Your Guide To ABC Fire Extinguishers

It’s fair to say that a fire extinguisher is a necessity in any office, home or even vehicle. Having said that, it’s important to note that not all fire extinguishers will put out the same types of fires. In some cases, using the wrong type of extinguisher can make a fire worse.

For this reason, it’s important to know which fire extinguisher will offer the best fire protection for your property. ABC fire extinguishers are often a good choice as they are extremely versatile and can tackle a range of different fire types. Below, we’ll take a look at which types of fires ABC fire extinguishers are suitable for, as well as the corresponding extinguishers for each fire type.

Understanding The Fire Classification

Firstly, it’s important to understand that not every fire is the same. If you try to put out a fire using the wrong type of extinguisher, you may end up doing more harm than good. You’ll need to establish the fire risks at your facility before you can choose an appropriate extinguisher. In the UK, there are five main classes of fire. These are simply categorised by what the fire uses as fuel.

1. Class A (Solids)

Class A fires occur when combustible organic materials, such as paper, wood, and fabric catch fire. As these materials are frequently found in homes and offices, this is one of the most common types of fire.

2. Class B (Liquids)

Class B fires involve flammable liquids, such as petrol, diesel and paint. It’s important to keep any flammable liquids used at your facility away from potential sources of ignition.

3. Class C (Gases)

This type of fire involves flammable gases. Propane, butane and methane are common causes of Class C fires. If you’re working with flammable gases at your facility, it’s important to make sure that such work is carried out by a competent person.

4. Class D (Metals)

Class D fires involve flammable materials, such as magnesium, aluminium and titanium. This type of fire is less common than the other classifications.

5. Electrical Fires

As electricity is considered a source of ignition rather than a fuel, electrical fires do not have their own full class. Instead, they are marked with an electrical spark symbol.

In fact, electrical fires can sometimes fall into other classes. For example, electrical power tools that are used on construction sites can cause sparks to ignite flammable gases. In such cases, this would be considered a Class C fire risk.

6. Class F (Cooking Oils and Fats)

Class F fires can occur when flammable cooking oils and fats are exposed to heat sources and are left unattended during use.

So, What Is An ABC Fire Extinguisher Used For?

ABC extinguishers, also referred to as ABC dry powder extinguishers, are effective against fires involving ordinary combustibles (Class A), flammable liquids (Class B) and flammable gases (Class C). Usually, these extinguishers have a blue label and use a dry chemical called mono-ammonium phosphate. This chemical works to smother flames and put out an array of different fires by separating the fuel from the oxygen.

They are also suitable for use against fires involving electronic equipment designed for use at less than 1000v. On top of this, you can get specialist dry powder extinguishers that are designed to tackle Class D fires involving combustible metals. It is worth noting that specialist dry powder extinguishers may not be effective for all metal fires.

Despite having many uses, dry powder extinguishers should not be used in small or enclosed spaces, unless a fire safety risk assessment concludes otherwise. The reason for this is that the powder can remain in the air even after the emergency is over. When inhaled, this fine powder can impair breathing and potentially trigger an asthma attack. More than that, an ABC fire extinguisher can cause damage to your building and the surrounding areas. This includes damage to electrical equipment and the corroding of metal machinery.

Moreover, as with any type of fire extinguisher, it is important to keep your ABC fire extinguisher well-maintained and serviced to ensure it is always in good working order.

When To Use A Different Type Of Fire Extinguisher

Whilst ABC fire extinguishers can help battle several types of fire, they are not effective for every fire class. With this in mind, it’s important to know when to use a different type of fire extinguisher.

Water Fire Extinguishers

Water-Fire Extinguishers have a red label and are designed to gradually cool down the flames. As this extinguisher can put out common fires, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular types of extinguisher. However, water fire extinguishers should only be used on Class A fires.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers use water to create a foam that doesn’t just cool down the fuel, it also blocks the fire from its source. This makes these extinguishers perfect for tackling Class B and Class A fires. They are characterised by their cream label.

It’s advisable to avoid using a foam extinguisher during electrical or kitchen fires.

CO2 Extinguishers

CO2 extinguishers have a black label and work by suffocating the fire until it runs out of oxygen. They are suitable for use against both electrical and Class B fires.

Wet Chemical Extinguishers

Wet chemical fire extinguishers have yellow labels and coat the flames in a mist of potassium. This is the only type of fire extinguisher that can be used to battle Class F fires.

Whilst you’re in the process of figuring out what type of fire extinguisher you need for your property, have you considered completing a fire safety training course? At Cardinal Fire, we offer expert guidance and advice on fire safety compliance. Get in touch today and benefit from the all-important peace of mind that you’re following the correct fire safety procedures.

What is a Competent Person in Fire Safety?

Whether you are an employer looking to secure your regulatory compliance with health and safety regulations in the UK, or you are in a health and safety manager role, you may have come across the legal term “competent person” and you might be wondering about its meaning and how it applies to your job and responsibilities.

Below, we’ll look at what a competent person is, the official definition of the term, as well as who can do the job and how it impacts compliance, especially in the fire safety context. Read along to find out more.

Competent Person Definition & The UK Law

The definition of a competent person, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is someone who has “sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities that allow them to assist you properly.”

What this means is that anyone can be considered a competent person as long as they can possess all three of the following:

Sufficient theoretical knowledge of all regulatory standards applicable to your industry
Can confidently identify hazards in the workplace, including those specific to a certain type of operation or machinery
Has the ability to propose corrective measures to adequately control and manage the risks that have been identified

Who Can Be A Competent Person In Fire Safety?

As mentioned above, anyone who fits all three of the criteria in the previous section can be considered a “competent person” at their respective workplace. The key is that they have both a solid level of theoretical knowledge and the practical, technical skills to be considered an expert in the dangers associated with a particular type of work, as well as the ways to fix them.

In the context of fire safety, this could be an appointed fire safety manager, an employee who has been given the necessary fire safety training to perform the above functions or a third-party service provider who can be hired to act as a competent person.

Either way, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that a competent person has been selected and that they match the necessary qualifications and criteria to satisfy the legal requirements.

For further guidance on the meaning of the term competent person and their responsibilities in an occupational health setting, you can refer to The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

What Does A Competent Person Do?

The responsibility of the competent person, therefore, is to make sure that all employees, visitors, members of the public and any third parties that may be present in the workplace are protected from all reasonably foreseeable occupational hazards.

The competent person is appointed to help the employer who is considered a “responsible person” under the UK law and regulations to achieve regulatory compliance with all relevant legislation and standards applicable to the industry they work in.

In practice, the competent person should be able to conduct risk assessments and inspections on a regular basis during which they would utilise their knowledge, experience and technical skills to identify risks in the workplace. They would also be able to classify the level of risk, identify who could be addicted and propose measures for mitigating these hazards.

In the context of fire safety, the competent person would be able to perform specific fire risk assessments on a regular basis or as required by the employer in special circumstances.

Do I Have To Appoint A Competent Person?

If you are an employer, you will need to find a competent person to help you ensure your health and safety practices are compliant with the relevant rules and regulations.

This is specifically detailed under Regulation 7 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which states the following:

“Every employer shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.”

The regulations continue by also establishing the fact that all communication with the competent person must be coordinated by the employer to ensure that they have access to all information and resources needed to perform their duties as a competent person.

If you fail to appoint a qualified competent person or to manage their work as described, this would be considered a breach of your legal duties and can lead to prosecution. Then, if you are found to have failed to comply with the law, the relevant regulatory authority could impose significant fines on you. In cases where a serious incident has occurred as a result of non-compliance, this could even result in a prison sentence.

Competent Person Vs. Qualified Person

A qualified person is someone who has formal qualifications, such as a recognised certificate or a degree to deal with certain workplace issues and occupational hazards. In some cases, the competent person can also be a qualified person who can help you design specific technical measures to control certain risks.

In some situations, however, where the risks involved may be particularly technical, it may be necessary to hire a specialist as your qualified person in order to provide the competent person with enough support and information to complete their duties. This should be something that is agreed upon between you, as the employer, and the competent person you have appointed.

