AnthonyB

They are not allowed to be kept open at any time unless fitted with a device that will release them to close upon the sounding of the fire alarm - if they are then depending on the category of hold open device and the risk assessment, then they might be left open at night although traditionally automatic fire doors used to have to be closed at night.

No, as Building Regulations is quite clear that you can build risers as a protected shaft without floor separation. It's a horrendously expensive thing to retrofit if done properly and so isn't a simple nice to have so if it isn't needed, don't do it! Some FRS forget it's not fire certification anymore and they can't ask for anything specific anymore. They can highlight they believe there is a breach of one of the articles of the Fire Safety Order and require that it be resolved (or otherwise disproven) either by formal or informal means and if necessary prosecute if there remains a risk to relevant persons due to inaction or unsatisfactory action by the RP but that is all. They can of course suggest a possible solution (they do not have to though and I've seen some enforcement notices that don't) but it is not binding - the RP can propose a different solution or why they believe no action is necessary and if it's reasonable the fire service have to accept it or the case can go to determination or court.

A typical example is here: https://www.mjnsafetysigns.com/products/hotel-guest-house-fire-action In addition a floor plan is often incorporated showing the exit routes.

If it's a care home you don't have them set to all release like that as the risk from resident's absconding, particularly in dementia care, is far higher than in fire. As you are using staff to evacuate the compartment of origin they would use the local overrides at each door, leaving the compartments not in fire secure (important as all the staff are busy in the compartment on fire or at the control panel awaiting the fire service). There would be a manual override that would release all the doors at the fire panel as a back up, but properly managed progressive evacuation rarely needs it. You should seek advice from a third party certified fire risk assessor with decent care home experience who can give advice specific to your situation and importantly put it in your risk assessment.

IFE branches often arrange days, nonmembers can go but pay more. Colt do lots of smoke control webinars, fire alarm equipment manufacturers do cpd days too

Not much of an expert...... Photoluminescent signage cannot compensate for lighting unless it's a full BS5266-6:1999 compliant low mounted way guidance system such as the below: 0 which ensures the safe route is illuminated. You need a good continuous supply of light (usually white light fluorescent or LED as oppose to natural light) to 'charge' the photoluminescent material so it will glow at the required lighting level for the required duration on light failiure EL provision is risk assessment based as acknowledged in the current BS5266-1 and so an FRA could require more cover or even less. It's OK to use borrowed or natural light but you must bear in mind that natural light is strongly susceptible to the time of year, time of day and even the weather and you need to account for all times relevant persons may be expected to be on site and the possible risks. Don't forget that EL isn't just a fire safety thing, but a general H&S one - it's a far more common occurrence for circuit and power failure when there isn't a fire - hence why many older existing premises are gradually upping their EL cover

If you look in Building Regulations it's perfectly acceptable to have a protected shaft and not go to the hassle and expense of stopping at each floor as long as the lift shafts have been correctly sealed. The work should have been notified to Building Control so if they are happy with only horizontal sealing then that should be fine (they won't be reliably certifying that the actual sealing work is done properly though so I'd check the method of sealing and any bits missed)

The equipment is identical, the main differences are the design criteria: - Audibility: Different requirements, e.g. Part 1 requires 75dB at the bed head of a bedroom, Part 6 only requires 85dB at the open bedroom door - Warning for the hearing impaired: Again different requirements, more detailed and stricter in part 1 - Manual Call points: Differing requirements for call point location, not always required and different location requirements in Part 6 - Capacity of standby batteries: Generally greater for Part 6 systems (72 hours instead of 24 hours) - Radio linked systems: Different requirements (largely similar though)

Unfortunately it's all guidance at the end of the day, and despite the fact there should be a consistent approach different Local Authorities have different interpretations (some out of date or plain wrong, others sensible and balanced) perhaps you should see what the EHO's in your area would be looking for.

Not expanding foam (even fire rated)! Envirograf have lots of products for uprating existing installations.

