Winter safety, be prepared for another harsh winter

A week ago we were basking in wall to wall sunshine and temperatures of 30 degrees centigrade but now forecasters are warning that we should expect freezing temperatures and snow within weeks. The first snow falls have already arrived in Scotland with temperatures an astonishing 21C below last weekend’s highs.

La Niña is a natural phenomenon characterize by an unusual drop in sea temperatures off the western seaboard of Central America and is widely attributed as contributing, if not  causing, last year’s freakish weather witnessed across the World including devastating floods in Australia and our freezing winter.  Well be warned, La Niña is back again this year so our government machine, transport authorities, rail and airport companies are all making frantic provision to avoid a repeat of the national gridlock and economic paralysis that we all endured last year.

We also want to ensure our customers are prepared by taking action now to stock up on essential winter beating products. Don’t wait until the snow is on the ground as the combination of high demand and disruption to transport links makes availability and our usual prompt delivery less of a certainty.

Here’s a checklist of must have winter safety products to keep you moving and prevent accidents to staff and family alike

• Grit and Salt Bins for businesses particularly those with car parks and walkways
• Quality white sludge free De-Icing Salt in any quantity from 15kg to 28 x 25kg pallets
• Salt and Grit Spreaders for domestic and commercial users
• Snow scoops for clearing drives and paths
• Snow shovels for digging out cars and snow clearance on smaller areas
• In car snow shovel for emergencies
• Promelt de-icer for super fast long lasting deicing on steps, entrances and walkways.

All these products are in stock now so don’t be caught napping this winter.

Car Fire Extinguishers stand test of time

The safety benefits for having a car extinguisher were recognised 100 years ago when Pyrene introduced the first CTC (Carbon Tetrachloride) canister in 1912. The effectiveness of CTC in suppressing flammable liquid and electrical fires meant they were often fitted as standard to many vintage vehicles and are still sought after today by vintage car enthusiasts and vehicle restorers albeit now only strictly for show.

When you stop to think your car contains a host of materials, including flammable liquids like petrol and oil, solid combustibles such as hose lines, plastics and upholstery that provide a ready source of fuel for a fire. A car also has many potential sources of heat capable of igniting these materials including electrical equipment and evermore complex wiring with the potential to short circuit, hot exhaust systems, air bag detonators and batteries. Even the heat of the engine is sufficient to ignite fumes from leaking fuel lines.

Although most car fires originate in the engine compartment the passenger compartment is not immune. My daughter once had a close encounter with disaster when she left an empty coke bottle in the back seat on a clear sunny day. The bottle acted like a prism and the concentrated sunlight burnt a neat track in the roof lining of the cab. She was fortunate the concentrated rays were not directed at the newspaper and magazines adjacent the bottle.

There are many other practical safety reasons to carry a car fire extinguisher particularly if you are holidaying in a caravan, out for a picnic or camping when statistically the risks of accidental fires are at their greatest. Having a fire extinguisher to hand may prevent a minor fire from getting out of control.

The lethal gases produced as a consequence of using the Pyrene CTC extinguishers sealed their demise a long time ago and they were quickly superseded by modern versatile dry powder and foam fire extinguishers both of which are effective on flammable liquids and solid combustibles. The dry powder extinguishers have added advantages as they can be used safely on fires involving live electricity and also flammable gases like butane.

Extinguishers are available in convenient sizes to fit unobtrusively in your car. The compact 600g disposable aerosol extinguisher is small enough to fit in a glove compartment whilst the 1kg dry powder fire extinguisher with refillable canister can be mounted in a door tray, on a cabin side strut or out of sight in the car boot.

Smoke without Fire

Although fires resulting from cigarette, pipe and tobacco smoking are less than 5% of the total 40% of fire related deaths in the home are caused by smoking. Nationally, on average someone dies every three days as a result of a fire caused by cigarettes and in addition there are more than 800 non fatal casualties a year.

Despite the smoking ban cigarette related fires in business premises like the hotel in Shetland still occur. For the present at least cigarettes are manufactured to stay alight, and as they burn at approximately 700 degrees centigrade they are capable of igniting most solid combustibles.

If you have a smoker in your home or have employees that smoke then heeding the following safety advice may avert a tragedy.

