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Do you have one or more CO alarms in your property, that you are having issues with? Do they seem to be going off at random occasions or just continually sounding? This is a common problem we come across time and time again.

Before you start removing batteries and putting you and your household at risk, have a look at this post please as we address some of the things that could be happening if your CO alarm keeps going off and what you should do about it.

What is CO Gas and Why is it Important to Use CO Alarms?
CO is the chemical symbol for Carbon Monoxide, an incredibly deadly gas that does not have a taste, colour or even an odour. This obviously makes it difficult, almost impossible to detect.

CO Fire Alarm

Within the home, CO can be generated from any appliance that burns fuel. This includes wood burning stoves, gas fires, and gas boilers as three of the most common examples. CO increases if there is poor ventilation, the vents are not positioned in the most effective places, the flues or vents are blocked, or the appliance is not functioning efficiently.

Therefore, it is crucial to have the appliances you use that burn fuel checked regularly. Obviously, this kind of work should only be handled by a Gas Safe accredited professional.

As it is hard to detect CO on your own, in the same way as you can other gases, it is advised that you invest in CO detectors for your home. Which brings us to the question posed at the start of post.

Why Your CO Alarm is Going Off
There are several reasons why your CO alarm might be going off, including:

It’s working properly and detecting CO in the atmosphere
Other household items are causing it to sound even when there is not CO present
The alarm’s batteries need to be changed or the unit needs to be repaired/replaced

To help you get to the bottom of that irritating alarm noise, we will take each of the above reasons and break them down a bit more to help you find the best solution.

It’s Working Properly
In the first instance, we’d probably all jump to the conclusion that the alarm is working properly and its detecting CO traces in the atmosphere. This means that even if it’s from your own home or a neighbour’s, there is CO getting in somehow.

Under the circumstances, you should immediately carry out the following steps to reduce exposure to this harmful gas.

Turn all your fuel-burning appliances off, including fireplaces, central heating, cookers and anything else
Open all the windows and doors around your property to vent it properly
Call out a professional and fully qualified gas technician to locate the source of the problem and solve it before you use that appliance again
Beware of the symptoms of CO poisoning including headaches, vomiting, and dizziness. If anyone in your household is suffering from any of these, call the fire service and get them to somewhere with fresh air
Avoid going back into your property until it has aired properly and been checked, and the appliances have been repaired by a qualified technician.
By far the most common cause of your CO detection alarm going off by an appliance that burns fuel has not been checked regularly by a professional and is not working properly.

In all other cases, it’s caused by the following.

What if it’s Giving False Alarms?
As noted earlier, CO alarms can be triggered by just about any appliance that burns fuel. These kinds of appliances, like ovens, boilers, and cookers do give off trace amounts of CO, but nothing particularly harmful. However, the levels rise if there is a problem with ventilation or there just isn’t adequate ventilation.

A further issue is the fact that many cheaper, lower quality alarms will sound if they detect hydrogen or petrol fumes. The problem is when you have stand-alone CO detectors that are not particularly effective, you need to look to their instruction manuals to try and work out if an alarm is real or not.

Therefore, many experts advise only investing in high-quality CO detection units that come recommended by fire safety and gas safety officials.

The CO Alarm’s Batteries Need to be Changed or it is Faulty
obviously, it is just as likely, and often the case in many situations that the alarm is sounding even when there is no CO present because the batteries are running out or the unit is damaged. The best way to check either is to replace the batteries.

CO Fire Alarm

Once you have replaced the batteries if the alarm works as it should, then there is no further cause for alarm/ However, if the beeping still occurs and you’ve replaced the batteries, it is likely that you will be best just replacing your unit.

Although everything related to this tasteless, colourless and odourless gas should be taken seriously, we’ve hopefully shown that there is not always a need to panic straight away. By following the clearly laid out tips above, you should be able to get to the bottom of what is causing your CO alarm to sound incessantly. If you have any doubts, contact a professional.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

At this time of year, parents are seeing their teenage children off to university, where many of them will be starting the new academic year living in rented student accommodation.

And although a dodgy fire door is a sure sign of an unsafe building generally, two thirds of parents with children living away from home say that they would not know what to look for when it comes to fire safety.