An employer could also arrange for a competent person in-house to undergo the necessary additional training to gain the official qualifications they require to perform their duties correctly. Whichever approach you choose to use, it’s important to keep in mind the final goal – to ensure everyone is safe at work.

Fire Safety Training & Risk Assessment In The West Midlands

Looking to train a competent person within your organisation or hire a competent person to do a fire safety inspection for you? Cardinal Fire offers fire safety training courses for employees, as well as a professional fire risk assessment service delivered by qualified fire safety engineers.

For more information on our services across the West Midlands, speak to our team today on 0845 130 8211 or email us at sales@cardinalfire.net

Your Guide To Fire Safety Risk Assessments

Fire safety risk assessments are a legal requirement for all businesses with premises. The responsible person, who in most cases is the business owner, is required by law to ensure the implementation and maintenance of the safety of all employees, customers, clients and any potential visitors. When it comes to mitigating the risk of a fire, the employer has a responsibility to complete all necessary risk assessments demonstrating that any potential hazard has been carefully considered.

As no stone can be left unturned when it comes to fire safety, there can be a lot of factors to inspect and no room for error. With so many people’s safety at stake, fire safety risk assessments are not to be taken lightly. That being said, it is simple to lose track of the process without the proper management. Therefore, it is paramount that fire safety risk assessment templates are understood and followed during the assessment.

What Is A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

The long-short of a fire safety risk assessment is to keep people safe. It aims to outline all the possible risks, from a fire prevention perspective, that face all the people within your premises. This documentation aims to cover all the bases; for every risk, there is a process in place to reduce the effect of this playing out.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

On 1st October 2006, The Fire Safety Order 2005 came into effect. This document applies to employers and business owners who have the responsibility for non-domestic, industrial, commercial and residential premises. The legislation came about in an attempt to simplify, rationalise and consolidate all fire safety documentation and regulation within one Order. It intended to implement a risk-based approach to fire safety, looking to provide the fire and rescue service with more efficient and effective rules to enforce.

The Order was built around every business having one person responsible for the completion of a thorough fire safety risk assessment. The evaluation includes all work activities as well as the premises, in its entirety. This competent person has to identify all potential fire risks, including who would be in danger if a fire was to start and where they would most be at risk. Once all these factors have been identified, the designated person would then have to assess whether the business’s current processes and precautions are adequate to cover the risk, or can more be done.

The fire safety risk assessment would then need to be regularly reviewed and amended as the evaluation saw fit.

What Businesses Need To Carry Out A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

The government’s legislation requires all businesses to carry out this fire safety risk assessment regularly, aiming to minimise and manage the risk of fire sufficiently. The Order states that all types of work-related buildings, structures, and open spaces, including offices and shops, care and education settings, warehouses, and construction. However, this list is purely comprehensive and by no means extensive.

It is worth noting that the Fire Safety Order only applies to businesses and non-domestic premises. A fire safety risk assessment is not required within private homes. The only exception is for landlords as they have a legal obligation to ensure their rental properties and HMOs meet the expected fire safety requirements.

Why Do You Need To Carry Out A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

As a legal requirement, a fire safety risk assessment must be carried out; however, the bottom line of these evaluations is to save lives and mitigate the risk to all people should a fire start within your business’s premises.

Anyone responsible for a building that is not a private home or ‘single private dwelling,’ has to make sure the proper actions have been carried out to ensure the premise is fire safe.

If a building has more than five people working there or you have a licence under the enactment force, your fire safety risk assessment must be kept as a written document. It is of utmost importance that this record is kept up-to-date and relevant, ensuring all suggestions for improvement have been carried out.

At the end of the day, having these measures in place is a good business practice as much as it is the law. Many businesses are unable to survive the devastation to both reputation and loss a fire can cause, therefore, implementing effective fire prevention is the first step to understanding the risks.

The Fire Safety Risk Assessment Template

There are varying risk assessment guides that look to guide different businesses with their fire safety measures. Your first step is to find the relevant information for your business premise, allowing you to comply with all the applicable fire safety laws. These templates aim to guide you on the fire safety measures that you should have instigated.

Some businesses will fall under different categories and will, therefore, need to comply with all appropriate templates. For example, businesses that offer both dining and drinking facilities but also provide sleeping accommodation for guests and staff will need to ensure every box Is ticked.

Once you have located the necessary templates, your designated responsible person must begin their inspection. This process includes planning and testing fire escape routes, warning and detection systems, fire suppression equipment, and evacuation plans, as well as the initial hazards and potential fire risks around every establishment/building.

It is only after all these things have been considered that a fire safety risk assessment can be created.

Five Steps of A Risk Assessment

When it comes to writing a fire safety risk assessment, there are five steps to ensuring you have covered all bases.

1. Identify All Fire Hazards

From things within your premises that could cause a fire to start, such as faults with electrical equipment, cooking equipment within staff kitchens, and portable heaters, to materials that would help a fire spread, for example, packaging, decorations and rubbish. Within this step, it is also crucial to consider additional sources of oxygen that would help to fuel a fire, this includes a building’s air conditioning system, any cylinders or fireworks.

2. Identify Everyone At Risk

Who could be inside your building or on your site? Why are they here and what would they be doing? Whether your premise only accommodates employees or includes facilities for customers and clients, you must consider everyone that would be put at risk should a fire start.

Important circumstances to consider is if your premises has people resting or sleeping, how would these disorientated people get to safety? Does your business involve noisy environments, would an alarm be heard in all areas of the site? If anyone onsite has a disability, have their needs been considered? It is crucial all these questions are answered.

3. Identify What Measures Are Needed To Ensure People’s Safety

This is where you assess the practical measures that are needed to reduce the risks identified in step one and keep everyone in step two safe. There are two groupings of implications to consider: what you can do to reduce the risk of a fire starting and things that can be done to reduce the risk once a fire is underway.

For the first part, the most thorough process is to work down your list of hazards from step one and see what can be put in place to remove this risk, or significantly reduce it as much as possible. Then, you need to put yourself in the shoes of everyone within your premises, the concerns they have raised in step two need to be reviewed. Ask, what you can implement to aid them in their escape if a fire broke out? Even if your business has never had a fire to contend with before, there needs to be a plan in place if the worst were to happen.

In this step, ensure you are considering:

How will everyone be alerted?
Where would fire extinguishers help the spread of a fire?
Where and how will people fire their nearest fire exits?
Would a fire be likely to obstruct a fire escape route?
Could smoke build-up and hinder people’s exit?

4. Recording Your Risk Assessment

Once your fire safety measures have been decided in line with identified hazards and the people you are keeping safe, the next step is to record all your findings and your plan of action. Everyone in the business needs to know their responsibilities and what they need to do in the event of a fire.

If your business is licensed and serves alcohol or employs over five members of staff, there must be a comprehensive record of your findings from your fire safety risk assessment. It is recommended to play on the safe side and record your risk assessment in its entirety.

For example, if you have identified the chance of a fire occurring from an electrical item, your action to reduce this would be to arrange for a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) to be conducted.

5. Reviewing Your Evaluation and Assessment

It is good practice to review your fire safety risk assessment at least annually. If your premises have undergone any changes or your staffing numbers have changed, your fire risk assessment will be affected. In order to stay on top, it is important to make regular evaluations and amendments to your fire safety measures.

How To Use A Fire Risk Assessment Template

If you are looking to complete your fire safety risk assessment in-house, it is recommended to follow a reputable risk assessment template. With so many details required for a thorough evaluation, these documents are formatted to make them more accessible. They will require essential checklists of factors that cannot be missed, so do ensure these lists are close-at-hand when the inspections are carried out.

Appointing Someone To Carry Out Your Risk Assessment

As the gravity of fire safety risk assessments is so high, many business owners prefer to entrust this process to regarded professionals. In doing so, not only can you rest assured your business is complying with the law; but, you will always have a top-quality risk assessment and fire prevention plan.

When it comes to the safety of your employees, customers and clients, there is no question that these processes cannot be rushed or compromised. Everyone benefits when these essential safety measures are followed and carried out rigorously.

