Fire Safety

21 articles

• Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Placement, Standards and Landlord Duties
  CO alarm standards and landlord duties: BS EN 50291-1 product standard, Smoke and CO Alarm (England) Regs 2015 as amended 2022 extends requirement to any room with fixed combustion appliance (excl. gas cookers), £5,000 civil penalty for landlord non-compliance, Part J trigger only on new/replacement appliance work, Scotland Tolerable Standard 2019
• Dry Riser Testing Requirements Explained
  Dry riser testing regime: 6-monthly visual inspection, annual 12-bar/15-minute wet pressure test to BS 9990:2015, responsible-person duty under the RRFSO 2005.
• External Cladding Fire Safety Requirements UK: BS 13501-1
  Post-Grenfell cladding regulations: A1/A2 classification, 18m/11m thresholds, EWS1 process, PAS 9980:2022, Building Safety Act 2022 leaseholder protections
• Fire Alarm System Grades & Categories: BS 5839 Guide
  Fire alarm grades and categories: BS 5839-1 (commercial) A–F grades/M/L/P categories, BS 5839-6 (domestic) Grade D LD2 minimum for new dwellings per Part B, interlinked mains-powered alarms with battery backup
• Fire Compartmentation UK: Approved Document B Guide
  Fire compartmentation principles, maximum compartment sizes, cavity barriers, sealing service penetrations with intumescent products per Approved Document B and BS 9999
• Fire Door Installation Standards UK: FD30 & FD60 Guide
  FD30/FD60/FD30S installation: gap tolerances (3mm sides, 8mm bottom), intumescent strips, self-closers, BM TRADA/Certifire certification, 10 common installation failures
• Fire Evacuation Plan Requirements UK: 2005 Order Guide
  RRO Article 15 requirements: simultaneous/stay-put/phased evacuation strategies, PEEPs, fire warden duties, drill frequency, signage per BS 5499, high-rise vs commercial differences
• Fire Extinguisher Types & Colour Codes: BS 5306 UK Guide
  Fire extinguisher selection: fire classes A/B/C/D/F, BS EN 3 colour coding, wet chemical mandatory for Class F commercial kitchens, BS 5306-3 annual service requirements
• Fire Safety Order 2005: Requirements & Responsibilities
  RRO 2005 Article-by-Article breakdown: responsible person duties, general fire precautions, means of escape, maintenance obligations, enforcement and penalties
• Fire Stopping UK: Penetration Seals & Cavity Barriers
  Fire stopping: intumescent collars for plastic pipes, mineral wool and sealant for cable penetrations, cavity barriers at party walls
• Fire Stopping: Penetration Seals, Collars and Compartmentation
  Fire stopping service penetrations through compartment walls/floors: tested systems to BS 476-20/BS EN 1366-3, intumescent collars for plastic pipes, batt+sealant for cables, fire-stopping register; Approved Document B Vol 2, Building Safety Act 2022 HRB Golden Thread
• Fire-Rated Glazing Requirements UK: BS EN 1364 Guide
  E (integrity) vs EI (integrity+insulation) glazing ratings, test standards BS EN 1364/13501, Georgian wired vs modern borosilicate, framing and certification requirements
• Intumescent Seals & Collars: Fire Door & Pipe Guide UK
  Intumescent seals and fire stopping: FD30/FD60 door strip installation, pipe penetration collars (plastic pipes only), BS EN 1366-3 certification, fire pillows for cable penetrations
• Means of Escape Part B: Protected Stairs & Inner Rooms UK
  Means of escape: protected stairways, inner rooms needing escape windows, Approved Document B travel distances
• Protected Stairways and Open-Plan Layouts: Part B Escape
  Part B Vol 1 means of escape: escape windows 0.33 m² (single/two-storey), mandatory protected stair + FD30 doors at 3-storey (incl. loft conversion), open-plan ground floor needs kitchen door or BS 9251 sprinklers, LD2 smoke alarms to BS 5839-6
• Smoke Alarm Regulations UK: BS 5839-6 Grades & Categories
  Smoke alarm regulations: BS 5839-6 Grade D Category LD2 minimum in existing dwellings, interlinked requirements, heat detectors in kitchens
• Smoke and Heat Alarm Positioning per BS 5839-6
  Smoke/heat alarm positioning UK: BS 5839-6:2019+A1:2020 Grade D LD2 mains interlinked, 300mm from walls, kitchen heat alarm 58°C, principal habitable room smoke; mandatory for rented (2022) and Scotland owner-occupied (Feb 2022)
• Sprinkler System Requirements UK: When Required & Install
  When sprinklers are mandatory (Wales all new dwellings, England >11m), BS EN 12845 (commercial) and BS 9251:2021 (residential), system types, head types, maintenance requirements
• Waking Watch Requirements: When Required & Obligations
  When waking watches are required (high-rise with inadequate detection), NFCC guidance, staffing/patrol requirements, transition to common alarm systems, BSA 2022 leaseholder obligations
• What Is a Fire Risk Assessment and When Is One Required?
  When a fire risk assessment is required, who must carry one out, the 5-step process, and documentation requirements under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• What Is Passive Fire Protection and What Products Are Used?
  Active vs passive fire protection distinction, REI ratings, structural steel protection methods, intumescent product types, third-party certification (LPCB, BBA, FIRAS)