Commercial premises, offices, schools, care homes and shared housing are all examples of buildings, that may require a fire extinguisher – but they often have very different fire extinguisher requirements..
There are a multitude of reasons why a fire starts, so it follows that the combustible materials from which they spread will be very different. Fire extinguishers don’t come in a ‘one size fits all’ design – if your premises contain a variety of materials, a range of fire extinguishers may be required.
If you need more information about fire extinguisher, survey, supply, installation & commission or other fire safety services that we provide, call us today on 0800 0830131 or complete this short form and we will be in touch right away:
Fire Extinguisher, Survey, Supply, Installation & Commission Enquiry
What’s involved in the installation process?
Stage 1
Survey
First, we can carry out a site survey of your premises. This helps us to identify fire risks and their location. We also measure the floor area in each room so we can decide on the correct specification of fire extinguisher.
Keeping your budget in mind, we’ll assess the results of the site survey and put together a proposal.
Stage 2
Supply
With a range of fire extinguishers available on the market today, you can usually choose the specific manufacturer from several that we recommend in our proposal. We’re happy to discuss each option in detail so you’re happy with the decision you’re making.
Stage 3
Commissioning
Fire extinguishers are not supplied ready to use. That’s not something peculiar to us, it’s an industry standard. If a supplier tries to sell you pre-commissioned fire extinguishers, walk away! This is a clear breach of safety recommendations.
Commissioning of portable fire extinguishers is referred to in BS5306:3 2009; if you miss this crucial step, you could be held liable for an extinguisher’s failure to perform during an emergency.
Our technicians are all highly qualified to oversee the commissioning stage. They’ll also issue you with a commissioning certificate – this is an important record (and proof of your legal compliance) so file it away safely. And once commissioning is completed, they’ll proceed to installation.
Stage 4
Installation
We’ll then install all your fire extinguisher equipment, again in accordance with current standards. And don’t worry about chips to the paintwork or ugly wall brackets on display; our technicians are used to buildings of all shapes and sizes! They’ll take care of your property and treat it as if it were their own. They’re all BAFE accredited and DBS checked for your peace of mind.
Once installation is complete, we can also compile a record of all your new equipment, should you need it. This is called an asset register and it includes information on each piece of equipment, where it’s located, when it was installed and its service history with future test dates. Think of it as your Bible for all things fire safety on your premises.
And finally, maintenance!
We talk in more detail about fire extinguisher maintenance here. It’s worth considering one of our bespoke packages. Once your new equipment is installed, you’ll want to be confident that it’s ready to go whenever it’s needed. And regular servicing and maintenance is the key to longevity. Don’t risk losing your business over a faulty fire extinguisher.
What type of fire extinguisher do I need?
In the UK, we’ve developed a fire classification system to make it easier to match a type of extinguisher to a type of fire. Not all fire extinguishers are the same, nor can they all put out all fires.
Let’s get scientific for a moment. We all know (remember those secondary school chemistry classes) that fire needs three elements: fuel, a heat source and oxygen. The fire classification system is interested in one element: fuel.
If you’re familiar with the advice that you should never put water on a fire started with cooking fat or oil but didn’t know why, it’s because of fuel type. It’s the fuel type which determines how the fire can be extinguished. The classification system clarifies this by matching type of fire to type of extinguisher.
In the UK, our classification system refers to British Standard EN-3 (Classification of fires), which identifies fuel types as follows:
Class A – organic solids e.g. paper or wood
Class B – flammable or combustible liquids
Class C – flammable gases
Class D – combustible metals
Class F – cooking fat and oil
To put out any of these fires, you’ll need the right extinguisher. Find out more about the types of fire extinguisher we supply, install and maintain.
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For more information about our services across fire, smoke ventilation and security, please download our latest brochure.
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Want to know more about Fire Extinguishers?
For a greater understanding about fire extinguishers and why you must have them and act on it for your business, take a look at our blog.
Have an Enquiry?
If you need further help, information or advice on any of our services, please give us a call.
Call our head office on: 0800 083 0131
or if you would prefer to email, email us at:
info@silver-group.co.uk
You can also call us on one of our local numbers below:
South Bedfordshire
01582 412000
Covering:
Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Harpenden and surrounding area.
North Bedfordshire
01234 880539
Covering:
Bedford, Biggleswade, Sandy and surrounding area.
Hertfordshire
01923 728011
Covering:
Hatfield, Hitchin, St. Albans, Stevenage, Watford, Welwyn Garden City and surrounding area.
Buckinghamshire
01908 711554
Covering:
Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell, Slough and surrounding area.
Northamptonshire
01604 726565
Covering:
Corby, Kettering, Northampton, Rushden, Towcester, Wellingborough and surrounding area.