Tom Sutton

It appears that the premises does not conform to the requirements of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 because the landlord as the Responsible Person (RP) should have conducted a fire risk assessment (FRA) for the premises and act upon the significant findings. The situation you described would not in my opinion meet the guidance and should be flagged up in the FRA and remedied by the RP. You should ask to see a copy of the FRA and find out why this situation has not been addressed depending on his/her reply you may have to consider reporting it to the enforcing authority the Fire and Rescue Authority. If necessary check out Contact details for local Fire and Rescue Services.

The problem is you are trying to get a litre into a pint pot, and not knowing the layout also the appropriate construction it is extremely difficult to advise you, but a couple of suggestion are,. 1. If the construction of the wall the front door is located in is timber studding and not masonry it may be possible to rebuild that wall with the type of pocket fire door that retracts into the studding allowing the width of door you need. 2. Depending on the layout of the lobby/flat it may be possible, not to upgrade the front door but the doors leading from the lobby. Other from that I am afraid I cannot help.

I would think as an trainer you should be teaching each care home the fire action plan (FAP) for that particular premises as designed by the Responsible Person. I do not think it is your responsibility to decide what the FAP should be, that decision should be made at the FRA level. If you cannot live with a particular FAP then explain why and concentrate on the ones that you do.

Which model is it?

All the fire safety guidance I am aware of says self closers are not required in domestic premises except the front door if it opens into an enclosed common area. The heavy doors are most probable, fire doors and well fitting substantial doors should remain. Consequently not all the doors need self closers according to fire safety guidance but it all depends on your lease agreement and there you need solicitors advice, because if you breach that you could be evicted. Check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses appendix B fire doors. (2.)

I would require further information, Does your front door open into an enclosed common area or does it open direct to fresh air, if it opens into an enclosed common area then the front door needs to be FD30s fire door with self closer, if it opens direct to fresh air then a standard door is all that is required. The freeholder is responsible in implementing The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and it appears his/her fire risk assessment has required the front door of your flat to be a FD30s door. It appears they are trying to get you to bring the front door up to the required standard using the lease agreement, so it all depends on what is in your lease agreement to whether or not they can, I would suggest you get the advice of a solicitor. Is the sliding doors from Hafele a sliding pocket Fire Door System?

In my opinion, any fire doors that are held open with approved devices should be released each evening because a door left in the open position, for prolonged periods, could set due to the weight of the door, however there is no legal requirement.

Only SP205 deals with the company and not individuals, all the rest register the individual as being competent, for example, if IFE register a person, that person has been tested to a standard that they consider he/she is competent. So if you employ a person who is registered then the organisation who registered him/her are saying he/she is competent.

Hope you have a deep pocket you will need it for the BS.

No prob.

What may have happened the steam condensed on the electronics of the smoke alarm causing short circuits, which is likely to cause problems until it is fully dried out. The noise that sounded like a robot losing power, is likely to be capacitors drain down, it also happens when you remove the battery and press the hush/test button.

Check out Guidance on Fire Door Installation may help.

Yes you can fit a threshold seal depending how big the gap is. Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-and-smoke-seals/?fga=true&msclkid=60a6f9fa633217f6ccbca2172942109c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SL Text%3A fire door seals&utm_term=fire door %2Bthreshold seal&utm_content=Threshold seal#AFASDBSM/330.

Have you used the A Guide to Choosing a Competent Fire Risk Assessor backed up by Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council - Competency criteria for Fire Risk Assessors then check their credentials with the appropriate organisation. Final check, to establish if they are using Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats to conduct their FRA.

The stairs and I assume the landing are concrete construction, the enclosure is brick or block, so the escape route is separated from the storeroom by at least 60 mins FR so cannot see any problems. However moving the old fire door to its new location serves no purpose because the new and old storerooms are not fire resistant (FR) because of the non fire rated wall and removing the fire door. In my opinion because storerooms, in most situation, are a high fire risk and should be enclosed to a minimum 30 mins FR. The wall you claim is non FR could be if the studding and ceiling meets a 30 mins FR standard which it can be using plaster board.

When conducting a FRA the following will be considered, upholstered seating, carpets and other textile floor coverings and underlays should be resistant to ignition. Temporary seating with more than 50 persons should be fixed together in a minimum of four and fitted to the floor if there is more than 250. I think your cardboard boxes would be hard to meet those requirements and there are many more rules, check out BS 9999 or BS 5588 part six. Check out https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/14889/fsra-large-assembly.pdf.

If the house is used as there permanent abode most of the year and only occasionally for other purposes then I am not aware of any legislation that would require them to have flame retardant curtains, although it is a good fire safety consideration. If for instant you use a small bedroom as an office or a plumber fits a bathroom in your house it doesn't make you house a workplace, the principal use is still a domestic dwelling.

I am assuming the door is not required for means of escape, if so, there is no reason that the opening cannot be sealed using at least 30 mins fire resistant construction.

I would think the reason why letter flaps can meet the BS 31 standard is because the flap is most likely spring loaded, which i imagine is not possible with cat flaps but you they can be held closed using magnets for security reasons therefore I cannot see any reasons why using this approach they could be designed to meet BS 476 Part 22 (1987) and BS 476 part 31.1.

There should e more like you,cheers!

The Regulations apply only to manufacturers, importers and retailers, you and not buyers so if they wish to put there families at risk that is their right but they should be warned. Another problem is many believe the regulations are not fit for purpose and should be revised which has started but unfortunately the government is dragging their heels. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 1 or Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 2

I would say yes because if there is a fire in your flat and the front door is open or fail with in 30 mins, then other tenants trying to escape, would not be able to pass you front door to get to the staircase also windows sills need to be located 1.2 m above the balcony floor level. Depending on the width of the balcony and if tenants, above the ground floor, can turn left or right to get to a staircase, there could could be an exception to this rule.

This is a decision for the Responsible Person as defined by The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and if the transom windows are required to provide borrow light then they will need to be glazed with fire resistant glazing (FRG) if not they could be paneled over to a 30 mins fire resistant standard. It is not important how it is done as long as the opening including the walls and door meet a 30 mins fire resistant standard if that is required.

Appropriate furniture in the communal areas in sheltered accommodation would be subject to the fire risk assessment completed by the administration of the sheltered accommodation. If it has common areas, I would think it depends on who the Responsible Person is, and would be subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

I would consider wedging fire doors open is illegal but if the rear door is a final exit door and not a fire door, then wedging it open would be acceptable, however it could be a security risk.