Tom Sutton

For additional information check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses page 132.

AB the links doesn't work.

I am assuming you have only one door from the playroom, the double fire doors 132 mm wide, this means you will be limited to a maximum of 60 people depending on the size of the room. You have not indicated any travel distances, is the corridor a protected route and what the building is used for, which can affect the situation.

Removing fire doors and/or walls between the kitchen and the fire exit route is a material alteration, it requires building regulation approval. If you choose to do it without approval, then you are committing an offence and so is any person who does. If they refuse to listen and are prepared to be prosecuted then there is not much you can do, other than inform building control. A building control inspector/authorised inspector is a profession in its own right and I am not certain what qualification you require to be considered.

Any wall or floor/ceiling between an integral garage and house, including any door into the house, should be 30 minutes fire resisting with the door fitted with a self closer. Check out Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellinghouses page 30.

All doors used for means of escape should be easily opened, without the need of a key, in the direction of escape. There are a number of ways to achieve this and dependant on the one you choose will dictate the precautions you have to adopt, movement from the outside to the inside can be as secure as you choose.

It is most probably fine but without knowing the layout and travel distances I cannot give a definitive reply. Check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses. page 27.

I think the best one is the FIRA one the one I gave you the link to.

Yes, providing the security tags do not prevent the doors from being easily opened and only indicates that some person has passed through the door. Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-exit-door-security-seal/

My understanding of the regulations are limited but my interpretation of the guidance would ask, what tests does the materials you are using meet. If the foam meet the appropriate tests and leather you are using meet the appropriate match test(s), the an interliner is not required, if the cover material is at least 75% by weight of cotton, flax, viscose, modal, silk, or wool and meets the cigarette test the an interliner is required Any fabric supplied to provide or replace a permanent cover on furniture (except mattresses, divans, upholstered bed bases, pillows, cushions and baby nests) must: Either pass the appropriate match test(s) (which depend on whether the fabric is to be used to provide a visible or non-visible part of the cover) If the fabric is made from material containing at least 75% by weight of cotton, flax, viscose, modal, silk, or wool whether used separately or together and is not coated with polyurethane or a polyurethane preparation; then this fabric can be offered in non-match-resistant form; provided that the furniture has or will contain a fire-resistant interliner which itself satisfies the test specified in Schedule 3 of the Regulations. However, furniture using non-match resistant covers must still pass the appropriate cigarette composite test(s). Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations for more information.

Lets know if you find anything useful.

They do not come cheap, so you will have to pay around that price for new, or consider second hand. Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/lpg-gas-powered-fire-training-tray/ or search the web for "LPG Fire Training Tray".

This standard is withdrawn as it is not in line with current practice and technology. It is concerned with the use of radioactive material which has since been subject to changes in disposal certificates and legislation due to the use of radioactive material. Check out http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000000161916

Article 15 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires you to have appropriate procedures, including safety drills, to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to employees and relevant persons, (Relevant person are any person who has a legal right to be on your premises). The appropriate procedure is the emergency plan, which in your case includes a evacuation drawing and it is up to the employer (Responsible Person) to decide the content of the emergency plan. You do not require to have an evacuation drawing but where there are many relevant persons it is a good idea because you cannot effectively train relevant persons. There is no expiry date for the emergency plan but it should be reviewed frequently to ensure it remains up to date. The evacuation plan is not necessary but in your case it may be necessary to understand the emergency plan manuals. Check the link for more details.

You could check out https://www.brebookshop.com/details.jsp?id=325239 (BRE digest 208) I cannot find any definitive guidance they all appear to point to nominal Fire resistance and not a full 30 min FR. Because you are looking to protect circulation areas you need full 30 min FR.

A window escape on the second floor with a drop of 25ft cannot be considered an alternative means of escape. Even if it was required for MoE It can be locked, but should be easily openable, check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses, item 2.9 page 22. You should have a 30 minute, fire resistant, protected route, from your front door of your flat, to outside, via the main front door and some form of fire alarm to warn you if this route is threatened by fire or smoke. If you have any concerns you should contact your local fire service and ask for a fire safety inspection of your flat, most do provide such a service. http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/

The regulatory requirement for scatter cushions and seat pads is that the filling material only must satisfy the relevant ignition test and each individual item must bear a reduced information permanent label. Whilst the size of a scatter cushion is not defined in the Regulations it is commonly accepted that a scatter cushion has dimensions which are less than 60cm x 60cm x nominal product thickness. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations Did it meet that criteria?

Another doc that may help http://www.siginsulation.co.uk/Literature/Rockwool Flexi Application Guide.pdf and do a search of firenet forum there are other discussions on this subject.

Check out http://www.crisis-response.com/forum/index.php?topic=5153.0 may help.

In England and Wales the common areas of flats and maisonettes are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which came in force in 2006 and the order designates the owners/freeholders or a management company, as the Responsible Person or Responsible Persons, who has a duty to conduct the FRA. There is only one FRA per block/building and finishes at the front door of the flats/maisonettes. Selecting a fire risk assessor you should use A Guide to Choosing a Competent Fire Risk Assessor I cannot help you with the asbestos survey but you could contact the Environmental Department of the local council.

Even if you can provide the sixty minute fire separation I think you have to consider the whole of the building, a fire in the commercial premises would affect the residents in the flats. The stay put policy relies on the FRS being turned out as soon as possible, to get the fire under control within the sixty minutes. Consider who is warned, which enables them to call the FRS, especially at 4 o'clock in the morning, a fire in the flats the category D system would, but what about the unoccupied flats or commercial premises or are you going to rely on passer by.

I assume you are refering to fire door self closer and you need to explain more fully the type that is fitted.

In relation to B1 a Material Alteration is when the means of escape (MoE) is less satisfactory than before the work is carried out. In your case the MoE is likely to be improved therefore it is not a Material Alteration. Check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses Page 11 item 0.20. It is the same for a Dwelling House.

The interlinked detector is most probably a heat one, connected to the fire alarm covering the common areas and is designed to protect your neighbours if a fire should break out in your flat, when unoccupied. If you do not agree you could have an injunction served on you, to force you to comply but most people will agree for the sake of their neighbours and of course yourself if the fire is in another flat.

The weekly test has two functions, first to ensure the fire alarm is working and the second to ensure everybody can hear the alarm when operated, consequently 3-5 seconds or maybe a little longer, should be adequate, depending on occupancy.