Tom Sutton

Article 21 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, states, Training 21. (1) the responsible person must ensure that his employees are provided with adequate safety training (a) at the time when they are first employed; and (b on their being exposed to new or increased risks because of, (i) them being transferred or given a change of responsibilities within the responsible person's undertaking; (ii) the introduction of new work equipment into, or a change respecting work equipment already in use within, the responsible person's undertaking; (iii) the introduction of new technology into the responsible person's undertaking; or (iv) the introduction of a new system of work into, or a change respecting a system of work already in use within, the responsible person's undertaking. (2) The training referred to in paragraph (1) must, (a) include suitable and sufficient instruction and training on the appropriate precautions and actions to be taken by the employee in order to safeguard himself and other relevant persons on the premises; (b be repeated periodically where appropriate; (c be adapted to take account of any new or changed risks to the safety of the employees concerned; (d) be provided in a manner appropriate to the risk identified by the risk assessment; and (e) take place during working hours. And as you can see there is no set times, as stated "be repeated periodically where appropriate" and the content will depend on the evacuation plan the students/workers are required to follow to keep themselves and their chargers safe 2(a).

Smoke Detectors Act The Smoke Detectors Act was passed in 1991. It required all homes that were built from 1992 forward to have at least one main smoke detector on every floor of the home. The landlord or building agent is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the smoke detectors, unless a lease agreement says otherwise and places the responsibility on the tenant. This means the landlord or agent is responsible and held liable in the event of a fire in the building if it is determined that a fire detector was not installed or was not functioning properly. BS 5839: Part 6 British Standard The BS 5839: Part 6 British Standard concerns the requirements for what type of smoke detector is required for each type of dwelling. In general, it states that the landlord or building manager needs to take into account the kind of fire that the building is most likely to face and to choose detectors well-suited for that type of situation. This is also designed to try to prevent false alarms. The law was amended in 2004 to also recommend heat detectors in the kitchen as well as the "principle habitable room" and smoke detectors in the major escape routes of the building. Power Supply If the building was constructed after 2007, batteries are no longer allowed to be used as the sole power supply for smoke detectors, since batteries can run out without the owner's knowledge. While a battery can still be used as a backup in the event of a power outage, it is now required that smoke detectors in buildings from 2007 on forward be directly hooked into the building's main power supply. It is up to the landlord or building agent to ensure that these power requirements are met. So it depends on when your apartment was built or your Tenancy Agreement, and if it was built before 1992 then it will depend on your Tenancy Agreement. Check out https://www.gov.uk/private-renting-tenancy-agreements/overview for information on tenants agreements.

Hi Bernard First let me define the two types of emergency lighting. Standby lighting is emergency lighting to enable normal activity to continue substantially unchanged. Emergency escape route lighting is that part of emergency escape lighting provided to ensure that the means of escape can be effectively identified and safely used at all times when the premises are occupied. I would think that a generator is the only way to provided standby lighting, but using it for emergency escape route lighting, is accepted by the standards, but has many problems to meet the appropriate standards. 1. The generator has to be run up to its required output within 5 seconds. 2. Emergency escape lighting shall be activated not only on complete failure of the supply to the normal lighting but also on a localized failure such as a sub circuit failure. If a sub circuit fails will the generator start up? 3. Also the costs of correctly servicing & maintaining the generator (on top of the lighting testing) reasons at some sites have moved to self-contained luminaries. I would suggest you conduct a risk assessment or get somebody to do it for you, to check what is needed to bring the existing system to modern standards. There is a possibility that a system could be designed that would use a generator combined with central batteries but more than likely self-contained units would be the best solution. I think you need somebody who specialises in emergency escape route lighting to look at all the possibilities.

If you are procuring from a manufacturer or retail premises you would ask for furniture that conforms to BS 7176:2007, medium risk as detailed in the “Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sectors”. But because the way you hope to procure the furniture it is more than likely it will be from a domestic source, in this case any upholstered furniture should conform to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010) and should carry a permanent label to prove it meets the above regulations. Finding the label can be difficult, start by turning the item upside down, because it can be fixed to the underside of the furniture and any detachable parts (cushions) should have its own label. Check out http://www.fira.co.uk/document/fira-flammability-guide-october-2011pdf.pdf for more information.

Double swing fire rated doors will have no rebates, but single swing usually do, if it is a certified fire door set it will have documentation and labels confirming they are FD30s fire doors, this is the positive way to identify fire doors.

Fire escape signs are provided to guide you from wherever you are in a building, via a place of relative safety (the escape route) to the place of ultimate safety (outside and away from the building). Fire escape signs are not needed on the main route into or out of a building (the one used by people for normal arrival and exit), but alternative escape routes and complicated escape routes do need to be signed. It must not be assumed that everyone which includes visitors will know all safe routes through the building. Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-safety-signs-interactive-guide/ for which signs to use and where to position them.

Is the emergency lighting, standby or emergency exit lighting?

