Petrol stations are surrounded by dangerous substances and therefore the risk of fire is increased. There are many regulations and codes of practices that petrol forecourts must adhere to and failure to comply to these can come with a fine and potential imprisonment.

What does a fire risk assessment involve?

Completing a fire risk assessment must include the following steps to ensure all requirements are covered:

  1. Identify all potential combustibles and possible sources of fire
  2. Consider all relevant individuals, especially those at greatest risk
  3. Reduce and/or remove the risks of fire as much as possible
  4. Prepare for an emergency by providing training with the fire safety equipment and having a plan that everyone is aware of
  5. Record all findings and regularly review the assessment to ensure it is kept up to date

Once a risk assessment has been completed it is important to write up all the findings and actions to be taken. Although this is technically only required if you employ more than 5 people, it is still strongly recommended as proof of fulfilling an employer’s duty of care.

Spotting fire hazards

The main hazards on a petrol forecourt are of course the petrol and diesel with the real risk being the dispensing of the fuel. It is important to ensure the pumps are well maintained and serviced, with any issues resolved as a matter of urgency.

There are strict rules in place regarding smoking and other forms of open flame and heat, and it is critical to ensure any spillages are dealt with swiftly. To burn, a fire needs oxygen, fuel and heat so removing at least one of those elements reduces the chances of a fire starting considerably.

Identify those at risk

Another part of the fire risk assessment on the forecourt is to consider all the people who could be adversely affected by a fire. Staff and customers are those who are most often at risk, as well as delivery drivers, contractors, engineers etc. Provisions need to be put in place for those who are likely to need help escaping a fire for example, children, the elderly and the disabled.

Evaluate and act

Having completed the fire risk assessment, the relevant action in limiting risks and providing the appropriate precautions is needed.

On the forecourt, the best option is multiple 9kg Powder Extinguishers.  As these are suitable for Class A, B and C fires, they’ll tackle majority of fires that are likely to be encountered.

When it comes to spillages on the forecourt, you need something that will cover up the area and soak the fuel safely with fire-retardant properties. Traditionally people use sand however, other absorbent compounds are much superior, for example Flamezorb

Our Firechief Premium Fire Point is also ideal for forecourts, it is made of rotationally moulded plastic making it the most robust and hard-wearing mobile fire point on the market. It will hold x2 up to 6kg extinguishers and also a fire bucket.

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.

 

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Petrol stations are surrounded by dangerous substances and therefore the risk of fire is increased. There are many regulations and codes of practices that petrol forecourts must adhere to and […]

Did you know that the fire brigade was called to fires at just over 27,000 dwellings last year?*  Many of these were caused by electrical equipment misuses, mainly in cooking appliances.  You can learn more about how to avoid electrical fires in our blog How To Avoid Electrical Fires In The Home (firechiefglobal.com).

Firechief recommend a few essential products to have within your home that are both designed to extinguish fires and protect users from fires. Below are the products we would advise you invest in:

  1. Small Fire Extinguisher

An extinguisher is an important tool in protecting your home.  In approximately 80% of all fire incidents, a simple portable fire extinguisher is all that is needed to put out the fire. These extinguishers are intended for use in tackling a small fire and stopping it from quickly engulfing your home. In terms of the number of extinguishers you should have in your home, you should try to have at least one per floor enabling it to be available in the case of an emergency. You can find out more about where you should have your extinguishers, and which type you need here.

It is just as important to know how to use an extinguisher as it is to actually have one. For advice on this, watch our video here.

  1. Carbon Monoxide Alarm

A carbon monoxide alarm is incredibly important as the alarm will alert you when it detects a threat. CO is a colourless and odourless toxic gas, which is why it is dubbed ‘the silent killer.’  CO can be produced from appliances such as the boiler/cooker which are poorly maintained or fitted.

