UK Fire Safety Regulations
August 4, 2008 by admin
Filed under Fire Safety for Business
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My company has booked me in to do a fire warden course thank you for the information.
We are looking into fire extinguisher testing regimes for those placed in work vehicles. As the work vehicle is defined as a workplace, does the RRO covering fire protection of fire extinguishers have to be applied as per buildings i.e. annual inspection/test regime by competent engineer or will a visual inspection suffice to be compliant ?
Hi Pete
This is where the RRO falls down (or, rather, one of the places it falls down!). Technically, a work vehicle is a place of work – as shown by it requiring a “no smoking” sign – so it should have a fire extinguisher.
However, there is no guidance for size of extinguishers or types for vehicles other than ADR Regs. Also, it takes around 10 seconds to inspect your average 1kg or 2kg powder extinguisher and difficult to get them all in for an inspection.
Personally, I’d inspect them yourself using a fixed format and have an inspection label attached and keep the record. Unfortunately, if you ask anyone for an official viewpoint, they will only be able to give you their opinion and interpretation and that counts for nothing in the RRO.
http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/ have a free commissioning pack (supplied with every extinguisher) with info on how to inspect.
I’ve been told that a fire extinguisher is only servicable for up to 10 yrs. Is this law or sales talk from a rep who wants my to buy new instead of maintain existing?
Hi Mark
There is no legally defined lifespan of a fire extinguisher. But, a CO2 extinguisher and a ‘factory-sealed’ powder (only from Nu-swift and their companies, I think) need a full overhaul service at 10 years and it may not be economically viable.
In fact, all other extinguishers need a discharge test at 5 years and, if you check online, it is usually cheaper to buy a new one. Have a look at the prices at http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk as they sell the proper stuff
Hello, my daughter set off a fire extinguisher at school and they have kicked up a fuss about it. She told me that it had no pin in place so I’ve been searching the net in regards to the rules and H/S because Im sure that by not having a pin in place it is they who have broken a bigger rule.
Could you point me in the right direction.
Thanks
Hi Lester,
This sounds like a catch 22 situation, despite your daughter saying there was no pin, the school will argue just as hard that there was. So unless someone independent can validate either claim it is unlikely to be resolved.
I would however maybe point out to the school that there are a number of ways they can prevent pupils even having access to the fire extinguishers in the first place, by for example, alarming the fire extinguishers, putting them into cabinets, or the cheapest way would be to put a cover over them – it acting as a visual deterrent.
I found a website that seems to stock all of these options at a good price:
http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/medium-extinguisher-cover.html
Good luck with it all and I hope its resolved quickly for you.
Is there a minimum size that signs have to be? Obviously they need to be seen but I’m looking at how small I can get away with!
Hi Carol,
I’ve had a look around and gone to a reliable source for information
http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/news/21/Exit-Stage-Left—Fire-Safety-Signs-In-The-Workplace.html
The last paragraph on this article seems to imply that there is no hard and fast rule, just that they can be clearly and easily seen to people, so I would say always err on the side of caution and maybe look at a relatively decent size sign but obviously not one that’s going to dominate the wall.
I looked at a few of the signs on this website and they seem to be of the size and quality I’d suggest – You’ll need something hardwearing and rigid (so people can’t easily peel them from the walls etc)
I hope this helps.
Hi, I currently work in a garage that deals with all types of servicing of motor vehicles (apart from bodywork) and carries out MOT’s. These two services are carried out in the same large open plan building, which contains 5 lifts so any form of work can be performed. There is also another seperate building which is almost equal in size which is used to fit tyres/alloy wheels, the stock of tyres are kept in both buildings. To my shock and amazement there is only 1 fire extinguisher located on the entire site (in the building first detailed). I can truely say that it does not install any confidence at all as it is about the same size as a SMALL Thermos flask (clearly inadequate for the size and purpose of site), is grey in colour (claims to be for all fires) and looks as if it could be at least 20/30 years old. I have worked in numerous garages over the years and never ever seen a place like this, surley they are breaking a whole lot of health and safety laws and i was wondering what your views would be on how to tackle the matter.
Hey Pablo,
Well gosh, thats a lot to take in, in short, yes they’re breaking the law mega-big-time.
The grey extinguisher is probably an old chubb halon one from a car and is illegal and way out of date, which really isnt great.
