Tom Sutton

This may have arisen because in premises where there is a high situation of false alarms regarding red Break Glass Call Boxes then key call boxes are used replace them, with all staff carrying keys to operate the call boxes. However, the means of escape is still available just that the general public cannot operate the alarm it has to be a member of staff which in my opinion is acceptable. With green release boxes, this is a different matter because other people cannot escape until opened by a member of staff and in my opinion, it is not acceptable, but in a school and subject to a fire risk assessment, I can see a situation, when only students are present it could be acceptable but not when visitors and members of the public using it in the evening for LETS. It must be remembered that there are other ways of preventing the use of such fire safety equipment.

You say the cover material is fire retardant but is it match resistant and/or cigarette resistant this will decide if the interliner has to be FR (schedule 3 standard). Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 2.

Without having detailed knowledge of all models it is impossible to answer your question and I doubt that anybody does. I would suggest you study your installation/user manual and if you cannot resolve your problem contact the manufacturer for their advice.

Not necessarily it depends on the type of fire door required if it is an FD30/60 fire door then a cold smoke seal is not required, if they are an FD30/60s type of fire door then they are. All fire doors to modern standards do require intumescent strips fitted to both sides and the top edge.

I would need more details on the layout.

Find out who the manufacturer is and contact them they will be able to advise you.

I cannot understand the layout of the premises.

Daveol the only regulations in my understanding, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 18 requires the Responsible Person (RP) toe use competent persons to assist him/her to carry out their responsibilities. An explanation of a competent person states he/she must have appropriate training but doesn't detail that training so it is up to the RP to decide what that training is, and in the last resort the courts will decide, to date I am not aware of any such decisions. I do accept the guidance, standards and best practice has changed over the years but in this day of risk assessment, it is only recommendations. So training by other organizations is equally acceptable as that provided by the BRE. With regards to the hinge pads/locks as the intumescent strip is designed to fill the gap between the door leaf and the frame to prevent the fire from breaking through at that point. However, as the strip stops at the hinges/locks, I thought the pads where to fill the gap at that point.

I would think it is unlikely, although propane contains carbon it needs to combine with a poor supply of oxygen and a means of creating a chemical reaction, like heat. Without heat, the propane will remain CH3 CH2 CH3 which should not activate the CO sensor. Treat this explanation with caution I am not a chemist.

To work on a fire door you need to know what is possible and what is not, consequently if you should have the training, also you will have documentation that proves you are qualified. It is unlikely letter plates will be fitted in the factory and it is more likely to be fitted by a qualified joiner. Check out and contact hem to find the details, https://www.nptcgroup.ac.uk/courses/installation-fire-resisting-timber-doors/ www.firedoorscomplete.com https://www.nocn.org.uk/what-we-do/qualifications/unit/m-616-5829-installing-fire-resisting-timber-door-assemblies-and-doorsets-in-the-workplace/ https://www.nocn.org.uk/what-we-do/qualifications/unit/m-616-5829-installing-fire-resisting-timber-door-assemblies-and-doorsets-in-the-workplace/

If the hotel was upgraded before BS 476 – 22: 1987 then any fire doors would have met the previous standard which had 25mm rebates no seals or strips. This has been a subject of an appeal regarding bedroom doors and it was agreed that providing the doors are substantial, well-fitting then seals and strips do not need to be fitted until the door needs replacing, then the new fire door will meet the latest standard. This is also detailed in the guidance Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats. I would think as this applies to bedroom doors then it would apply to all fire doors in the premises.

Is the PVC curtain a flat sheet of PVC fixed to the door or is it fixed to the wall covering the fire door or is it a Venetian type curtain?

I know nothing about why premises are unmortgageable that is for the property lawyers and mortgage companies. What I can say is if you intend to take the freehold as owner/freeholder of a property with a common area, you will be designated the Responsible Person (article 3) under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which makes you subject to the Order and will be required to conduct a fire risk assessment, the guidance for the premises, assuming it is a converted house, is HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing. Again it will be your responsibility to ensure any necessary works are carried out, how to recoup the costs is a matter for property lawyers.

As I understand the installer of any passive fire compartmentation has to prove to the building control officer, his work meets the required standards which may include documentation. On completion of the contract, the BCO has to provide a completion certificate which says, the building is compliant with the building regulations, there should also be a fire safety strategy plan which should be provided as well.

HI, Mike, I cannot visit any of the premises in the submissions, I base my submission on what they tell me and quite often explain I cannot give a definitive answer because I have not surveyed the premises. I never mentioned the overcrowded staircase. I would also disagree with "internal protected corridors within the flats which are supposed to form part of the minimum sixty minutes," as the flat themselves, do not enter the equation considering they are exempt from the RR(FS)O, the sixty minutes only involves the four external walls of the flat, floor, and ceiling. The front door has to meet FD30s standard and the fire would have to breach the door then breach the front door of the adjoining flat thereby achieving the 60 minutes.

Having a label doesn't make a sofa fire safe but it is proof that the sofa conforms to the Furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-19881989-and-1993/ and should be fire safe, also you have proof. The problem is if things go pear-shaped and you are brought to task then you do not have any proof and a delivery receipt would not convince anybody, all it would do is involve the retailer as well.

If the petrol filling station was small why would they need a fire alarm, a verbally warning most probably would be sufficient, I suspect your corner shop doesn't have a fire alarm. A rule of thumb would be no fire alarm give a verbal warning, manual fire alarm and then electric fire alarm, depending on how complicated the building is.

What do you man additional hardwood lippings?

If the doors are locked in the open position the type of door handle is irrelevant but I cannot see the doors wide open in the depths of winter so I would suggest you keep the panic bars as it is a place of assembly.

I would think so, very neighbourly of you.

What I did not ask was, is the room a high fire risk or is there an explosion risk, this would change the situation.

If they conform to BS EN 1125: 2008 and if they are the lever type they most probably do.

A repeater panel only has one wire from the main panel to the repeater, this is why they are recommended.

It would appear to be acceptable, but to be certain you would need to study the full layout of the floor. Thumb turns are accectable but you should use the lever type used on modern rim locks.

If you say locking a room that does not form part of the means of escape then I would think it is quite acceptable.