Shawn Bosworth

This is a kind of borderline situation; the tractor could be considered a workplace and as discussed extensively earlier in this thread we would normally recommend that the unit is serviced in accordance with BS 5306-3:2009. However, some manufactures produce small units, usually with shrouded heads but sometimes also with a standard head, that state on the packaging that they are maintenance free (a simple visual inspection by the user on an annual basis is still required), see images below. In this case I would say that the unit can be inspected by the driver of the tractor and recorded on the extinguisher with a sticker as well as in the fire safety logbook. It is important to ensure that this inspection is carried out without fail and it is often better to have them checked by a competent person along with any other extinguishers that need servicing. At the end of the day BS 5306 is not a law, it is a guide. Saying that, the first question that would be asked in the event of a fire where someone was injured would be "did you follow the appropriate guidance"? If the answer to that is no then the questions will definitely get harder! Hope that helps.

Hi, The British Standards do require replacement of extinguishers (or at the least the head units of them if this is possible) with plastic handles that show any signs of UV damage as this can weaken them and they could potentially break when used. As to the requirement of 2 water units, you are not being misled. The British Standard for the provision of extinguishers BS 5306 part 8 was updated in 2012 and now requires a minimum of 2 x A rated fire extinguishers with a minimum combined A rating of 26A per floor of a premises. The CO2 extinguisher only carries a B rating so the engineer is correct, you require a 2nd A rated extinguisher (this could be either water, foam or dry water mist but must add to the existing extinguishers A rating to be at least 26A in total). In the past an ABC powder extinguisher could have been employed to cover the B rating of the CO2 as well as the secondary A rating but in the same update to the British Standard it has been recommended that powder should not be used indoors unless there is a health and safety reason why nothing else is suitable. I hope this clears up your concerns. Regards Shawn

Hi Craigsg1, The servicing of fire extinguishers itself is not a legal requirement; it is advisable and usually required from an insurance point of view, but it is not law. If the extinguishers are being serviced in accordance with the British Standard (BS 5306-3:2009): "6.2.2 Maintenance Label The maintenance record should be indelibly marked on a durable label that is fixed firmly to the extinguisher without obscuring any of the manufacturer's markings and instructions." A certificate of inspection should also be issued.

Hi, It is recommended that a responsible person visually inspects the fire extinguishers installed in your premises on a monthly basis. This inspection is just to ensure that the extinguisher has not been tampered with or damaged in any obvious way and can be performed by anyone within the business. All extinguishers: Annually you should have your extinguishers serviced (basic service) by a competent person. A competent person is defined as "a person with the qualifications, training and experience, with access to the relevant tools, equipment and information, manuals and knowledge of any special procedures recommended by the manufacturer of an extinguisher to carry out the maintenance procedures." Powder, foam, water-based extinguishers: Five years from commisioning (or six years from date of manufacture, whichever is soonest) your extinguishers should have an extended service (DTR - discharge, test, recharge) performed on them. This is to ensure that the interior of the extinguisher is in as safe and usable condition as the exterior of the extignuisher. CO2 extinguishers: CO2 extinguishers should have a basic service performed on them for the first nine years. On the tenth year they should be discharged, pressure tested, refurbished and refilled. This is quite costly and it is usually more cost effective to have a brand new unit. I hope this answers your question, Kind regards Shawn

Hi Guest_Forest10_* The British Standard BS 5306-8:2012 (a recommendation only) in section 6.1 NOTE 2 states: "The position and type of a fire extinguisher should be indicated on a sign so that, if the extinguisher is removed, this can be identified during a safety inspection, and a replacement ordered." So, as far as the British Standard is concerned, each extinguisher ought to have an ID sign. Whenever I perform extinguisher site surveys now an ID sign is included with every extinguisher. Hope this helps. Regards Shawn

Hi, Fire extinguishers are due for their DTR either 5 years from date of commissioning or 6 years from date of manufacture (10 years from date of manufacture if you are referring to CO2), whichever is earliest, according to BS 5306-3:2009. If they are within 6 years of the manufacture date then perform a basic service on the units and mark them up as due for DTR when they would have been due if they had been commissioned on date of manufacture. For example, if the units were manufactured in January 2010 I would give them a basic service and mark them up as due for DTR in January 2016 (or January 2020 if you are referring to CO2). I hope this makes sense to you. Regards, Shawn

Hi Mike, Without seeing the premises we can't give you a comprehensive list of what you would need, we can only give you guidance in relation to the information you've given. In the kitchen area, do you have a deep fat fryer? If you do you would need either a wet chemical, dry water mist or ABF foam extinguisher. If not you would be ok with a fire blanket but it would be advisable to still have one of the three extinguishers just in case. The waste paper bin fire risk can be covered with a foam or water fire extinguisher (this would also be covered by one of the three extinguishers listed above). The gas risk, it isn't advisable to simply put out a gas fire unless you are specifically trained to deal with gas fires. You should shut off the gas and then tackle anything that the flame has ignited which would usually be Class A (similar to the waste bin fire). The electricity fire, as long as the water based extinguisher you choose (water/foam) has passed the 35kV test then it is safe to use around live electricity as long as you are more than 1m away (electricity doesn't burn, it is the ignition source so you would probably be tackling Class A fires again, as above). All that being said, to comply with the British Standard you would need a minimum of 2 x Class A rated fire extinguishers with a combined minimum Class A rating of 26A. That is the bare minimum before covering any specific risks. I would suggest one of these http://www.safelincs.co.uk/2ltr-wet-chemical-fire-extinguisher/ for the kitchen area (suitable for Class A and Class F) and a 6ltr foam for the rest of the clubhouse http://www.safelincs.co.uk/ultrafire-redline-6ltr-afff-foam-fire-extinguisher/ These would cover the bare minimum for a building of no more than 400m² without addressing any additional risks. To get a full picture of what you need it would be best to have a site survey http://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-extinguisher-site-survey/ Kind regards Shawn Safelincs

Hi Susan, Do you know how old the units are? There are a number of reasons why a smoke alarm will false alarm: 1. The batteries are faulty (may be prudent to try new batteries in the upstairs unit) 2. A build up of dust/insects in the sensor chamber (I know you have hoovered dust from the units, you can also try a hair dryer on cold to blow anything out of the chamber) 3. There could be a problem with the mains supply getting to the unit (the damaged base unit on the downstairs alarm could be contributing to this or it may be an unrelated and coincidental issue) 4. The alarms are over 10yrs old and the sensor has degraded to a point where it is giving a constant false alarm and the unit needs replacing. If none of this helps and the replacement base has no effect you can call Aico direct on 0870 758 4001. Their technical dept. is very helpful and knowledgeable.

It is worth noting that while you are not legally required to have your home extinguishers serviced, they are susceptible to the same issues as extinguishers installed in businesses. If the worst happened it would be re-assuring to know that your extinguishers are fully functional.