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Tom Sutton

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  1. Tom Sutton
    Are talking about domestic smoke detectors combined with an emergency light?
  2. Tom Sutton
    There is no date at this moment, just soon and they have been saying that for some time. First Europe has to accept ISO 7010 and then amend (EC/92/58). Then the UK has to implement the directive and amended the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations. Check out http://www.firesafe....ire-exit-signs/ for more detailed information.
  3. Tom Sutton
    Naz The government thinks you can but allow me to inject some caution here, it is nowhere as simple as some think. I know many professional fire risk assessors spend too much time on sorting out garbage fire risk assessments that fail to pass the enforcement officers. I do accept for small and small/medium premises it is possible for the man in the street can do an acceptable FRA but do be careful. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-risk-assessment/ for more information.
  4. Tom Sutton
    First check out the footnote on my responses. Nobody can give a definitive answer to you question it is all about informed guessing. 1. One of the most important considerations is how well the fire door set has been installed and meets all the required tolerances. 2. Fire door can fail because it warps and creates a gap between the frame and the door. ( Construction and Hinges) 3. If if the door does warp slightly is there a means of sealing the gap. (intumescent strip) 4. Fire attacks the edge of the door first and high lights any faults. (Hardwood lippings and intumescent strip) 5. If the fire door is modified it loses certification grantee unless conducted by an approved company. The only way to check these points is by examination and with favourable responses you should be able to make a good case to convince the Building Control Officer or Fire Inspecting Officer the fire door will function as required.
  5. Tom Sutton
    Have you modified the frame as well so the door sits in a 12 mm rebate also have you maintained the 2 or 3 mm gap between the door and frame
  6. Tom Sutton
    I have only seen overhead self closing devices on the office side of inward opening fire doors I am not sure if it is possible to fit on the corridor side. In a fire its only role is to close the door when the last person has left then the latch ensures the door is kept shut and its function is finished which is long before any fire gets near the door, so I am not sure what your concerns are.
  7. Tom Sutton
    Ken download the guide for small and medium places of assembly for guidance on question 1 relating to Décor and surface finishes of walls, ceilings and escape routes. Page 118.
  8. Tom Sutton
    Thanks Harry Makes sense but as I have already said I would always use an active (electrochemical) detector and supplement it with a visual CO detector if it started playing up. During research I came up with a couple of websites one English and the other an American which discussed this subject in some depth which proved interesting. One suggested you should go for a digital version if you can afford it, because it will detect lower levels of CO well before it reaches danger levels as a result I will certainly consider this. http://www.explainth...edetectors.html http://communities.g...ing/pdf/1324663 Tom
  9. Tom Sutton
    Hi Harry Why was the removal of the CO badges recommended? I fully understand the need for active CO detectors but why not use visual CO detectors as a backup? Also is there any independent reports on this subject using UK's main CO alarm manufacturer reviewed the badges which would be a competitor for his products leaves me a little suspicious. Tom
  10. Tom Sutton
    Further to what has been said, active CO detection, because of the electronics can have faults that sound an alarm without the presence of CO and results in a situation like yours. A possible solution could be to have a passive CO detector, sometimes called a badge as well, which will show the presence of CO and hopefully give you peace of mind.
  11. Tom Sutton
    The electronics and batteries can be tested using the test button however there is no way of testing the CO detector and it has a life of only ten years. If you are having problems, then I would suggest you replace it its the safest option.
  12. Tom Sutton
    Service intervals for dry powder (other than the CO2 cylinder) should be taken as, The Basic Service - Standard powder 12 Months from the the date of commisioning or the last service. Extended Service - Standard powder - 5 years from the date of commissioning or 6 years from the date of manufacture and subsequently every 5 years from the date of the last extended service. Extended Service - Powder primary sealed - 10 years from the date of commisioning or 11 years from the date of manufacture and subsequently every 10 years from the date of the last extended service. The service tolerance accepted is + or - one month so in your case I would use the commissioning date.
  13. Tom Sutton
    Most of the ones I have seen there is only a test button and indicator lights. These are to inform you the battery state and when the alarm is working, but I would suspect the high pitched signal you are hearing would be a clue it is operating. You could do the testing, maintenance and simple instruct your mother when the alarm operates go and get help.
  14. Tom Sutton
    Your friend is absolutely correct, any form of combustion using carbon products, produces carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)when the carbon in the fuel combines with oxygen, (C+O) or (C+O+O). It all depends on the supply of oxygen and how efficiently the carbon combines with the oxygen also how efficiently the products of combustion is removed that's why in modern houses you need vents fitting and effective chimneys. In days of yore you had gales blowing through the gaps in doors and windows and had chimneys little boys could climb up, so vents were never needed.