Fire Safety Risk Assessments in Birmingham & Wolverhampton

If you would like to appoint the expertise of our skilled and extremely competent fire risk assessors, contact our professional safety engineers today. At Cardinal Fire, we simplify the process of fire safety compliance.

We offer thorough Fire Safety Risk Assessment Services in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. With our third-party accreditation, your business premises can benefit from our in-depth fire safety knowledge, allowing you to have peace of mind that all your fire procedures will be in place should you need them.

Want to know more about your legal obligations as a business owner? Check out our complete guide to UK workplace fire safety.

FAQ

Can You Do A Fire Risk Assessment Yourself?

You can complete your business’s fire safety risk assessment in-house; however, under the Fire Safety Order 2005, business owners are legally required to have a Fire Assessment carried out by a ‘competent’ person. In order to take the pressure off a member of your staff working to meet the criteria of this expert person, most businesses choose to appoint qualified professionals to complete the safety requirements on their behalf. As the consequences of a poorly completed risk assessment do not bear thinking, this is a lot of pressure to put onto someone without the experience and knowledge of the fire safety industry.

How Can I Write A Fire Safety Risk Assessment?

There are four steps to keep in mind when creating a fire safety risk assessment:

Identifying the fire risk – what could a fire start?
Who could be harmed in a fire?
How can we mitigate or remove these risks?
Put all of the above into a detailed report

Once all of these steps have been carefully considered and thoroughly investigated, the completed document should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is always up to date.

What Is The Law On Fire Risk Assessments?

If you have a business that employs five or more members of staff, a fire safety risk assessment must be produced in writing by law.

What is the Fire Safety Risk Assessment Checklist?

The fire safety risk assessment checklist is what your business’s responsible person would use to identify the pre-existing and any new hazards. As commercial premises must keep written records of their fire safety report, there should always be an old checklist to begin a new evaluation.

Conducting an Effective Fire Drill at Work

Whether you are responsible for the workplace fire safety of a commercial office building, a retail space or an educational institution, knowing when and how to conduct a fire drill correctly is an important part of your responsibilities. Just like fire alarm servicing, fire extinguisher servicing, and emergency lights testing, fire drills are a preventative measure taken to achieve regulatory compliance and ensure that your staff, as well as your visitors and your property, are sufficiently protected in case of a fire emergency.

Read along to find out how to conduct an effective fire drill at work and stay on top of your fire safety legal duties.

What Are Fire Drills and Why Are They Needed?

Simply put, a fire drill is a fire safety exercise where the people in a building (whether they are staff or guests) are required to follow the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) in a simulated fire emergency situation. As part of the process, the fire alarm is sounded and the fire evacuation procedure is implemented to test its efficiency.

Conducting regular fire drills is an essential part of the fire safety awareness of your employees. Taking part in these practice runs teaches your staff what they need to do so in the event of a real fire, they can escape to safety as quickly as possible.

Fire drills also play an important function in the evaluation and revisions of your evacuation procedures, as they can be used to highlight weaknesses and inefficiencies. From the accessibility of your fire exits and safety areas to the way people respond to the fire alarm sound, every part of the process should be reviewed to find any areas of improvement.

The Responsibility of Conducting Fire Drills

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, the party who is responsible for every aspect of fire safety within non-domestic and commercial buildings is the occupier, owner or manager of the premises. Referred to in the legislation as a “responsible person”, the party with the duty of fire safety is in charge of ensuring that all fire safety regulations are complied with.

Duties of the Responsible Person

Should you be designated as the responsible person, you will be in charge of several duties, including emergency planning and fire safety training of employees. You will also be in charge of conducting regular fire drills and keeping a record of them as a part of the fire safety and evacuation plans.

In addition, you should train all new staff on your evacuation procedures when they start their employment with you, as well as inform all members of staff when new fire risks emerge and revisions to the fire safety procedures. It is your responsibility to ensure that everyone in the business is familiar with the correct evacuation procedures and has basic fire safety knowledge, such as how to use a fire extinguisher and understanding what the different fire extinguisher types are used for.

How often should you conduct a fire drill?

Under the legal obligations, the responsible person should ensure that fire drills are carried out at least once per year, and more often in locations of vulnerable people, such as care homes, schools and nurseries.

Effectively Conducting a Fire Drill

Fire drills should be simple and easy to follow. In practice, however, many variables can crop up affecting the effectiveness of the fire evacuation procedure.

As the responsible person, you can improve the chances of success of your fire drill by:

Giving employees prior warning to conducting a fire drill, ensuring that they are aware of any specific information and informing them that their participation is mandatory
Nominating observers to assess the fire drill can help in the revision of the effectiveness of the drill, as well as the behaviour of employees during the drill itself. This is mostly suitable for larger commercial settings
Pre-warning any visitors present at the time of the fire drill

When conducting the fire drill, any responsible persons, as well as nominated observers and fire wardens should:

Ensure that employees use the nearest, most practical escape route, as opposed to the exit most familiar to them
Observing employee behaviours to mark inappropriate acts, such as attempting to retrieve belongings
Track any difficulties with designated escape routes, such as blockages or faulty doors
Note challenges that may occur for people with disabilities, including things such as stair routes, narrow exits or inadequate doors
Ensuring that everyone is present and accounted for during the roll call

Once the Fire Drill is Completed

When the fire drill is finished, the responsible person should:

Keep a detailed log of each fire drill including notes on the success of the evacuation procedure, as well as any issues or inappropriate behaviour demonstrated during the drill
Suggest revisions to the fire safety protocol, procedures and any alterations to the premises. Those should be implemented by specialist fire safety engineers.
Ensure that all findings of significance are recorded in the fire risk assessment and regularly reviewed

If you require advice or guidance on fire safety training, PAT testing, fire alarm servicing or fire extinguisher servicing, give the experts at Cardinal Fire a call today, we are more than happy to help.

Fire Alarm Safety: Comprehensive BS5839 Guide

How much do you know about BS5839? Part 1 of BS5839 (British Standards) is the code of practice for the design, installation, maintenance and commissioning of fire protection alarms and systems for use in non-domestic/commercial premises. If you are a business owner, this is the essential fire safety standard you are required to follow to achieve regulatory compliance with the fire safety regulations in the UK.

Our easy to understand guide on BS5839 will walk you through all there is to know, including the fundamental implications on your day-to-day commercial ventures.

Who Is Required to Abide By BS5839?

The non-domestic/commercial premises referred to in BS5839 Part 1 includes shops, offices, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, schools, universities and many other public places. Interestingly, it also includes any communal area of domestic dwellings – such as hallways, corridors and stairwells – where multiple people may be affected by a fire within a common location.

This is why, if you are the responsible person for a commercial building, whether it’s an office building, a kitchen or a factory, you should familiarise yourself with the requirements of BS5839 to ensure that you have completed your legal duties.

Why is a Fire Alarm System or Fire Detection System Needed?

Within the Foreword of BS5839 (pp iv-vi), it is stipulated that:

“National building regulations require fire detection and fire alarm systems to be installed in many buildings at the time of construction. In addition, legislation requires that, where necessary to safeguard relevant persons in case of fire, existing premises are equipped with “appropriate fire detection and fire alarm systems”.

The guidelines also provide a non-exhaustive table demonstrating examples of non-domestic premises for the purpose of practicality, which is found in Annex A (pp 130-131). The table gives the commonly expected examples of public places and buildings that BS5839 may apply to, but it does not strictly enforce that all premises found within the table “are required by law to have such systems installed” (p v-vi).

Generally, it is advisable to abide by the best practices when approaching fire safety on any non-domestic/commercial premises, always starting with a fire risk assessment that can determine the overall fire safety of a location, as well as if a fire detection or fire alarm system is beneficial or required and which type would be the most appropriate.

Fire Alarm and Fire Detection Systems: Defined

Various fire detection systems and fire alarm systems exist to protect premises of multiple sizes and use-cases. Systems range from basic, rudimentary designs which require manual input to alert others of fire, to high-tech wireless fire detection systems.

