Fire Proof Filing Cabinet is a wise investment

Fire proof filing cabinets have a key role to play in many businesses despite today’s digital age where we are constantly bombarded with requests to move to paperless transactions including e-billing and text communications. The need to store paper based files and business critical documents securely is a must have for many businesses but their protection against the impact of a fire is often overlooked.

The common or garden filing cabinet is often used to store Contracts, deeds, confidential company records, financial and personnel reports and other sensitive business papers but the security of the contents is limited to preventing unauthorised access and offers little or no protection if a fire should break out on the premises.

The key difference with Fire resistant filing cabinets is that they are designed and independently tested to prevent the internal temperature of the cabinets from reaching the self-ignition temperature of paper for up to two hours. This is almost certainly enough time for the fire service to attend and bring the fire under control. Paper can self-ignite at just 177 degrees Celsius whereas an average fire will burn at upwards of 600 degrees. As steel is a good conductor of heat the temperature in a standard single skin file cabinet will rise very quickly and even though the cabinet itself may remain largely intact any paper contents will be totally destroyed.

Fire filing cabinets also offer far greater security against unauthorised access as well as protection against file fires. Sophisticated digital locks, fire safe quality locking bolts and selective draw by draw access controls allow complete security access management. On many models each drawer is independently protected for fire proof filing so documents are protected in the event a drawer is left open during a fire incident.

Taking a value approach to fire risk assessment should include a review of the impact on your business of losing valuable and sensitive documents and files to fire. It is almost certain that the business benefits of an investment in a fire proof file cabinet will far outweigh the cost and will ensure your business can function effectively in the immediate aftermath of a fire.

Co2 Extinguishers – Things you should know

Co2 extinguishers originally came into prominence as a replacement for halon or BCF extinguishers which were banned for most applications in 1993 under the Montreal protocol after it was discovered that halons had the highest ozone-depleting capacity of any chemicals in common use.  Co2 extinguishers contain liquefied carbon dioxide under extreme pressure and are notable for not having a pressure gauge on the canister and a hard flute shaped discharge horn. In the UK they are also colour coded with a black panel.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers suppress fires by displacing oxygen thereby taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle. Although carbon dioxide is very cold as it comes out of the extinguisher, this does not mean they are suitable for Class A fires involving solid combustibles like paper, wood and fabrics as insufficient oxygen may be displaced to successfully put the fire out. Class A materials may continue to smoulder and may re-ignite.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are primarily intended for use on Class B fires which include flammable liquids such as petrol, oil, diesel, (excluding cooking oil), some solid fuels like wax. In addition as carbon dioxide is also non-conductive and unlike powder and foam leaves no harmful residue that may damage or contaminate sensitive circuitry they are commonly recommended for fires involving electrical equipment. Co2 extinguishers are not effective on flammable gases.

The combination of properties of Co2 have applications in laboratories, clean rooms, engine compartments, generator rooms, boats and flammable liquid storage areas. They are also commonly found in offices and server rooms containing computer equipment.

Although they are rated for use on flammable liquids they should not be used on cooking oil fires as the ice cold high pressure discharge will splash the burning and spread the fire further.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers are not really suitable for dealing with fires outside as the gas quickly disperses, so are generally restricted to indoor use. On the other hand be aware that carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen in the air which can lead to asphyxiation when discharged in confined spaces, so take care to ventilate the area as soon as the fire is under control.

Advantages of Foam Fire Extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers, or more correctly AFFF extinguishers offer some key advantages over the better known water equivalents. AFFF is short for Aqueous Film Forming Foam and, although it contains water as a primary element, when applied to a Class A fire involving combustible solids Foam extinguishers not only cool the burning material but also form a chemical barrier or film that separates the flames from the airborne oxygen necessary to support combustion.

Weight for weight AFFF is a substantially more effective fire suppressant than water. A 6 litre foam fire extinguisher has the same fire rating as a 9 litre water both of which carry a 13A approval. The net difference in weight is close to 4kg or 9lbs in old money. Certainly for commercial offices, businesses and residential blocks this provides an opportunity to utilise this advantage to install more manageable lighter weight units without compromising on fire safety.

There is also a cost saving to be gained by opting for a foam extinguisher as at the time of going to press our standard 6 litre foam fire extinguisher is just £22.50 compared to £25.25 for the 9 litre water as a high proportion of the ex- works cost is in the canister itself.

If weight and cost and saving were not enough unlike water the film forming properties of AFFF foam extinguishers make them highly effective at combatting Class B flammable liquid fires, typically petrol, diesel , paints and solvents. A 6 litre foam fire extinguisher has an impressive 144B rating. This added versatility makes them ideal for garages and petrol forecourts and they are the extinguisher of choice for motor sports in general. On a much larger scale AFFF foam is also used extensively at airports applied from large mobile extinguishers or tenders to form a fire suppressive blanket.

Boat, caravan and recreational vehicle owners can also take advantage of this versatility with models now available in 1 and 2 litre capacities.