I am assuming the house is an older type house converted into flats and the premises meet the requirements of LaCors Guide for shared house page 42. Principle means of escape is the protected staircase to the front door and also you would need to enter the staircase to get the room where the external escape is located. If the staircase is clear of smoke then you will not need the alternative escape, if it is smoke logged then you will not be able to get to the room in question so your daughter will have only one means of escape which is acceptable to the above guide. This is why a fire alarm is required in the staircase to warn the occupants before the staircase becomes unusable also all habitable rooms should have openable escape windows for rescue by the Fire and Rescue Service as a last resort

Hi Anne By 'plan' signs I am assuming you mean plan drawings and they are not a requirement only if the responsible person (RP) decides to use them. The RP must ensure that his employees are provided with adequate safety training. The training referred must include suitable and sufficient instruction and training on the appropriate precautions and actions to be taken by the employee in order to safeguard staff and other relevant persons on the premises. If the RP decides to use plan drawings as part of the procedure to instruct the employees what to do in the event of a fire then he/she can, but why show only the primary MoE, the normal route used daily, if an alternative means of escape (MoE) is required, it would be just as important if not more to indicate these routes. Alternative MoE routes are not always required it depends on the layout of your premises and the travel distance to a place of comparative safety or to the outside of the building. If everybody can get to a place of comparative safety within 18 m, for an office, then you do not require an alternative MoE. If it is more than 18 m then you would need an alternative MoE. A place of comparative safety is a protected route which is a corridor, lobby or staircase protected by 30/60 mins of fire resistant construction and fire doors. http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-emergency-evacuation-plan-or-fire-procedure/ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops

The legislation says non-automatic fire-fighting equipment so provided is easily accessible, simple to use and indicated by signs. You can purchase lockable cabinets with a triangle key under a perspex cover but instead each member of staff could carry one of the keys on their key ring and you could argue the extinguishers are easily accessible to those trained to use them. These days there is no black and white rules and it is all based on risk assessment and you could put up a good argument for keeping them locked away. http://www.safelincs.co.uk/double-fire-extinguisher-cabinets/

No, it only applies to upholstered furniture and furnishings. There is no fire certification anyway but you are required to use fire retardant upholstery and label it to prove it meets the regulations.

When designing a means of escape you do not use windows as a method of escape except in exceptional circumstances and never above two storeys high. You provided a low fire risk protected route to outside the premises usually the normal route used all the time. Also you may be provided an alternative low fire risk protected route again to outside the premises. The routes will have an automatic fire alarm (Smoke) and a manual fire alarm to warn everybody if the route is threatened by fire. The fire alarm will operate as soon as smoke enters the route giving you sufficient time to traverse the route to another section of the route that is smoke free. A great deal of thought goes into ensuring these routes are as sterile as possible but if a fire does occur because of the early warning and access to the alternative route you should be able to walk away from the fire. If you do not have an alternative route the travel distance to a place of comparative and finally ultimate safety will be short.

The reason for needing to know which country you are based is because England & Wales have the same legislation Scotland & Northern Ireland have their own legislation as well as different guidance. I am afraid UK is too broad and I have based my reply on you being based in England or Wales. Check my post script.

Check out the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 13 Fire-fighting and fire detection which basically says if firefighting equipment is necessary it must be provided. For guidance you should check out Factories and warehouses section 2. As the Responsible Person you need to decide if it is necessary to protect your premises from fire, however the fire and rescue service may do an audit and decide it is, but this is another matter.

Glad I could help.

Ruhel do you fully understand what a maisonette is, they are two storey premises on top of each other, as opposed to purpose built flats are single storey premises on top of each other? Are you sub-letting the upper floor of a maisonette or is this a house converted into flats?

What is your Fire Emergency Evacuation Strategy is it full simultaneous or a phased evacuation this will dictate the fire signal you will receive. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops section 2 page 53.

The primary means of escape is the normal route out of the premises and should be used first. The window escape is an alternative escape, to be used as a last resort and only if the primary escape is unusable. The window escape is for the people in the room and people in other rooms would have to enter the primary escape to get to other rooms, how could they if the primary escape is unusable?

Glad to be of help. Tom

In many cases the answer is yes but you should check out LaCors guide page 14 section 11 for more details and there are other areas that discuss cellars.

Fire Action signs are usually and should be blue with white lettering and in small offices you may not need them at all. Check page 103 of Offices and shops guide.

The landlord is wrong, it looks like the locks have been installed the wrong way round. They should be easily opened from the inside without the use of a key, in the direction of means of escape. Once the room is unoccupied you should be able to lock it from the outside for security reasons unless there is a means of escape through that room.

I cannot be totally certain without a survey but with two metal hatches it sounds like the kitchen has 30 minute fire protection and the door would need to be a fire door (FD30). The fire sign does not meet to days standards and should be similar to the one shown in the link below. 1. It is most likely to be a fire door. 2. It will be necessary. 3. You should not alter the door in anyway. http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii506/twsutton1196/firedoorkeepshutsign.jpg Is the door fitted with a automatic self closer?

On the final exit door you could fit a panic bar with a Hold-back device (also known as dogging) allows the latch and bolts of an exit device to be held in the withdrawn or open position. This allows free access through the door from both sides and also prevents the latch or bolts from being damaged if the door should be thrown closed. The hold-back feature was designed for fire exit doors and should not be used on an internal fire door unless the door has been certified as a fire door with unlatched hardware. Check out http://www.safelincs.co.uk/briton-378-panic-bar-with-latch/ I do not know who chose the word dogging obviously somebody who was not familiar with today's slang. :rolleyes:

It all depends on the fire risk assessment, the travel distance, the occupancy of the room, the width of the remaining door and there would be other considerations. There is no way of knowing without a survey and knowing a lot more details. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-small-and-medium-places-of-assembly which is the relevant guide and there may be other guides to consider depending on the layout of the premises, check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ for all the other guides.