You should also be aware that Part 1 of BS5839 does not refer to the systems which have a primary purpose of controlling or extinguishing fire (such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers), nor does it cover:

Systems that combine fire alarm functions with function not relating to fire alarms
Voice alarm systems
Emergency service call systems
Audiovisual guidance systems (i.e. emergency lights)

When determining what alarm or fire detector type is suitable for your premises, Annex A of BS5839 refers to various categories of systems and the type of premises they are most appropriate for.

What are the Categories of Systems and Alarms?

The BS5839 Part 1 recommends types of alarm and detection systems based on the location and objective of the systems – referred to as Categories/

Category L Systems

Category L systems are charged with protecting life, with the focus on prioritising areas of high fire risk, escape routes and fire exits. Category L systems levelled: the lower the number, the more protection the category L system corresponds to.

Category L5 – Specific Design

Category L5 systems do not strictly conform to the requirement of the other for L categories, instead, they are systems that are designed around very specific requirements particular to the location and other risk factors highlighted by the fire risk assessment.

Category L4 – Escape Routes

This refers to fire detection systems that have been installed only on escape routes and not inner rooms.

Category L3 – Escape Routes and Any Rooms Opening Onto Escape Routes

A commonly found fire alarm system in public buildings and premises, these systems typically include smoke detectors on every escape route, as well as every room that connects to escape routes.

Category L2 – Escape Routes, Rooms Opening Onto Escape Routes and High-Risk Inner Rooms

Category L2 systems can be considered similar to the L3 but with the added scope of including inner rooms determined as “high-risk”, without the requirement of the room having to be connected directly to an escape route.

Such rooms are deemed as at a high enough risk of fire that they require dedicated fire detection.

Category L1 – Complete Coverage Protection

Requiring manual call points, automatic fire detection and fire detectors in every room, category L1 buildings require fire detection systems throughout the entire premises, typically used in buildings that house a higher proportion of vulnerable people through its primary usage.

When calculating for an L1 system, a “room” is anything over 1 metre squared.

Category M Systems

Manual-only systems, these premises require manual call points to be installed on all corridors and exits, where people do not have to walk more than 45m before reaching a call point.

Interestingly, all category L systems begin as an M system and then level up to an L system when fire risk assessments deem it appropriate and necessary.

System M-only will typically be found in kiosks, sub-buildings, small buildings and buildings which are barely occupied.

Category P Systems

Category P systems are those which are designed for property protection (not life protection) as their primary purpose. These systems are far rarer than category L and M systems, specifically because most buildings have some sort of human occupancy at all times, even if just a night watchman/security guard.

P category systems are typically installed in unoccupied buildings, such as unmanned warehouses, as such, these systems will be connected to Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) and signal a call to the Fire Services to attend to any blaze.

Category P1

Automatic fire detection systems installed in all areas of the building, a category P1 system will be used to detect any signs of fire as soon as reasonably possible.

Category P2

P2 systems will not have automatic fire detection systems installed in every area of the building, instead, the only parts of the premises outfitted with a P2 system will be the ones determined as a high fire risk by a fire risk assessment.

Primary Design Decisions to Consider When Selecting the Most Appropriate Fire Alarm and Detection Systems

The legislation also highlights numerous design considerations, including the most appropriate system category for certain building types and their fire safety requirements. The recommendations found within the legislation provide clear guidelines and advice to consider, with reference to the British Standards.

Type of System

Here, the category of the property will typically determine the category of fire detection and alarm systems required, detailed by a thorough fire risk assessment, as written on p17 of the BS5839.

System Components

All components selected to be used as part of the overall system installed/intended to be installed must conform to British Standards or Harmonised European Standards and should be tested against these standards.

Detection Zones

Dividing the building into detection zones which are commonly installed with manual call points or automatic detectors to guarantee that fire responders are alerted to the specific location of the fire. These are appropriate for all building types, bar the smallest.

Monitoring and Reliability of the System

The design of the system should be done so to limit the scope and effect of any fault of the system: if there is a fault, there is required to be an alert system in place to inform the necessary parties of a need for maintenance or replacement.

Alarm Zones

Complex buildings require a fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) that sometimes includes a phased evacuation process, requiring separate alarm zones. The guidelines recommend that, at the boundaries of each separate alarm zone, the construction should be composed of fire-resistant walls.

Direct Communication with Fire and Rescue

Some systems will require a direct alert system with fire and rescue services, some will not, Category L and M systems do not require an automatic connection to the emergency services as a telephone call is adequate. Where buildings are always occupied, an automatic communication system may be appropriate.

Audiovisual Alarm Systems and Warnings for the Hearing Impaired

All alarm systems must be adequate to warn all people as intended. Where appropriate, it may be advisable to include visual representations of an alarm, as well as an audible one, for those who are hearing impaired.

For buildings with sleeping quarters, it may be necessary to add tactile devices under pillows or mattresses that are connected to the fire alarm system.

Manual Call Points

All manual call points must be explicitly placed and easily discernible from non-call points, whilst being distributed in such a way that it is absolutely impossible to exit a building or transfer to a different floor or building without passing at least one.

Fire Detector Types

All fire detectors must be designed to detect at least one (or more) component of fire:

Combustion gas
Heat
Infrared/Ultraviolet radiation
Smoke

Multi-sensor fire detectors also exist to detect fire via multiple sensors and ways.

Other important factors to consider – particularly in light of recommendations from the fire risk assessment – are:

Speed of detection/response
Minimising of false alarms
Nature of any fire hazard present

Installation Issues

Some very basic guidelines and principles should be followed when designing and installing new fire detection and alarm systems.

Compliance Responsibilities

Crucially, under Section 4 of BS5839 Part 1, one organisation must have accepted responsibility within the section. In short, even though multiple parties could be involved from the design process all the way through to the installation and final handover, one party must still have accepted overall responsibility for compliance: such as a fire risk assessment company, who can suggest and sell fire alarm and detection systems, but contracts out the installation process to a third party.

Limiting False Alarms and False Fire Alarm Signals

Section 3 of BS5839 stipulates that false alarms must be limited as much as possible, in terms of their design and installation: for example, installing a smoke detector in a bathroom should be avoided.

Once Installed

The handover of fire detection and alarm systems is covered on pages 109-116 of the Standard, detailing the completion of the process from initial survey to final signoff. Post-installation has several phases, detailed below.

Commissioning

This process comprises a complete and comprehensive test of the installation, along with the recommendations of the standard, as well as the system specification via the designer’s requirements.

P 4, 109 details that all tests and work must be performed by a competent person: with relevant education and experience, up-to-date training and the ability to perform all tasks with reference to all reference materials and design drawings.

Documentation

All records and pertinent documentation must be provided to the end-user of the system, as part of the commissioning process.

One article of documentation that is crucial to hand over to the end-user is that of the most accurate “as-fitted” systems drawings, maintenance manuals and system-specific operation documents.

Other important documentation required for handover purposes include:

Installations and commissioning of the system
Relevant records
Logbook for all system events
Relevant records – such as those detailing variations on the original design specification

BS5839 Certification

Once the commissioning of the system has been complete, certificates are to be granted for all three distinct setup stages: design, installation and commissioning. P 133 specifies that individuals or organisations who carry out each certification must be competent enough to verify that the recommendations – of the Standard – have been satisfied, or not.

After all, certifications have been completed, a formal handover to the purchaser/end-user can be performed. At this stage, crucially, the company that has agreed to bear contractual responsibility for the system provides a certificate of acceptance to the end-user.

After handover has been finalised – as well as the final stages, such as certification – the daily running and maintenance of the system falls to the management of the property that the system is installed in. The maintenance section of the Standard is found on pp 117-127.

Fire Alarm System Maintenance & Testing

All fire alarm systems are subject to regular fire alarm testing procedures, as described below:

Weekly Maintenance

P 117 recommends five practices to maintain on a weekly basis, for the maintenance of the system:

Testing the operation of the manual call point during working hours
Test to be performed at approximately the same time every week
Extra tests a least once per month for those employees who are not present during the weekly test
For those systems with multiple manual call points: a different one must be tested each week
Routine tests should be no longer than one minute so that employees and other occupants can distinguish between tests and real fire alarms

Monthly Maintenance

The Standard features two recommendations for the monthly assessment of the system, which is found on p 188:

For systems with a standby power supply that are utilised via an automatic generator, the generator should be tested on a monthly basis
Standby power which is provided by vented batteries, the batteries should receive a visual inspection. Additionally, the vented batteries and their connections would be inspected quarterly by a competent person (in battery installation and maintenance).