  1. Fire Blanket

Fire Blankets are often located in the kitchen for Class F Fires (pan, oil, fat fires).  It acts by smothering, and therefore depriving the fire of oxygen when placed over the flames. It is a simple device and ideal for someone not used to using a fire extinguisher. A fire blanket can also be used to smother clothing that may catch fire when cooking.  This can be done by wrapping the fire blanket around the clothing/individual and performing ‘stop, drop and roll.’ Learn more about how fire blankets can save lives in our blog, Fire Blankets Can Save Lives! (firechiefglobal.com).

  1. Smoke Detector

Every home should have a smoke alarm. Once you have one, it is important to check it at least once a month. It is also advised that you should install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, ideally on the ceiling, in the middle of a room or on a hallway or landing. Smoke alarms should also be replaced every 10 years. Don’t forget to test your smoke alarms regularly, they can only do their job if they are in working order. Getting into the habit of ‘Test it Tuesday’ is a great way to remember!

  1. Lithium-ion Extinguisher

Firechief Lith-Ex Extinguishers are the only extinguishers that are able to fully put out a lithium-ion battery fire. By simply dropping or crushing your mobile phone it can cause it to catch fire. Overcharging is another way that mobiles, devices, laptops etc can catch fire. Lithium-ion battery fires can quickly exceed temperatures of 800°C, which is three times hotter than an oven! Read more about how Firechief Lith-Ex Extinguishers work by reading our blog Firechief Introduces New Extended Lithium-ion Battery Safety Range (firechiefglobal.com).

  1. Fire Escape Ladder

Sometimes the safest way to escape from a fire is out of the window. This isn’t always an easy task especially if you are located on the second or third floor of your home when the fire begins. At Firechief, we have both two-storey and three-storey fire escape ladders that are compact and easy to store.

Finally, it is important that we educate our youngsters about the importance of Fire Safety within the home.  Find out how to do this in our blog Fire Safety Education at Home (firechiefglobal.com). You can also learn more and visually see the products we advise in our YouTube video: Firechief Home & Leisure Fire Safety Products.

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.

*According to Home Office Fire data for 2021

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.

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Did you know that the fire brigade was called to fires at just over 27,000 dwellings last year?*  Many of these were caused by electrical equipment misuses, mainly in cooking […]

Following more than 25 wildfires over the last weekend, the National Fire Chiefs Council is urging the public to take additional fire safety precautions. Currently to date in 2022 alone, there have already been more than 70 significant wildfires across England and Wales – showing how serious the issue is this early into the year.

The dry weather conditions that the UK  is currently experiencing – combined with strong winds and the dead vegetation which has built up over the winter period has created the perfect conditions for wildfires, which are so difficult to fight and control.

We are now well into wildfire season, which traditionally starts in March and generally ends around September. It is important that as the weather improves and temperatures rise, the public ensures they are not putting green spaces and natural habitats at risk.  This doesn’t mean not enjoying the warmer weather but just taking simple measures that will prevent wildfires from occurring.

The right tools for the job

Because of the differences between fire fighting wildfires and fire fighting in other types of environments, a whole family of wildfire equipment and tools has been developed. Some tools used to destroy the fuel in a wildfire are strictly for use by a member of a fire crew but there are some that are easy to use and can defuse or slow a fire, for example:

Firechief Fire Beater

Fire beaters can be used to effectively put out general fires in open areas such as grass fires etc. The industrial grade rubber acts as a beater to knock out the flames, dissipate burning fuel and halt the fire. It has a red fibreglass handle to allow the beating operation to happen at a distance. When the beater hits the ground, the oxygen supply to the fire is cut off, but it must be used with caution as otherwise it can end up adding more oxygen to the fire. This is an example of a tool that would deal with a small fire and is often used by professional and amateur firefighters alike. After use, it is advisable to hose the area down to make sure any further flare ups are avoided. You can learn more about the Firechief Fire Beater by watching the video on our YouTube Channel here.

Firechief Forestry Rake

A fire rake is a wildfire firefighting tool with a fibreglass handle and a rake head consisting of four very sharp, serrated, triangular steel blades. It is used to rake a fire break with the sharp teeth enabling it to reach fire in undergrowth in addition to loosening surface debris.

