Fire Extinguishers, Fire Safety and Personal Protection Products

Construction Sites under the spotlight
The fire performance of modern methods of construction used in timber frame buildings came under the spotlight at an insurance industry event earlier this month.  The insurance industry has a pretty significant influence on what can and can't be built given that being refused insurance would make the building unsellable. The RISCAuthority ("The Risk Insight, Strategy and Control Authority", formerly InFireS), who organized the Seminar, represents many UK insurers with a remit to research and ... read more

The Law of the land
I have spent some time of late looking at UK Legislation relating to the storage of hazardous goods so that we can better inform our customers on the new range of Safety Storage Cabinets and Security Chests recently added to our portfolio. In doing so I chanced upon an illuminating website  www.statutelaw.gov.uk that lists all the Primary Statutes of Law enacted in the UK over the years and a good many Secondary Statutory Instruments (sub Laws I guess) that also apply to the immensely toleran... read more

Storage of Hazardous Substances
Much has already been said in these pages regarding Fire Risk Assessments but the legal requirements for Risk Assessments in your place of work doesn't stop there. Regulations The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, also requires you to ensure chemicals and dangerous substances stored, used or sold from the workplace are stored and handled in a way that minimise the attendant risk to employees and visitors of exposure to these substances. You must also ensure ... read more

Are Universities Safe?
A so called "secret" database held by the grandly named "Higher Education Funding Council for England" was published in the Guardian newspaper this Monday. It revealed that scores of University halls of residence and other buildings including lecture theatres, were classified as "at serious risk of major failure or breakdown" and "unfit for purpose". In the most severe cases, buildings were deemed totally inoperable because they contravene fire regulations. The right to publish the database h... read more

Huff and Puff
You sometimes have to wonder what is happening to common sense in these sceptred Isles. I read recently that despite fierce opposition from environmentalists the Scottish Enterprise Minister finally approved the upgrade of a major power line involving 600 pylons up to 60m high spanning 220 kilometres and passing through the Cairngorm National Park. At the same time environmentalists blinded by the quest for renewable energy are also supporting the construction of some 2000 additional onshore... read more