What is BAFE certification?

Safelincs prides itself on holding the BAFE accreditation for the maintenance of portable fire extinguishers, providing a visible way for our customers to recognise the professional competence of our nationwide team of BAFE-registered fire extinguisher servicing engineers. Here we look at some FAQs about the BAFE  certification.

What is BAFE certification?

BAFE certification is awarded to companies by an independent third-party certificated registration body for fire safety organisations across the UK.

The BAFE accreditation logo enables customers to identify the professional competence of the company they have commissioned. This provides peace of mind that all service work undertaken by companies like Safelincs is done to the same standard anywhere in the country.

Why is BAFE important?

BAFE provides the ability to assess and certify companies against fire safety quality standards and industry best practice. Independent evidence is gathered to support any certification process ensuring compliance and competency by fire safety providers.

Why should I use a BAFE-registered organisation?

Choosing fire protection from a BAFE-certified company ensures that the services and products conform to recognised standards. This provides peace of mind about quality and compliance.

Safelincs offer a range of extinguishers, installation, maintenance, and commissioning of fire extinguishers without tying companies into a long-term service agreement. To discuss your extinguisher maintenance needs, contact Safelincs on 0800 612 4827 or visit www.safelincs.co.uk

Safelincs BAFE registration number: 1216

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Free online fire safety log book for organisations with multiple sites

Safelincs has created a free online fire safety log book to help organisations to meet their legal obligations. Businesses and organisations must maintain fire safety log books to record regular equipment tests and findings to demonstrate compliance with the law, for example, traditional steel fire extinguishers have to be visually inspected monthly, serviced yearly and refilled after five years (except, of course, the service-free P50 fire extinguishers). Fire alarms, emergency lights, and other fire safety equipment must also be tested and serviced. Most inspections will be on different dates, so keeping track of your compliance can be a real challenge. If your company is spread over multiple sites, the challenge becomes even more daunting. Multiple members of staff will be involved in the compliance checking and will need to report their data to a central person.

log-book-2

The free online multi-user fire log book allows the recording of maintenance across multiple sites and also provides a reminder system for all people involved, sending automatic reminders until the safety check has been completed. The system gives the Responsible Person in an organisation a clear insight into the overall fire safety recording status. The fire safety log book holds all the data for you, you can print a copy at any time.

Other types of log books are available such as this fire log book template, but this type does not send automatic reminders to ensure that all fire safety checks are completed on time. Make fire safety compliance easy for your organisation and activate your free online fire safety log book.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Safelincs and NFCC launch free Online Home Fire Safety Check resource

Safelincs are working in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council to launch a new Online Home Fire Safety Check (OHFSC) tool, available free of charge to all Fire Rescue Services in England.

Safelincs is pleased to announce the launch of a joint venture working in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the Home Office’s Fire Kills campaign, the Online Home Fire Safety Check Tool. This innovative online assessment tool will be made available to all households across England and will enable them to complete a home assessment to help identify fire hazards in their home. The tool will also suggest changes that can be easily made to reduce the risk of a fire.

National Fire Chiefs Council and Safelincs
Representatives from National Fire Chiefs Council and Safelincs at the South West Regional Workshop, Taunton, Somerset

Safelincs donated their time and expertise to build the system and will support and provide the system free of charge to all fire and rescue services across England. This tool will complement the NFCC Person-Centred Framework.  Neil Odin, Chair of NFCC’s Prevention Committee and NFCC’s Prevention Programme Executive, said, “We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from FRSs who attended the conference, with many having already signed up to the on-boarding process.” He went on to say “In the long-term NFCC would like to see all FRSs adopt the new Online Home Fire Safety Check and use as an integral part of their prevention activities. This, we hope, will provide a consistent approach to identifying and logging issues related to home safety prevention activities, and assist with centrally capturing valuable data which will be made available for all FRSs to use and plan future prevention strategies.”