A fire fighter will rake burning material back into the area already burned, or ‘black,’ moving the fire from the fuel ahead of it creating a fire break. This allows the fire fighter to stay safely on the ‘black,’ while quickly moving the fire away from further fuel. The burning material is left to burn itself out away from the edge of the fire line, or another fire fighter with a fire beater will smother it if required. The tool will cut through any undergrowth that may be burning and overturn some soil further assisting in creating a fire break, smothering fire, and lowering the temperature of burning materials below their threshold of ignition.

Firechief Forestry Rakehoe

The Rakehoe, also known as the McLeod rake, is primarily a two-sided blade on a long, fibreglass handle designed to fake fire lines with the teeth and cut branches ad sod with the sharpened hoe edge. Designed in 1905 by Malcolm McLeod, a US Forest Service Ranger at the Sierra National Forest, unlike the fire rake, the teeth of the rakehoe are narrow and often sharpened.

Firechief Firefighters Short Axe

The fire axe is probably the most famous of the wildfire tools. The two main types of axe heads are the pick heads and the flat heads. For wildfire suppression, the preferable one of these two is the pick head, because it can function as a small rake or can be used to hook branches or foliage on the ground. The main part of an axe is the blade, which is a very versatile tool. It can be used to cut down material in the path of fire, to help build a firebreak, or even to clear the way for large vehicles such as bulldozers or fire trucks to come through.

Firechief Firefighters Long Axe

The Firechief Long Firefighter’s Axe is a versatile and heavy-duty Pulsaki axe with handle. Able to both dig soil and chop wood, it is typically used to construct firebreaks. Pulaski axes are versatile and heavy-duty tools used in wildfire firefighting and were invented by a Forest Service ranger after battling and surviving a devastating wildfire.

 

Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years, we know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any of our fire safety products. For expert help and advice, please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.ukor visit https://www.firedepot.co.uk/ to see our full range of fire safety products.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk. [related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Following more than 25 wildfires over the last weekend, the National Fire Chiefs Council is urging the public to take additional fire safety precautions. Currently to date in 2022 alone, […]

An alternative to having portable fire extinguishers in a premises is the installation of hydraulic hose reels connected to the building’s water supply. The comparative lightness and lack of jet reaction from the nozzle make the hose reel a suitable item of equipment for staff with minimal training.

Each hose reel can provide a substantial volume of water, equivalent to using several extinguishers at once with continuous replenishment and can be highly effective in extinguishing fires in the early stages. And since only the amount of hose reel tubing required needs to be pulled off the reel before it can be used (unlike the flaked flat hose systems commonly used in North America), another benefit is that only one person is needed to operate it.

Hose reels comprise a reel of rigid hose mounted on a hollow rotating shaft, the centre of which is fed through a stuffing box gland; the tubing being connected to an outlet on this shaft.

Usually up to 30m of hose is provided, either of 19mm or 25mm diameter, terminating in a nozzle which is generally the multipurpose type allowing a jet, spray, or combined jet/wide spray.

One hose reel can typically cover 800 sq. m. (equivalent to a 52A Class A rating) and in jet mode will ordinarily throw a jet up to 6m.

The choice of hose diameter should be based on a combination of available water supply pressure, pump boosted if required (a reel must deliver 30l/min flow) and the risk protected. Higher risk areas may require the delivery of greater amounts of water from the larger reel.

Types of hose reel

Fixed: The reel is mounted on a wall with its axis at right angles to the plane of the wall and has a hose guide to prevent kinking or jamming on hose removal.

Pivoted/Swinging: The reel is mounted on a swinging arm allowing the whole reel to pivot in the direction the hose is pulled – useful for large open areas where it allows faster deployment.

Recessed: Ideal where space is at a premium the reel can be part recessed or fully recessed (and inside a cabinet). When required the reel pivots out of the recess into the direction of use.

