Property guardians must have a “bedrock of rights” so that their legal rights are adequately protected, according to a discussion in the House of Lords last month. Baroness Grender posed the question of “what steps they are taking to ensure that property guardians are legally protected” to the House. Property
Every year construction sites and buildings undergoing refurbishment work catch fire, which results in workers being injured, destroyed properties, and unexpected costs that some businesses might never recover from. This is why it is important that protective fire measures are put in place to protect a construction site. Implement the right
Do you manage a block (or blocks) fitted with a fire alarm system? If so, to remain compliant with British Standard 5839 you should be testing the system every week. In my experience this is simply not happening. It is unrealistic to expect property managers to visit all their sites
This April, the Fire Industry Manufacturer’s Expo (FIM Expo) is coming to Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. The event is organised by the Fire Industry Association and helps to build the bridge between manufacturers of fire detection and alarm products and those in the services world. The expo is a
BlazeCut Fire Suppression System manufacturer, The BlazeCut® Company has appointed Tecserv UK as its first independent distributor for industrial and commercial applications in the UK. The BlazeCut® fire suppression system is designed to protect small closed spaces at greater risk of fire and operates automatically without any external power
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Property guardians must have a “bedrock of rights” so that their legal rights are adequately protected, according to a discussion in the House of Lords last month. Baroness Grender posed the question of “what steps they are taking to ensure that property guardians are legally protected” to the House. Property guardians have some legal protections – but depending on the arrangements in place, these protections are often fewer than those of tenants. Lord Best, who is the chair of a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government working group for the regulation of property agents, said he “would be very happy to look at the regulation of property guardian providers, alongside his current portfolio of estate agents, letting agents and managers of leasehold properties”. Lord Bourne added that there had to be a drive “ensuring that property guardians have a bedrock of rights in all situations so that people are properly protected. That is the key.” The issues often encountered include disrepair including penetrating damp or condensation mould growth, through to unmanaged compliance issues such asbestos, faults with fire alarm panels, lack of electrical and gas safety certificates. Suggestions put forward include a ‘kite-marking’ scheme and non-disclosure agreements in contracts.
Every year construction sites and buildings undergoing refurbishment work catch fire, which results in workers being injured, destroyed properties, and unexpected costs that some businesses might never recover from. This is why it is important that protective fire measures are put in place to protect a construction site. Implement the right products A crucial step to prevent a fire from spreading is implementing the correct safety products, with fire extinguishers being one of the most life-saving products that one can have on site. Fire extinguishers should be located at identified fire points around the site and should be appropriate to the nature of the potential fire: Wood, paper and cloth – water extinguisher Flammable liquids – dry powder or foam extinguisher Electrical – carbon dioxide (C02) extinguisher Consider how to detect fires Although a standalone alarm unit may be sufficient for a smaller site, as a construction site grows, there is a higher risk of a fire breaking out. By installing fire detection and wireless alarm systems, one can ensure workers are alerted in the event of such an incident. Carry out thorough staff training It is so important to ensure staff are confident when using any type of fire safety equipment – they need to know what risks to be aware of and what actions to take in the event of a fire. All new employees should also receive fire safety training. Review and update your risk assessment According to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), a ‘responsible person’ must carry out, and keep up to date, a risk assessment and implement appropriate measures to minimise the risk to life and property from fire. The HSE recommends following these five steps when carrying out the risk assessment: Identify hazards: consider how a fire could start and what could burn Identify those at risk: employees, contractors, visitors and anyone who is vulnerable Evaluation and action: consider the hazards and people identified in 1 and 2 and act to remove and reduce risk to protect people and premises Record, plan and train: keep a record of the risks and action taken. Make a clear plan for fire safety and ensure that people understand what they need to do in the event of such an incident Review: your assessment regularly and check it takes account of any changes on site.
