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Tom Sutton

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Posts posted by Tom Sutton

  1. Depends on the height of the building (less than 4.5m) if escape windows are a possible solution for means of escape but thirty years ago it is unlikely to be considered, but if new windows are installed then escape window could be required, but now it is up to your landlord, nobody can force him/her but you could ask.

  2. It depend on the results of the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) If a FD30s door was required, and as it is in excess of 3/4 mm then cold smoke seal should be fitted but assuming they are purpose built flats then substantial well fitting fire door could have been accepted.

    The stay put policy you spoke of is 60 mins, 30 mins to burn out of the room of origin, then 30 mins to burn through into your flat, total of 60 mins, even more if it has to come via the staircase enclosure which is considered sufficient time for the FRS to attend and extinguisher the fire.

    If you feel concerned you could fit a draught excluder which should do the same job by holding back any cold smoke.  

  3. What is 30 mm thick the door or the frame and what is the 4mm allowed in the specs.

    You can buy bespoke doors sets, you can upgrade the existing doors and buy fire door blanks to make fire doors sets to a global assessment. You need to discuss your problem with the building control officer or the authorised inspector and get their views.

    Check out  http://www.buildingcontrolalliance.org/download/4-bca-loft-conv-tech-note-4-rev-1-pdf/ although for loft conversions it may apply to you.

     

     

  4. I fire alarm will not prevent a fire occurring but will warn you a fire has occurred and you can take the necessary action, including getting out the house to a place of safety. It is fire prevention that stop fires and if you had cleaned up the drops of oil a fire would not occurred, there are many other fire preventions steps you can take to make your house safe from fire. However you do need a fire alarm for the reason stated above and it depends on the layout of your premises how sophisticated it needs to be, check it out with safelincs. http://www.safelincs.co.uk/smoke-alarms/

  5. It is not illegal to use the emergency exit door as normal service door they are like any other exit doors but because they usually are not used regularly they have signs to indicate a way to safety. All doors used for means of escape should be easy to open without a key and if there was a chance of a panic situation those doors should be fitted with panic bars or latches. 

  6. Further to what AB has said the purpose of the fire resistance between the garage and the house is to prevent a fire in the garage spreading to your house and affecting your means of escape. I would ask the seller to bring the fire door (FD30s S/C) and the breech of the fire resisting wall up to current building standards or ask for a reduction in price so you can. 

  7. It is all about fire risk assessment, what are the chances of any equipment in the bathroom starting a fire and if a fire starts how severe is the chances of it developing.

    If the bathroom is occupied and a fire starts then there will be an immediate response allowing the residents to get to the adjacent zone.

    When the bathroom is unoccupied is there any electrical equipment without an isolation switch on the outside of the bathroom, is the electric supply protected with a RCD, the location of the bathroom in relationship to the means of escape and what is the fire loading in the bathroom.

    In the above situation, as there will always be a possibility of a fire, then I think a heat detector could be fitted but as to the need for a FD30s would depend on the assessment.

  8. I would need to know a lot more information to decide if the the means of escape (MoE) is satisfactory, like is there an alternative MoE, but certainly all the doors to the hall would need to be Fire Doors.(FD) The problem with fire resisting glazing (FRG) is you must consider the radiated heat which may prevent you passing the door to escape so it must not be installed below 1.2m from the floor level or Pilkington Pyrostop is fitted, also you need to have specialist knowledge the fit FRG.

    Surf the web for bespoke fire door frames and check our glazed fire resistant fire doors also check out http://www.ggf.org.uk/group/fire-resistant-glazing-group.

    With regards to self-closers check out https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441669/BR_PDF_AD_B2_2013.pdf  page 132 item 2.

  9. I doubt if there is any guidelines but I am not sure if it is you who should arrange the access I think it should be up to the the person who commission the service (owner/landlord/managing agent) who should make the necessary arrangements. They could make it a conditions of the tenants agreement and it could be argued that the tenant is in breach of article 5.3 and article 17 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. What I would do is make sure the log book or any report fully documented that access could not be gained and the equipment not tested. 

  10. Not having the full information it is difficult to give a detailed response but the following may help a little.

    1. How do fire suppression systems work? 
    It is a series of fixed pipes in the room to be protected and if a fire starts it actuates the system releasing the fire extinguishing medium automatically extinguishing the fire.

    2. Is it a legal requirement that you have to have a fire suppression system?
    Depends on the purpose of the system if it is designed to protect life by securing the means of escape then it is likely to be a legal requirement. If it is for property protection then that is a decision of the management.

    3. What effect can a fire suppression system have on a building (especially those of a prefabricated structure than a brick and block structure)?
    Depends on the type of extinguishing medium but whichever one is used it is going to be less detrimental than that caused by a fire.

    4. Can it be more dangerous to have a suppression system in this type of structures?
    Without having a lot more information on the structure and the system, it’s impossible to give an informed reply. 

    5. I see you can get fire suppression systems incorporated into racking, does anyone have any experience of these and are these recommended?
    These are usually sprinkler systems and are designed for high bay racking warehouses and most probably would not be suitable for your premises but there may be other fire suppression systems that use a similar idea.

    6. Is it recommended that server rooms have direct access out to an external area?
    I cannot see any reason why to would need direct access out to an external area other than moving large equipment in or out of the room but this would depend on the findings of the Fire Risk Assessment and the consideration of the mamagement.
     

     

  11. I cannot give a definitive answer without a physical survey. Loaves of bread on plastic trays is not going to be a serious fire hazard it is more likely to be an obstruction problem. Providing it is well managed and the fire alarm call point is not obstructed then it should be acceptable. I would need to considered the floor hatching as it purpose is to indicate this area should be kept clear and it appears that is not the case. 

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