AnthonyB

Normally the lack of a fire rating and fire class symbol on an extinguisher means it is ineffective or dangerous on that Class, but with water mist it's just that it can't meet the minimum ratings for a given mass of agent in the manufacturing standard BSEN3 - as stated the 3 litre actually can put out a 13B fire and the 6 litre is 21B . The 1l hasn't been submitted for A and B rating tests but is safe on these fires, just on very small ones. In the domestic setting if it's too big for the 1 litre it's beyond what a householder should be tackling anyway. Personally the water mist would be ideal in the house with foam in the garage

Since 1 April 2002 building regulations have applied to all replacement glazing, including fire safety - you should contact your Local Authority Building Control department for guidance. Guidance on the different types of residential block fire risk assessment to suit the different legislation (Fire Safety Order and Housing Act) is in this guide: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/fire-safety-purpose-built-04b.pdf

Until the Grenfell Inquiry makes recommendations any knee jerk broad brush response is premature and possibly unnecessary. The LGA Guide has been restated as the benchmark and exceeding it should be based on an individual risk assessment.

I note TYCO recharged it, but must have used a cartridge from another scrap unit and a non verified additive solution. The cost to get it filled with new parts and components is such it would be cheaper to give you a new unit.

They are so rare (due to price) that whilst current they are technically collectible for those in the trade that are collectors of historical stuff like me, but realistically its only fit for the tip. They can cost £450 up to each and no one other than Nu Swift (or another member of the London Securities group) can correctly service them or recharge them as they use proprietary parts not available to the trade. For example, most other makes of cartridge operated extinguisher (rare to see these days too) use a pretty standard set of CO2 cartridges, I can use the same 55g PVC CO2 cartridge across about half a dozen makes of extinguisher. Nu Swift instead use a cartridge filled with N2 and a non standard thread.

You don't need Powder for a Boiler room as the British Standard only requires cover for gas fuelled fires where specialist personnel are available on site. Fighting a gas main or cylinder fire is extremely dangerous in itself, the resultant explosion risk from leaking gas after extinguishing the flame greater still. Gas fires should only be tackled by means of cutting off the supply. Once done you no longer have a gas fuelled fire, so you don't need a Powder extinguisher. Really the only small fire safely fightable in a boiler room is in the control equipment, for which CO2 suits.

The reference to the BS is indeed BS. Your water extinguishers just need a Basic Service until they are 5 years old at which point they need an Extended Service where they have to be removed from the premises, discharged, stripped down, internally examined, and recharged with all new O rings and seals. Some companies will replace new as oppose to doing the Extended Service. Your CO2 extinguishers only need a Basic Service until they are 10 years old at which point, due to being high pressure cylinders, they require pressure testing and revalving. Some companies will exchange your units for ones tested & refurbished that year, others will just replace with new.

Realistically you need a new door! Whilst there will always be the odd exception a 30 minute fire door will be 44mm thick, a 60 minute door 54mm thick. You will find on the internet old guidance on upgrading doors by all sorts of means such as screwing supalux boards onto doors on the fire side, etc, but these are completely untested and cannot guarantee any performance compared to a new third party certified door blank. Not only do you have to consider the door, you have to consider the seals, frame, etc as well

Does he do the weekly testing and arrange the 6 monthly servicing for you? If you are expected to do it you need access. Also if it's activated you need access to reset it (if not a fire) and to see where the fire is (if it is and a detector triggered it not you). Your Fire & Rescue Service enforces Business Fire Safety and can assist if you feel this obstruction could present a risk or non compliance.

Possibly - the staircase is the escape route and the requirement is not only to keep protected escapes clear but also have them free from combustibles and ignition sources.

A fire blanket would be of little use as it wouldn't be big enough, wouldn't stay in place and you'd not be able to get to the the area on fire - look at this video and remember the fridge/freezer would have the area on fire behind it facing the wall: Whilst a CO2, Water Mist, Triclass or Powder extinguisher would be suitable, difficulty of access to the seat of the fire and the amount of fire effluent being produced in the confines of a kitchen would preclude a safe and effective attack. Best to switch off the socket (if immediately accessible and not blocked by the fire) get out the kitchen shutting the door behind you and evacuating.

The type of extinguisher required varies widely - some require 1l foam, others 600g Powder, 1kg powder, etc, etc. You need to check with the local council. If the licensing board require an extinguisher as a condition of license then it is in effect a legal requirement........if you want to be able to operate with a license...

If they are moved such they are not readily available then it would indeed be an issue, staff would naturally gravitate to the signed fire point & if the extinguisher isn't there it would not be good!

There is no explicit requirement to wall or stand mount extinguishers (hence why M&S have always had theirs on the floor), it just has to be easily accessible. Why are they removing it? Perhaps to prop open a fire door while they move things through it?

There have been plenty of tests and studies into the actual symbol on the exit signs which is why we are currently with the BS EN ISO 7010 pictogram as it had the best results in comprehension tests. There is no evidence from testing that these signs encourage running so whilst your observation is correct, the actual risk is negligible.

If you have a full height partition without a vision panel then there should be smoke detection in the access room. Automatic detection is difficult to provide in cold stores but is not impossible and can be done.

For a converted house all the information you need is here: http://www.cieh.org/policy/fire_safety_existing_housing.html

These are your guides: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-sleeping-accommodation Except in the smallest B&Bs you need proper FD30S fire doors to the rooms. Sleeping accommodation above pubs is a high priority for fire and rescue services and they will not hesitate to take enforcement action if standards are mot met. You may also have implications under Building Regulations if you are worsening the original standards of door fitted or a carrying out any form of "Building Work"

I'd need to see it for a definitive opinion, but it doesn't sound satisfactory. Sounds like conditions may be contrary to the Housing Act 2004 - you should contact the housing officers in the Environmental Health Department to assess the flats under the The Housing Health and Safety Rating System

Generally yes, it's not a new requirement and has been around since the 1960's

If they are escape routes then in a word - no.

In theory yes, as long as the stair is suitably protected from a fire in the building.

You would need to be aware of the risks from tripping and a slightly narrower exit, but if evacuation is staff led then it is a manageable system - after all it doesn't require a key or code to release.

Minimum legal requirement is a manual fire alarm system, which they have, but appear to have neglected to maintain in breach of article 17 of the Fire Safety Order. The red light would usually indicate the call point has been activated - somewhere there should be a control panel which will probably be in 'fire' but silenced. Get your existing system serviced and back up to full order then carry out a fire risk assessment to determine (amongst other things) if a fire could develop unnoticed & prejudice the escape of anyone. It may be that you need no detectors or only a couple - you wouldn't normally need detection everywhere for life safety in this type of building (even though an alarm installer may try and convince you otherwise!) I can't be specific without seeing the site.

It depends on manufacturer - usually antifreeze has the most effect on a Class B rating and in some cases reduces a 6 litre foam down to 113B, but you need to check this from brand to brand. Note that many manufacturers don't carry out rating tests on units with antifreeze (not a big enough demand to satisfy the costs of testing) so you have no guarantee of efficacy.