Tom Sutton

Green-foam I was only stating what is in the BS and I do not have sufficient expertise to say how Robinlo could comply with the standard,whether two ring circuits or a combination of a ring circuit and a radial circuit would suffice.

The BS shows two circuits a radial sounder circuit and ring sounder circuit. The radial sounder circuit has one circuit with one sounder close to the panel and second circuit with the remainder of the sounders. The ring sounder circuit (e.g. addressable loops) has a combination of sounders and detector with one sounder close to the panel and protected by short circuit isolators. It appears that if there is a short circuit at least on sounder close to the CIE will be working. How this applies to your situation I do not have the expertise to help therefore I would suggest you contact the manufacturer of the CEI and get their advice, unless there is somebody on the forum who can help.

Fire safety legislation applies to all farm buildings where people work, including packing sheds, milking parlours, barns, holiday lets and farm houses used for providing bed and breakfast. Check out Cheshire FRS website for more information. http://www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/business-safety/fire-safety-guidance/farm-fire-safety/farms-fire-risk-assessment

I have no idea if your door meets the required fire resistance but if you have been told, that you only need to replace the rising butt hinges, then simply replace with fire door hinges and fit a closing device, see the links below. Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-rated-hinges-set-of-3-product-1/?fGB=true http://www.safelincs.co.uk/door-closers/

There is no fire safety reason to using a fire exit but I can see a security problem, because how do you secure the fire exit door from the outside, especially if it is a push bar?

Without knowing the layout of the premises it is impossible to say if the situation is safe but there are many blocks of flats that only have only one door for access and exit and you need a fire risk assessor to check the premises out and give you an expert opinion. You could contact the local Fire and Rescue Service and get a fire safety inspection or an audit. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/

I found the manufacturing standard it is BS EN 60598-2-22:2014 Luminaires. Particular requirements. Luminaires for emergency lighting and it states " an indicator visible in normal use, for example a lamp, which shows the following conditions, the luminaire is connected and the charge of the battery is being maintained " so it seems your luminaire does not conform the BS. The lamp in most cases will be an LED and should show green if OK.

All that I can find, is part of the annual test BS EN 50172:2004 BS 5266-8:2004 states "the supply of the normal lighting shall be restored and any indicator lamp or device checked to ensure that it is showing that normal supply has been restored" so without checking the LED how do you know if the supply has been restored? I also checked BS EN 60598-1 which does not appear to require LED's but you need to see the LED to complete the annual service test, don't understand it. Conforming to the BS is not a legal obligation but it is best practice, I must leave it at that for the moment but I will continue with my research.

All that I can find, is part of the annual test BS EN 50172:2004 BS 5266-8:2004 states "the supply of the normal lighting shall be restored and any indicator lamp or device checked to ensure that it is showing that normal supply has been restored" so without checking the LED how do you know if the supply has been restored? I also checked BS EN 60598-1 which does not appear to require LED's but you need to see the LED to complete the annual service test, don't understand it. Conforming to the BS is not a legal obligation but it is best practice, I must leave it at that for the moment but I will continue with my research.

As far as fire safety is concerned there could be a surface spread of flame problem but as far as H&S is concerned I do not know you should try http://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums/index.php or the HSE website.

I do not know about the planning situation but as far as fire safety is concerned you can use a fire exit as a second entrance to a high street store providing you adopt the condition we raised.

Have you supervised an evacuation and timed the outcome, you are unlikely to achieve 2.5 minutes in most situations, what do you do then?

As far as I am aware there is no set time and I would think it is as soon as the premises is handed over. Once the completion certificate has been finalised and the fire strategy document is handed over you should begin preparing to have a fire risk assessment started. This will take some time but I would suggest it is done as soon as possible and if building control has done their job properly there should be little to do, however from what I hear this is not always be the case. I hear the fire safety strategy document is not always available and in relation to fire safety there can be short comings of the Building Control Officers/Approved Inspectors.