Yes it is technically an HMO if converted, or purpose built up to 2 flats, but not under mandatory licensing unless it meets the 5 persons, 2 households threshold (number of floors is irrelevant as that's gone in England), there may be additional or selective licensing requirements dependant on Council.

Meaning of the plug: https://www.firesafe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/docs/bwfcolcod.pdf

Not necessarily (Your FRA should determine this) Many smaller fish & chip shops have such short travel distances there is no need for fire separation for life safety/compliance purposes and often have open doorways between the two areas. The only complication with these premises is if there is upstairs living accommodation accessed from inside the shop.

Many of the professional plan providers use CAD as there are existing libraries of fire protection related symbols to use with them.

Whilst pricey a water mist would be the best as you would only need one extinguisher to cover all risks - Class A (solids), Class F (cooking oils) and live electrical equipment instead of the traditional (more sales led) approach of a wet chemical extinguisher, CO2 extinguisher and fire blanket (If your fryers are bigger than 300mm diameter and/or contain more than 3l of oil then they are useless as that's the maximum size fire they are tested and approved for) https://www.safelincs.co.uk/ultrafire-water-mist-fire-extinguishers/

In theory anything is possible with risk assessment, but it goes against all the various guidance and standards. The problem is that if a premises is big enough to need an electrical fire alarm it must start off as a manual system, a principle going back well over 60 years, so you need manual call points - after all, humans make very good detectors which is why today in many types of building there is still no requirement for any detection (it's mostly there for property). If you have only the pt6 detectors and you find a fire in it's early stages before they sound (not improbable) you have no way of raising the alarm other than waiting until it grows enough to trigger the detector. And even then you will only alert the room that already knows there is a fire unless you have interlinked all the alarms - you see plenty of buildings with single station grade F smoke alarms (which are outright illegal in workplaces as they only have one power supply). If a shout or similar cannot be heard throughout the whole workplace then you need an electrical fire alarm system to BS5839-1 with manual call points and sounders and then layer on detection if required. I'll accept a grade D smoke alarm in a building (with an adequate part 1 system) if it's purely for an inner room situation or in buildings too small to need call points, but will still prefer a proper system in time. They often get put in by electricians and fit out teams that don't do much commercial stuff and don't really understand the rules & rationales and by responsible persons who also don't understand...

If you are still in an area when the smoke layer has formed sufficiently to obscure the signage then something has gone badly wrong with other fire safety provisions! Floor mounted signage does have a place and a variety of products exist for this.

Unless you've had a fire risk assessment you won't know what fire safety provisions you actually need (unless guided by the suppliers and installers which can often lead to over provision). It should be as soon as possible, however in practice if the premises don't present a risk of death or serious injury then your FRA being a couple of weeks after opening is unlikely to lead to any action.

Whilst (with good reason) the use of powder is frowned upon indoors in this situation,due to the use of accelerants and the resulting raging fire, the rapid knockdown and large mass for mass fire fighting capacity of powder is such it would be a worthy choice, but don't go lower than 1kg, ideally 2kg

Yes as less than 60 persons would be using it.

Sounds like a 'code hugger' quoting insurance requirements regardless of the real world, the sort that gives fire safety and H&S a bad name - from a risk assessment and life safety/legal compliance point of view it's not required.

The system is described here - as you see it's less combustible than wood: https://www.paroc.co.uk/knowhow/fire/fire-classification

A one room building with no relevant persons to protect most of the time, where the service penetration is to the outside and would safely vent in the event of fire? Unless there is an adjacent building or risk that would be affected by improper fire stopping in this case, which sounds extremely unlikely, then from a fire safety point of view you could fill it with chewing gum for all the difference it makes....

It's legal as long as it's managed such that all fastenings are removed when the premises are occupied. If this isn't happening it's an offence and management requires improvement or an alternative option considered

Strict interpretation of the signage rules is the use of an up arrow above the door as up is for straight on as well as up. When through the door you have another change of direction requiring another sign for the stairs (usually diagonal down & left, or down & right depending on how the stairs run)