Fire Brigade advice

[tazz]

Well this brings us to another discussion...are FB as fire fighters upto the job as risk assessors ...I think not...I have surveyed many public houses, built in 1700 & 1800, and constructed of brick & wood. We put forward a full fire alarm system to protect life Part 1, being a commercial building....FB gave them free smoke alarms and stated this was all that was required...BC ripped them apart and upheld our complaint...the public houses were forced to install a full fire alarm system to Part 1

 

[R G]

Well this brings us to another discussion...are FB as fire fighters upto the job as risk assessors ...I think not...I have surveyed many public houses, built in 1700 & 1800, and constructed of brick & wood. We put forward a full fire alarm system to protect life Part 1, being a commercial building....FB gave them free smoke alarms and stated this was all that was required...BC ripped them apart and upheld our complaint...the public houses were forced to install a full fire alarm system to Part 1

This is very true , but commercial and public buildings etc is a different ball game altogether ...

 

[tazz]

This is very true , but commercial and public buildings etc is a different ball game altogether ...

Exactly the point, and FB should be trained to the same standards, as risk assessors

 

[R G]

Having taken another look at the OP , IMO if the property was to be rented out then FB should not have got involved and advised accordingly ...

I didn't think this is what these free smokes were about ...

 

[tazz]

Private dwelling......I cannot come to your house and tell you to fit grade D detection, it is your property

 

[Octopus]

The FB 'Muppets' are not allowed to take old ones down even with the verbal permission of the home owner. FB 'Muppets are supplied with smoke detectors to put up, they can't recommend hardwired ones or any make. They may be Muppets in your eyes then hopefully your never need to be carried out of a burning building by one of these Muppets.

My point is that they leave faulty smoke alarms in properties, well past there dates as on the labels visible on the side.

They either do it right or not at all IMHO.

 

[tazz]

My point is that they leave faulty smoke alarms in properties, well past there dates as on the labels visible on the side.

They either do it right or not at all IMHO.

Very good point....but they will say its your responsibility as a home owner to check the dates

 

[davesparks]

My point is that they leave faulty smoke alarms in properties, well past there dates as on the labels visible on the side.

They either do it right or not at all IMHO.

Are you suggesting they should not fit smoke alarms if an existing one has exceeded its useable lifespan?
Is it really better to have no working smoke alarms than to have a non functional one left on the ceiling?
Maybe they should take the old ones down and fill the screw holes and paint the ceiling to cover the marks, or clean up the mess if the previous one was stuck up with a sticky pad?

 

[Newbyspark]

Think there is a bit of confusion over what happens in the fire service. Fire fighters have to go and fit smoke detectors in some households. We are given smokes to put up, usually 10 year ones. If there are any smokes already there but do not work we are not allowed to take them down because if a bit of plaster or something comes down with it we could be held liable to repair the ceiling. There is a department in most fire services that's called community fire safety. These are the people that will assess building's and I agree that not all of the people have the required knowledge, but they do the best they can with the training they are given and I also agree that this shouldn't happen. I also don't think that the fire service has much say on what consumer units should be installed.

 

[tazz]

My personal opinion....FB should keep their nose out, and stick to putting fires out...BC conform to BS5839 and approved document B, and as such have the final ruling

 

[Octopus]

My point is that the FB have little to do these days so they do such jobs to get them out of the fire station.

My local ones carpark has as many trade vehicles as my local Wickes @ 8am

 

[Adam W]

I was under the impression mains interlinked alarms were only a requirement for new builds, when wiring is being put in anyway.
You can't really expect to say the word and everyone has to have their carpet and floorboards ripped up to have slightly different smoke detectors put in just in case they forget to change the batteries.
Same with metal CUs - like with all changes to the regs this isn't retrospective, but if you're having a new CU fitted it may as well be a metal one.
Yes I'm aware of the debate over cowboy DIs going around telling little old ladies that the CU they had installed 2 months ago is now illegal all of a sudden.

 

[tazz]

Well again Professionals giving good input....and the trainee section jump into a section out of their depth...

 

[elevate]

My personal opinion....FB should keep their nose out, and stick to putting fires out...BC conform to BS5839 and approved document B, and as such have the final ruling

They should also stay well clear of lifts, when they are not smashing the doors in with a sledgehammer (they have release keys) causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, they rescue passengers by releasing the brake, if the lift car is in the upper part of the shaft it will roll upwards, which can leave the landing doors open at the floor it was rolled up from with the lift car above. So there is now a situation with landing doors open into an empty shaft which they do not check before leaving site. I have seen this on three separate occasions in public buildings, how no one has been killed is pure luck.

 

[Adam W]

They should also stay well clear of lifts, when they are not smashing the doors in with a sledgehammer (they have release keys) causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, they rescue passengers by releasing the brake, if the lift car is in the upper part of the shaft it will roll upwards, which can leave the landing doors open at the floor it was rolled up from with the lift car above. So there is now a situation with landing doors open into an empty shaft which they do not check before leaving site. I have seen this on three separate occasions in public buildings, how no one has been killed is pure luck.

Either that or receive further training to do it properly. If someone is stuck in a lift at the weekend you can't very well leave them there until Monday morning.

 

[elevate]

Either that or receive further training to do it properly. If someone is stuck in a lift at the weekend you can't very well leave them there until Monday morning.

That's what lift engineers are for, who are on call 24/7.

 

[trev]

Why is it that people who work on telecoms systems, heating systems, lifts and alarms are known generally as engineers.
They bloody are not! It boils me wee.

 

[elevate]

Lift engineers are not engineers ?

 

[Guest666]

Why is it that people who work on telecoms systems, heating systems, lifts and alarms are known generally as engineers.
They bloody are not! It boils me wee.

Hang on a minute. That guy who came over to repair my washing machine. Are you telling me he ain't no engineer?

 

[elevate]

Ever stripped a gear on a lift machine, Installed guide rails, roped a lift, changed bearings or tested a lift ?