• Smoke outside if possible and have a suitable receptacle such as a sand bucket or stand for discarded butts.
• Make sure you fully extinguish your cigarette, cigar or pipe when you have finished smoking it.
• Don’t leave lit smoking products unattended – As they burn down they can overbalance and ignite furnishings, carpets or newspapers.
• Use a purpose made heavy metal or ceramic ash tray.
• You are more at risk when you’re tired or have been drinking alcohol. Smokers nodding off in a comfy chair are at the greatest risk so take extra care.
• Never, ever smoke in bed.
• Never discard butts or tip ash into a wastebasket. Put water in the ash tray then tip into an outside bin.
• Keep all matches and lighters out of reach of children. If possible use child-proof lighters and matchbox holders.
• Install a smoke alarm and a cigarette smoke detector.

Employers should provide a safe environment for smokers preferably a smoking shelter away from the main building or at the very least a fire-proof ashtray to stop smokers discarding cigarettes close to a building.

Accept that smoking is an addiction and that smokers will always find ways and means to satisfy their craving. It is better to accept this and make adequate safe provision to protect your premises and employees.

If you are a smoker and want to stop contact your GP. There are some excellent programs and free medication to help you quit the habit.

5 More Common Causes of Fire in the Home

6. Portable Heaters

Portable gas and electric heaters can be lethal if poorly sited or misused. Fan and radiant heaters can quickly overheat if covered or obstructed.

Top Tips
Don’t use portable heaters as clothes dryers. Cotton can ignite at 200 degrees celsius whereas an electric fire element is approaching 1000 degrees celsius.  No maths needed here. Remember living flame type gas fires need a fire guard.

7. Your Fireplace

If your house has an open fire you should take extra precautions. Sparks from an unguarded fire can smolder for hours before breaking into flame.

Top Tips
Always invest in a fire guard that is of a size adequate to prevent sparks escaping. Don’t stack logs or other combustibles on the hearth adjacent to the fire. Have the chimney swept and inspected for deterioration at least once a year.

8. Boiler Room

By definition having a carbon fuel heating boiler means you have a fire in the home whenever it is lit so don’t ignore the potential for fire.

Top Tips
Avoid accumulating rubbish or combustibles such as paper in a boiler room. Make sure you have an automatic fire safety cut out device fitted (required in all new installations by law). Don’t pile clothes or other combustibles on top of the boiler. As an added precaution fit a Carbon Monoxide detector and alarm to warn of this deadly gas.

9. Barbeques

A great way to dine but also a significant fire hazard due to irregular burning and variable air flow.

Top Tips
Light the bar-b-q well away from the house, shed, trellising  or other combustibles. Use oven gloves and tongs when cooking. Leave the used fire tray overnight before disposing of the ashes.

10. Garden Fires

It is strange but true that many get something of a feel good factor from having a Garden Fire. Getting shut of nature’s clutter and spent glory ready for a new season is satisfying. Trouble is that many part time pyromaniacs apparently take far too little time assessing the risks.

Top Tips
Don’t light fires near buildings. Close any open windows and doors in the house – sparks fly!! Keep the fire small and under control adding material gradually. Have a fire bucket of water or a dry powder fire extinguisher on hand for emergencies.

Top Ten Causes of Home Fires

On average of 350000 fires are dealt with annually by the fire and rescue services. You may be surprised that fires in the home account for only around 15% of the total. Sadly of the 450 deaths arising directly from all fires nearly 80% were in residential houses according to the 2008 statistics. Here’s a list of the most common causes excluding criminal acts such as arson.

Cooking Fires

Cigarette Smoking

Misuse of Matches and Lighters

Faulty Electrical Appliances

Faulty Wiring Circuits

Portable Space Heaters

Chimney Fires

Boiler Rooms

Barbeques

Garden Fires

Anagrams to make Fire Rife

Take a break from updating your fire risk assessment to exercise your mental agility and solve the following anagrams. The answers are all fire and safety related products and I have added a cryptic suffix to point you in the right direction.

“Heel Sores” sprayed with these?
“Fertile Bank” is maybe covered with this?
“A Scalded Peer” may need one of these to leave The Lords.
“Rip off foes ear” and put in here to stop it burning.
“Thin Sexier Figure” but an annual service is mandatory.

If you are stumped follow the links for the answers. If you can come up with any more Anagrams on the same theme to test our readers let us know.