Tom Sutton

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/ and http://www.firesafe.org.uk/portable-fire-extinguisher-general/.

Too little information you would need a plan of the layout, all relevant distances, degree of fire compartmentation, any existing fire safety precautions installed and a physical survey would be ideal. You need to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) which in the opinion of the government you can conduct yourself bu using the DCLG guide, Offices and shops or other appropriate guide, check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ . Your you could employ a registered fire risk assessor to advise you and the FRA s/he produces would be used went to premises is up and running.

Have a look at the ASA detector from Cerberus PRO. I believe a company in Glasgow has fitted them in a very busy night club in Edinburgh and they have worked really well without false alarms. Importantly they have not been switched to a heat detector or have time delays or other tricks of the trade applied - they are genuinely smoke detectors but very clever!

Check out Factories and warehouses all the information you require you will find there.

There should be an evacuation drill carried out at least once a year followed by a debrief to establish any short comings.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 states the euro signs should be used but most experts claim the the ISO 7010 and BS 5477 is a better standard and should be used in Europe, which will be the situation when PR EN 7010 the European standard is accepted. Then all will be using the standard and the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 will have to be amended then the Euro-sign will be illegal. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-exit-signs/ for more details.

With out a great deal more information it is impossible to say, you would need to know the layout of the office and flat. Also the degree of fire separation between the office and the flat. More besides.

BS EN 1634-1 2008 is the European standard for testing fire resistance of fire doors equivalent to BS 476 pt 22 and it shows how the test should be conducted and not how the fire doors should be constructed. You need to look elsewhere to consider how the fire door should be constructed. The manufacturers of fire resisting glazing panel should be able to help the Glass and Glazing Federation and http://www.lorientuk...lazing-systems/ is the sort of information available on the internet. http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/

I would suggest communication system is required for a refuge, its to which standard you install it to. As far as I am aware there is no substandard for the use of walkie talkie but there is for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of emergency voice communication systems, BS 5839-9:2003.

I would suggest you register with http://forum.fire.org.uk/index.php/ I am sure you will get some interesting responses to your question.

If you are installing a new open fire or converting a previous gas fire back to an open fire then you are subject to the building regulations, Approved Document J is the guidance and a check list and certificate are involved Check out http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partj/approved and your local building control.

It is a requirement to have a fire procedure or plan to instruct any relevant persons in the premises what they need to do in the event of a fire. If there is the general public present then fire notices are a good way to achieve your aims. For your employees a more detailed fire procedure should be available to them and they should be instructed on it at regular intervals. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-emergency-evacuation-plan-or-fire-procedure/ Fire alarm zoning plan located adjacent to the fire alarm panel will help the fire service located a fire more quickly especially when there is nobody available to assists them.

It all depends on on your fire risk assessment the premises may require an automatic fire detection system or part system or in certain circumstances manual call points would suffice. Check out which category of fire alarm needs to be installed and then confirm it in BS 5839-1:2002+A2:2008. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/

Assuming the front door does open onto the common areas and the fire risk assessment requires the door to be a 30FD self closing door, to protect your neighbours from a fire in your flat, then the law does require the self closer. However there are possible solutions have you discussed with the association a Wireless Free Swing Door Closer which could be triggered by your domestic fire alarm in your flat?

Signage for a gas/electrical cupboard in accordance with Health & Safety (Signs & Signals) Regs 1996 you will need to be be more specific ask the FR assessor? Check out http://www.firesafe....e-safety-signs/ and there is a link to the HS(SS)R and schedule 1 displays all the signs.

In cinemas and theatres all the doors with push bars was secured with padlocks and chains when the premises was close for the night. To ensure the chains had been removed the next day there was a board called a chain board in the manager’s office and each chain had a hook so it was easy to check if all the chains had been removed first thing next day. If the keepers on the barrel bolts are removed this would allow the bolt to be withdrawn and you could use a board similar to a chain board for the bolts.

The Disability Discrimination Act and the the Equality Act 2010 are the are the two pieces of legislation that apply to you regarding your situation. It appears the only only part that applies to your landlord is they must consider, any application from you, to modify the premises. As you are about have your house adapted for wheel chair use then this permission must have been given. There is no way I could comment on the means of escape without a lot more information and a survey. However you could contact your local Fire and Rescue Service for a home check and they would be able to advise you accordingly. Check out http://www.direct.go...tions/index.htm for more information on adapting your home, also http://www.foundations.uk.com/what-we-do/

Terry you say "Engineer came to service 2 extinguishers(1 co2 and 1 water)" which one are you talking about the CO2 or the water and which one has the fault? Or are you talking about a water extinguisher with a small CO2 cylinder inside the water extinguisher? Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/Ultrafire-Redline-9ltr-Water-Fire-Extinguisher/ is an example of a water extinguisher and the link above is an example of a CO2 extinguisher.

I very much doubt that plasterboard would be acceptable, its fine for partition walls and ceilings but that is as far as it goes. Slight warping could be remedied using intumescent strip but I do not fully understand the 10mm gap you spoke of. Does the door require extending 10mm if so you could use hardwood lippings, screwed and glued. There are companies that specialise in upgrading fire doors and some claim to provide a certificate for building control, try a Google. You could speak to your building control officer and s/he should be able to advise you what is acceptable. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ there are some useful links and the leading companies for intumescent products are http://www.envirogra...index.html and http://www.mannmcgowan.co.uk/

Thanks for getting back Dave and it does look that you should be fine all you need to do is to review you Fire Risk Assessment and consider your proposals in the review. It should be recorded if more than five persons are employed and be ready, if the Fire service comes a calling. :angry:

There is no legal requirement for the extraction hood and the gas interlock value to close if the fire alarm is activated, as far as I am aware. Fire Safety Legislation's ( RR(FS)O) principle requirement is that a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) must be conducted and the Responsible Person (RP) would decide if the fire alarm actuated then should the extraction hood and the gas interlock valve close, and this will be based on recommendation/ best practice. Some points to consider when making that decision, 1. When the ansul fire system is installed it will require the gas supply to be isolated when it actuates, not sure about the ventilation. 2. If there was a fire in the kitchen or anywhere in the building how will all the appliances be switched off, before evacuating the kitchen. 3. How many kitchen are there. 4. What is the fire evacuation strategy. (Fire Procedure) 5. Location of the kitchen and passive fire protection. Like Health and safety it is all based on risk assessment.

Is this a furnished or unfurnished flat? If it is a furnished flat then the landlord has a responsibility to ensure that all the upholstered furniture and mattress's complies with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988/1989, 1993 and 2010. If its unfurnished then that is your responsibility and I would advise you to ensure all upholsted furniture and mattress's also comply for you and your families safety.

The front door has to be a fire door to protect all your neighbours from a fire in your flat but your side of the door is not subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 however the common areas are. This means the method of escape in case of fire from your flat is your responsibility and the means of escape from the common areas to outside the building is the association’s responsibility. So in the common areas all the emergency doors must not be so locked or fastened that they cannot be easily and immediately opened by any person who may require using them in an emergency without resorting to the need for a key. There is no such requirement on you in your flat but I would suggest you do make them easily operable from the inside without the needs of a key for you and your family’s sake. I would imagine who has to foot the bill will be contained in your tenant agreement.

Check out The Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010 its a SI that is relevant to RR(FS)O.

Chris same as Harry you need to give more information is it a a private domestic dwelling, is it a house, flat or House in Multiple Occupation? Are you, your family or friends the only people that will use the door?