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.
Fire safety has been a big concern since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017 and it has underlined the necessity for changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Last year the government announced the commencement of the Fire Safety Act 2021, which will amend the current rules under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarifies which parts of multi-occupied residential buildings apply under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and who's responsible for maintaining fire safety.
The Act now requires all responsible persons to reduce, assess and manage the fire risks posed by the structure and external walls of the buildings and by individual doors opening onto common parts of the building.
The Fire Safety Order was enforced by Fire and Rescue authorities, but now the Fire Safety Act allows these authorities to enforce against non-compliance in relation to the external walls and the individual doors opening onto the common parts of the premises.
The Fire Safety Act also introduces the concept of ‘Risk-based Guidance’ in order to support a proportionate approach to assessing risk.
What is the main impact on responsible persons?
- Responsible persons should regularly review their Fire Risk Assessment, particularly if it is no longer valid, or there has been a change to the building’s layout. Also, responsible persons for buildings with 2 or more sets of domestic premises must now review and update their Fire Risk Assessments to take account of the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors.
- It is not necessary to redo a Fire Risk Assessment where responsible persons have already sought recent advice from a suitably competent professional on their building’s structure, external walls and flat entrance doors, this can be used to update the fire risk assessment.
- The responsible person/Fire Risk Assessor should also consider whether a more in-depth assessment of the external walls is required.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations) have been introduced as an important step towards implementing the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report. The Regulations are being introduced under Article 24 of the Fire Safety Order and will come into force on 23 January 2023.
These Regulations will apply in England and require that the Responsible Person in a multi-occupied residential building take specific action depending on the height of the building.
Regulations relating to high-rise residential buildings (at least 18m or 7 storeys in height)
- Building Plans: Responsible persons will be required to provide the Fire and Rescue Service with up-to-date electronic building floor plans and keep copies of these plans in a secure information box on site.
- External Wall Systems: Responsible persons will be required to provide to the Fire and Rescue Service information about the design and materials of a high-rise building’s external wall system and provide any updates if there have been any material changes to these walls.
- Lifts and other Key Fire-Fighting Equipment: Responsible persons will be required to undertake monthly checks on the fire and evacuation lifts intended for use by firefighters and check the functionality of firefighting equipment. They will also be required to inform any defective lifts or faulty equipment to the Fire and Rescue Service if the equipment is out of order for longer than 24 hours.
- Information Boxes: Responsible persons will be required to install and maintain a secure information box which must contain the name and contact details of the Responsible Person and hard copies of the building floor plans.
- Fire Safety Signage: Responsible persons must ensure that signage is visible in low light or smoky conditions that identify flat and floor numbers in the stairwells of relevant buildings.
Regulations relating to residential buildings with storeys over 11 metres in height
- Fire Doors: Responsible persons will be required to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts.
- Fire Safety Instructions: In all multi-occupied residential buildings with 2 or more sets of domestic premises responsible persons will be required to provide relevant fire safety instructions on how to report a fire and what a resident must do once a fire has occurred, based on the evacuation strategy for the building. Also, responsible persons will be required to provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety.
Are you a responsible person? Got a question about Fire Safety Act and Fire Safety Regulations 2022? Not sure how these changes will impact your responsibilities? 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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