Tom Sutton

Keith I accept trying to provide an image may be difficult but could you describe the plug in detail especial the colours used.

The common areas of blocks of flats are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and should have a fire risk assessment (FRA) which would consider the problem you are concerned with. The enforcing authority is the local Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) therefore I would suggest you contact them and make them aware of your problem and they should conduct an inspection to ensure all things are satisfactory. Check out http://www.firesafe....ety-order-2005/ for more information and http://www.firesafe....rvices-details/ will identify your local FRS or local fire station and you could visit or phone them.

Elena holiday lets are subject to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010) which means, as you have been advised, all upholstered furniture should carry fire safety labels. There is no way of knowing if the armchair would meet the necessary standards other than to contact the manufacturer who may have the documentation to prove the armchairs are legal but they only have to retain the records for 5 years so the chances of verifying the legality of these armchairs is pretty remote. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-19881989-and-1993/ for more info.

British Standard 8214 : 2008 colour code system. http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/twsutton/PlasticplugsBS8214-1.jpg

Keith do you have an image or can you take a photo and show us on the forum.

The legislation says all premises subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 should have means of raising the alarm of fire. If you require an electronic fire alarm system then it has to be fit for purpose which means in accordance with BS 5839-1:2002 + A2:2008. Part of that British Standard includes a section on maintenance which says there should be periodic inspections by a competent persons at an interval of no more than six months. For more information on the maintenance check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-alarms/ which explains all the tests.

http://i1257.photobu...lasticPlugs.jpg Above is the old BWF method and you can find the Trada method in the below link but one that uses three colours is a new one on me. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ for more information.

Andy check out http://fire.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5779.new#new and you will see it becomes quite complicated.

I have never been involved closely with installation of sprinklers but the British Standard is BS EN 12845:2004+A2:2009 Fixed firefighting systems. Automatic sprinkler systems. Design, installation and maintenance. For Further information go to http://www.firesafe.org.uk/industrial-fire-sprinklers/

The standard for door closer is BS EN 1154:1997 and EN 1154:1996 is the European equivalent. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-door-fitting-and-ironmongery/ for more information. I far as I am aware the Powermatic Hydraulic Closer by Perko is th only perko that is CE marked to BS EN 1154:1997 and an overhead door closer should be cheaper but needs to meet the above standard. BS EN 1634 is not for closer's its for Fire doors and Shutters.

The only legislation on fire risk assessments is The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 there are also many guides, the one for this situation is Offices and shops and maybe the Factories and warehouses is there is a garage as well. You could check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ for more information.

There was amendments to the 1988 regulations in 1989, 1993 and 2010 therefore I would suggest you check out the the 2010 amendments on the web page at http://www.firesafe.org.uk/furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-19881989-and-1993/ and the experts on this legislation is the Furniture Industry Research Association which would be worth contacting.

There is no regulation on what surface should be beneath a fire door and carpet would be allowed. However if there is a carpet joint under the door, it is particularly liable to wear and tear in places below the door where a threshold plate can cover the join to prevent both wear and tripping hazard. Or if your floor surface is particularly liable to wear and tear in places below the door (eg, a high level of traffic, or over a carpet that may become compressed over time), then a threshold plate will help to prevent these uneven areas affecting the threshold sealing.

An evacuation plan is a bespoke written procedure instructing your employees and relevant persons what to do in the event of a fire in your premises. This procedure is required by The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 together with requirement to training and the testing of the procedure.( Fire Drill) The procedure is devised by the Responsible Person and as well as the written procedure may include notices, drawings to make the contents more understandable. Fire evacuation drawing is not a requirement but can make the procedure more easily understood. I believe you are talking about the fire evacuation drawing and it can be any size you consider necessary I have seen A4 and A3 it all depends. Check out http://www.firesafe....fire-procedure/ for more details.

I would suggest you complete your work in accordance with Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Offices and Shops and when the Responsible Person has to review his/her fire risk assessment then it should conform.

Will you should try a posting on http://forum.fire.org.uk/ you may find useful.