Do you manage a block (or blocks) fitted with a fire alarm system? If so, to remain compliant with British Standard 5839 you should be testing the system every week. In my experience this is simply not happening. It is unrealistic to expect property managers to visit all their sites weekly to test the fire alarm is in good working order. And paying for a ‘skilled person’ to carry out these tests can prove expensive over the course of a year. However, these arguments won’t wash if you find yourself involved in a dispute revolving around an untested alarm system. With this in mind, Future Fire Systems is offering a solution to make testing simple and ensure the safety of all your residents – why not let us train your cleaning team, or any contractor that attends your sites weekly, to test the alarms for you. What’s involved in weekly testing? For fire alarm systems with a control panel (BS 5839) a testing regime could be to: Test a different manual call point each week Confirm that the fire alarm equipment is providing an output to the fire alarm sounders Confirm that the fire alarm equipment is providing an output to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) – if applicable The result of the weekly test and the identity of the manual call point could then be recorded in the system logbook. If the system is connected to NOD*, the property manager will receive the weekly fire alarm test signal, so KPIs can be monitored. In addition, for interlinked fire alarms of the domestic type, good practice for a weekly test would be to: Test a different sensor each time Confirm that the sensor activates its sounder, along with others that are interconnected – if practical The result of the weekly test and the identity of the sensor can then be recorded in the system logbook. Six- monthly inspections – which are common – are too far apart. That’s leaving it a very long time before you discover that something isn’t quite right with the system/signalling. Ensuring that systems that are tested weekly, at approximately the same time each week (or at least on the same day) and advising residents that this service is in place, not only promotes the professionalism of the property manager but also gives flat owners peace of mind that the system is working. Train the trainer Of course, each site will have a different version of the fire alarm control panel, along with different manual call points. We are happy to train the supervisor of the cleaning or maintenance team to ensure he or she is fully competent to carry out the testing. If you are interested in accessing this service, we will provide: Crib sheet for each site specific Correct test key for call points Correct fire alarm panel control key A, B, C guide on testing the call point / silencing the control panel / resetting the control panel / data entry to the log book / contact name _ number if system didn’t perform to requirements *NOD is an auto-notification device that can be retro-fitted into existing alarm control panels to monitor systems in real time, sending signals to a cloud-based app or web portal if the system is in fault or fire condition. Bradley Parker, Managing Director at Future Fire Systems.
This April, the Fire Industry Manufacturer’s Expo (FIM Expo) is coming to Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. The event is organised by the Fire Industry Association and helps to build the bridge between manufacturers of fire detection and alarm products and those in the services world. The expo is a fantastic place to meet manufacturers and network with other service professionals if you’re working in this niche but still buoyant area of business. The expo’s light and informal atmosphere is renowned for making those close connections and business partnerships due to its small size. Here, instead of wandering aimlessly between stands for hours, you can easily make all the connections you need within a relatively short period of time. A major advantage is that you can see all the products and get answers on how they all work, which is helpful if you’re unfamiliar with a particular area. There is still plenty at the expo even for a seasoned fire detection and alarm pro. The 17 confirmed exhibitors (and more on the way) will be showing a range of their products and with new ranges being developed, so it’s a good time to find out if there are any new products, or explore other manufacturer’s products that you might not have known much about previously. Aside from the exhibitors themselves, there is the added bonus of two free seminars. The first seminar, ‘BS 5839-1: 2017 – What’s changed?’ is presented by the FIA’s Technical Manager, Will Lloyd is known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of British Standards, and can provide expert advice on a wide range of fire detection and alarm issues. The seminar covers the latest major revision of the standard, BS 5839-1, and the differences between this version and the old 2013 version. Despite it being 2018, there may still be some aspects of the 2017 revision of this standard that you (or colleagues) may be unaware of. The update seminar covers a long list of areas including: Differences between the old version of BS5839-1: 2013 and the 2017 update Unwanted fire alarm signals Multi-sensor detectors in escape routes L3 and L2 systems The use of manual call point covers Places of ‘ultimate safety’ Manual call point locations Communications with the fire and rescue service Staff alarms Video fire detection Types of fire detectors and their selection Spacing and siting of automatic fire detectors Detector spacing and siting on honeycomb ceilings Siting of optical beam smoke detectors Ceiling height limits Cables, wiring, and other interconnections Inspection and servicing This is not a full and complete list but does give an indication of the level of depth that will be presented. The FIA is committed to improving professional levels throughout the industry and this seminar will provide plenty of insight into this complex subject area. The second seminar running at FIM Expo will be discussing the future of the fire industry. What levels of competency will be expected or needed in 2018 and beyond? In our current climate, where pressures on responsible persons/duty holders are rising, what will those potential clients be looking for in a fire detection and alarm service company? Entitled, ‘The future of qualifications in fire detection and alarm’, this is a good opportunity to hear from industry experts and ask questions about the movement of the industry over the next few years. This presentation will be presented by the FIA’s General Manager, Martin Duggan. Both seminars are fully CPD accredited and certificates will be available to pick up from the registration desk at the end. Details: 25th April 2018 Open 9.30 – 3.30pm Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Rd, Bristol BS3 2EJ Complimentary tea, coffee, and buffet lunch Free parking Free entry Seminar times 11am – ‘BS 5839:1 – what’s changed?’, presented by Will Lloyd, FIA Technical Manager 2pm – ‘The future of qualifications in the fire industry’, presented by Martin Duggan, FIA General Manager. Although the event is free to attend, spaces are limited and it’s best to register in advance to secure your space. Go to www.fim-expo.com to register.
BlazeCut Fire Suppression System manufacturer, The BlazeCut® Company has appointed Tecserv UK as its first independent distributor for industrial and commercial applications in the UK. The BlazeCut® fire suppression system is designed to protect small closed spaces at greater risk of fire and operates automatically without any external power source. An extinguishing agent is charged in a storage tube that is installed in the area requiring fire protection. If a fire is detected, the high temperature or the fire automatically melts the storage tube forming a nozzle to release an extinguishing agent. This action can both help to suppress the fire and activate other fire alarm triggers that can help to initiate further emergency responses in order to prevent the fire from spreading. Tecserv UK’s head office is based in Underwood, on the Notts and Derby border, commenting on the appointment, Grahame Tilley, Tecserv UK CEO said, “BlazeCut Fire Suppression System is highly innovative and quite unique in the UK. We are delighted to have been appointed as the first UK distributor and expect the demand to be very high.” He continued, “Initially, we will be raising awareness of the availability of this new product to electrical installation companies, IT network providers and automotive manufacturers. However, in time, we hope to sell it on-line to retail customers who wish to install the detection equipment to the engine bay of their own motor vehicles, or in the home adjacent to audio visual equipment or home cinema’s, which could create two or three new jobs at Tecserv.” BlazeCut® is suitable for the protection of spaces such as electrical switchboards and fuse boxes, IT network cabinets and server rooms, audio-video equipment, vehicle and marine engine rooms and other enclosed spaces at risk of fire. Commenting Sherwin Barroga, BlazeCut® Business Manager for the UK and Eire added, “I am delighted to be working with Tecserv to promote our products within UK markets. BlazeCut® products have been fully certified and have undergone rigorous testing to gain CE, ISO and AQAP approval. I am sure that demand will be high for this highly effective and cost-efficient means of suppressing fire within spaces that are at a high risk of fire.” Tecserv believe that insurers may also view the installation of the BlazeCut Fire Suppression System as a positive approach to risk management by companies who choose to install them. This may be an additional benefit if this further precaution results in more favourable insurance terms. The BlazeCut® Company has a global sales head office in Sydney, Australia, a manufacturing facility in Slovakia, Central Europe and worldwide sales and after care support delivered from the above as well as the UK, America, Thailand and South Africa.
