Tom Sutton

You have two types of lighting the normal lighting which should be available at any time it is required and emergency escape lighting, which should come on, when the electricity supply to the normal lighting fails. The emergency escape lighting should only be illuminated when the electricity supply to the normal lighting loses its supply and it has a very low level of illumination (1 to 2 lux), you can check this with an app on your phone, but it should be sufficient to enable the occupants to find their way out of the premises safely. If the Responsible Person wishes to automatically control the switching of the normal lighting it should be on when required, and there are ways to design a system that can achieve this.

You can buy paint, varnishes and coatings that the supplier will provide a compliance certificates that will provide proof that suitable items if treated according to their instructions will provide a class "O" standard. I would suggest you surf the web with "How do you achieve class O" and you should get a response from one or more of these retailers.

A carbon Monoxide (CO) detector will not detect natural gas which is principally methane (CH4) but you can get detectors that will recognise methane and carbon monoxide. Natural gas can be detected by smell but carbon monoxide cannot so it is very important that you keep your CO detector in good working order. I think this incident was a coincidental but nevertheless the outcome was great.

To do this you would need to get building regulations approval and Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellinghouses says that on the ground floor all habitable rooms have to open onto a hall, leading to a entrance or other suitable exit. Your proposals would not achieve this and consequently it would not get approval.

It sounds like the large label you cut off was the display label which is only required when it is on display in the shop, the label you need to look for is permanent label which will be fixed permanently to each item of furniture. If this is a one off sale and you are not a business then you are not subject to the regulations but I think you have a moral duty to inform the purchaser that the permanent label is missing , if it is, and allow the purchaser to decide. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations

You have said Secured by Design asks for the battery backup facility and also they have outlawed the use of a green BGU where can I find this guidance?

Check out https://www.asdma.com/knowledge-centre/ and select Risk Assessment Considerations for Timber Fire Doors ASDMA Guidance for Responsible Persons which will provide a lot of useful information, but you need an expert to inspect the doors and tell you what you need to do, i would suggest you check out http://fdis.co.uk/ . I also assume you are in purpose built flats and you could also study Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats.

As far as I am aware you can.

Twenty people, 3 bedroom house sounds a little optimistic but as far as fire safety is concerned until you have got your proposals on paper nobody can give you any advice; it will all depend on the layout of the premises. When you are working out the fire safety provisions required you should consult Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses which is the document you will need to meet, at the alteration stage.

Check out https://www.labc.co.uk/sites/default/files/EXT.SCA-Guidance-on-Smoke-Control-to-Common-Escape-Routes-Oct2015.LSt_.v2.151116.pdf its the Smoke control associaton guide on flats, may be useful.

I cannot see a small difference on the date due will cause a significant problem providing it does not develop into a much bigger difference.

My interpretation a 1m2 free area ventilation is required by Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses (item 2.26 page 29) at the head of each staircase. To measure the free area you need to check out appendix C 5 free area of ventilators. You have two choices and I am not sure you will achieve 1m2 by either, you need to speak to somebody who specialise in NSHEV systems.

If they are absolutely necessary, it's about the best solution and should be considered also there must be an alternative means of escape situation.