Online Home Fire Safety Check
The Online Home Fire Safety Check Tool is available to all households in England

Safelincs have a passion for sharing free fire safety information with the public and working collaboratively with Fire Kills and NFCC to develop this online tool gives us great satisfaction. Harry Dewick-Eisele, MD Safelincs said ‘This co-operation has created a fire safety tool that makes a huge difference to people. It is easy to use and delivers well-tailored advice’

Complete the online home fire safety check for your home to see if you could improve your fire safety.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Fire Exits: 10 Things Businesses Should Know

Fire Exit Regulations

Here’s a list of things you need to know about fire exits based on questions raised by customers and answered by fire safety professionals in our fire safety forum.

In this article we refer to FINAL fire exits when we mention fire exits or fire exit doors.

1. Is any door leading to the outside potentially a fire exit, including your normal entrance?

Not all doors leading to the outside can be used as a fire exit, sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended to be used as fire exits. Doors leading to enclosed courtyards might also not be suitable as fire exits.

In the event of a fire it must be possible for staff and visitors to evacuate your premises as quickly and as safely as possible. This is often through the door by which your staff or the public entered. However, additional fire exits will often be installed to reduce the escape distance or to provide an alternative exit in case the main entry/exit is blocked by fire.

2. Can final fire exit doors be left open?

Security may be a separate issue, but it is completely acceptable to have final fire exit doors standing open. The only time that this should not happen is if the final fire escape door is also acting as a fire-resistant door – although this would be very rare. The issue of fire exit doors left standing open is getting regularly confused with the issue of internal fire doors which must only be held open with a fire door retainer  and have a door closer fitted.

3. Must fire exits be easily opened from inside the building?

Fire exit doors must not be locked or fastened in a way that prevents them from being easily and immediately opened from the inside in an emergency. There are a variety of ways to secure fire exit doors in this way:

Panic bars

Also called push bars or crash bars, these are used where large numbers of people are attempting to travel at speed through a fire exit, as minimal pressure on the bar releases the locking mechanism.

Exidor 294 Panic Bar with Bolt
Exidor 294 Panic Bar with Bolt
  • Single door panic bar with vertical bolt (two point locking)
  • Non-handed - suitable for left and right-handed doors
  • Suitable for final exit doors in private and public buildings
  • Manufactured in the UK with a 10 year warranty
£60.39 ex VAT
£72.47 inc VAT
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Emergency push pads

Emergency push pads are similar to push bars but feature a small pad as opposed to a horizontal bar. They should only be used where a panic situation is unlikely to arise in an emergency evacuation scenario e.g. when only staff familiar with the building and not members of the general public are using the exit.

Briton 372 Single Door Emergency Push Pad with Bolt
Briton 372 Single Door Emergency Push Pad with Bolt
  • Fire exit push pad with vertical bolt (two point locking)
  • Suitable for left and right-handed doors
  • Suitable for non-public use buildings
  • 5 year manufacturer's warranty
£86.19 ex VAT
£103.43 inc VAT
Buy Now

Redlam panic bolt

This is designed for emergency doors which are not in normal everyday use and should only be opened for maintenance and testing. The bolt is NOT suitable for public areas.

Panic Bolt MK2 - Redlam
Panic Bolt MK2 - Redlam
  • Secures a final fire exit door from unauthorised use
  • When the Ceramtube is broken the panic bolt slides back and unlocks the door
  • Suitable for emergency exit hardware for commercial buildings
  • Does not jeopardise escape in the event of emergency
  • Please note: NOT suitable for public area installations
£55.99 ex VAT
£67.19 inc VAT
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Kingpin emergency bolt

This is similar to the Redlam bolt; when the handle is pulled, the Kingpin breaks into two pieces, allowing the spring-loaded bolt to retract and thus release the door. The door can, at all times, be used for non-emergency purposes by a key holder. Again, this bolt is not suitable for areas used by the general public.