In a survey of a thousand parents with children living away from home in a rented property, shared house or student accommodation, nearly half (46%) of respondents cited furniture blocking doorways and corridors as visual clues which would most likely make them think that a building had poor fire safety.

A further 38% said it would be old electrics or heating systems and 29% said they were most wary of buildings with no visible fire extinguishers. Damaged doors or internal doors wedged open were only mentioned by 23% and 22% respectively.

More than half of parents in the 2015 survey (54%) correctly identified what an ‘internal fire door’ looked like when shown a photograph, but 15% thought it was a ‘normal door’ and one in ten thought it was a security door.

This week, – 24-30 September – is Fire Door Safety Week and the organisers, the British Woodworking Federation (BWF),have highlighted five simple steps everyone can take to check the safety of fire doors in their building, to help ensure standards are maintained and that you/your child are safe.

Check for certification: Is there a label or plug on top (or occasionally on the side) of the door to show it is a certificated fire door? You can use your mobile phone camera or a mirror to check. If there is, that’s good news, otherwise report it to the landlord or whoever is in charge of your building.

Check the gaps: Check the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when closed. You can use a £1 coin to give a feel for scale as this is about 3mm thick. The gap under the door can be slightly larger (up to 8mm is not uncommon), but it does depend on the door – as a rule of thumb, if you can see light under the door, the gap is likely to be too big. It’s good news if the door fits the frame and it’s not damaged. If not, report it. If the gaps are too big smoke and fire could get through the cracks.

Check the seals: Are there any intumescent seals around the door or frame, and are they intact with no sign of damage? These seals are usually vital to the fire door’s performance, expanding if in contact with heat to ensure fire cannot move through the cracks. Most fire doors also have a smoke seal around the perimeter as well as the intumescent seal. This brush or fin seal should fill the gap when the door is closed. If not, report it – the door may not be properly maintained and in the intensity of a fire may not protect you long enough.

Check the hinges: Are the hinges firmly fixed (three or more of them), with no missing or broken screws? If you see problems, report it – the door needs to be properly maintained.

Check the door closes properly: Is the door easy to operate and does it close fully? Open the door about halfway, let go and allow it to close by itself. Does it close firmly onto the latch without sticking on the floor or the frame? If not, report it. A fire door only works when it’s closed and is completely useless if it’s wedged open or can’t close fully.

To find out more about Fire Door Safety visit the Fire Door Safety Week website

*Source: Atomik Research, September 2015[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

At this time of year, parents are seeing their teenage children off to university, where many of them will be starting the new academic year living in rented student accommodation.

At only 7.8kg in weight, the new Firechief F-Plus fire extinguisher is up to 25 percent lighter than similar extinguishers on the market due to its aluminium, corrosive free body.

It also has the added benefit of being a completely new type of fire extinguisher. Known as a multi-class extinguisher, it contains a unique solution to tackle wood, paper and textile fires (A Class fires) as well as flammable liquids such as paint and petrol (Class B fires) and cooking fat and oil fires (Class F fires) equally well. Traditionally these different types of fire would have needed three different types of extinguisher – water, foam and wet chemical – to fight them effectively.

You can learn more about the Firechief F-Plus fire extinguisher by watching the video. [related_products is_auto_added="1"]

At only 7.8kg in weight, the new Firechief F-Plus fire extinguisher is up to 25 percent lighter than similar extinguishers on the market due to its aluminium, corrosive free body.

Firechief Flamezorb is a lightweight substance which quickly absorbs flammable liquid spills, allowing you to react to accidental spillages quickly and safely. The product comes in a heat sealed bag and can easily be transferred to a standard fire bucket for use when it’s needed.

Unlike sand which is often used, Flamezorb’s super absorbency allows the product to work quickly and effectively and requires effortless clear up and disposal.

And even better, Flamezorb is also environmentally friendly, which means safe disposal of the toxic waste and no need for landfill residue.

Watch the new Firechief Flamezorb video to find out more about this useful product.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Firechief is pleased to be a sponsor of the ‘Keeping People and Property Safe: The Future of Fire Safety in Wales’ event, which is taking place at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Wales on 26 September. The event is free to attend and an opportunity to hear from and engage with key professionals from across the Fire Industry.

