AnthonyB

I would strongly suggest contacting the Local Authority Building Control Officer and the Fire Officer as the arrangement doesn't look typical and may have been carried out without the required permissions. You can check if Planning Permission was given yourself by searching using the address of the shop on your Local Authority's Planning Portal

All I can think of is optical spark detection, it's used in a client's furniture factory in their ducting (they use all the wood dust from manufacturing to heat the site via a central biomass boiler) their system activates local drenchers in the duct. Sparks are so common that the system is fully automatic and doesn't set the main fire alarm off.

This was never a problem when all signs just said EXIT or FIRE EXIT...... To be fair on fellow fire risk assessors the enforcers aren't too bothered either about mixed signs. The BS 5499 & ISO signs are similar enough to avoid confusion, admittedly the EC symbol is different (especially if used without the 'man') but is it really enough to make a difference (sign retailers excluded from commenting!). Whilst in tests comprehension of the EC signs was slower than the BS5499 (hence it's international adoption with a little tweak) it was still understood and I'd be worried if your ASET/RSET times were close enough for it to make an impact! New projects though have no excuse for mixing signs and I picked this up in a new build where they had mixed EC & ISO by using old stock. Government's don't like new red tape legislation so no doubt it will be left to risk assessors to sort it out!

Emergency escape lighting may be a more important feature - in the early days many permanent venues of the type you described were not required by licensing (which was the only way fire safety conditions were imposed prior to the Fire Safety Order) to have an electrical fire alarm system but all had to have escape lighting even if it was just illuminated exit signs over the doorways. Power failure doesn't require a fire and is probably more likely than a fire on the list of things that could go wrong.

The benchmark guidance for flats would expect emergency escape lighting to be required as part of a Fire Risk Assessment even if originally it had none.

Not necessarily (although I've been told in the past that a replacement fire alarm system technically needs BR approval, but no one bothers) although the OP mentions other alterations that could have led to it applying

If you need range you want a jet, although as most first aid attacks are started from 1-2 metres a spray is often more effective (particularly with additives)

And smoke alarms have been a Building Regulations requirement for many years also (leading to the Smoke Detectors Act being finally repealed in 2006)

If you can afford it, it's best to link your alarms (you can get radio linked domestic alarms now, no unsightly bell wire all over the house!) - if you were upstairs you may not hear your utility room alarm and smoke would spread until it activated other alarms

They may want to go through your property but you don't have to let them if there has never been such a route historically. A legal agreement would be required to be drawn up - you should contact a specialist property lawyer.

If it's an initial dead end an alternative solution to fire doors in the guides is the provision of automatic smoke detection (part of the buildings fire alarm system, not self contained detectors) to every room.

Some models of panic bolt use wide plank type 'bars' that are engraved push bar to open: Engraved panic bolt

Check with your employment lawyer, I'd be surprised if it wasn't, especially as the action could be considered a breach of Health & Safety and Fire Regulations, which are criminal offences.

Without seeing the site the answer by default would be no. This issue should have been considered at the planning stage of the works and, as a significant change, the fire risk assessment reviewed. If this has not occurred then an offence has been committed.

It's not been acceptable for many years and there have sadly been many deaths where these were a factor over the last 60 years. There are so many simple alternatives available there is no excuse for not replacing them.

Many providers put a three year expiry on, using first aid training (which does have a set expiry) as a benchmark, but it's not mandatory. One Crown Department I am working with at the moment provides initial formal training with no refresher as long as the warden has taken part in at least one fire drill every 12 months - if they have gone longer than 12 months they have to go on the course again.

As you are legal Guardians and living as a single Household the situation is the same as if you were a normal parent & child family so you aren't a HMO - however your fostering agency or local authority may have their own requirements in addition to those in the Housing Act

Just because you are a charity and in serviced offices doesn't exempt you from the legislation, even if you don't employ anyone. With a serviced office you benefit from most provisions being made and maintained by the office provider, but it's up to you to assess if it's adequate for your needs and implement fire precautions measures with relation to matters under your control, as well as training staff.

Yes if it forms part of a building wide system and the leases to the flats should be robust enough to give them rights of access to do so.

I don't know why, It's quite clear in Building Regs and all the guidance. A guick summary is if used to protect means of escape then the door should have smoke seals (e,g, be an FD30S or FD60S), if it's only to enclose an area of high risk or similar that isn't part or an escape route they don't (FD30 or FD60). A full list of types for situations is in Appendix A of Approved Document B

Just adjust the closer or if it is old replace it.

Oxygen doesn't burn so the extinguishers would not be for these, but for a fire in the passenger or engine compartments. The only laws covering extinguishers are the PSV Regs and the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regs that cover the provision on Public Service Vehicles (Buses & coaches) and Minibuses respectively and for vehicles carrying hazardous substances (over certain thresholds) the ADR Regulations. Taxis have local requirements as part of their licensing and different local authorities have different requirements. Your vehicles don't fall under any of these and don't automatically require extinguishers. The normal annual service regime in BS5306-3 does not apply to vehicle based extinguishers however to ensure efficacy a service would be preferred to a visual check, although the later is sufficient legally. I would be more worried about the fact that you are using powder extinguishers which if discharged would make the people you transport (chronic lung diseases hence the O2) very very ill as the finely divided powder causes difficulty in breathing and coughing even in healthy people. Ambulances usually have small foam extinguishers because of this and all buses and coaches have to use foam as powder is specifically prohibited by the regulations for these vehicles. Therefore I would change the powder extinguishers for 1 or 2 litre foam spray (if the powders are 5 years old or more they are due replacement anyway), and then regularly visually inspect them.

Any decent electrician should have included the appropriate detection as part of the rewire. Existing owner occupied houses aren't required to have anything, but a Grade D LD3 system is recommended minimum with hard wired detectors (i.e. powered by 240V) that have an internal back up power source linked to each other by cable or wireless bases (so they all go off) located in circulation areas. Smoke detection to escape routes, heat to the garage (false alarm risk) All available on the Safelincs site

You may not need any, also if you did you would not normally be able to use domestic smoke alarms and heat alarms but instead a proper fire detection & warning system to BS5839-1:2012 with control panel ,manual call points, sounders and, where necessary, smoke & heat detectors. If the premises are small enough for a shout of fire to be heard throughout you do not need a fire alarm unless you have a specific risk requiring detection (such as an inner room with no vision panel). If the premises are larger they will require an electrical fire alarm system to BS5839-1 comprising control and indicating panel ,manual call points and alarm sounders (Category M system). If there is a specific risk where a fire would grow undetected such that it could compromise escape then you would need detectors as well (categories L5 to L1). Your Fire Risk Assessment would determine what Category is needed. Due to false alarm risk heat detectors are used in and near to cooking areas.

In a word - Yes - if the ground floor hall and stairs are shared between the ground & 2nd floor flats these areas are covered.