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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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?

Thanks Roger for your compliment but it is only about knowing where to look and hopefully applying some common sense.

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.

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?

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.

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.

The organisation who administers the certification scheme conduct regular inspections of manufacturers, installer, retailers and those that modify the doors to ensure they conform to the rules and the fire doors are being manufactured to the original specifications. What would we do without BS EN ISO 9001.

10.1 Charities The Regulations state that selling upholstered furniture and furnishings to raise funds for charitable purposes constitutes a business activity and hence there is a need to conform to the requirements of the Regulations. Therefore the charity will need to ensure that either the item has complied with the appropriate test(s) as outlined in the Regulations or is fitted with a permanent label which outlines the compliance of the particular item. Items which have not complied with the appropriate test(s) or do not carry a permanent label which outlines the compliance of the item cannot be sold. However furniture manufactured prior to 1950 is outside the scope of these Regulations. The Regulations state that the simple distribution of second-hand upholstered furniture and furnishings by a charity in pursuance of its charitable objectives to needy persons, either free of charge or at a nominal amount only, is not considered to constitute a supply in the course of business and hence is exempt from compliance to the Regulations. This practice is considered to be unsafe, especially in the case of vulnerable and needy persons, and it is to be discouraged. Charities distributing second-hand furniture are also advised to seek assurance that these items conform to the Regulations in the same way that second hand furniture is sold. Check out http://www.fira.co.u...ber-2011pdf.pdf The above is an excerpt from the FIRA guide to the regulations and clearly states that you are exempt. But go on to recommend you should conform to the regulations and on reflection I would agree. You should provide a display label if possible and have you checked if there is a permanent label attached to the bottom of the settee as well as the chair which is more important and if missing the item should not be sold.

There should be a periodic test certificate record in the possession of the RP of the premises and the first company should have completed it or provided a new one. The second company should have completed the emergency lighting fault action record. Example of the model periodic test certificate and the fault action record can be found in BS 5266-1:2011 Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency escape lighting of premises appendix H.

An escape window may be a requirement depending on the age of the property but not a ladder and surely if you lock your doors then it would be easily enough to open them to escape in case of fire. If you are asking is the means of escape satisfactory then a full physical survey would be required but you could check it out yourself by using "HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing" to get some ideas.

Most fire door sets are a composite construction and finished with a timber veneer so visually they all appear to be the same. Its the construction that achieves the fire resistance and the manufacturers will not reveal this for obvious reasons. The only way to determine the fire resistance is to purchase certified fire door sets with documentation, labels or in some cases plastic plugs. The thickness of the leaf of the door may be an indication but not always and sometimes what appears to be a timber fire door in a metal frame can indicate a two hour fire door. I am afraid its all about third party certification and of course you can have metal or glass fire doors. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ for more information.

Check out the American point of view at http://www.homesafe....lert/detect.htm worth a look.

How can it detect a mains failure if it is not connected to the mains? You can get combined domestic fire detector and emergency light which will illuminate if a fire is detected whether the emergency light is required or not.

First of all only mandatory fire warning signs should be fitted to the door fire escape signs should be fitted preferably above the door, check out, http://www.gai.org.u..._Section_10.pdf. If you are concerned about using screws then by all means use adhesive. Testing the fire door is a non starter because the test is a destructible test and the cost would be very expensive. You need to understand how fire doors are tested check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ and

For a new house to receive approval and receive a completion document the local Building control should ensure it complies with Approved Document B Fire Safety which require a fire alarm to be fitted in accordance with BS 5839-6:2004 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in dwellings. Once the dwelling is occupied it is up to the occupier or the landlord/owner to maintain the fire alarm in accordance with any agreements made, like a tenant agreement. Testing is important and any defects remedied, like replacing the battery or the detector if necessary. The life of a detector is about tens years and should be replaced if you have no way of testing the sensor.

It doesn't appear to be an ideal situation for normal use let alone a fire situation. I would suggest you contact the local fire and rescue service and make them aware of your concerns. For details of all UK FRS's check out http://www.firesafe....rvices-details/

Is your door a certified fire door, been certified by a third party, like the British Woodworking Federation Certifire fire door scheme, if not, it is a nominal fire door and you will not have documented proof. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/

I wouldn't think so, a fire door is full of screws and although they are in place when the fire door specimen is tested I am sure a couple of 12mm screws holding on a sign is not going to affect the integrity of the door to any great extent. If you have certified fire door, the attached documents would indicate what is acceptable and what is not. I cannot see any enforcing authority objecting to your proposals.

In relation to housing there are other guides fire risk assessors use. The Lacors guide "Housing – Fire Safety: Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing" http://www.cieh.org/...guidance_08.pdf and, "FIRE SAFETY IN PURPOSE-BUILT BLOCKS OF FLATS" http://www.local.gov...CATION-TEMPLATE both worth a peruse.