extinguisher needed?

[justerman]

Our building is a 4-story block of flats. We have a lift motor room.

We have been advised in a Fire Risk Assessment we should provide an extinguisher in the lift motor room. This room is only occupied for about one hour each month, during routine maintenance visits. I need to be convinced that an extinguisher (and the cost of regular inspection) is necessary.

Our assessor says that it’s “a legal requirement to have a fire extinguisher in lift motor rooms and plant rooms”. I don’t believe it is, and the assessor has provided no source to justify his statement.

In the LGA guidance “Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats”, it says “. . . it is appropriate to provide portable fire extinguishers in plant rooms and similar ancillary accommodation”. They could have written “necessary”, “must”, or even “should”, but they chose “appropriate”.

Does anyone know of any clear, authoritive advice?

 

[AnthonyB]

The LGA Guide is the authoritative (but not prescriptive) guidance but unless the site has a concierge or caretaker trained to use it I don't always bother as in flats these rooms should be fire resisting compartments and the lift engineer should also be able to escape without resort to an extinguisher. For any higher risk (e.g. hot works) in the room an extinguisher should provided by the contractor as part of the Hot Works Permit process.

Where the site is staffed and I provide a couple of risk specific extinguishers I often use the P50 range where the concierge/caretaker/TMC representative can carry out the annual check themselves at no cost.

[justerman]

AnthonyB: Thank you. That's helpful.