Angus has been involved in developing and writing British and International Fire & Safety standards since the mid-1980s. The list of standards that he has participated in is impressive and includes BS5839-1, BS8629, EN54-18 and ISO7240-2. Angus utilises his extensive experience to provide an authoritative perspective on the key issues that affect the Fire & Security Industry today.
Broadly, “means of escape” is defined as the provision of fire protected routes in the structure of a building to enable the evacuation of persons from any part of the building to a place of safety without outside assistance in the event of the fire.
Fixfire® provides a range of products and services to contribute to safe “means of escape” from buildings such as intumescent products, evacuation products, fire & safety signs, emergency lighting, fire door hold back devices and hardware.
Means of Escape inspections should be carried out in accordance with current British Standards including BS999:2017.
The following tests/inspections should be carried out.
Monthly Means of Escape Servicing and Maintenance
The operation of all emergency and panic escape devices, especially on external doors not used for other purposes, should be checked once a month for ease of operation and opening of the door. Weather conditions can affect the door and frame relationship, and therefore the ease of operation of escape devices.
Ensure the exit routes are clear and free of obstructions for their entire length. Check the correct functioning of all doors and door closers in the exit route.
Following any event eg non-conformance finding, the results should be recorded in the Fire Log Book.
How often Fire Doors should be checked?
As a result of recent tragedies, Fire Doors are increasingly under the spotlight. The Fire Safety Order places an obligation on those that have control of a building to maintain Fire Doors must be kept in effective working order.
The changes to the law add additional requirements for inspecting doors, and you will find that remedial works will be required from time to time.
In order to comply with BS9999:2017 (Fire safety in the design management and use of buildings – Code of practice)all fire doors should be inspected every six months.
In particular, it should be ensured that:
- Heat-activated seals and smoke seals are undamaged
- Door leaves are not structurally damaged or excessively bowed or deformed
- Gaps between the door leaf and the frame are not so small as to be likely to bind, or so large as to prevent effective fire and smoke-sealing
- Hanging devices, securing devices, self-closing devices and automatic release mechanisms are operating correctly
Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) makes it a legal requirement to ensure that fire-resisting doors and escape doors are correctly installed and adequately maintained for them to be fit for purpose. Certain buildings such as high-rise buildings may need an additional fire door inspection.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 extend the duties imposed on responsible persons by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (Fire Safety Order). The Regulations set out requirements for Responsible Persons of all multi-occupied residential buildings, with two or more sets of domestic premises:
- Fire Safety Information to Residents: The Responsible Person must provide fire safety information to their residents on how to report a fire and what a resident must do once a fire has occurred.
- Fire Door Information: The Responsible Person must provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety. The Regulations set out additional requirements for Responsible Person of multi-occupied residential buildings of over 11 meters in height.
- Fire door checks: The Responsible Person should carry out annual checks of flat entrance doors. They must also undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts.
Got a question about the Fire Door inspection? Need a Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
Following the recommendations of BS5839 Part 1 2017 (Fire Alarm British Standard), it is a mandatory requirement to have an up to date, clear and accurate Fire Alarm Zone Chart adjacent to your Fire Alarm Control Panel and any repeater panels you have in your premises.
The purpose of the Zone Chart is to assist persons responding to an alarm to quickly identify the specific location in the building and to help the Fire Brigade understand the building layout before they enter.
When the Fire Alarm System is installed, the building is divided into Fire Zones. Any Manual Call Point (Red Box) or Fire Detector that is fitted will trigger a particular zone when activated.
The Zone Chart shows the division of each zone area with a ‘You are Here’ arrow to identify the position of the Fire Alarm Panel. The view of the building should be orientated in relation to the Fire Alarm Panel position to minimise confusion.
What is involved in producing a Zone Chart?
- Hard copy
- Or preferably AutoCAD (dwg) format
You have a legal duty of care to dispose of waste legitimately and safely via a licensed waste carrier. Failure to do so can result in prosecution, even if you have outsourced the disposal to a third party.
The Fixfire® Extinguisher Recycling Process is your reassurance that any Fire Extinguishers we remove from your premises have been disposed of in a safe and legal manner. 97% of each processed Fire Extinguisher is recycled.
Our contracted Extinguisher Recycling Unit (ERU) is a dedicated facility offering a service for the safe processing and recycling/disposal of fire extinguishers. The facility operates closely with the local Water Authority and the Environment Agency to develop safe, efficient and environmentally friendly processes, ensuring that ISO14001 certification is upheld.
Got a question about Fire Extinguisher Disposal? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
False Fire Alarms remain a huge concern within the education sector- interrupting already carefully scheduled, planned and well-prepared lessons or even causing major disruption and distress to exams.
Clearly, these false alarms cause significant inconvenience and disruption to students, staff, and visitors. They compromise everyone’s safety in the school and present a significant risk to the local community since the Fire Brigade will prioritise the school over other emergency callouts.
Solutions you should consider:
The first and most straightforward way is to use anti-tamper products.
Fixfire® supplies a wide range of solutions designed to protect Fire Alarm Devices from inadvertent damage or deliberate misuse/vandalism.
Products include:
- Local plastic cover flaps which attach directly to manual call points.
- The stopper consists of a clear, tamperproof, tough polycarbonate cover, frame and spacer that retrofits over a break glass call point. When lifted to operate the break glass unit, its optional battery powered integral sounder emits a piercing 96dB (at 1m). Immediate attention is drawn to the area and a prankster will either run or be caught!
- A range of steel web stoppers designed to protect fire detectors and warning devices. They are constructed from heavy-duty galvanised steel rod which is plastic-coated for durability and external use.
- A range of polycarbonate enclosures are available for the protection of devices such as fire alarm control panels and associated control equipment. The enclosures combine tough rugged construction with stylish design and offer excellent protection with a key lock for authorised access.
We also provide anti-tamper devices for fire extinguishers and associated products.
KeyCall® is a patented anti-ligature Fire Alarm and Access Control call point. It is designed to use the same key as the doors, providing simple operation for staff whilst eliminating nuisance activations by service-users.
KeyCall® has been developed by Fixfire® specifically for approved applications where standard versions would be vulnerable to abuse.
It is one of the best solutions for SEN schools and it is also compatible with a wide range of Conventional and Addressable Fire Alarm Systems.
Got a question about False Fire Alarms? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
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