Tom Sutton

Simon - Emergency escape lighting has to come up to full luminance within 5 seconds most generator cannot achieve this but there is a tolerance up 15 seconds if the enforcing authority accepts it (Fire and Rescue Service) Check out BS 5266-1:2011 Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency escape lighting of premises.

The fixing height for mandatory signs is recommended at 1500 mm ("eye level"). Each door must carry a sign on both faces unless it is an access to ducts etc. where there is no approach from the other side. (ADB - Appendix B:8) Check out http://www.firecode.org.uk/

It does not have anything to do with the category, yours is a cat M. If it is a 40 year old manual alarm system then it is unlikely to conform to BS 5839-1:2013. Does it have a battery backup what type of wiring and what voltage does it operate on? Without knowing a lot more about the system it is impossible to give an opinion if it could be considered acceptable. Yes I believe it should have been mentioned in you FRA and is the fire officer going to provided you with an improvement notice.

When the buggy is on charge will it restrict the means of escape for people escaping in the case of a fire.

There is no thing as a certificate but the common areas are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and require a fire risk assessment. (FRA) Depending on the circumstances the FRA may have to be recorded (a written document) and must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date. As you can see no particular time is stated but most situations annually is considered reasonable.

I do not fully understand what you mean by having emergency lights certified but if you mean tested it is monthly and yearly in most cases. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/emergency-lighting/

Marat The front exit may be all you require it again depends on the layout, the travel distance, the number, width and location of the exits. Again check out the relevant guidance, https://www.gov.uk/g...fices-and-shops or employ a fire risk assessor to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment.

zeus The means of escape from your remaining office depends on the layout, travel distance, the number, width and location of the exits. I do not know who told you about the sprinklers because in most situation they would not be required you should check out the relevant guidance, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops or employ a fire risk assessor to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment.

A fire alarm has four areas, the detecting circuit, the sounding circuit, the control and indicating equipment, and a back up battery. Your detecting circuit is the manual control points making it a M category system and if you do not have the other items then it will not conform to BS 5839 part 1. In all situations it should conform to BS 5839 which requires the six monthly tests.

I do not know which type of door closer has been fitted but you could consider a cam action door closer. The principal objective of a door closer is, not surprisingly, to close a door and to keep the doors closed in the event of a fire. No wonder then that the ease with which such a door can be pulled open can be severely compromised by this opposing force. So much so in fact that many users, including the elderly, small children and those with various physical disabilities, find the door can become a barrier to them or at least it becomes an obstacle to be overcome and a cam action self closer may solve your problems. Check out the web for "cam action door closer"

BS 7177 defines a mattress pad (topper) as a product which comprises a cover and filling(s), or filling material(s) alone, designed to be used in conjunction with a mattress or upholstered bed base. Mattress pads (toppers) are mattresses, albeit secondary, as they are not intended to be used separately. Therefore the filling material (foam or non-foam) contained in a mattress pad (topper) must meet the Regulations. In addition the fire safety of the complete product is controlled via the GPSR hence the mattress pad (topper) must also comply with the low hazard category of BS 7177. It should carry this label,

Richard The method used by your supervisor is text book stuff, isolate the electric supply, gentle application of water, and remove to a metal refuse container and then outside in case it reignites. The gentle application of water could be a fire bucket with a means of applying the water but what is vital you must isolate the electric supply.

Hi Knowledge seeker The FRA only covers the common area and the flats are not involved, except the front doors. The only problem you may have if the front door of the rented flat does not meet the required standard and they decide not to co-operate. Although you may not need to record the FRA I would, it saves a lot of aggravation in the future.

Hi Ron The management company are the Responsible Person (RP) under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and have to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) in the common areas. The results of the FRA have to be implemented and without a copy of the FRA it is impossible to say if it is reasonable. The matter of costs is between the tenants association and the management company. Although the management company is the RP it is up to them how they recoup their costs and is not laid down in any legislation.