Types of operation*

Manual valve: The simplest type of reel operation this requires a main valve to be opened on the water supply piping before the tubing is withdrawn. Whilst cheaper to buy, install and maintain these do require a higher degree of familiarity and training as a result.

Automatic valve: A supply valve inside the reel is turned on automatically simply by unwinding the reel and is common on recessed reels in particular. Whilst slightly more expensive and complex to install and maintain these reels are far more operator friendly.

Foam reels

Water hose reels can also be turned into powerful foam units as they can be fitted with adapters to connect a foam concentrate unit with low expansion branch pipe giving the equivalent foam supply of 40 standard extinguishers.

Hose reels remain a useful piece of equipment, particularly where a site has trained teams for fighting fires and a wide range of options are available to suit all environments.

*Suitable for emergency use only.

Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years, we know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any of our fire safety products. For expert help and advice, please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.ukor visit https://www.firedepot.co.uk/ to see our full range of fire safety products.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk. [related_products is_auto_added="1"]

An alternative to having portable fire extinguishers in a premises is the installation of hydraulic hose reels connected to the building’s water supply. The comparative lightness and lack of jet […]

Current fire safety legislation requires that an adequate system of maintenance be in place for fire safety measures in a building. This includes a variety of tasks, some of which can be carried out in house by site staff, others by external specialists.

Common tasks include:

Unplanned events can also occur such as false alarms, fire officer visits and faults on systems.

It is important to keep track of all these events to ensure that maintenance is being carried out (and is done correctly, e.g., using different call points each week not just the same one or two), that faults are noted and resolved, and any false alarm trends identified for resolution.

The easiest way of doing this is via the fire logbook. Previously a statutory condition of fire certificates under old legislation, maintaining a fire logbook is still a convenient way of centrally recording evidence of your compliance with the legal duty to adequately maintain fire precautions.

Pre-printed A4 or A5 size logbooks are readily available with all the most common records ready to complete in handy tables and also often include useful reminders of the relevant test/service regime and standards at the start of each section.

Having a fire logbook is one thing but finding it when you need it, can be another! It’s useful to have your logbook near the entrance where your fire alarm control panel is usually sited, in a handy document holder or document cabinet. This way it is readily available at all times, including out of hours when the emergency services may need to attend should an incident occurs. As a result, it is a good idea to hold other useful information in the cabinet to aid emergency services, such as plans of the building with service isolation points and high-risk areas marked on, emergency contact/key holder details and much more.

These cabinets should be clearly marked and robust and often are red in colour to help identification.

The role of document cabinets is recognised by the fact that in high rise residential buildings it will be a requirement to provide them (called Premises Information Boxes) and include a range of set information in them under new legislation.

Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years, we know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any of our fire safety products. For expert help and advice, please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.ukor visit https://www.firedepot.co.uk/ to see our full range of fire safety products.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk. [related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Current fire safety legislation requires that an adequate system of maintenance be in place for fire safety measures in a building. This includes a variety of tasks, some of which […]

Wednesday 9th February, saw our Trade Business Development Manager Matt Humby speaking at the sell-out Institute of Fire Safety Managers Technical Meeting at the Milton Keynes Dons stadium.

Matt made a well-received presentation on the ever-growing risks of Lithium-Ion Battery fires and how and why they happen.  He also showed some examples of Lithium battery fires in mobile phones, laptops, e-cigarettes, electric bikes, and electric scooters and shared some solutions for mitigating the risks and effectively fighting a Lithium battery fire.

The products contained in Firechief’s Lithium Battery Safety Range include specialist extinguishers and accessories – including battery fire blankets, fire resistant containers and fire suppression kits – all designed to stop Lithium-Ion battery fires fast.

‘It was a great honour to be asked to speak at this event’ said Matt afterwards.  ‘The audience was very engaged in learning more about this subject and asked some excellent questions.  Hopefully, we have managed to raise awareness of the dangers of Lithium battery fires in today’s world and how they can be effectively managed and tackled.’

As a token of their thanks and appreciation, Matt was presented with a commemorative plaque and lifetime membership of the IFSM.  Well done, Matt!