The Importance of Fire Alarm Systems Maintenance

Even the most advanced fire alarm and detection systems will need routine maintenance and human inspection to ensure consistent performance and reliability.

Three key reasons to maintain and test your system include:

Familiarise employees and other occupants with the fire alarm
Determine all faults which have been signalled and rectify them appropriately
To eliminate the possibility of major faults or failures within the system

As fire inspection and maintenance are specialist jobs, they are typically performed by an expert, third-party contractors in fire alarm servicing, who can demonstrate their competence by way of third-party certification.

Servicing and Inspection of the System

It is crucial that inspection and servicing are carried out on the system, in addition to the weekly and monthly maintenance inspections: this is to locate any faults, rectify them appropriately.

To maintain compliance with BS5839-1, the period between inspection and servicing of the system should not exceed six months, with absolutely no latitude for flexibility on this timeframe.

Responsibility of the System and Premises

The core aim of any fire detection and alarm system is the protection of life and property: maintenance, testing and inspections are crucial to the system functioning, pursuant to the objective.

Without prior planning, the process of maintenance can get messy, which is why the Standard recommends that a company nominates a single point of contact, from the premises management team, to “supervise all matters pertaining to the fire detection and fire alarm system”. Responsibilities of the nominated person include:

Record keeping of system records and other relevant documentation
Ensuring the system is protected against developments that may impact negatively prior standard of protection it offered or contributed to false alarms
Providing clear evidence of compliance with fire safety legislation
Maintaining fire safety knowledge of employees and other occupants of the premises via fire safety training

The system logbook is a document of crucial importance, this should include the details of the delegated fire safety manager, as well as record each event that is relevant to the system – scheduled, or not, P 129 specifies that real-time amendments of the logbook are helpful to those parties who may conduct inspection or maintenance on the system, as well as those delegated as fire safety management/supervisor in the future.

Armed with this summarised BS5838 guide, you should feel more confident handling your fire safety responsibilities at work but if you require any more help, please feel free to get in touch with the Cardinal Fire team for advice today.

Emergency Light Testing | FREE Monthly Test Sheet Download

Emergency Light Testing 101 (with FREE Test Sheet)

All fire safety equipment on your premises must be checked regularly to make sure that it works correctly and emergency lighting is no exception. Emergency light testing should be carried out monthly and the lights should be serviced annually to ensure that if the main power is out or in case of a fire emergency, the emergency lights will be able to safely guide people to the emergency exits. Let’s take a look at how to do emergency lighting testing right!

What are emergency lights?

Emergency lights are designed for use in emergency situations. They are not connected to the main power supply, so they should remain visible even during power outages. If evacuation is needed, especially in the event of a fire when the amount of smoke can obstruct the visibility, the emergency lights can direct the occupants to the emergency exits. When a stressful situation like this occurs, having clear guidance reduces the probability of mass panic and facilitates smooth and orderly execution of the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP).

The various types of emergency lights can be defined based on their mode of operation or by their power supply source as follows:

By mode of operation

There are three types of emergency lights based on the way they work:

Non-maintained: The emergency lights only turn on when the main power fails
Maintained: The emergency lights switch on and off along with the normal lights in the building but they will also switch on and remain on if the main power fails
Sustained or Combined: Sometimes, four fluorescent tube lights can be installed in a drop ceiling. They work as normal lights on a day-to-day basis but if the main power fails, one of the four luminaires remains on. The tubes can either be non-maintained or maintained

By power source

There are two types of emergency lights units based on the power source:

Self-Contained: The emergency lights are powered by a self-contained battery within the unit and rely on no external power sources
Slave: The emergency lights form a system of individual units that are all powered by one large external battery as a power source

When and how to test emergency lights

The legal requirements for emergency lighting testing under the British Standards Code of Practices for Emergency Lighting (BS 5266-1:2016) are that all emergency lights should be checked monthly by the responsible person and serviced at least once a year by a trained technician.

Monthly Emergency Lighting Check

Emergency lights must undergo a quick switch on/switch off test every 30 days to ensure that they are all still functioning. It’s the legal duty of the responsible person to ensure this is done regularly and that the tests are well-documented.

The monthly emergency lighting check only takes about 30 seconds or so but it may require the main power source to be switched off temporarily, so you should always give advance notice to everyone working in the building to make them aware of the scheduled disruption.

The emergency lights test goes as follows:

Flick the specialist test key switch if available, if not switch off the power using the fuse box
Check whether all emergency lights are working or not
Record your findings on your emergency lighting test sheet
Turn the power switch back on
Place your report in the fire safety logbook
Report any issues with the emergency lighting to the person responsible for your fire safety equipment maintenance

Don’t forget that every time you conduct a monthly emergency lighting check, you must complete a test sheet that must be kept in the emergency lighting logbook. In case of a fire incident, this documentation can be used to prove that you had achieved regulatory compliance.

Download our emergency light testing template for FREE!Download

Annual Emergency Lighting Checks

Unlike the monthly test which is very quick, the annual emergency lighting check takes up to three hours. The reason why it takes so much longer is that the battery of the emergency light should be able to keep the light on for at least three hours. The person doing the testing will switch the main power off for the full three hours to observe whether the lights will stay on as long as expected.

Because the test takes so long, it needs to be scheduled well in advance, especially if it takes place during working hours. To ensure that the emergency lights are maintained in perfect working order, as required by the British Standard code of practice (BS 5266), you should enlist an experienced fire safety professional with good knowledge of the fire safety regulations in the UK to conduct the full annual check.

The test itself follows a similar procedure to the monthly check:

Notify the people in the building in advance
Turn off the main power source
Check if the emergency lights switch on automatically
Check if the emergency lights stay on for at least three hours
Log any emergency lights that are not working
Place your annual emergency lighting inspection report in the logbook
Ensure all uncovered issues (if any) are resolved

Usually, if the emergency lights fail the annual test, the issue is in the battery, so the batter will have to be replaced. The fire safety expert conducting the test should give you a completed emergency lighting inspection form including follow-up action recommendations that you can add to your logbook.

FAQ

What are the legal requirements for emergency lighting?

According to the emergency lighting regulations in the UK, emergency routes and exits must be illuminated by emergency lighting that can adequately lead people to safety in the case of an emergency. The emergency lights must be tested, serviced and maintained regularly.

How often does emergency lighting need to be tested?

A quick switch on/off test should be performed every month to ensure that the emergency lighting turns on automatically.

A full 3-hour long emergency lighting test must be performed every 6-12 months to ensure that the emergency lights have the capability to last as long as required.

What is an emergency lights test switch?

This is a test switch specially designed to cut the mains power to the emergency lights without disturbing the power supply to the rest of the building. When a special test key is not provided, the emergency lighting test needs to be performed by switching off the main fuse.

What does it mean if the emergency lights flash?

If your emergency lights are blinking in green this indicates that the emergency lighting system has entered the testing mode.

What does a red light mean on an emergency light?

Emergency lights must illuminate in green. A red light either indicates that there is an issue with the system, potentially a low battery or another failure, or it alerts you that the system needs to be serviced. If you notice a red light, please contact a fire safety engineer immediately.

If you found our emergency light testing guide useful, you may also like to read our guides on how and when to do fire alarm servicing in the UK and BS5839.

Fire Safety Training for Employees | How to do it right

Staff fire safety training for employees

Any business owner in the UK is legally required (as per The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) to provide sufficient information about the fire safety procedures to their staff and to do that you need to organise regular fire safety training for employees.

In addition to offering basic fire safety training for everyone who works in the building, you must also provide special fire warden training for the member (or members) of staff who you have appointed to act as a responsible person. This is a more specialised training which comes with a fire marshal certificate which needs to be renewed minimum every three years.

How often is fire safety training required?

You should carry out a staff fire safety training once a year. An annual refresher ensures that your team are aware of the fire safety procedures and that they are up to date with any possible changes. Also, if you have new members of staff, this is a great opportunity to introduce them to the basic fire safety procedures within the business.