Décor and surface finishes of walls, ceilings and escape routes The materials used to line walls and ceilings can contribute significantly to the spread of flame across their surface. Most materials that are used as surface linings will fall into one of three classes of surface spread of flame. The following are common examples of acceptable materials for various situations: Class 0: Materials suitable for circulation spaces and escape routes • Such materials include brickwork, blockwork, concrete, ceramic tiles, plaster finishes (including rendering on wood or metal lathes), wood-wool cement slabs and mineral fibre tiles or sheets with cement or resin binding. Note: Additional finishes to these surfaces may be detrimental to the fire performance of the surface and if there is any doubt about this then consult the manufacturer of the finish. Class 1: Materials suitable for use in all rooms but not on escape routes • Such materials include all the Class 0 materials referred to above. Additionally, timber, hardboard, block board, particle board, heavy flock wallpapers and thermosetting plastics will be suitable if flame-retardant treated to achieve a Class 3: Materials suitable for use in rooms of less than 30m2 • Such materials include all those referred to in Class 1, including those that have not been flame-retardant treated and certain dense timber or plywood and standard glass-reinforced polyesters. The equivalent European classification standard will also be acceptable. Further details about internal linings and classifications are available in Approved Document B.24 Appropriate testing procedures are detailed in BS 476-732 and where appropriate BS EN 13501-1.33 Notice boards are acceptable in escape routes if fitted in a cabinet and it advisable to use poly carbonate and not glass for the frontage. Loose paper should not be fitted to the walls of escape routes but could be acceptable in class rooms on the back wall furthest from the door. Check out DCLG guidance document for schools and BB100 fire safety for design of schools depends if its new build or existing building.

In most cases ADB is for new build and Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats is for existing blocks of flats. In FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing which is the guidance for existing housing, which states in buildings of up to two storeys conventional lighting arrangements, will usually be adequate, subject to the above conditions. The subject to the above condition is "Some buildings will, in addition, require emergency escape lighting in the escape route. These will include: • large buildings with long escape routes; • buildings with a complex layout; • buildings with no natural or borrowed lighting along the escape route; and • buildings with vulnerable occupiers or those posing a specific risk."

1. Brad today it’s all about risk assessment so what are the chances of a fire on the premises, the electric supply and external lighting failing at the same time, I would think pretty low consequently an acceptable risk. 2. If you are accepting borrowed light as acceptable, then you do not require emergency escape lighting therefore photometric data is not necessary. I would conduct an inspection during the hours of darkness, switch off the lights, if I can find my way about and see what I need see, then emergency lighting is not needed. I accept it cannot be done off plan.

Does your flat entrance door open onto a common area used by other flat tenants or does it open to fresh air?

We have provided a number of solutions but do not have the knowledge of the premises that you have, I believe it is now up to you. It will be interesting which options you take up and when considering your options do not forget visitors that could be on the premises.

There needs to be a permanent label on each separate item of the sofa and if one has come loose then there isn't much you can do about it especially if it it 15 years old. Records only have to be held for five years, so there is no chance of getting a copy, but if you are happy with it then the only problem to arise, is if you decide to sell it or give it to a charity.

Check out the DCLG guides for individual types of premises at https://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/.

I am afraid what you are suggesting, would affect the fire rating, a certificated fire door would become a nominal fire door and if it has to satisfy an enforcing officer it may not be accepted. But you could consider a bespoke fire door, check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/custom-30-and-60-minute-fire-doors-fd30-fd60/ for example.

Check out what it says in Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, and then be clear in your report what it is you are, and aren't including in your assessment. You can only survey what you see without destroying the fabric of the building and make it clear that the survey is not intrusive and if they want otherwise this would entail potentially a lot of damage throughout. You can check service shafts and certainly the bottom of service shafts where pipework and cabling enter/exit, also check above suspended ceiling, however this would mean carrying step ladder/torch. As the assessment is purely non-destructive and as AB says it all depends on your findings what you think it reasonable to recommend a follow-up compartmentation survey.

The standard for the legend on fire exit signs are BS EN ISO 7010 and is acceptable for British and EU regulations but if illuminated fire exit signs are required they must be combined with emergency escape lighting and as the electric supply will be available then LED illuminated signs would be a better option considering the price of self-luminous (tritium) exit signs.

I cannot see how any laminates would affect the fire resistance of a fire door but the main concern would be the surface spread of flame and has this laminate been tested for surface spread of flame, if so what class did it achieve.

Assuming it is not a purpose built block of flats and the premises meets FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing which is the guidance for this type of premises then her escape from fire will be via the staircase and in any case emergency access windows are not acceptable above 4,5 m from the ground.