Personally I’d recommend finding out the square footage and getting on to someone like Sue at Fire Protection Online (http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/ ) 0800 321 3145 for advice on what you really need (I often use Fire Protection as a point of reference since they have some much free and useful information). Legally speaking the owners could be facing a huge fine and even a possible prison sentence if deemed to be very dangerous.
Then I’d say once the fire extinguishers have been bought and put up in place, get a fire risk assessment ( since every business by law needs one) asap – but dont go to a fire extinguisher servicing company for this – either do it yourself or go to a specialist company.
Hope this Helps.
Is there any legal requirement ref height for securing fire extinguishers to walls (Wall Mounted)
Hi Martin
Yes, there is. Extinguishers with a content weight of 2kg or less should have the top handle at 1.5m from the ground. Bigger than that (and, confusingly, the 2kg CO2) should have the handles 1m from the ground.
If the walls are unsuitable, then it is OK to have them on a fire extinguisher stand or on an extinguisher trolley.
And, it does not have to be exact so roughly those measurements will keep everyone happy. There is some good information here at
http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/wall-mounted-or-floor-standing.html
Jon
Hi,
Do fire extinguishers have to be replaced after twenty five years of service, we have them inspected every six months & discharged every five years?
Thanks
Tony
Hi Tony,
It’s difficult to comment since I’m not sure which country you’re referring to, each country has their own specific requirements.
However, I will assume you are in the UK.
An average fire extinguisher if bought online costs around £30.00 and is a potential life saver. If your fire extinguishers have been discharged tested genuinely and properly you are likely to be paying more than buying brand new modern fire extinguishers, which would strike me as a false economy.
It would be for the best if you were to replace the older fire extinguishers with the new modern ones, not only for cost but also in respect to the advances they have made in the past 25 years.
Hope this helps.
I have 2 x h20 extinguishers &1 x co2 extinguisher in a retail business that employs just 3 people. Do I have to pay an outside company to annually maintain these extinguishers or is it sufficient for us to check pressure readings and condition ourselves and log this in a report?
Hi,
What are the mandatory rules for fire extinguishers and maintenance iIf you are a small business with under 5 employees? Do they have to be tested regularly by a contractor?
Cheers
Stef.
Hey Steve,
Yes, I’m afraid you need to get a qualified service engineer to check your fire extinguishers and to update the service labels after having inspected the equipment.
To find a decent company, I’d either ask a few personal recommendations from other business owners (smaller local companies tend to be more efficient and cheaper) or look on bafe.org.uk for a registered company in your area.
Hope this helps
Hey Stef,
Ok, First of all you will need fire extinguishers for your business, no matter if its one person in a office at home or a multinational corporation.
You will also need to complete a fire risk assessment by law (this should help work out how many fire extinguishers you will need) you can either go to this link http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/riskassess.htm and use the free government resources, or if you feel you may need a little more guidance one of my favourite websites sells these http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/fire-training-risk-assessment/ or if you really rather you could hire an independent consultant to come in and work out what you need and where ( this is quite costly).
Secondly, the fire extinguishers will need to be annually serviced by a qualified service engineer and then discharge tested once every 5 years ( or 10 if its a CO2 fire extinguisher) the discharge tests are quite expensive and often cheaper to buy online a new fire extinguisher!
I hope this helps.
Fire extinguishers are a necessary part of every home, commercial operation, and laboratory. Where safety is concerned, it’s best not to skip out on quality. Do consider buying higher quality products that have a high shelf-life, so you won’t run into bigger problems of failures when they are needed most.Lucy
Why does one need a fire extinguisher to be dumped & refilled, if the indicator is still sitting on the middle of the green ?.
Is this only a gimmick to keep “engineers ” running about ” firing off” units to get a massive fee for repairing the “damage”. A large fee to help tp tempt people to ” leave it “, to help their budget problems work out
Hi John,
Fire extinguishers need to be discharge tested after 5 years ( or 10 if it is a co2 fire extinguisher) to ensure that the extinguisher is functioning correctly, replacing the product inside and recharging the pressure ensures that the equipment would be fine to use in case of an emergency.
The engineers really shouldn’t be performing a discharge test as part of the annual service, as its main function is to just check that there aren’t any signs of corrosion or indicators of an issue with the fire extinguisher that may or have developed.
Most people find it cheaper and more economical to just buy new products again online than pay for a discharge test, as with a discharge test you’re paying not only the test but the call out charge as well. Which all in all makes it quite an expensive affair to refurbish a 5 year old fire extinguisher.