Workplace First Aid Kits get a British Standard makeover

Probably all households have that special cupboard converted to a makeshift first aid cabinet full of assorted first aid products assembled over the years. Half empty boxes of first aid plasters, bandages, dressings and antiseptic balms are all jumbled together for those inevitable little accidents and emergencies. Of course when they are needed you can never find a plaster of the right size, the finger guard has gone missing or the medical tape has perished.

In the home this is all part of the living experience but in the workplace the consequences of not having a viable first aid kit will lead you to fall foul of the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 that obliges that “An employer shall provide or ensure (provision of) such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be rendered to ……employees if they are injured or become ill at work”

Attitudes to Risk Assessment and the workplace environment has moved on since 1981 and British Standards with advice from HSE, has produced a new standard BS 8599 for workplace first aid kits that replaces the old British Healthcare Trade Association (BHTA) guideline. We will be phasing in the new kits over the next few weeks to meet the required implementation date of December 31st.

The new Standard has revised the product and equipment content of workplace first aid kits to improve safety provision for both patient and first aiders. The Standard details 3 sizes, small first aid kits, medium first aid kits and large first aid kits appropriate to the size of the workforce and the level of workplace safety risk but all will contain the same basic contents in varying quantities.

First aid Kits to BS 8599 will contain the following:

• First Aid Plasters – more quantity
• Nitrile Gloves – more quantity
• Sterile Wipes – more quantity (now must meet the European CE marking rules)
• Medium and Large Dressings – fewer quantities
• Triangular Bandages – fewer quantities
• Finger Dressings
• Burns Gel Dressing – modern burns gel with a conforming bandage to attach and retain it
• Adhesive Tape in addition to Safety Pins allowing a choice of application
• Shears – for cutting clothing around wound sites to allow first aid treatment.
• Foil Emergency Blanket – clinical shock presents a serious life threatening risk to a casualty, Foil blankets keep the casualty dry and warm
• Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation Device to protects the first aider from cross infection
• First Aid Guidance Leaflet – with latest HSE guidance

Note that eye wash is not on the list although it is recommended in Travel First Aid Kits for employees on the move and separate eye wash stations should be provided in high risk workplace areas.

The BS 8599 Standard does differentiate between low risk environments including offices, retail, libraries etc. and high risk such as construction, engineering and process plants. By example in an office a small size first aid kit to BS 8599 is ok for up to 25 employees but you need a large size kit for every 25 employees in a high risk workplace.

Specialist workplace environments require more specialist First Aid provision and we will continue to supply “blue plaster” Catering First Aid Kits and PSV first aid kits conforming to the new standard.

Winter Nights – Safety Driving

Once again our politicians at Westminster have bowed to the Scottish lobby and missed another opportunity to ditch the ludicrous time warp that is Daylight Saving Time which now plunges us all into darkness by 4pm. I dislike driving in the dark at the best of times but in deep winter with any combination of ice, snow, fog and rain the commute home is even more hazardous and stressful.

Traffic death rates are three times greater at night, yet many of us are unaware of the hazards that night driving poses or effective ways to minimise the risk. It is therefore all the more important to prepare for your journey and take sensible safety precautions to protect you and your passengers.

Start out by ensuring the vehicle is roadworthy. Check for blown bulbs, check tyre pressures and oil levels, fill the screen wash tanks and check the cabin demist is working.
When driving at night follow these tips on safer driving

• Use your lights responsibly – Turn headlights on one hour before sunset and leave on for at least half an hour after sunrise to make it easier for other drivers to see you in early twilight. Use your high beams sparingly at all times but in fog use low beam headlights in conjunction with fog lamps if you have them.

• Avoid glare – Don’t look directly at oncoming headlights and use the day night shift on the rear view mirror to prevent glare from following traffic.

• Keep all windows and headlights clean – Dirty windows diffuse light and can increase glare, making it more difficult to see, while dirty headlights can reduce efficiency by as much as 90 percent.

• Be alert – Look for flashes of light at hilltops, curves and junctions that may indicate the headlights of approaching vehicles.

• Increase your following distance – Increasing your distance by four to five seconds can make it easier to spot potential problems on the roadway and give you more time to react safely.

• Avoid fatigue - Night driving can be tiring, so on long journeys ensure good ventilation inside the cabin, and take frequent refreshment breaks to give your eyes a chance to recover. Take a short nap or a brisk walk, or have some caffeine to help you stay alert.

• Glasses- Anti-reflective (AR) coating reduces internal reflections in the lenses. AR-coated glasses also transmit more light than regular lenses which can improve vision at night.

Finally if we have anything like the winter of last year you should also consider equipping the car with a winter survival pack to get you out of trouble should you break down or become stranded.
Carry at least one reflective warning triangle in case of a vehicle breakdown, so you are as visible to other drivers as possible.  A snow shovel and small tub of icemelt is a must to escape from drifts and icy roads. To sustain body and mind having warm weather proof clothing, rugged rigger boots, a blanket, thermos and a supply of high energy food would be a potential lifesaver.

If you have more tips for our readers then let us know.