FAQ's & Useful Information

The fire safety legislation is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, sometimes referred to as the RRO is legislation that replaced the Fire Precautions Act 1971. The premise of the order is to simplify fire safety law, requirements and to make clear who is responsible. The order has a specific requirement for the responsible person to organise a fire risk assessment to identify & manage the risk of fire

Whilst everyone in your organisation has a role to play in fire safety and the prevention of fire, there are people who hold a legal responsibility to manage the risk of fire.

You’re responsible for fire safety in business or other non-domestic premises if you’re:

• an employer
• the owner
• the landlord
• an occupier
• anyone else with control of the premises, for example a facilities manager, building manager, managing agent or risk assessor

You’re known as the ‘responsible person’. If there’s more than one responsible person, you have to work together to meet your responsibilities

Reference: gov.uk

Competent is a key definition in Fire and Electrical safety

Someone is who is competent will have the following:

• Qualifications/Education
• Experience
• The right tools
• Access to standards and legislation
• Will use approved equipment
• Hold minimum insurances

If you have concerns that measures have not been taken to reduce the risk of fire or to prevent injury, then you should contact your local fire brigade and use the report a concern page

This all depends on the size of your premises and the associated risks. You are required to have a minimum of 2 class A appliances at rating of 13A each per floor. Trent Safety Services offer a free site survey and design service in accordance with BS5306 Part 8

Each Fire Extinguisher carries a rating which must be clearly marked on the appliance. The rating signifies not only the type of fire it can be used on, but also the size of the fire the appliance can tackle. We use this figure to determine how many appliances are needed for an area or for a risk. For example a 6 litre water extinguisher carries a rating of 13A. This will cover a 200 square meter area for a class A risk

• Class A Fires involve a solid fuel source such as Wood, Card, Paper or Textiles
• Class B Fires involve a flammable liquid such as petrol, alcohol, or paints
• Class C Fires involve a flammable gas such as Butane, Propane or Methane
• Class D Fires involve a flammable metal such as Aluminium, Lithium or Zinc
• Class F Fire involve a cooking oil such as Lard, Sunflower or Rapeseed

Please note that although electrical fires do not hold a classification, as they are considered an ignition source and not a fuel, they still require a provision where there is a risk. We recommend a CO2 Fire Extinguisher for this or a water mist.

• Red - Water (Class A Fires)
• Cream - Foam (Class A and B Fires)
• Black - CO2 (Class B Fires and Electrical Risks)
• Blue - Powder (Class ABC, BC or a Metal fire, depending on type, and electrical risks)
• Yellow - Wet Chemical (Class A and F Fires)

With a traditional water or foam fire extinguisher, no this would not be advisable. The 35KV test is based on an accidental discharge and misuse could cause a short circuit or an electric shock. Modern water mist extinguishers are tested up to 1000KV and are therefore safer to discharge onto small electrical items.

Yes you can buy a portable fire extinguisher online, but you must have the extinguisher commissioned onsite by a qualified technician. This involves a basic service. We recommend this especially when the appliance has travelled through a courier network.

Fire Extinguishers must be serviced every 12 months in line with BS5306 and the manufacturers instructions

Extinguisher servicing does differ from each appliance. In general we will perform a visual inspection, weigh the appliance, test any gauges and replace the o ring on all hoses and horns. For a full demonstration, visit our Youtube page

 Fire Extinguishers can last for many years, however there are key service intervals we need to be aware of and replace units where necessary. A CO2 appliance must be hydraulically pressure tested every 10 years. We remove the extinguisher out of service and replace this with a replacement unit. Extinguishers containing, water based, powder and chemical agents must have an extended service performed every 5 years. Due to changes in legislation, and for safety reasons, we now perform this offsite and provide you with a brand new unit as a service exchange. 

Fire Extinguishers can not be thrown away in general waste. They can be highly dangerous when removing, and contents can be harmful to the environment. As a registered waste carrier Trent Safety Services offer a disposal service. The appliances are removed for recycling and handed to our service partner who hold appropriate waste carrier licenses and an ISO accreditation

In short, no they can not. Fire Extinguishers must be placed on a British Standard, wall mounted bracket, or a Fire Extinguisher stand with appropriate signage

As a responsible person, you are required to keep accurate records of Fire Extinguisher servicing, usage and training. You are also required to perform visual inspections at regular intervals. We recommend performing this on a monthly basis. One of our technicians would be happy to demonstrate this during your next service visit

Anyone at work that may encounter a situation where they may use a portable fire extinguisher must have adequate training. You may select designated employees for this. Trent Safety Services can provide this in a classroom environment with live demonstrations. You must;

• DIAL 999. You or a colleague should alert the Fire Brigade at the earliest opportunity
• 
  

Then use the acronym PASS

• PULL the pin whilst standing at a safe distance
• AIM the hose or nozzle at the base of the fire
• SQUEEZE the handles together to activate the extinguisher
• SWEEP from side to side until the fire is fully extinguished
• 
  

Do not try to tackle a fire that is losing control or is too large. When using a CO2 appliance, do not hold the horn on operation as this can cause burns if the horn is not frost free.