Hope this helps and don’t forget if you’re buying online check what products you buying and that they meet the requirements you need and the regulations too.
Hey Dave,
Chubb are a good company, although I have heard a number of complaints about the service engineers and the pricing, I would always say check online to see if its cheaper, and try small local companies who are more focused on customer service.
I have my fire extinguishers maintained regularly in my factory by a local company in the UK, They have just sent me a very expensive quote suggesting various changes must be made inline with british standard 5306 part 3. some are replacing water extinguishers with foam extinguishers, changing i.d. signs etc,
Is this a requirement or should i just take it as a recommendation?
I have spoken to my contractors about this and they are not very forthcoming with the answer.
Hey Andrew,
To be blunt it sounds like they are trying to squeeze a few extra pounds out of you. As i understand the current standard your current extinguishers should be fine,( if you are worried you can always request a different company to come in and give you their opinion but I bet no two opinions will be the same).
There is nothing wrong with water extinguishers unless your is running a fuel depot or dont have any class A fire risks. There should be CO2s for electrical risks, too. Signs should be above extinguishers and on exit routes but, as long as they have the recognised pictogram, they are OK.
I hope this helps!
Are dry powder extinguishers included in the pressure regulations?
Are Co2 extinguishers covered by the pressure regulations?
Hi Gordon,
Ok so I’m going to presume this a question for within the UK?! All fire extinguishers in the UK are subject to the current regulations and these state pressure and the recommendations for the pressure of each variant.
So yes powder and Co2 are regulated in regards to the recommend pressure they should be at ( a little guide for stored pressure fire extinguishers and whether they’re ok is to look at the dial on the side of the extinguisher – the marker should normally be in the middle, however a Co2 fire extinguisher needs to be weighed as there is no dial)
Hope this helps
Hello,
I was wondering about the law regarding to Commercial vehicles and fire extinguishers, was wondering if you could point me in the right direction?
Thanks
I work for a small company employin 12-15 people. Funds are being squeezed and the annual service for the fire extinguishers is not being done. Can you point me to the section of statute that specifically says theses extinguishers need to be annually serviced.
Thanks
Is there a regulation regarding the siting and suitability of Dry powder ext’s in inside situations such as offices,bars etc
Hi Cassie
There is a good explanation of these regulations on this page at Fire Protection Online. Just click that link
Hi Dan
If the extinguishers are not being maintained, it is likely that there has been no fire risk assessment. That is breaking the law and people have genuinely been sent to prison for this offence under the current Fire Regs. Here is an article about fire extinguisher maintenance and the law.
You may also want to read this one about the current fire regulations. There are a lot of prosecutions these days and the average fine is £2000 per item with each case finding quite a few items per business.
Hi Colin
Powder extinguishers are not suitable for offices or bars. The suitability would be covered in British Standard 5306 part 8 for selection and positioning of fire extinguishers. A quick reference can be found on this page at Fire Protection Online. Look down the page where is talks about powder extinguishers.
If you imagine a crowded bar at night and a fire emergency, then add a powder dust cloud to that equation, it would not be nice. And you’d probably have someone sue you for their asthma attack. In an office, the powder would wreck all the computers very quickly.
They should both have a 2kg CO2 fire extinguisher for electrical fires and one water based extinguisher one per 2000 square feet (200 sq metres) per floor level.
If in doubt, ask a BAFE approved fire extinguisher company to visit and do a free survey. Then compare their prices to the ones on the above links and save a fortune.
I’ve been told by a Fire engineer that discharge testing can no longer be carried on site is this true?
Hi
No this is not true but, depending on the type of extinguisher, some are exchanged for ready-tested extinguishers as they are too difficult to refill on site. For example, powder is too messy to let off, foam and hydrospray are not environmentally friendly and CO2 needs special equipment to refill. That leaves water as the easiest one to do on site.
But, to be honest, it is probably cheaper to buy a new one from someone bona-fide online like Fire Protection Online as there are likely to be extra costs for parts and the test itself and all you are getting is a refurbished (secondhand) extinguisher.
hi. I have just become my companies fire warden. i want to purchase more fire extinguishers. Is it a requirement for these additional extinguishers to be tested before they are placed in parts of the buildings. I am purchasing these from a known supplier.