  15. Tom Sutton
    Yes you can use water and/or foam if a suitable anti-freeze is added but only use that which is recommended by the manufacturer. Ethylene glycol and propelled glycol depress water’s freezing point, but also thicken at very low temperatures, eventually clogging extinguisher nozzles. Newer freeze-point depressor solutions use salts, which will not thicken as the extinguisher discharges. Class A or B extinguishers and other liquid-based extinguishers must contain these compounds if they are to be stored where temperatures fall below freezing. On the extinguisher the the minimum and maximum temperature range should be displayed (in accorance with BS EN 3) and can be as low as -200.
  16. Tom Sutton
    The following is a quote from the Lacors guide and is the general stock answer to your question. "The specification for the door-set on site should be identical to that specified in the test report for the door-set, which will be available from the manufacturer or supplier. Variations in any detail from the test specification may adversely affect the performance of the door. When new fire doors are to be provided, ideally an entire door-set construction should be fitted thereby overcoming potential problems with fitting doors to frames of a different specification to that in the test construction. However, it is recognized that in some existing buildings of substantial construction this requirement may cause practical difficulties. If this is the case it may be possible to fit new fire doors to existing frames. This will, however, only be acceptable if the frames are of sound construction, in good condition, and of material and dimensions not less than those of the frame detailed in the test report" It all depends on who conducts the fire risk assessment and what they are prepared to accept. It also depends on the enforcing authority (Fire and Rescue Service) and how well they accept the principle of risk assessment. I am afraid there is no simple answers.
  17. Tom Sutton
    The garage should be separated from the dwelling by half hour construction which means any door into the garage from the dwelling has to be half hour fire resisting door. The best guidance I know for installing a fire door is the ADSMA guide at http://www.asdma.com/pdf/installationlflt2.pdf I hope this helps. You could also try http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ for information on fire doors.
  18. Tom Sutton
    Hi Nick I am not sure how your question involve fire safety unless its about emergency lighting. If that is the case then emergency lighting is split into emergency escape lighting and standby lighting. Fire safety is involved in emergency escape lighting and not standby lighting which appears to be what your question is about. I think you would be more successful if you find an electrical engineers forum as opposed to ours. If it was to frighten the proverbial out of us then you have succeeded. :unsure:
  19. Tom Sutton
    Domestic fuel oil is similar to white spirit and the flash point of white spirit is 26 to 65 degrees centigrade therefore at normal temperature and pressure it will not give off sufficient vapours capable of igniting. But to be cautious keep the oil tank sealed, place a barrier between your work and the tank like a corrugated steel sheet or a domestic fire blanket.
  20. Tom Sutton
    You can, upwards escape is acceptable if it is the only means available and the staircase is protected. It sound unusual where does the exit lead to on the first floor?
  21. Tom Sutton
    Thanks Roger for your compliment but it is only about knowing where to look and hopefully applying some common sense.
  22. Tom Sutton
    It is not just the fire alarm to consider, you have to look at the compartmentation and layout of the building. Is the common areas (staircase and landings) separated from the bedsits by at least half an hour fire resisting construction including fire doors, if not, this could be the reason for a full blown fire alarm system has been installed. If this is the case and as Harry says, and it is about false alarms, then follow out Harry's suggestion and dont throw out the baby with the bath water.
  23. Tom Sutton
    By its nature fire doors are heavy but in my experience no more difficult to open, unless the self closer is incorrectly adjusted or the leaf of the door is binding on something, do you have self closer fitted?
  24. Tom Sutton
    Check out Lacor's guide Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing. Decide which category of dwelling you occupy and section D provides case studies, which will indicate the type of fire alarm that should be installed. Within the guide there is all the information you require.
  25. Tom Sutton
    There are two types of label, display label and a permanent label. The display label should have been prominently attached to the sofa when it was purchased, and usually goes missing very soon after. The permanent label should have been permanently attached and usually out of sight in my case under the cushions on one settee and attached to the framework underneath the settee on another. The permanent label is the most important and gives all the information to establish if the item is in accordance with furniture regulations. If they are missing then it will be very difficult to check if the furniture is legal, you could try the retailer who sold the sofa but they are only required to keep the records for 5 years. Check out http://www.fira.co.u...ber-2011pdf.pdf for the FIRA guide and http://www.firesafe....81989-and-1993/ for more information.
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