INDUSTRYNEWS
Fireco Urges Locksmiths
to help ‘Kick the Wedge’
In this article for The Locksmith journal, Tom Welland,
Conformance and Regulatory Affairs Manager at
Fireco, provides a useful insight into fire safety.
The latest Government
statistics show a worrying
10% increase in fires in
England in 2013-14 with
170,000 recorded incidents.
Tragically, 275 of these
incidents resulted in a
fatality.
As locksmiths, you will be
more aware than most of the
importance of a closed door.
When it comes to fire safety,
this awareness becomes
paramount. Doors are one of
the most important fire safety
features in a building and also,
sadly, the most commonly
abused.
Research carried out by
Fireco showed that 64% of
premises visited by the fire
service found fire doors
wedged open. As a locksmith
visiting premises, being aware
of this issue and offering a
solution could help keep the
building occupiers safe in the
event of a fire. It could also
provide the opportunity to
offer additional services in
the form of fire safety product
sales.
High risk buildings
Studies suggest that the
greatest fire risks are found
in multi-occupied properties
which have three or more
storeys. This will include
hostels, managed or sheltered
accommodation, houses
that are converted into flats,
purpose built multi-storey
buildings and flats above
shops.
‘the latest
Government statistics
show a worrying
10% increase in fires
in England in 201314 with 170,000
recorded incidents’
A high occupancy factor
equates to a higher risk, this
is due to multiple ignition
sources (cookers, heaters,
fires, smoking), potential for
vulnerable occupants on site
and lack of fire prevention
measures. Although only
about two-thirds of fires occur
in dwellings, these account
for over 80% of both fatal and
non-fatal casualties.
8
THE JUL/AUG 2014 ISSUE
SPONSORED BY TRADELOCKS
Fire Safety Legislation
& Repercussions
The Government standard
Building Regulations 2010,
Document B, describes the
regulations for all buildings
in England. The legal
requirements for fire safety
will depend on whether the
building has been constructed
in accordance with these
standard regulations or to
British Standard BS9999,
which offers a ‘barter’ option,
giving greater flexibility.
Once the building is
occupied, The Regulatory
Reform (Fire Safety) Order
2005 comes into effect, which
was designed to put an end
to prescriptive fire safety and
to hand control over to the
‘Responsible Person’; deemed
to be the owner, employer or
occupier. The Fire Safety Order
(FSO) applies to all nondomestic premises in England
and Wales.
The Responsible Person
can nominate a ‘Competent
Person’ who has ‘sufficient
training and experience or
knowledge to implement the
requirements of the article’
.
The Responsible Person, either
by utilising their Competent
Person or using their own
knowledge, has a legal
duty to carry out a Fire Risk
Assessment, implement fire
safety measures to minimise
the risk to life and property
from fire and to keep the risk
assessment under review.
Therefore, if you spot a
fire door wedged open and
want to find the person to
discuss possible solutions
‘it’s best to ask
for the person
tasked with FSO
responsibility’
with, it’s best to ask for the
person tasked with FSO
responsibility.
Fire Doors
According to Government
building regulations, all fire
doors should be fitted with a
self-closing device. Fire doors
are installed to protect the
safety of building occupants
by preventing the dangerous
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk