What is the point of getting your fire extinguisher serviced?
2
Fire extinguisher servicing?
Started by
Guest_Guest_*
, Jul 05 2011 11:54 AM
10 replies to this topic
#4
Brandon
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Posted 05 July 2011 - 12:10 PM
Hi
Apart from being a legal and insurance requirement the main point is to ensure that fire extinguishers actually work and do not only look nice. The service engineer will also ensure that extinguishers are in the correct location, easy to reach and the right extinguisher for the risk at hand. The refill after five years has been designed to catch lining and rust problems.
That all said we are currently introducing a new range from Britannia (Fireworld) that is guaranteed for ten years and can be self-maintained without service engineers. Watch this space!
Apart from being a legal and insurance requirement the main point is to ensure that fire extinguishers actually work and do not only look nice. The service engineer will also ensure that extinguishers are in the correct location, easy to reach and the right extinguisher for the risk at hand. The refill after five years has been designed to catch lining and rust problems.
That all said we are currently introducing a new range from Britannia (Fireworld) that is guaranteed for ten years and can be self-maintained without service engineers. Watch this space!
#5
Tom Sutton
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Posted 11 July 2011 - 08:37 AM
A responsible Person was jailed for various offences including not testing his extinguishers another reason why you should test your extinguishers. Check out the link.
All my responses only apply to England and Wales and they are an overview of the subject, hopefully it will point you in the right direction and always treat with caution. Scotland and Northern Ireland has differing legislation
#6
Garry Webster
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Posted 11 July 2011 - 08:55 AM
Yes, not having ordinary fire extinguishers serviced can be a criminal offence.
Maybe worth mentioning at this point is that, after five years of development, Britannia Fire has now introduced the Fireworld extinguishers, a UK manufactured fire extinguisher that is guaranteed for ten years and does neither require servicing by external engineers nor refilling after five years. These Fireworld extinguishers still must be visually inspected by the owners or their representatives, however no special skills are required.
Unless your business has Fireworld extinguishers installed, a yearly fire extinguisher service must be carried out by competent persons, which usually means a fire service engineer.
Maybe worth mentioning at this point is that, after five years of development, Britannia Fire has now introduced the Fireworld extinguishers, a UK manufactured fire extinguisher that is guaranteed for ten years and does neither require servicing by external engineers nor refilling after five years. These Fireworld extinguishers still must be visually inspected by the owners or their representatives, however no special skills are required.
Unless your business has Fireworld extinguishers installed, a yearly fire extinguisher service must be carried out by competent persons, which usually means a fire service engineer.
#7 Guest_Andy_*
Guest_Andy_*
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Posted 03 February 2012 - 11:29 AM
Tom Sutton, on 11 July 2011 - 08:37 AM, said:
A responsible Person was jailed for various offences including not testing his extinguishers another reason why you should test your extinguishers. Check out the link.
I think you will find that this guy got jailed for having them serviced by an engineer and the engineer also got jailed ! I wonder how many other people out there have had extinguishers serviced by whay can be described as a rogue trader ?
#8
Tom Sutton
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Posted 03 February 2012 - 11:00 PM
Fire extinguishers at the hotels had not been tested for three years and was one of the 15 charges, that's why the RP was prosecuted under art 17. The service engineer was charged with conducting 2 inadequate FRA's, I suspect under art 5(3) 5(4) being a person having control. He did not service the extinguishers although that is what his company did.
All my responses only apply to England and Wales and they are an overview of the subject, hopefully it will point you in the right direction and always treat with caution. Scotland and Northern Ireland has differing legislation
#9 Guest_FionaCarr_*
Guest_FionaCarr_*
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Posted 07 March 2012 - 08:37 AM
Hi
I am a landlord with several HMOs. Some of the extinguishers in the buildings are coming up for servicing. Can I argue that certain councils have discouraged extinguishers in HMOs and I should do the same and simply remove all my extinguishers? I could quickly update my fire risk assessment to say i have carefully considered this?
Fiona
I am a landlord with several HMOs. Some of the extinguishers in the buildings are coming up for servicing. Can I argue that certain councils have discouraged extinguishers in HMOs and I should do the same and simply remove all my extinguishers? I could quickly update my fire risk assessment to say i have carefully considered this?
Fiona
#10
Tom Sutton
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Posted 07 March 2012 - 02:26 PM
I am not aware of councils discouraging extinguishers in HMOs some have in purpose built blocks of flats which is a different matter. The guide for HMO's is the Lacors guide which has been accepted by all authorities.
All my responses only apply to England and Wales and they are an overview of the subject, hopefully it will point you in the right direction and always treat with caution. Scotland and Northern Ireland has differing legislation
#11
Safelincs
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Posted 07 March 2012 - 04:55 PM
Hi
There have been one or two isolated cases where fire brigades and councils have removed extinguishers based on the understanding that the tenants would be unable to use the extinguishers correctly and would be safer to evacuate rather than fight a fire. I am unsure that this reasoning would free you of your liability in court if a small fire breaks out in one of your HMOs that could be handled easily by portable extinguishers and people get injured or killed. Having removed extinguishers would suddenly appear quite unreasonable.
If you are concerned about your tenants using fire extinguishers correctly you should consider portable water mist extinguishers. They can be used on pretty much all risks in a residential building and you will struggle to harm yourself or others with this extinguisher.
Harry
There have been one or two isolated cases where fire brigades and councils have removed extinguishers based on the understanding that the tenants would be unable to use the extinguishers correctly and would be safer to evacuate rather than fight a fire. I am unsure that this reasoning would free you of your liability in court if a small fire breaks out in one of your HMOs that could be handled easily by portable extinguishers and people get injured or killed. Having removed extinguishers would suddenly appear quite unreasonable.
If you are concerned about your tenants using fire extinguishers correctly you should consider portable water mist extinguishers. They can be used on pretty much all risks in a residential building and you will struggle to harm yourself or others with this extinguisher.
Harry
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