The Fire Alarm System has to be an addressable type system and, I think the best solution would be replacing the offending heads with advanced multi-criteria fire detector heads (4 sensors) if the control panel is compatible and you are prepared to accept the higher cost/availability. (Like System Sensor or Honeywell Notifier IntelliQuad) Another solution would be to program all the offending detector heads and program them to reduce their sensitivity, or build-in a simple key switch to the system that automatically isolates the required affected detection heads. At the same time, provide various visual and/or audible warning that the system is in a 'partially disabled' state. The problem with smoke machine fog is that it is hard to control it at a level that will definitely not affect your 'adjusted less-sensitive' detectors. You end up still getting some, if as not as many, unwanted alarms. It is far more practical to temporarily totally isolate automatic detection in the smoke machine affected areas during those times those areas have people present. A further safety requirement would be to conduct a fire risk assessment for when the smoke machine is in use and also produce a Permit to Work system covering the use of smoke machines, part of the sign off procedure is to reinstate the fire alarm system. Any fire, in the area that involves the fog from the machine, would soon be discovery by the persons present or the staff dedicated to fire watching in this area.

Welcome green-foam its nice to have more support on the answers side.

Up to ten years ago, because fire doors are heavy and you do not want then to set or warp, three steel hinges were fitted as standard. However ten years ago a British/European standard was introduced covering single axis hinges called "BS EN 1935: 2002: Building Hardware. Single Axis hinges as relates to Fire doors." which is now the present standard. The code indicates the suitability of the hinges and if the are suitable for fire doors but you need to study the standard for the full details regarding the number of hinges required but in general three hinges are usually required. Guide to interpreting Markings for Single Axis Hinges. Check out http://www.firesafe....nd-ironmongery/ for more information on all door furniture.

I am trying to find an answer but it may take some time assuming one exists. I have come across a detector called Advanced Multi-Criteria Fire Detector and you could check it out and see if it solves the problem. Check out http://www.esmagazin...s-system-sensor and www.systemsensor.com/pdf/COPTIR-performance-report.pdf another make by Honeywell http://www.notifier....adv-sensing.htm

Water and foam extinguisher's that has passed the dielectric test should not be use directly on live electrical equipment without consultation with the manufacturer or fire and rescue service. The best solution is the isolate the mains supply and allow any capacitance to discharge then it’s safe to use water. DO NOT USE WATER ON COOKING OIL OR FAT FIRES only use extinguishers that have passed the class F test and have a rating higher enough to deal with the size of fire you are dealing with.

Further to the above posting I have an opinion from trading standards, The Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations apply to the sale of second hand furniture and furniture purchased at the first point of supply, i.e. retail sales. A private individual can sell second hand furniture but it should be compliant with the above mentioned regulations. The difficulty in situations that arise where a person who IS NOT in trade or business commits a breach of consumer legislation is that Trading Standards have limited powers of enforcement where the sale is not in the course of trade or business. Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06. Trading Standards http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm

Some types of fire blankets can be reused and you will need to read the manufacturers instructions on the product or contact the manufacturer. If you try and reuse a fire blanket that has some damage to it you may find that much of the fire resistance has been removed making it obsolete, in cases such as these it should be replaced with a new one. You will also have difficulty in repacking them and the cost is not prohibitive so in many cases the best option is to replace it.

Download the Domestic Flammability Guide and check it out, but I cannot be certain a private individual is exempt it appears all suppliers of domestic upholstered furniture and furnishings are responsible, with little defence, for product liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Therefore suppliers of domestic upholstered furniture and furnishings need to meet the requirements of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and the GPSR as it is illegal to supply goods that do not comply. I expect Ebay may not accept it as they could be breaking the law even if you are not.

The responsible Person should review the fire risk assessment and if the findings do not require the fire exit then remove it. If you are able to remove it then ensure there is no confusion by the occupants, whether or not it is a fire exit. Further information http://www.firesafe....ety-order-2005/ and download the appropriate DCLG guidance.