Emergency Bolt - Kingpin
Emergency Bolt - Kingpin
  • The door can still be used in a non-emergency by the key holder
  • Pulling the handle releases the bolt for emergency escape
  • Secures single fire exit doors
  • Options for internal and external doors
£78.99 ex VAT
£94.79 inc VAT
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Maglock

Short for magnetic lock, this holds the door shut using an electromagnetic force between a magnet and a steel plate. Typically maglocks can have a keypad for access from outside and a green quick release button inside for use in an emergency. These systems can be wired into alarm systems that automatically release if the fire alarm system activates or the power supply fails.

Access Control Maglock Proximity Kit with Switch and Call Point
Access Control Maglock Proximity Kit with Switch and Call Point
  • Door is secured with an electromagnetic lock
  • Building access is controlled through a proximity reader
  • Suitable for outward opening single doors
  • Includes an exit button and emergency manual call point
£267.49 ex VAT
£320.99 inc VAT
Buy Now

4. Should fire exit doors always be unlocked whilst a building is in use?

Fire exit doors must not be locked with a key or padlock whilst a building is in use. However, when a building is unoccupied it can be locked as securely as required. If drastic security measures like chains, padlocks or steel bars are required, the first person entering the building in the morning must remove all of these.

It is generally recommended to create a wall mounted board containing the shapes of the security devices used (e.g. padlock) on which each item can be hung. This acts as a visual aid to stop staff forgetting that doors are still locked.

Forgetting to unlock security devices could lead to severe prosecution. We would therefore recommend to only use proper panic bars, etc. These can offer excellent security and allow safe escape in case of an emergency.

5. Can fire exit doors be any colour?

Yes, fire exit doors can be any colour. The important thing is that the exit doors are clearly signed.

6. Should fire exit doors open in the direction of escape?

Yes, fire exit doors should open in the direction of escape. However, in the workplace it may be permissible to have an exit door opening inwards if it is providing excess for less than 60 staff without public access.

7. Does the number of people using a building increase the number of fire exits that are required?

Yes, the more people that use a building will affect the number of fire exits required. The width of the fire exit is also influenced by this. For example, the minimum width of a fire escape catering for up to 60 people is 750mm. For full details of width requirements and the number of exits required, please see the Building Regulations section of the UK Government’s Planning Portal. See also our fire exit help and information page.

8. Must emergency routes and fire exits be indicated by signs?

Fire exit routes need to be marked clearly with emergency exit signs and have to be sufficiently lit, even when the electric power supply has failed. Therefore, emergency routes and fire exits usually require emergency lighting of adequate intensity. Final fire exits can be illuminated themselves or externally lit by an emergency light.

Fire Exit Signs from JALITE
Fire Exit Signs from JALITE
  • Rigid plastic for wall mounting
  • Photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark)
  • Available in 3 different sizes
£5.19 ex VAT
£6.23 inc VAT
Buy Now

9. Must emergency routes and fire exits be kept clear of obstruction?

Final fire exit doors should never be blocked from the inside or outside. Equally, the internal escape routes must not be blocked. Combustible items that could catch alight can act as a fuel source for a fire and could increase the spread of a fire. These items should not be kept on corridors, stairways or circulation spaces. Such items include portable heaters (bottled gas or electric radiant heaters) and gas cylinders.

10. If the fire exit leads onto a road or car park, is a “No Parking” sign required?

It is important that the exit route is kept clear at all times. A ‘No Parking’ sign may be needed to prevent cars from parking directly in front of the final fire exit door. Additionally, a barrier could also be put in place.

More Information

View our related help guides for more information on fire exits and doors.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

A Guide to Fire Safety in Offices

Fire safety in offices

Who is responsible for fire safety in my office?