Quite often a question will appear, do the regulations apply, and consequently it is important to understand what is meant by the regulations. The regulation’s which includes acts of parliament are legislation that requires you to submit to a line of action but does not necessarily how to fulfil your duty. It is the guides and British Standards that show you how the meet the required standard. The regulation will say, you need to install a fire alarm, if necessary, but it is BS 5839 that will show you how. The regulation is law but the guides and British Standards are recommendations but are also considered best practice. This is important if things go wrong and if you have followed the appropriate guides and standards you have a defence of best practice providing you have also followed your duty as detailed by the appropriate regulations. If you are installing something new then it has to be in accordance with the current standard if it is something that has been installed some time ago then it will be the standard current at the time of installation. Providing the item is still fit for purpose, which is decided by risk assessment, and then it will be still considered best practice. There are a number of regulations and acts of parliament that cover fire safety the principal one in England and Wales is The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

I have done a great deals of research and there is little guidance on this matter the best I found was www.thebuildinginspector.org/HMO%20Fire%20guide.pdf check out page 37. Most of the guidance simple says upgrade to carcass on the risk side (inner) and fit a FD30s door with steel single axis hinges and what you propose should achieve that. Because it says FD30s door that would mean intumescent and smoke seals are required also the door should be fitted with a lock. You can buy self-adhesive seals which could be more practical and finally check with the enforcing authority (most probably the BCO or AI) that your proposals are acceptable.

Sorry Bree I misread your posting I thought the the fire alarm could not be repaired and a new one needed to be installed. In your case it can be repaired and most probably the fire alarm was installed to the BS that was current at the time of installation so there is no problem.

When you carry out any building work it could be subject to Planning and/or Building Regulations and you should check this out, online or at your local building control. This may have been done by your builder but nevertheless you should receive a completion certificate, if building regulations approval was required and completed satisfactory. Check out the Planning Portal and Building Regulations. If you are subject to either then you will need to apply for approval and follow the laydown procedure which in the case of Building Regulation will end in receiving a completion certificate from building control when completed satisfactory .

Guest John - When you fit a new fire door you should use a fire door set which is the the door and frame. A 30FD fire doors is usually 44mm thick should be reasonably insulated it is about the thickness of a external door and I supposed you could install a 54mm FD60 door but I am suprised you need it. When fire doors are tested they only test the stability and integrity not the insulation. Cold smoke seals not only prevent the passage of cold smoke it will also act as a draught excluder. It depends on the location and the purpose of the fire door but if you could find a suitable fire resistant insulation board you could fix it to the non risk side of the fire door. But I am not aware of any such product and how effective it would be. Again depending on the location and the purpose of the fire door you may be able to fit a free sliding heavy curtain to the non risk side of the fire door like you see in cinemas or theatres. Sorry I cannot be more positive but it is something I have not familiar with.

Hi Jim I agree no tests should be carried out by tripping the supply at source because you would lose the normal lighting in a non-maintained system but you say" escape lighting should be on its own circuit" in a non maintained where do you get the feed from?

Who as advised you and what grade of fire alarm has been recommended. Check out Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 13 says where necessary a fire alarm is required and this is decided by you fire risk assessment. If a fire alarm is required then it has to be installed in accordance with the latest British Standard which is BS 5839 part 1 2013. This is because if the proverbial hits the fan, the fire alarm is considered at fault and if it ends up in court your defence would be, you followed best practice, as the British Standards are considered best practice. Also in your case if the system cannot be repaired then its a fair assumption that the equipment is past its sell by date and needs replacing or if it is because you are concerned about being ripped off get other companies to check it out.

Firstly you are not subject to the The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations but you are subject to the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. You will also be subject the the building regulations which have fire safety implications. You will be the Responsible Person and required to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment which includes preventing or reducing the risk of a fire occurring. Therefore you should study Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sectors A Guide to the UK requirements which will assist you in carrying out your duties.

Any claims made by your Chinese supplier I would treat with caution and if the material is to be used on upholstered furniture you would be the first manufacturer or retailer in the UK, therefore subject to the The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulation. I would suggest you contact one of the testing houses and find out what you need to do to test the faux leather fabric then get a sample from the supplier. On receipt of the sample have it tested and if it passes the test place an order. As far as I am aware there is no way of knowing the fire resistance of an material without testing it.

You cannot make it fire rated but you can buy a fire resistant double swing door check it out on the web.

Your premises was subject to the building regulations which says it should be designed and constructed so people are warned and can escape at all material times. Now it is the Approved Document Part B Fire Safety. (ADB) Volume 1 that gives the details how that can be attained which in turn points to british standards for further recommendations. Although not law are considered to be best practice and holds sway in the courts. Check out appendix B in ADB page 64 and it refers you to BS 8214 1990 which is now 2008 and recommended,as you say 2 t0 4mm gap, sides and top. The threshold gap was 8mm in the 1990 BS, and in the 2008 states it should be in compliance with the manufactures installation guide. You try the local reference library they sometimes have access to BS.