To find out more and to book your place, email emma.ward@lumi-plugin.com. Places are limited and booked on a first come first served basis, so don’t delay. We look forward to seeing you there![related_products is_auto_added="1"]

To find out more and to book your place, email emma.ward@lumi-plugin.com. Places are limited and booked on a first come first served basis, so don’t delay. We look forward to seeing you there!

Thursday 24th May 2018 saw the fifth year of the Fire Industry Golf Society’s charity golf day at Belton Woods near Grantham in Lincolnshire. As in previous years, the competition was held on ‘The Lakes’ course where water accompanies most holes!

The event raised an amazing £6,110 which will be split between each of the following charities as chosen by the players:
Whizz-Kids
Alzheimer’s Society
Help for Heroes
British Heart Foundation
Prostate Cancer UK
NSPCC
Children’s Burns Trust
Macmillan Cancer Support

Firechief provided the players with goody bags containing all important bottles of water and Firechief caps- as well as other gifts – to keep them going during the day.

As a main sponsor of the event Firechief also provided the breakfast rolls and coffees at the beginning of the day and the evening meal at the end, sponsored the team winner’s trophy and paid for a professional photographer to attend and capture the events of the day.

David Murfitt, Organiser of the Fire Industry Charity Golf Day, expressed his thanks to Firechief and the other sponsors of the day saying: “My sincere thanks to all concerned for the fantastic support you gave the event. We had a superb day and raised a good sum for charity too!’.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Media reports regarding last week’s fire at London’s exclusive 5 Star Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hyde Park, suggest that it started on the roof where contractors were still carrying out building work as part of the hotel’s extensive refurbishment program. According to one tradesman, the builders had been cutting materials on the roof during the day – which of course, raises the question of whether the cause of the fire was Hot Work related.

Welding, soldering, brazing, grinding and drilling all pose fire risks – especially in areas containing flammable or combustible materials. Dry timber, wood debris, adhesives, insulating materials and soft furnishings are just some of the things that can easily ignite and working with such ignition sources near flammable materials is known as ‘Hot Work’.

Any contractor – whatever their size – needs to ensure that they are Hot Work compliant, so for anyone planning or undertaking any type of Hot Work, this is what you need to know to keep safe and be on the right side of the law:

1. Know your safety regulations. If you don’t comply you may be investigated, sentenced, fined or even jailed.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state that all employers and self-employed persons must carry out risk assessments for fire risks and put any necessary controls in place. Companies and individuals found negligent of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 can be fined up to £450,000*. Those deemed responsible can also face a custodial sentence.

2. Get a Hot Work Permit. It’s the law, you need one for every job, before you start.

If Hot Work is unavoidable, you must have Hot Work Permit in place BEFORE work starts. The Hot Work form summarises what work is to be carried out, how and when it is to be done and what precautions are needed.

A Hot Work permit is completed and issued by someone who understands the fire risks fully, for example a supervisor on the site or the contractor responsible for the work. The site supervisor authorises the permit for use and signs off the work on safe completion.

You can download the Hot Work Permit template which is included in the Firechief Guide to Hot Work Compliance booklet

3. Plan ahead and minimise the risk

Remember that for a fire to start, you need all three of the following elements:

• Oxygen – not only from the air but also from artificial, oxidising materials and oxygen in cylinders
• Fuel – flammable liquid like paints, varnish, white spirit, adhesives, solvents, wood and packaging materials, shavings and oily rags
• Heat – smoking, lights, naked flames, electrical, gas or oil-fired heaters, sparks from Hot Work, faulty electrical equipment, etc.

Important questions to ask yourself in advance:

• Do you have the correct firefighting equipment for your working area?
• Do you have a fire blanket to protect flammable items?
• Have you cleared the area of combustible materials?
• Are you aware of your emergency exit and assembly point?
• Is the storage and disposal of flammable materials adequate?
• Have you completed a Hot Work Permit?

Once you have assessed the fire risks in your working area and got your Hot Work Permit form ready to complete, all that’s left is to stock up on quality, UK approved fire safety equipment. To find out exactly what equipment you need for the fire risks in your working area, download a copy of the Firechief Guide to Hot Work Compliance. This also includes a Hot Work Permit template for you to use whenever you need to.

