Tom Sutton

If you source your materials in the UK then the supplier will be subject to the regulations if it is anywhere other than the UK they are not subject to the regulations consequently you need documented proof. Buying online you do not know where the supplier is located so you need a physical address to deal with and even in that case you cannot be sure they are only acting as agents, I think you should insist on copies of the certificates for your records.

It will be interesting to see their response.

I consider your comments acceptable except the one about "Pair of doors with primary leaf fitted with closer and secondary leaf bolted shut" and as it is illegal (article 14 RR(FS)O) it should be treated as a door without a lock, as it may appear you are condoning the situation. It should be reported to the enforcing authorities for them to consider what action to take. There is a video showing what happens when people escaping are confronted by a double door where one is locked showing the unsuccessful attempts to open the locked door.

This would mean major building work but you could try https://www.propertyrepairsystems.co.uk/fireceiling.htm, I have no experience of this system but you could contact the company and of course the local building control, see what they have to say.

Before you fitted the threshold plate you would need to trim the door so it is 7 mm across the width of the door when closed.

Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home A Guide to the UK Regulations page 30 bottom paragraph left column.

Check out the following links it maybe useful, you could join the forums and they maybe able to help. http://forum.iosh.co.uk/posts/m745576-Metal-external-fire-escape-staircase https://www.safety-managementuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BS-8210-2012-3.pdf https://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25938

I cannot advise on Health & Safety issues but regarding the fire safety matter if you cannot get a satisfactory response from the managing agents you can contact the local fire and rescue service, check out https://www.firesafe.org.uk/uk-fire-rescue-services-details/.

From the FIRA guide on the FFFSR, "The situation regarding pet beds remains unclear. Discussions with enforcement officers regarding these products have indicated that they are outside the scope of the Regulations. However, they would still be expected to comply with the General Product Safety Regulations and therefore the enforcement officers might expect any foam used in these products to be Schedule 1 compliant as detailed in the Regulations. However, it is important to note that only a court of law would be able to decide whether or not this is the case." I think because of the General Product Safety Regulations it would be unwise to use kapok and because other manufacturers take a chance or float the law I would not advise it. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home A Guide to the UK Regulations and if necessary contact them.

A re-upholsterer is subject to the FFFSR check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home A Guide to the UK Regulations, page 19 section 9.

Ian you are correct but anybody assisting the RP has to be competent person and the RR(FS)O says " A person is to be regarded as competent for the purposes of this article where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to assist in undertaking the preventive and protective measures." In my opinion this means he has to be qualified in someway and needs proof to satisfy the RP.

Without a survey of detailed plans it is impossible to say but when it was built it must have receive a completion certificate I would suggest you contact the local building control.

If the doors are not fire doors then this arrangement could be a design feature to ensure privacy for people in the bedroom/living room when the front door is being answered. If they are fire doors then it could be double door protection but I do not fully understand why. Without more information it is not possible to give a definitive answer but the guide for your situation is HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing and check out the example for your premises but it is reasonable certain you will require a FD30s for the front door and a fire alarm for the common areas/each flat. All this should have been taken into account when the Fire Risk Assessment was done.

Yes, if as I assume they are opening onto a protected staircase.

A FD30 fire door if you wish to prevent fire breaching the door and a FD30s if you require cold smoke stopping as well. If the door is opening onto a protected escape route then you require a FD30s fire door if it is to prevent the spread of fire only a FD30 fire door should be satisfactory.

Sorry Steve I misread your submission however I have no experience timber i beams but if you do not get any responses on this forum you should try FireNet Forum,( http://firenetforum.org.uk/)

All that is required to install fire door assemblies is you should be a Competent Person which is defined in The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 18 and sub article 5, states, (5) A person is to be regarded as competent for the purposes of this article where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to assist in undertaking the preventive and protective measures. Assuming you are a good joiner and hopefully will have CertFDI I would think you would be considered a Competent Person.

Which floor is your flat on and where does your front door lead, to outside or into a corridor then outside?

It appears the guidance you are getting is for the fire door set and not the magnetic lock but when you are fitting the lock you must not jeopardise the integrity of the fire door set. Also the lock should be installed in accordance with BS 7273 part 4.

I am not aware of any, but the barrier would have to be a reasonable height and sturdy, also not reduce the width of the means of escape so the distance from the door would have to be equivalent at least to the width of the door, a little wider would be better. You see lots of barriers on the high street usually at pedestrian crossing you could use them as a guide.

This is the normal construction of any private dwelling house, the upper floor should achieve 30 mins from the underside according to ADB and 12 mm plaster board slimmed should achieve this. If the premises has been built to all the necessary standards then a fire starting in the floor void would be consider low risk.

First you should study HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing and highlight all references to basements. Basements have all ways been considered hazardous especially if there is no alternative MoE and a sixty minute separation between the basement and the upper floor was the norm. This was achieved by providing a 30 min FD at basement level and a 30 min FD at ground floor or a sixty minute FD at basement level. Also the staircase had to be under drawn to 30 mins in the first case and sixty mins in the second case. This may be a solution in this case by under drawing the staircase in the basement to 60 mins and provide a 60 mins FD this would mean the escape route would be protected by 60 mins from the basement and 30 mins from the upper floors. You would also require AutoFA especially if the the basement is not a habitable room.

The front door (FD30s) should open into the flat to prevent it blocking the staircase and because you would have to step back when you open the door it would provide about a meter of level going before you reach the staircase step down area.

You could try http://firenetforum.org.uk/ they have subscribers from all the UK.

I think having the cleaning tanks and disposal bin located on the open workplace is a problem they should be located in a separate room with mechanical ventilation.