Hi,
I’m working for a large company who run a lot of vehicles (transit van type) and during several of my inspections I found that all the fire extinguishers in the vans had not been serviced. The fire extinguihsers were put in when the van was bought. Some of the employees carry out hotworks and others carry small 5 litre pertol cans & or 20 litre Jerry cans with diesel to refuel their equipment if required to do so durng the day.
I have recommended to the managers that each vehicle should carry a Fire Extinguisher of 2kg Powder. This will in my opinion cover all bases as the teams do swap their tasks and vehicles on a regular basis.
In discussions after the report and reccomendations were put out the management have said that carrying petrol under a certain litreage does not come under the Carrying of dangerous goods legislation. Whereas I feel that it does.
Are you aware of any legilations or regs where a works vehicle does not need to carry a fire extinguisher? I have searched the net and am struggling to find a simple definition.
Thanks
Rick
Hi there admin, I was wondering if you could help me with a question. I found out the other day that my parents didn’t have a fire extinguisher at home so I’ve decided that I’ll go and buy one for them as soon as possible. I was wondering whether it would be best to get one of the water or a powder fire extinguishers?
Hi Rick
As you rightly say, there is no definitive answer online that you can refer to. Your management may be trying to find an escape from their responsibilities due to cost but, those vans are a place of work and, therefore, covered by the Fire Safety Order.
A proper risk assessment would find a fire risk and one remedy to that risk would be to carry and maintain a fire extinguisher. I hope that the hot work employees carry extinguishers!
If cost is a concern, take a look at a the price of a quality 2kg powder fire extinguisher such as the one in that link. At that price, it is easier to simply replace them each year instead of servicing them.
Hi Leland
A powder extinguisher is multi-purpose so would be much better. In most other countries, they use powder extinguishers everywhere, including supermarkets and stores.
Well done Clive on your appointment. The term ‘requirement’ is a dubious one. The new version of the British Standard 5306 part 3 requires a ‘commissioning’ of new extinguishers by a ‘competent person’ (ie, a service technician).
But, British Standards are not legal requirement and this new service was drawn up by the BSI (with the fire trade forming much of the committee) in answer to the proliferation of internet and catalogue competitors undercutting prices for the same items by up to 90%. All of the major suppliers have been gladly supplying extinguishers direct with no commissioning for years but now recommend it.
We also recommend a thorough check by following a defined procedure and, if you don’t have a correct procedure, you can buy extinguishers online and then pay a local service company to come and commission them. It is still likely to cost much less that way.
Hello
We are just finishing off a project that has a commercial kitchen facility inlcuded
We are enquiring about what type extinguishers and fire blankets etc would be needed within the kitchen areas
We have included for an Ansul fire supression system within the extract canopy, but we would assume that fire blankets and smaller hand held extinguishers would be need aswell
Many thnaks in adavnce.!
Kind Regards
Jason
Hi
I noticed you have mentioned many times to buy online. But the fire extinguishers offline don’t come with any service label or certificate. So If a fire happened And I want To claim on the insurance Where would I stand if they came out to check to extinguishers or ask for a certificate?
Dear Sir,
First of all I would like to thanks and appreciate for such services.
I have two Queries:
1> what is the criteria for how many Fire Extinguishers should be required in 15000 sq. feet area (warehouse of packaging areas e.g. plastic/card type material store).
2>we have to replace / refilled fire extinguishers (CO2/DCP) after one year. Is it good practice or waste of money? (Remember gages shows good in work)
Thanks and B’Rgds,
Faheem Ahmed
Asst. Manager HSE + QM
hi please could you tell me which fire extinguishers i require for a petshop.
thanx
I have been asked to make up some sticky labels to go onto fire extinguishers saying something like “This is a safety device, not a door stop”. I’m not sure this is necessarily the correct approach, (I think ‘education’ should be adequate) but is it even acceptable to put such labels on extinguishers?
We have fire extinguishers around our hotel but a lot of the locations where the FE are do not have any Fire Ext signs to indicate type and use for them. The manager has deliberately refused to have the signs up as he said they make the hotel look tacky. Is he breaking any rules/law?
Thanks
Paul
Hello Paul
No matter where you buy your extinguishers, they must be serviced once a year in accordance with BS 5306 part 3. We recommend that you use a BAFE certified company for this. Some of the ‘online’ suppliers offer the option for a small fee of supplying them with a filled in service label. This, in our opinion, is bad as thei item can be damaged in transit. They must be serviced at the location. Reputable online or catalogue suppliers will send the items with full instructions on how to check them on arrival.