The Firechief range of products set the standard for those who are seeking competitively priced, superior quality, UK-approved fire safety products. Look out for the Firechief brand for products you can trust to help keep you safe. Contact sales@firechiefglobal.com or call us on 0330 999 0019

*assuming a turnover of <£2m[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

The Firechief Doorwarden wireless fire door stop legally holds open a fire door, until the fire alarm sounds.

Easy to install with no set up required, it learns to recognise the sound of your fire alarm in 20 seconds.

It’s also fully compliant with BSEN1155 and accepted by UK fire brigades. Watch our new video now to learn more https://youtu.be/lv4FH5pgdlQ[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

The Firechief Doorwarden wireless fire door stop legally holds open a fire door, until the fire alarm sounds.

The simple purpose of a fire door in everyday use is just the same as any other door. However, since a breakout of fire is never predictable, the fire door, unlike any other door, is then required to perform its main purpose as part of a building’s passive fire protection system, allowing all rooms to be separated off to contain a fire, protect the occupants and provide a safe, protected route of escape.

But although fire doors are a critical element in fire safety and a requirement in every commercial, public and multiple occupancy building, their importance in saving lives is often overlooked. I’m sure we can all think of fire doors that we have seen wedged open or held open by an odd box or two! These doors would simply be unable to close in the event of a fire, thereby putting the building’s occupants at significant risk.

Firechief is pleased to announce that it has the answer to this problem with the launch of a new product. The Firechief Doorwarden is a wireless fire door stop which legally holds open a fire door – until the fire alarm sounds that is.

How the Firechief Doorwarden works

The Firechief Doorwarden acoustic fire door retainer is installed on the facing side of the fire door. Once installed you simply select the “learn alarm feature” and set off your fire alarm for approximately 20 seconds. The Doorwarden will then learn your fire alarm and activate.

And unlike other door closers on the market, the Firechief Door Warden only responds to the sound of the fire alarm. Its anti-vacuum technology means it will not respond to vacuum cleaners or other ambient noise.

Other features of the Firechief Doorwarden include:
• Easy to install.
• Easy to upgrade from existing fire door retainers – the Doorwarden will fit straight onto the previous fire door retainer fittings
• Dynamic slim design, designed to be discreet on the fire door.
• Long battery life with an easy to use battery compartment.
• Controlled from the LCD screen. Easy night release function, time management system, fault reader and weekly test.
• USB: Software upgrades with special features available.
• Fully compliant with BSEN1155 and accepted by UK fire brigades.

Many of us will remember Samsung’s Lithium Ion battery problems which resulted in its Galaxy Note 7 recall last year but even though it won’t generally mean a product recall, it’s not as uncommon for this type of battery to catch fire as you might think, which is why Firechief has introduced the Firechief Lith-ex, the world’s first fire extinguisher for Lithium Ion battery fires.

Why are Lithium Ion batteries used in electronic gadgets if there is a fire risk?

The key benefit of Lithium Ion batteries is that they are compact and lightweight, hold considerable charge and perform well under constant discharge-recharge conditions. And to date, they are the best option available in terms of the power the battery supplies for its size and weight, which is key to manufacturers being able to keep smartphones slim and light. That’s also why Lithium Ion batteries are now commonly found in other electronic products such as laptops, tablets, power tools, cameras, toys and electric scooters to name a few.

How to manage a Lithium-Ion battery fire

To understand why Lithium Ion batteries catch fire, it helps to understand how they work. The fact that their components have been designed to be lightweight, means there are thin partitions between the battery cells and only a thin outer covering. Both the partitions and coating are fairly fragile, so if they are punctured when the battery is damaged, a short occurs and this spark can ignite the highly reactive lithium.

Alternatively, the battery may overheat and the heat of the contents exerts pressure on the battery, potentially causing an explosion.

The advice from the Battery University, is that if you are using a device with a Lithium Ion battery and it starts to hiss or bulge, unplug it from the mains, remove the battery from the gadget if possible, and move it away from anything flammable.