PAT stands for Portable Appliance testing, which is the phrase used to describe the inspection and testing of electrical equipment. It will involve a thorough visual inspection, and a test involving specialist test equipment. It will involve testing portable items connected to a three pin plug, and those portable items fixed to the wall. It excludes the fixed hard wiring of the property. This is a separate test which is referred to an Electrical Installation Condition Report

No its is not the Law to have PAT testing carried out. The electricity at work regulations require you to make sure that electrical equipment is maintained in a safe condition. Although this regulation does not specify how and when this should be done, the easiest way to achieve this is to have PAT testing carried out and fulfils your obligations

Although there is no specific regulation on the frequency of test periods, the old 4th edition of the IET code of practice has specific recommendations. The frequency will depend on the environment, usage, and location. In the new 5th edition, it is down to the  clients own risk assessment

This will all depend on the number of items you have, & the type of items you have, but on average we expect to test between 25-30 appliances per hour

The HSE recommends that new equipment should just receive a basic visual inspection as it should arrive in good working order. However if you consider that most manufacturers batch test their items, and we consider the transit of a new item, we would recommend testing all new equipment at your next inspection

There is no specific law requiring you to keep records, however considering the Electricity at Work regulations require you to maintain electrical equipment, it would make good practice to keep accurate records of inspections, and a great way to keep an asset register of your equipment

It is recommended that you carry out a regular visual inspection yourself. The frequency of this depends on the environment and usage. You must check the following

• Inspect the plug for signs of damage, you may also check the fuse
• Inspect the wiring for fraying, cuts or melting
• Inspect the appliance for cracks, dents and signs of danger
• Remember, if you can get a finger in, its a fail

 Similar to work regulations, there is no specific law that requires to you have PAT testing carried out, but does require you to make sure electrical equipment you have supplied is safe and maintained. PAT testing would be the easiest recorded way of fulfilling this. The housing act 2004 states that landlords should review conditions regularly to try and see where and how their properties can be made safer 

If not carried out correctly then yes. It is better to use a competent person to carry out the inspection who should be able to identify the equipment and select a different means of testing on their test equipment

For a full test using calibrated test equipment, you would need to turn off the equipment and remove the plug from the wall. Where a piece of equipment can not be turned off, Trent Safety Services will perform a formal visual inspection where we can see only and this will be noted in the test results

If Trent Safety Services fail an item, we will remove it from service and notify the responsible person. We will apply a red fail sticker but we will not damage, cut wires, or remove plugs to prevent further usage

Following the IET code of practice, where possible, we will inspect the inside of a plug. We  look for loose or poor terminal connections, frayed wires, faulty, incorrect sized or counterfeit fuses and general damage

There are 2 main general fuse sizes, 3 amp which is used for appliances under 700 watts in power and 13 amp for appliances over 700 watts in power. Some equipment use a larger amount of power when first started up, for example IT equipment, so these may come fitted with a 5 amp fuse

Absolutely we do. Our test equipment is maintained on a regular basis and is sent for calibration once per year

This depends on the type of course you select. Please see below for average running times

• Fire Warden Training - 3 hours
• Fire Awareness Training - 2 hours
• Practical use of extinguishers only - 1 hour

A fire warden, fire awareness, or a practical fire extinguisher certificate will expire after 3 years, however it is recommended to have a refresher every 12-18 months

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Yes, it is the law to have a fire risk assessment if you are responsible for a building and the people within it. Please see further details in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order). The order excludes residential properties with one single family dwelling.

You can if you are deemed competent to complete a suitable sufficient report then yes. Templates can be downloaded from your local fire authority. You can find your local authority by clicking here

The report is usually around 50 pages and includes photographs of specific points which easy to read, follow and action. It is broken down so that the report is easily digestible. You will learn about your hazards, the people at risk, escape routes/plans and if you have sufficient equipment to notify or deal with a fire situation

Each action is given a priority rating from low to high. It is advisable to correct high priority actions as soon as possible. Remember that regulations are important and all action points should be followed up

You should always keep your Fire Risk Assessment. It is an important document. It should be reviewed on a regular basis. Any major restructures or changes to staff, it is advisable to complete a new Assessment

You should always keep your Fire Risk Assessment. It is an important document. It should be reviewed on a regular basis. Any major restructures or changes to staff, it is advisable to complete a new Assessment

We will provide electronic and hard copies of your assessment. This should be backed up away from site, or a hard copy kept in a fire proof site. You will need to produce your report in the event of a fire situation

The consequences can severe. Local fire authorities have jurisdiction to audit your premises. They can impose fines and serious failures can lead to a custodial sentence