Or, for extra peace of mind, why not just have a local company come and service/commission them on arrival. Add this to the online price and it will still cost much less than buying from traditional suppliers.
Hi Paul
It is possible that the hotel is ot complying with the Fire Safety Order. If he does not have a written fire risk assessment in accordance with the http://www.fireextinguisherguide.co.uk/2008/08/04/uk-fire-safety-regulations/ and there are 5 or more employees, then, yes, he is breaking the law. In that assessment, fire safety signage should be covered to ensure the building complies. Your county Fire Service may have a whistleblower anonymous phone number if you feel that staff and residents lives are potentially being put at risk.
Yes, fire safety training is the answer. Labels are likely to cover up important information on the extinguisher. Are the extinguishers on wall brackets on the wall? If so, it shouldn’t be difficult to spot who keeps taking them off. If it’s a real problem, try a Stopper alarm and it will soon stop it happening.
Another alternative is to use a Dorgard to prop open the door legally and then have it shut automatically if the fire alarm goes off.
Hi Lisa
You need one 13A rated extinguisher per 200 sq metres (2000 sq feet) of floor area per floor. The best one for a pet shop would be the non-toxic, non-additive water spray fire extinguisher. In addition, you should also have a 2kg CO2 extinguisher to cover electrical fires. That combination will cover most retail premises.
Hi Faheem
You need one 13A rated extinguisher per 200 sq metres (2000 sq feet) of floor area per floor and, as you store plastics and card, I’d recommend water-based extinguishers. If you pick one of the water spray models then they can be safe near machines. If you have electrical fire risks in some areas, have a CO2 extinguisher alongside it. Water and CO2 will also be good for the offices.
As for replacing, the extinguishers need servicing each year (Fire Regs) by a proper extinguisher servicing company and, after 5 years, the water ones will need discharge testing and refilling. It is probably going to cost less to replace them at that point if you buy at online prices. The CO2 ones will last 10 years before they need testing or replacing. If a refill is needed, check what the total cost of refill + parts + labour + visit charge is and see if it costs less to replace (it probably will)
No matter where you buy, they need servicing every year by Regulations. Many online suppliers offer (at extra cost usually) a prefilled service label. This, in our opinion, is not good as the extinguisher may get damaged in transit and be hanging on the wall without being fit for use. Reputable ones will supply full information to explain what to check for after delivery.
On the other hand, you can call a local servicing company to come and commission check them (any company will do this, no matter where you bought them from) and it will still probably cost much less than buying them from a traditional supplier.
If you are buying online, make sure that the manufacturer is a long established UK based one. If the web site does not tell you who makes their extinguishers, the chances are that they are Chinese imports. These are perfectly legal, may be kitemarked and have a 5-year warranty but would you trust buying those when the manufacturer has only been making them for two years and the supplier started trading at Christmas?
Always look for quality, high levels of online feedback and real people that answer telephones when buying online.
Yes, fire blankets, wet chemical fire extinguishers and CO2 fire extinguishers are needed in addition to the fixed system.
We are a residential block of flats on three floors and have become aware of the regs requiring us to have an extinguisher for each 200 sqm of communal space which is only the entry foyers and stairways and lifts. 200sqm covers the communal space for all three floors. Will one extinguisher suffice for the block or do we need one for each floor?
The communal area is carpetted and there is a locked cupboard containing the fuses and electricy supply meters.
We assume we need a Co2 appliance for this cupboard but what model is most suitable for the foyer/stairway ie foam or water?
Hi could you clarify what size Fire Ex an engineer would need to carry/have by thier side when doing hot works in different building locations and size IE shops,schools, offices etc .
thanks in advance lee
Hi Ken
You need to have two extinguishers on each floor level for a property of that size. The area is the entire floor area, not just the communal areas. I would recommend 6 litre water spray extinguishers for the floor areas as they are safe to use, easy to handle and contain no additives (making it cost less to refill and environmentally friendly). For the electrical cupboard, a 2kg CO2 extinguisher will suffice.
I hope that answers your question.
Hi Lee
Depending on what you are doing, a 2kg CO2 extinguisher will cover small fires and leave no mess. A 2kg powder extinguisher costs less and would fight a bigger fire but may leave a bit of a mess. If you are roofing or there is a higher fire risk, a 6kg powder extinguisher is going to be more man for the job.