a van is a workplace?

Your landlord is correct and I am surprised if there were signs of a fire the fire and rescue service should have been called or at least the keeper of the keys called to silence the fire alarm.

As green-foam says nobody is exempt and any temporarily disabled person even for a short period of time (I except she may disagree about the short period of time) should have a PEEP produced for them. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-emergency-evacuation-plan-or-fire-procedure/ for more information.

Green-foam make a good case why you should carry a fire extinguisher but it appears in your case it is not a legal requirement. I imagine to lose your vehicle and equipment would be very serious matter to your business.

Without a detailed plan it is impossible to give a definitive answer but it is possible that one exit could be satisfactory it all depends on the layout. As it is a new build you are subject building regulations and the guidance is Approved Document Part B Fire Safety for means of escape. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-safety-in-new-extended-or-altered-buildings/ for more guidance.

Your premises is subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and art 13 states " the premises are, to the extent that it is appropriate, equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment and with fire detectors and alarms" so it is most likely there should be fire extinguishers. Without a detailed plan it is impossible to give a definitive answer if the means of escape is satisfactory but if a fire escape as been cut off it is again likely to be inadequate. The RR(FS)O is enforced by the Fire and Rescue service and they are the authority to contact. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/ for the local FRS.

British standards are guides and best practice not a legal requirement. The Responsible Person (RP) has to conduct a fire risk assessment based on the ALARP principle (as low as reasonably practical) and it is up to the RP to decide what alarp is. The Fire and Rescue Service as enforcement authority has to audit the FRA and decide if the FRA is suitable & sufficient. It is up to the RP and FRS to decide if an older standard is acceptable or should the latest standard be used, usually the latest standard is chosen. If they cannot agree and it goes to court it is very likely the court will consider the latest standard as best practice but not always and it will depend on the arguments presented. I would suggest if the EL has not been installed and only lines on paper then I would use the latest standard to offset and problems in the future which could be costly.

Originally you could accept a 8 mm gap at the threshold (bottom) of a fire door but the latest guidance is BS 9999 which states, "When installed, the threshold gap should where practicable be sealed by a (flexible edge) seal either with a leakage rate not exceeding 3 m3/h per metre at 25 Pa or just contacting the floor, giving an even contact with the floor but not exhibiting significant increased frictional forces that could interfere with the closing action of the door.Where this is impracticable, the threshold gap should not exceed 3 mm at any point." It appears your situation does not meet those standards and this method to provide ventilation is not acceptable. BS 8214 : 2008 states, Under-door (threshold) gaps should be in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions for the particular doorset design. When fitted, smoke seals should give an even contact with the floor but should not exhibit significant increased frictional forces that could interfere with the closing action of the door (see BS 5588-112). Again not acceptable. You should discuss this with your housing trust and if necessary the Fire and Rescue Service.

Are these fire fire doors and if they are what does the manufacturers instructions and test data say. Have these doors been required by an enforcing authority and what do they say. Check out http://www.bwfcertifire.org.uk/publications for more information on fire doors. You are limited how much you can remove from the sides and the top of the leaf, but depending on the construction you may be able to remove more from the threshold of the door. Fitting glazing panels is a specialised job and you need a trained joiner.

Taxis and PHVs (private hire vehicles or minicabs) are required by law to carry first aid kits and vehicle fire extinguishers. The type and capacity of the vehicle fire extinguisher varies with the local licensing authority. Please consult the appropriate regulations for your vehicle type. If a vehicle is capable of carrying nine or more passengers it is classed as a PSV (passenger service vehicle) and requires a 2l AFFF vehicle fire extinguisher. It is mandatory for PHVs to carry vehicle fire extinguishers. Commercial vehicles used in the carriage of dangerous goods (CDG) require ABC-type vehicle fire extinguishers, the capacity of which varies according to the load of the vehicle. Check out ADR http://www.hse.gov.uk/cdg/pdf/fire-ex.pdf . In your situation you are not required to carry fire extinguisher by law but I would advise you carry a 2 Kg dry powder extinguisher because the result of a fire could be serious for you and your company.

Upholstered furniture should should be tested to BS 5852 or BS 7176 and carry a label if the latter. Check out page 51 of the guide to educational premises and more information on upholstered furniture for non domestic premises can be found in Contract Flammability Guide

Hi Neil I thought you had to buy fire door sets I didn't realise you buy the door leaf and provide the furniture as well as the frame. Thanks.

The Enforcing Authority for the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which control fire safety in a care home is the Fire and Rescue Service and you could contact them anomalously. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/ for details of your local FRS.