You may need to organise a fire safety training earlier than your regular 12-month training session if there have been significant changes to the team, the environment or the industry regulations. Some of the possible scenarios include:

You have implemented significant changes to your internal safety policies
The fire evacuation procedure has changed
You have introduced new work equipment that may pose a fire risk
You have reasons to believe that some of your employees have gaps in their fire safety knowledge
A number of new employees have joined the team and your regular fire safety training isn’t due anytime soon
You have changed premises
There has been a fire incident at work that could have been prevented
A significant fire incident has occurred within your industry and it has affected the fire safety procedure for all businesses in the industry, including yours

As we mentioned earlier, your fire wardens will have to undergo special fire marshal training every three years to ensure that their certification is up to date. If your appointed marshal leaves the business, you need to select a replacement and get that person the appropriate training as well.

What’s included in basic fire safety training?

Depending on a person’s role within the business and the type of industry they work in, the level of fire safety training they require will be different. However, every employee should have basic fire training as a minimum to limit the risk of fire incidents at work. Here are some of the main topics that should be covered in the fire awareness training.

The Fire Triangle

Understanding the concept of the fire triangle is essential to battling fires. Simply put, fire needs three elements to burn: heat, fuel and oxygen; remove either one of them and the fire will be extinguished. The basic fire safety training should cover specific real-life examples of how to apply this principle in practice.

What to do in case of fire

From what to do if you discover a fire to the correct way to evacuate a building, knowing the fire emergency evacuation plan (FEEP) is basic fire safety knowledge that every employee should have. It also includes fire exits, assembly points, how to sound the fire alarm and more.

How to reduce fire hazards

The statistics show that nearly a quarter of all workplace fire incidents in the UK in the last decade have been caused by a simple human mistake, which means that the most common cause of fire in the workplace is likely preventable. This is why the basic fire safety training for employees must always cover those small things that we could change in our everyday behaviour to minimise the risk of a fire, including:

Avoid clutter in the workplace
Use the designated smoking areas
Make sure chemicals are stored safely
Place electric cables away from heat sources
Keep machinery clean and well-serviced
Keep the fire exits clear and unobstructed
Ensure that the fire extinguishers are properly maintained
Report any potential fire hazards immediately

Fire Classes

Another useful topic to cover in fire safety training for employees is the five classes of fire recognised in the UK. Knowing what type of fire you are facing is the key to extinguishing it because it tells you what fuel is keeping the fire burning:

Class A fires -> fuel is a solid, flammable material (e.g. plastic, fabric, wood, paper and rubber)
Class B fires – > fuel is a flammable liquid (e.g. petrol, paint, gasoline or oil (not cooking oil))
Class C fires -> fuel is flammable gas (e.g. propane, butane and methane)
Class D fires -> fuel is a flammable metal (e.g. magnesium, potassium, or aluminium)
Class F fires – > fuel is cooking oils or fats

Electrical fires don’t have a class letter but they are a separate group and they are marked with an electric spark symbol.

Fire Extinguisher Types, Colours & Use

Since not every fire extinguisher is useful against every type of fire, it’s important to include the types, colours and usage of the various fire extinguishers on the agenda for your staff fire safety training. The basic information that should be covered includes what the different types of fire extinguishers are, how to recognise them and what fires they can combat.

Water (Red) – > Class A fires
Foam (Cream) -> Class A and B fires
Powder (Blue) – > Class B, C, D fires and Electrical fires
CO2 (Black) – > Class B fires & Electrical fires
Wet chemical (Yellow) – > Class A and F fires

How to use a fire extinguisher

Every member of staff should know how to use a fire extinguisher, even if it’s just the following simple steps:

Remove the pin
Aim at the fire
Press the level
Move the nozzle from side to side as you get closer to the fire and continue until the flames are extinguished completely

Also, it could be useful to teach your employees how to use a fire blanket without endangering themselves and when it’s not appropriate to do it.

How to help others, especially those with special needs

People with disabilities may have varying levels of mobility and they may have special needs when it comes to a fire emergency. Protecting those who are less abled has to be covered in their basic training as they will have to be aware of their personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) if they require one.

This is also an important topic to cover in the special fire warden training because part of the fire marshal’s responsibilities is to offer anyone who needs assistance the help they need to evacuate the burning building safely.

Why is fire safety training important?

It may be the legal responsibility of the employer to keep everyone in the office safe but every member of staff plays their role in fire safety, which is why it is crucial to ensure that the appropriate fire safety training has been provided.

The UK national statistics (2010-2020) show that 22% of fires in the workplace are caused by human error, 14% due to placing an item too close to a heat source and 6% are due to smoking, The majority of these fire incidents could potentially have been avoided, had the staff followed the best practices outlined in the basic fire safety training. This clearly highlights the importance of fire safety awareness for health and safety at work.

By simply offering regular staff fire safety training, you could prevent serious injuries and even death. Additionally, a fire can cause damage to the property and cost huge amounts of money in repairs, loss of business, lawsuits, and damaged machinery. All of these can then lead to job losses and harm the business and its employees in the long run. This is why practical fire safety training is important and should never be skipped.

How can Cardinal Fire Protection help?

At Cardinal Fire Protection, we offer all levels of essential fire safety training for employees and we have been helping businesses across the West Midlands improve their staff’s fire safety awareness for years. Whether you are in retail, construction, leisure, education or manufacturing, our fire safety engineers know the industry specific areas that they need to focus on during the training to obtain the best results.

From the basics of fire knowledge (including our guide to BS5839) and how to act in the event of a fire to specialised fire marshal training, our fire safety training courses give your employees the tools, knowledge and skills they need to spot fire risks and react to fires in the most effective manner to prevent damage and save lives.

Get in touch with us today to book your training!

Why is my smoke detector beeping, chirping or sounding off?

If your smoke detector is beeping or your fire alarm is sounding off without any obvious cause, it can be quite frustrating and in some cases, it could indicate an underlying issue with the equipment, which could be a potential fire safety hazard. So, what causes this annoying chirping and seemingly random fire alarm noises? Read along to find out the answer and find out who you can prevent this very situation from happening.

Smoke detector beeping vs fire alarm sounding off: What’s the difference?

Before we dive into the why and how to prevent, let’s start by getting the basic terminology right. First of all, smoke detectors and fire alarms are two different things. The smoke detector detects high levels of smoke in the room while a fire alarm usually contains a smoke detector and is triggered by it to sound off. However, fire alarms can also be triggered by a heat detector and they can also feature other extras, such as water sprinklers and automated notification systems connected to the local fire services.

There is a lot that can be said about the differences between smoke detectors and fire alarms, but the reality is that, as most fire alarm systems will have multiple smoke detectors in them, the reason for a smoke detector chirping or a fire alarm sounding off inexplicably, are often one and the same, or at the very least – related.

Why is your smoke alarm making a noise and how to stop it?

Smoke detectors can malfunction for various reasons, including dirt, insects, oversensitivity, low battery and more. When you hear odd noises coming off from your smoke alarm, the type of noise you hear could be the first indication of what has triggered the issue. Knowing the cause helps you find a way to stop the false alarm.

Loud alarm sound that doesn’t stop

If your fire alarm sounds off loudly and continuously, it means that the active alarm mode has been activated. The deafening sound you are hearing won’t go away until the air has cleared and the smoke detector no longer picks up concerning levels of smoke in the air. So, if there is no fire in sight, what could be the issue? Here are the most common causes and how to solve them:

Scenario 1

Issue: A foreign object has contaminated the sensing chamber and is triggering the alarm. This could be anything from a small insect to dust particles and accumulated dirt.

Solution: You have to open your smoke detector and clean it.

Scenario 2

Issue: Oversensitivity to environmental factors, such as high humidity or smoke (e.g burning toast, cooking bacon) or a sudden change in temperature (e.g. open oven door), is causing a nuisance alarm

Solution: You should open the windows and wave a towel under the sensor in order to disperse the smoke. Some fire alarms have a “Hush” function that allows you to silence the alarm for up to 10 minutes. This gives you time to clear out the smoke/humidity. If this is a common occurrence, you should consult with a specialist to find out if the sensitivity of the unit needs to be adjusted.