To find out more about this subject, contact Matt Humby on 07908201270 or drop him an email matt.humby@senturagroup.com.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Wednesday 9th February, saw our Trade Business Development Manager Matt Humby speaking at the sell-out Institute of Fire Safety Managers Technical Meeting at the Milton Keynes Dons stadium. Matt made […]

The first point to note is that - with very few exceptions - every premises (including outdoor and temporary structures) other than individual dwellings, requires a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) under legislation.  And even where dwellings are concerned, if a building contains two or more structures, then a Fire Risk Assessment, which includes the external structure, is still required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2006 [as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021].*

The Responsible Person (RP) - or Duty Holder in Scotland & Northern Ireland- bears the legal responsibility for carrying out a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment. This person (or corporate body) is usually the Employer, or if no one is employed, the person having control over a premises or if neither exists (e.g., in empty buildings), the Landlord is responsible.

So, other than box ticking to meet legal duties, are there any advantages to carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment?

There are indeed and these include:

- Allowing tailor made building specific solutions. The legislation is functional rather than prescriptive allowing fire safety provision to be risk based rather than excessive and for more than one solution to a fire safety issue to be considered, thereby giving flexibility and cost effectiveness.

- Safety of relevant persons. By carrying out Fire Risk Assessments and implementing the required measures you can ensure the safety of all persons on or close to your premises.  Fire deaths in premises other than dwellings have shrunk exponentially over the last 60 years thanks to an ever-evolving regime of fire safety legislation

- Prevention of loss. Fires cause millions of pounds of damage to premises every year with some businesses not surviving the impact. Unlike previous legislation, which focussed solely on measures for when a fire breaks out, the current regime, through the Fire Risk Assessment, requires an effort is made to reduce or remove the likelihood of a fire occurring in the first place by assessing all likely fire risks and determining how to eliminate or reduce/control them.

Who can carry out a Fire Risk Assessment?

In order to reduce excessive burden on businesses, the legislation allows anyone who is competent to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment and for smaller business owners and organisations there is a suite of guidance published by the Government to assist with this.

Where the Responsible Person feels they don’t have the skills, experience, or knowledge to do this, if they have an employee who does, then they can act as a Competent Person to assist the Responsible Person with the Fire Risk Assessment. However, increasingly external contractors are used for this role.

As prosecutions since 2006 have shown, not every external assessor, be they individual or part of a larger company, is up to the task and as the Responsible Person always retains liability to some degree it’s important they choose wisely. It is recommended that only accredited fire risk assessors are used with individuals on one of the national competency registers (a searchable consolidated list of assessors from across the various registers is here:

https://www.firesectorfederation.co.uk/fire-risk-assessment/fire-risk-assesment-directory/

Further assurance can be found by using third party accredited companies such as those on the BAFE & Warrington FRACS schemes (https://bafesearch.secure.force.com/wb/wbCompanyListing & https://www.warringtonfire.com/certified-companies/fracs-company)

So, in conclusion, a good quality Fire Risk Assessment by a suitably competent person will bring many benefits to an organisation in addition to simple compliance with the law.

*There are subtle differences in Scotland & Northern Ireland, which have separate devolved legislation, compared to England and Wales.

Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years, we know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any of our fire safety products. For expert help and advice, please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.ukor visit https://www.firedepot.co.uk/ to see our full range of fire safety products.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk. [related_products is_auto_added="1"]

The first point to note is that – with very few exceptions – every premises (including outdoor and temporary structures) other than individual dwellings, requires a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) […]

If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself caught up in a fire related incident, one of the first challenges you face is working out how to tackle the fire, or whether to tackle it at all.

Judging the size of the fire

One of the most important things to remember in the event of a fire emergency is that not all fires can be tackled with a fire extinguisher. If a fire breaks out in your premises, make sure you know what type of fire it is as this determines what extinguisher is needed. If at any point you doubt your ability to control or extinguish the fire, leave the premises immediately and call the fire brigade.

Incorrect extinguishing techniques

When using water to tackle a fire, you should always use at least two litres at a time. It is absolutely vital that you do not use water to tackle electrical or oil fires as this can serve to only exacerbate the situation. Water should only be used on fires involving solids such as wood, plastic, or paper.

Poor evacuation planning

A common mistake that a lot of people make is not knowing how to efficiently evacuate in the event of a fire. If you are a business owner or building manager, it is important that you have an established evacuation route that all users of the building are aware of. This route must be unobstructed, easy to navigate and end at a safe meeting point.

Forgetting to shut off power

In the event of an electrical fire, it is important that you shut off all the power to the source of the fire. If you do this early enough, this action alone can often stop the fire, but it doesn’t it will at least prevent the fire from increasing.  Make sure you know where the power supply is located in your building so you can shut it off if you need to. Of course, if your route there is blocked or affected by fire, evacuate instead.

Not knowing the correct extinguisher types

There are several distinct types of fire extinguishers, each one designed to combat distinct kinds of fire. Learn more about the different types in our recent blog, here.

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself caught up in a fire related incident, one of the first challenges you face is working out how to tackle the fire, […]

With restrictions of the pandemic now easing, many employees are going to be returning to the workplace. New research by Fire Safety Specialist, JLA, has revealed that many companies are ill-equipped to deal with the growing risk of fires at their sites – posing a safety risk to employees and customers . Understandably businesses attention has been diverted due to the Pandemic, however, it is important to re-visit fire safety and ensure that all risks are covered off.

According to the nationally representative survey of 250 business owners, 38% do not have suitable fire risk assessments in place and more than 80% of businesses do not have written regulations against full fire alarms and the risks they pose, within their company handbooks. Almost 40% of the businesses surveyed have not given all of their staff training on the common causes of false alarms or how to mitigate the risks of these happening within their workplace.

This was particularly prevalent in restaurants, bars, and cafes, where this figure then rises to 75%, suggesting that if businesses do not train their staff in fire prevention, the associated risks could be huge. In particular, damaged reputation, loss of revenue and decrease in business efficiency, are all potential consequences if businesses and employees are not prepared to deal with the impact of a false fire alarm sounding.

The research carried out by JLA, as part of its “False fire alarms” campaign, revealed a huge lack of business preparedness in mitigating the risks associated with false fire alarms. In order to be best prepared for these risks, businesses should:

- Ensure effective, regular maintenance of all fire alarm equipment

- Provide training to employees on how to prevent false alarms

- Ensure employees know how to respond to a false fire alarm to minimise disruption to the business

‘Peter Martin, Operations Director, Fire & Security at JLA commented: “The events of the past year have understandably caused businesses attention to move on towards more ‘business-critical’ decisions. However, with a potential 18 months of fire safety complacency, the risks to businesses now, as staff and customers slowly start to return to sites, could be much worse than anticipated.

“Our survey revealed worrying statistics around businesses both not maintaining their fire safety equipment or delivering vital fire safety training to their staff. This suggests that if a fire were to occur, many organisations could be placing their customers, and employees, under extreme risk.

“At a time when British businesses need the continued loyalty of their customers and staff, prioritising safety and reducing the risk of false fire alarms is a priority for every organisation. Ensuring fire alarms are being frequently tested and maintained is absolutely essential. Failing to do so could not only risk the lives of employees and customers but could leave the business facing extreme fines and a damaged reputation.”

Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years, we know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any of our fire safety products.

For expert help and advice, please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.ukor visit https://www.firedepot.co.uk/ to see our full range of fire safety products. The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

With restrictions of the pandemic now easing, many employees are going to be returning to the workplace. New research by Fire Safety Specialist, JLA, has revealed that many companies are […]

A NEW Product Video is now live on our YouTube channel!

This video features a range of Firechief products which are best suited to fight a fire within the home and also where they are best sited, for example, the office, the lounge, the kitchen, or the garage.