Fire doors usually have three steel hinges to prevent the door twisting in a fire and the FR assessor has checked the fire doors, coming to a decision that to meet the required fire standard it requires three hinges. There is no particular regulation that requires three hinges except article 9 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 state you are required to conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of the fire risks and it is necessary to implement these finding. The fact that it has not been noticed for 30 years, is irrelevant, it has been noted now, it is just you have been lucky that these door were not called upon. If things were to go pear shaped and these fire doors are brought into question then you could find yourself in a difficult position.

Tank location OFTEC It is unlikely that a fire could be started by a domestic oil storage tank and its contents. However, tanks are required to comply with fire separation distances in order to adequately protect the stored fuel from a fire or heat source that may originate nearby. Tanks should be sited: 1.8m away from non-fire rated eaves of a building; 1.8m away from a non-fire rated building or structure (e.g. garden sheds); 1.8m away from openings (such as doors or windows) in a fire rated building or structure (e.g. brick built house/garage); 1.8m away from oil fired appliance flue terminals; 760mm away from a non-fire rated boundary such as a wooden boundary fence; 600mm away from screening (e.g. trellis and foliage) that does not form part of the boundary. Also this is Bury Council site but you could check your local council see if they can help. http://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3559

Upholsterers are subject to the regulations and furniture upholstered by them should carry permanent labels. As you are not a business, selling upholstered furniture, you are not subject to the regulation and if you chose to sell or give away, the pair of fabric covered sofas, you are not guilty of an offence, but you should tell the person receiving the furniture that they may not meet the regulations and I would get it in writing signed by them. There is no way of doing a satisfactory ad hoc test.

There is no law that says zone panels are required, but the guidance clearly state they are very much desired, to assist the fire service in establishing the location of any detectors that have operated which could be a fire.

Inspections there is no set frequencies it is all about risk assessment, sleeping accommodation is usually inspected annually but other types of premises will vary. Fire drills again there is no set frequencies but every twelve months are pretty standard and were the occupancy changes and new occupants are involved it can be done more regular, for a school or college I would think every term would be suitable unless students are only accepted once a year. http://www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/fire-safety-enforcing/

I am afraid it is all about interpretation and you need to check every word to know what the meaning of the phrase is. Round the houses is a good description, because other people will come up with differing interpretations and you need to be ready no matter what is thrown at you. In my day everything was prescriptive and you could give black/white answers, even so there were areas of grey. But now it is risk assessment, consequently the legislation is all about "IF NECESSARY" so any decision have to be vindicated by experience and knowledge, very little you will get, straight forward clear black/white answers, and interpretation is important. Take article 15 it is about procedures for serious and imminent danger and for danger areas, could a corridor in an office block fall into this description? What I am certain of is FAN’s are required and should be located in conspicuous places, not only at fire points, and you need to be able to explain where and why, which you seem to be able to.

Eddy I have been asking around and a few points were raised, the terminology, the supply to the Control Indicating Equipment (CIE) is 240VAC therefore the conductors should be termed live, neutral and earth, from the CIE to the zones is 24 VDC therefore the term is positive and negative and maybe this could have caused some confusion. Some have said they do not see any reason why a common negative wire could be used but why, unless you can purchase fire resistant cable with only three conductors. If you can buy FR two core cable and four core cable why do you need three core? The only time you may need three core is if it is an old installation using three core system and it needs an extension or repair without replacing the whole system.

If it is a full evacuation drill then you should take part, if it is a fire alarm test you can carry on with your normal work just report any deficiencies you observe. The enforcing authority is the local fire and rescue service and you should contact them anonymously if necessary. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/

The 100m square means nothing you need to measure the furthest distance you need to travel on the roof to the fire escape. It will be a single direction travel distance and that should be a maximum of approximately 18 m it could be extended or reduced depending in circumstances.

Is this a commercial premises BS 5839 part 1 or a dwelling BS 5839 part 6 and if a dwelling what grade is required?

Steve this is not a fire safety matter it is more a structural engineer's advice is needed and you should be contacting your building control officer. As a fire safety officer my concern would be surface spread of flame which could be easily resolved depending on the material used in the beams.