Scenario 3

Issue: Electrical problem has caused the fire alarm to malfunction (applicable to hard-wired alarms only).

Solution: If an electrical condition is causing the false alarm, you need to reset the alarm but disconnect it from the electricity source and remove the backup battery if your unit has one. Once you reconnect the alarm, it should resolve the issue. If not, you need to seek help from an engineer.

Regular chirping

If your smoke detector is chirping constantly on regular intervals (30-40 seconds) you are probably experiencing one of the following issues:

Scenario 1

Issue: The battery of your smoke alarm is running low and needs to be replaced. Usually, when constant chirping is present for at least 7 days.

Solution: You have to replace the battery inside the unit and use the test button to confirm that everything works as expected.

Scenario 2

Issue: The alarm has reach the end of its lifespan (for sealed battery fire alarms)

Solution: If you have a sealed-battery model smoke alarm, you cannot replace the power source. You have to have the whole unit replaced to solve the problem.

Scenario 3

Issue: Malfunction – the red LED light on your alarm is flashing in-between the chirping

Solution: If you come across the above scenario, you need to test the alarm using the TEST button which you need to hold for a few seconds. If the alarm doesn’t enter active alarm mode when tested, you are either experiencing one of the first two battery-related issues, or there is a technical problem with the unit, in which case you need to seek help from an engineer.

Intermittent chirping

If your smoke alarm is making a chirping noise with no obvious pattern, you should consider the following scenarios:

Scenario 1

Issue: Various battery issues

Solution: You have to check whether the battery is installed correctly – check if it may be loose causing a bad connection; if it’s the correct type and it’s not out of date; and if the lid on the battery compartment is closed well.

Scenario 2

Issue: Humidity, temperature changes and drafts can all cause your smoke detector to malfunction if it’s placed too close to the source. This could be a cooler, an open window causing a draft, a cooking appliance producing heat or a bathroom with a shower.

Solution: If the smoke detector has been placed incorrectly, you need to change its location to be at least 10 feet away from what’s triggering it.

Scenario 3

Issue: Power surges

Solution: If the intermittent chirping occurs at the same time every day, then maybe there is an issue with the power grid. You could also notice the chirping appearing when another appliance in the house is turned on. This would indicate that the alarm and the appliance in question are connected to the same circuit when they shouldn’t be.

Scenario 4

Issue: Old age

Solution: If none of the above three scenarios applies to you, then you should consider whether your entire unit needs to be replaced or not. It’s possible that your alarm has reached its life expectancy and is beginning to show defects.

The importance of regular fire alarm maintenance and servicing

What’s the use of having a fire alarm if it’s not actually working? Whether the reason for your smoke detector beeping and triggering your fire alarm is a battery on its last legs, accumulated dirt or some other technical fault, in many cases, the chirping or sounding off is an indication that your fire alarm may be poorly maintained. To prevent the issue from happening in the first place, you must ensure that your fire detection system is being serviced regularly by an experienced professional.

If you are responsible for a non-residential building, such as an office space, warehouse, construction site, dining venue or a public area, it is your legal responsibility (as stated in BS5839-1:2019 – see our comprehensive guide to BS5839) to ensure that your fire alarm system is serviced by a professional engineer every 6 months. Failure to do so will be considered as non-compliance with the industry safety standards and may result in substantial fines and potentially even jail time if a serious workplace incident occurs as a result of a fault with the fire alarm.

More than that, having a professional inspect your fire alarm and smoke detectors regularly gives you peace of mind knowing that both you and anyone else in that building are adequately protected in case of a fire. Ignoring your smoke decor’s beeping or chirping could be dangerous, as the underlying issue behind the false alarm could lead to a delayed response in a real fire emergency situation, causing significant damages to your assets, your property and the people in it.

Have a fire alarm in need of servicing anywhere in the West Midlands? Here, at Cardinal Fire Protection, we have a dedicated team of fire safety engineers in Birmingham who specialise in fire alarm inspections and offer regular servicing and maintenance for your entire fire detection system. Don’t wait for your smoke detector to start beeping or for a false alarm to sound off – get in touch with us today and make sure your fire protection is up to standard.

The Ultimate Guide to Workplace Fire Safety in the UK

The Ultimate Guide to Fire Safety in the UK: Regulations, Training & Prevention

According to the fire safety regulations in the UK, the responsibility for fire safety and prevention at a non-domestic building can be attributed to you if you are the employer, the landlord, the owner, an occupier or if you are in control of the premises (e.g. you are the building manager or the risk assessor).

If you find yourself in one of these roles, then you are referred to as a “responsible person” by the law and you can be held accountable for any workplace incidents that happen due to fire safety risks that have not been adequately managed.

Below, we’ll look at what those regulations are, as well as what you need to do to ensure compliance with the applicable legislation and to protect yourself, your employees and anyone else visiting your workplace.

Fire Safety Regulations in the UK

The main legislative document detailing the rules and regulations for fire safety in all non-domestic premises (with small exception) in the UK is The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

If you are the responsible person for any place of work, a common area in a building with multiple occupants, or a publicly accessible area, then these fire safety rules apply to you and you have the responsibility to take the necessary fire precautions.

Here’s an outline of the main fire prevention actions you are legally required to take:

Ensure regular fire risk assessments are carried out
Communicate any identified risks to the people on the premises
Implement hazard control measure to minimise the risks
Install, inspect and regularly maintain all fire safety equipment
Create an emergency response plan
Organise adequate fire safety training & evacuation drills

It may sound like a lot of responsibility but these are all key elements of an effective fire prevention strategy. To help you get all of your fire safety duties right, we’ll give you more details on each one below.

Fire Safety Training

The fire safety regulations talk about “adequate fire safety training” and let’s face it – this sounds rather vague. Unfortunately, there is no precise answer to what “adequate” means. The problem is that the specifics vary greatly depending on the size of the business, the type of risks in the workplace and the current level of awareness of your employees.

However, there are certain types of training that you must offer for the fire safety training provided to be considered as adequate. Those include:

A general fire awareness training
Refresher training, especially if new risks have been identified
Additional training for appointed responsible people to support them with their duties
Special skills training, such as fire marshal/warden training, fire risk assessment training, how to use fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment training

To get all of the required fire safety training organised, you will need to contact professional fire safety training specialists and coordinate your training plan and requirements with them.

Fire Safety Risk Assessment

Conducting regular fire risk assessments is one of the most important processes for fire prevention in the workplace. The goal is to identify what could cause a fire incident at the workplace and what measures you should take to reduce the chances of such incidents.

It’s recommended to do a fire risk assessment at least once a year and sooner if there have been significant changes in the workplace, especially if they could potentially create fire hazards (you are now working with flammable materials, you have new equipment, you have changed the layout of the building etc).

Also, if you have more than five people working at your company, you must keep a detailed record of every risk assessment. Those records can be requested for inspection by the fire authorities at any time.

Every fire risk assessment must include the following steps:

Identify any potential fire hazards
For each hazard, consider who would be at risk
Assess how likely the fire risk is and how much damage it could cause
Come up with ways to remove or manage the hazards
Implement risk controls and assess their validity regularly
Use your findings to design an emergency plan and identify fire training needs
Keep a record of your findings
Review your fire risk assessment regularly

You can do the risk assessment yourself if you wish to do so but you will have to follow the specific risk assessment guidelines for the type of non-domestic premises you are responsible for. If you choose to do your own risk assessment, you will be held responsible for ensuring that it has been carried out correctly. The local fire authorities can advise you on whether you’ve missed something but they can’t do the assessment for you.

Luckily, if you are not a fire safety expert, there are certified risk assessment specialists who can come in and do the fire risk assessment for you. That way you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your workplace fire risk assessment has been carried out in accordance with the relevant industry standards and fire safety risk regulations.

Workplace Fire Safety: Equipment, Evacuation Plan & Drills

Even the most thorough fire risk assessment cannot guarantee you that a fire will never occur at your property. This is why preparing for the event of fire plays a huge role in ensuring workplace fire safety. Below we’ll discuss a few more things that you must consider to be ready in case of a fire incident at work.