The Firechief 1kg Powder Extinguisher is perfect for your home, whether this be in the office or lounge. It is small, lightweight, and easy to use.  Firechief small extinguishers are ideal for the home and also for leisure time pursuits such as camping, caravanning and DIY.  You can find out more about our extinguishers in the product video!

The video also shows our Firechief 2 and 3 storey ladders which are again easy to use and add extra peace of mind.

The Firechief Lith-Ex Extinguisher is the world’s first extinguisher designed specifically for lithium battery fires, for example mobile phones, laptops, and other small devices.   These types of fire are an increasing hazard in today’s world where so many devices contain Lithium batteries.

48% of home fires start in the kitchen, so it is extremely important to have the right equipment in case of an emergency. One of the best firefighting products here is the Firechief Fire Blanket, The pod fire blanket is a versatile aid suitable for cooking fires, and is stored in a sleek, stylish white case.

 

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.  And if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to our Firechief YouTube channel to be notified when new videos go live! Subscribe here

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.

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A NEW Product Video is now live on our YouTube channel! This video features a range of Firechief products which are best suited to fight a fire within the home […]

The fire triangle is a model for expressing the components of a fire. The three sides of the triangle show the three components needed to ignite and sustain a fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen.

  1. Heat

This is perhaps the most essential of the fire elements. A fire cannot ignite unless it has a certain amount of heat, and it cannot grow without heat.

  1. Fuel

A fire cannot begin if there is no material to burn. The fuel source can be anything that is flammable, such as wood, paper, fabric, or chemicals. Once the fuel element of the fire triangle is removed, the fire will go out.

  1. Oxygen

The final element of the fire triangle is oxygen, which is also an essential component of fire. A fire needs oxygen to start and continue.

If just one of these three components is removed, the fire triangle will collapse, and the fire will be extinguished.  It is worth remembering that essentially, fire extinguishers put out the fire by taking away one or more elements of the fire triangle, so it is well worth being prepared should the worst happen by having a fire extinguisher to hand!

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

The fire triangle is a model for expressing the components of a fire. The three sides of the triangle show the three components needed to ignite and sustain a fire: […]

Over half of fires within the home start in the kitchen and many of these will be caused by grease or cooking oil, which becomes too hot.  It can take less than 30 seconds for smoking oil to catch fire, so you should never leave a pan unattended.

The best way to stop a cooking oil fire is by smothering it. Covering the pan will cause the fire to consume what oxygen is left, allowing the fire to dwindle.

Top safety tips

  1. Never use water on a grease fire. Pouring water onto a grease fire might be your first instinct. However, this will make things a lot worse as water and oil don’t mix. Water creates an explosion of steam as it hits the flaming oil, which then spreads fiery droplets of oil throughout the kitchen.
  2. Turn off the heat. Before doing anything, turn off the heat and if you can safely do so, cover the pan to smother the fire preferably with a fire blanket.
  3. Do not try to move the pan from the stove. The grease could splash onto you or the kitchen surfaces.
  4. Do not fan the fire with a dry or wet cloth. This can cause the grease to splash or the fire to spread onto other surfaces.
  5. Do not use flour on a grease fire

How to prevent a cooking oil fire:

  1. Stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on the deep fryer/pan
  2. Slowly heat the oil to your desired temperature
  3. Turn it off if you suspect the oil is getting too hot
  4. Place the food in the cooking oil carefully to prevent hot grease splatter

The Firechief range includes high-performance fire extinguishers, fire blankets, first aid kits, lithium-ion fire extinguishers for your home and leisure time.  For more information, call us on +44 (0)330 999 0019 or email sales@firechiefglobal.com.

The information contained within this blog is provided solely for general informational and educational purposes and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon this information, we advise the reader to consult any and all relevant statutory or regulatory guidance and where felt necessary to consult a qualified fire or industry regulation professional. The use or reliance on any information contained herein is solely at the reader’s risk.[related_products is_auto_added="1"]

Over half of fires within the home start in the kitchen and many of these will be caused by grease or cooking oil, which becomes too hot.  It can take […]