Portable appliance testing (PAT) is a crucial aspect of maintaining the safe usage of electrical equipment and complying with health and safety standards. It applies to any electrical equipment which is plugged into a standard wall socket, not just what you may think of as prototypical appliances; for example, it would encompass testing of devices like computers, photocopiers, vacuums, power tools and even arcade games. PAT testing is a great way to meet the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) which is legislation making it mandatory to keep electrical equipment in the workplace in safe working order. It is…
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If you have a pet, extra consideration is needed when taking precautionary measures for maintaining good fire safety. Accidents can easily happen and no one wants their canine companion, feline friend or reptilian roommate to be the cause, or bear the consequences, of a fire disaster. To help you keep your pets and property as safe as possible, we have compiled some useful fire safety tips for pet owners. Prevention: Don’t leave pets alone with flames Remember to always extinguish any candles when you leave the room, especially when you have curious pets around who could easily knock one over. This…
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False fire alarms are a prevalent issue for fire services up and down the country. To demonstrate how widespread the problem is, figures show the UK fire and rescue services were erroneously called out to more than 200,000 incidents in the last year. That is a lot of wasted time and resources. This article will look at the main culprits that cause false alarms and what can be done to reduce their occurrence. Firstly, why are false fire alarms a problem? False fire alarms are at best a waste of time and at worst, can lead to deadly complacency. If your…
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Fire risk assessments are the most important safety procedure you have to carry out on your premises. An assessment ensures that your property meets all current fire safety standards. Its focus centres on the status of your fire extinguishers, the accessibility of fire exits and the location and status of your fire alarms. But how often should you carry out a fire risk assessment? Here, we’ll be providing the answer, as well as outlining once again the importance of fire risk assessments. Who Is Responsible? If you are the employer, owner, landlord, occupier, or a person in control of the premises…
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As a landlord, you have a number of responsibilities to your tenants that are enforced by law. Anyone that has lived in rented accommodation will know the merits of having a landlord when the toilet decides it won’t flush anymore or the boiler decides it’s time for a rest, but landlords also have a lot of other responsibilities that are a little more subtle. Chief among these is their responsibility to ensure adequate fire safety is provided in the accommodation. This month, we’ll be looking at some of the key areas of fire safety landlords need to worry about when renting…
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Christmastime is a period of festive joy and excitement, but just because the times are good it doesn’t mean that you can compromise on fire safety. In fact, at Christmastime you could find yourself more at risk of fire than at any other time. The reasons for this can vary, but here we’ll outline just a few of the fire safety risks at Christmas and how you can take steps to avoid fire outbreaks. Test Your Fire Alarm In a business, you should test your fire alarm fairly regularly dependent on the size of your premises. Some will need their fire…
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In the event of fire, a comprehensive emergency evacuation plan and procedure is an indispensable part of ensuring everyone escapes danger safely and quickly. To ensure that your business meets all the most stringent fire safety rules and legislation, you’ll need a thorough evacuation plan in place. This month, we’ll be looking at just some of the key areas you should consider when forming your own evacuation procedure. Identify an Assembly Point When you evacuate your premises following the fire alarm sounding, you need to head to an agreed assembly point. This should be far enough away from the building that…
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Burglar alarms are essential to providing a level of security in your domestic or commercial premises that will give you complete peace of mind. But how do they work? Where are they best placed? Knowing the answers to these questions and ones like them could be the difference between appropriately using burglar alarms – and thereby securing your property – and leaving it vulnerable to infiltration. But Protect & Detect are here to help. This month, we’ll be looking at the basic applications of a burglar alarm to ensure that your property is efficiently secured. What Makes Up a Security Alarm…
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Once you have bought a fire extinguisher and ensured that your premises meet fire safety standards, you might forget about regularly checking your extinguisher. Unfortunately, fire extinguishers do eventually expire, meaning you need to keep an eye on them and have a professional check them at regular intervals. Ensuring that your fire extinguishers are in full working order is of the utmost importance, and knowing how long they last is pivotal in this. Generally, fire extinguishers last between 5 and 15 years, according to manufacturers, though this can vary depending on the circumstances. In this month’s article, we’ll be running you…
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A fire extinguisher is an invaluable tool when it comes to fighting fires, but if you don’t know how to use it properly it could exacerbate the problem or simply prove useless. This month, we’ll be looking at the correct way to use a fire extinguisher, both in terms of the types of fires you should be using them on and how to appropriately go about using it. Don’t Blindly Rush In – Stop and Think Absolutely central to fighting a fire is stopping and thinking about whether or not the fire is worth risking injury (or worse) over, namely in…
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