Fire alarms and fire fighting equipment

Your workplace fire safety preparation should cover the installation, servicing and maintenance of all necessary fire safety equipment, including:

A fully-functional fire alarm system that can be heard throughout the premises
At least 2 Class A fire extinguishers on each floor of the building (as per BS 5306-8:2012)
Two or more fire exit routes depending on the size of the building
Othe fire safety equipment – a fire blanket, emergency lights, fire doors and a first aid kit

Providing the right equipment is only the first step. Then, you have to ensure that all of your equipment is regularly inspected and serviced as per the relevant legal requirements. Inspections and maintenance are necessary to ensure that issues with the equipment don’t catch you off guard. Discovering a fault in your fire alarm or your fire extinguisher during a fire is a nightmare scenario that can be avoided if all equipment is properly cared for.

Fire evacuation plan

You must have an evacuation plan in place in case of a fire and all your employees must be aware of the procedure. Your emergency plan should cover the following:

Escape routes: There are enough escape routes, they are clearly marked and unobstructed
Emergency doors: Those are easily-accessible, unlocked, unobstructed and they open outwards
Emergency lighting and signage: Clear emergency exit signage and emergency lighting ( if needed) should be available
Meeting point: There is a designated meeting point where everyone can gather safely while waiting for the emergency services to come

The fire evacuation plan should also take into account people with special mobility needs or any other special needs that could prevent them from evacuating safely. For example, you should make sure the escape doors are wide enough for a wheelchair to pass and that there are no stairs on the emergency route.

Fire drills at work

You must have a minimum of one documented fire drill per year.

No one is looking forward to being forced out of the office by loud fire alarm noises in the middle of the workday, especially if the British weather is being as rainy as we all know it can be. However, surprise fire drills are a necessary evil.

Any inconvenience that they may cause is offset by the fact that they are the only way to effectively test if the evacuation plan in place is working as expected. Any issues with the plan, the system or the fire safety awareness demonstrated by the staff can be flagged as a result of the drill and then addressed and corrected as needed.

Fire Prevention Checklist

To help you stay compliant with the fire safety regulations in the UK, we’ve put together a fire prevention checklist with the most important things you need to do as a responsible person of non-domestic premises:

Install, service and maintain a fire detection and warning system
Install, service and maintain functional fire safety equipment
Carry out at least one fire risk assessment a year
Conduct at least one fire drill per year
Do a weekly fire alarm test
Check all fire equipment and fire exits daily
Get your fire extinguishers inspected at least once a year
Get your fire extinguishers serviced at least every five years
Appoint a fire marshal and ensure they get the appropriate training
Organise regular fire safety awareness training
Devise an evacuation plan for fire emergencies

We hope you found our guide to workplace fire safety in the UK helpful. If you need professional fire safety advice, fire safety training or fire safety equipment servicing, just get in touch with us and the Cardinal Fire team of fire experts will be happy to help.

How many fire exits do I need? – Answering your FAQ about fire exits

If you are an employer, you know that ensuring the fire safety of your employees and your visitors is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly and it also requires a good amount of fire safety knowledge. Following the fire exit regulations and requirements is a key element in providing a safe escape route in case of a fire incident. Therefore, today will be looking at answering your burning fire exit questions, from how many fire exits you need to how wide your fire exits should be.

What is a fire exit?

Let’s start by answering the most basic question first – what is a fire exit? Usually, a fire exit or an emergency exit is any door that leads people out of a building in the event of a fire, as well as any means used to exit a building if a fire occurs.

The normal door you use to enter and exit your work premises can qualify as an emergency exit but a building will usually also have a special fire exit for faster evacuation. It’s also a good way to ensure that there are exit options available in case the regular exit is somehow obstructed.

Fire exit regulations in the UK

The main fire safety regulations in the UK, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, all address the definition and requirements for a fire exit.

According to the common requirements a fire exit must:

be easily accessible
lead to a safe assembly point
be opened from the inside
be unlocked
never be obstructed
be regularly inspected
be clearly marked with emergency exit signs
not be a sliding or revolving door
be in a permanent location known to all employees

How many fire exits do I need?

Part of the employer’s duties and responsibilities is to provide enough suitable fire exits in case of an emergency evacuation. Non-compliance with the fire route regulations in the UK can put lives in danger and cause fire-related injuries or even deaths that could have been prevented.

There is no set number of fire exits that you must have in any given building as this depends on several factors, including:

How big are the premisses
How many people work there
Are your premises open to the public
Are there any particular fire hazards on the premises (i.e. working with flammable materials)

However, if you are wondering how many exits you need, the government guidelines suggest that you should always try to provide more than one fire exit where possible. Those must be completely independent of each other and accessible by completely separate escape routes to increase your options of safely exiting a burning building.

Having one fire exit only can be dangerous for larger premises, as the fire exit may not be close enough for an adequately fast evacuation time and in case the flames cause an obstruction on the way, you may find yourself trapped inside the building. Small buildings, however, may not require more than one exit. When there is only one emergency exit, it must have a fire-resistant emergency door installed.

Where should fire exits be located?

The location of the fire exits is also important – the easier they are to get to, the better. To put this into exact numbers, when you have multiple fire escapes, every place within your premises should be 60 metres or less away from the nearest escape door. If during a fire risk assessment it has been established that your building is at a high risk of fire, the maximum distance from a fire exit drops to 25 metres.

For smaller premises with only one emergency exit, the requirements change and you must ensure that no point within the buildings is further than 25 metres away from your fire exit. If you are at a high risk of fire and you have only one exit, the required maximum distance is cut by half again, so it is 12 metres or less.

Here are the maximum fire exit distance requirements at a glance:

Low fire risk + multiple exits => 60 metres
High fire risk + multiple exits => 25 metres
Low fire risk + one exit => 25 metres
High fire risk + one exit => 12 metres

Who is responsible for checking the fire exits?

The employer is ultimately responsible for ensuring that there are enough fire exits and that they are regularly inspected and maintained. As an employer, you must assign certified fire marshals whose duties include daily fire safety checks. It is also your responsibility to provide your fire marshals with the required fire safety training.

Fire Exit FAQ

Hopefully, if we haven’t answered all your biggest fire exit queries above, you will find the answers you are looking for in our quick frequently asked questions section below.

Should fire exit doors be kept closed?

Yes, fire exit doors must be kept closed at all times. The only exception is if certified fire door retainers have been installed. A regular door wedge doesn’t classify as a certified retainer.

Should fire exit doors be locked?

No, fire exit doors must remain unlocked and unobstructed at all times.

Can I block a fire exit temporarily?

No, you must never block a fire exit, even if it’s temporary as it could endanger everyone on the premises.

How wide should a fire exit be?

The minimum width for a fire exit is 750mm. However, the advised minimum width is 1050mm, as a fire exit that is less than 900mm is not suitable for wheelchair users.

How many fire exits should I have?

You should have minimum one fire exit for a small building and minimum two escape exits for a larger building.

What are fire exit signs?

Fire exit signs are information signs that direct you to the nearest fire exit in case of an emergency. They must be visible at all times and in all conditions, including smoke and darkness.

How often should fire escape routes be checked?

Fire escape routes and fire exits must be checked daily by the designated fire warden.

Why is having a fire exit important?

It is important to have a fire exit as it can prevent many fire-related injuries and deaths by providing a safe passage to safety in case of an emergency. It is also a legal requirement to have an adequate number of fire exits on your premises. Non-compliance can lead to legal action being taken against you.

What is the difference between a fire escape route and a fire exit?

The fire exit is a door or an opening that leads to safety in an event of an emergency. The fire escape route is the designated shortest path to safety in case of an evacuation. There can be multiple fire exits along one escape route.

Who is responsible for fire exit requirements?

It is the duty of the employer to ensure that all fire safety regulations are complied with, including ensuring that all fire exit requirements are met.

What if I don’t have enough fire exits?

Compliance with the government fire exit regulations is regularly checked by your local fire and rescue authorities. Failure to comply may result in a fine or even a prison sentence if someone is injured or killed as a result of your non-compliance.







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