The world’s first extinguisher for Lithium Ion battery fires

Should you need to fight a Lithium Ion battery fire, there’s only one fire extinguisher that will do the job. Firechief is proud to introduce the Firechief Lith-ex, the world’s first fire extinguisher for Lithium-Ion battery fires. The Lith-ex Extinguisher is compact, lightweight, easy to store, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It will extinguish uncontrollable flames, quickly cool the excessive heat and prevent re-ignition, something that an ABC powder extinguisher will not be able to do.

Top tips to minimize the risk of fire or explosion

The risk of fire or explosion increases if the Lithium Ion battery is exposed to hot conditions or the battery or internal components are damaged, so simply dropping or crushing your mobile phone could cause it to catch fire. To reduce the risk of a battery fire incident:

• Avoid storing devices with lithium-ion batteries in places with high temperatures. such as in a hot vehicle or even a warm pocket.
• Avoid overcharging your devices.
• Avoid keeping all your lithium ion battery devices together. When you travel, especially on a plane, you’ll likely have all your electronic items in one bag. This may be unavoidable but try to keep some space between the devices. Although having lithium ion batteries in close proximity does not increase the risk of a fire, if there is an accident, the other batteries could catch fire and make the situation worse. Lithium Battery Fires can quickly exceed temperatures of 800ºC – three times hotter than an oven!

Firechief has launched a Hot Work Kit – the first ‘all in one’ kit developed especially for contractors and tradesmen who carry out Hot Work on site. Each Hot Work Kit contains everything needed to do Hot Work safely – all wrapped up in a handy carry to site bag.

• 2kg ABC Powder Fire Extinguisher – approved to EN3
• 1.2 x 1.8m high performance industrial Fire Blanket, tested & approved to BSEN1869:1997 Annex C Fire Performance Test
• Plastic pocket for storage of Hot Work Permit forms

Why do you need a Hot Work Kit?

Welding, soldering, brazing, grinding and drilling are all known as ‘Hot Work’ and all pose fire risks – especially when working in areas containing flammable or combustible materials.

Hot Work is governed by strict safety regulations and by law all employers and self-employed contractors must assess the fire risks in a work area, obtain or self-complete a Hot Work permit for each job and ensure that the necessary fire safety equip¬ment is on site in case of an incident. Those who don’t comply can be investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), sentenced, fined and even jailed.

If your Hot Work is unavoidable, you must have a Hot Work Permit in place BEFOFE any work starts. A Hot Work Permit is completed and issued by someone who understands the fire risks fully – such as the site supervisor or the contractor responsible for the work – and summarises what work is to be carried out, when and what precautions are needed.

So, if you are responsible for completing a Hot Work Permit on a site, what should you consider?

Remove or reduce the fire risk

It is important to minimize risk as much as possible. Ideally, try to carry out all the Hot Work before most of the combustible material gets onto site or have a special area where all Hot Work is done or even better carry out all the Hot Work off site.

Protect, cover or shield

Give special consideration to coverings such as polythene which are weather proof but not fire proof as well as flammable liquids and acetylene which are another risk and be shielded or better still, stored off site.

Risks on larger sites

On larger sites, temporary buildings and cabins are also a risk as they usually contain heaters, fires and paperwork so whenever possible they should be separated from the new construction. There must also be site security to guard against arson as this is the most significant fire risk.

Fire risk assessments carried out on construction sites may need to be updated frequently as construction progresses; for example, escape routes and emergency procedures may need changing and emergency procedures too, and give consideration to inspecting the escape route on a weekly basis to ensure it is clear and that you have the best means of warning workers in case of emergency

All the latest Firechief fire safety products were on show at the Screwfix Live 2017 event in Farnborough this autumn. Particularly popular were our 600kg Powder Extinguishers which are perfect for the kitchen, garage and car, along with fire blankets and the Flamebuster aerosol fire extinguisher.

The Firechief range of products set the standard for those who are seeking competitively priced, superior quality, UK-approved fire safety products. Look out for the Firechief brand for products you can trust to help keep you safe. You can find out more about our products by emailing sales@firechiefglobal.com or calling 0330 999 0019[related_products is_auto_added="1"]