If you are the owner, landlord, employer or occupier of a business premises, including offices, you are responsible for fire safety under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and are known as the ‘responsible person’.  As the responsible person in your office, you must ensure that you:

  • Carry out a fire risk assessment and review it regularly
  • Identify risks from the fire risk assessment and put measures in place to reduce or manage them
  • Inform staff of the risks and of their responsibilities to ensure good fire safety is achieved
  • Ensure adequate fire safety measures have been put in place and maintain them
  • Have an appropriate fire safety procedure and communicate this to staff and visitors
  • Provide training to staff to ensure they know what to do in the event of a fire

What is a fire risk assessment?

A comprehensive fire risk assessment taking place

A fire risk assessment is a detailed review of your office space to identify fire risks and provide recommendations to either mitigate, reduce or manage them. A fire risk assessment can be carried out by a competent person or a professional.

You can use our free fire risk assessment form to carry out your own assessment if you feel you have the required skills and knowledge to do so. It is essential that you use this in conjunction with the appropriate official fire risk assessment guide for offices.

Alternatively, you can request that a trained fire risk assessor completes your office fire risk assessment for you. You will receive a comprehensive fire risk assessment and detailed guidance should any recommendations for improvement be required.

More information:

What kind of fire safety measures will I be required to put in place?

To ensure that you are meeting all your legal obligations you will need to look at the following areas:

  • Are your emergency evacuation routes and exits clear from hazards and well signposted?
  • Do you have adequate means to detect a fire and warn others?
  • Do you have appropriate fire fighting equipment and is it in the right place?
  • Are any dangerous substances stored correctly?
  • Think about the people who are in your office (both staff and visitors), particularly those with special considerations such as the elderly and people with disabilities
  • Provide fire safety information and training

Emergency evacuation routes and exits

Photoluminescent fire escape route signs

Staff escaping a building must be visually directed to the safest and usually quickest route leading to the nearest fire exit. Ensure that photo-luminescent (glow in the dark) fire escape route signs are indicating the nearest exit and are clearly visible.

You need to ensure that even if the mains power fails, all escape route signs are visible and that stairs and uneven floors are lit sufficiently to escape safely. You can achieve this by installing emergency lights or by installing illuminated fire exit signs in the first place.

More information:

Evacuation and fire drills

Every member of staff must be made aware of where the nearest fire exits are and which routes to take when exiting the building. The best way of ensuring that all staff know the escape routes is to ensure that when a new staff member starts you complete a ‘fire walk’. This enables you to show staff all the fire escape routes and  where fire fighting equipment is located.

You should carry out regular fire drills, ensuring that you also include practising taking alternative routes if your nearest fire escape should be blocked by a fire.

When planning your evacuation procedure ensure that you also include how you would safely evacuate someone with reduced mobility. Evacuation chairs offer a safe and easy solution to ensure that everyone can escape safely in the event of a fire. You should ensure that staff are trained to use equipment and also that the evacuation equipment is maintained and serviced. 

Fire extinguishers and maintenance

Choosing the right type of extinguisher

Portable fire extinguishers can be very valuable in preventing small fires getting out of hand and turning into large fires that can put lives at risk and destroy buildings. The safety of your staff and visitors should be the main priority and staff should only be encouraged to use a portable fire extinguisher if they have been trained and as long as it does not put them in any danger.

Dry water mist fire extinguishers can be used on live electrical fires

It is paramount that you have the correct type of fire extinguisher to tackle the type of fire that could occur in your office. Installing extinguishers that can tackle more than one type of fire, such as the dry water mist fire extinguisher, will reduce the number of different types required in your office and will also reduce the risk of using the wrong type. Dry water mist extinguishers can be used on class A, B and C fires as well as on live electrical fires.

More information:

If you are still unsure of which type of fire extinguisher you need in your office you can book a fire extinguisher site survey.

Installing extinguishers

Ensure that your extinguishers are commissioned and installed by a service engineer at your premises. You will need the correct signage and to ensure that they are hung in the correct location.

Extinguisher maintenance

Once your extinguishers have been installed you are responsible to ensure that a monthly visual check is carried out, looking for the following:

  • Are there any signs of damage to the exterior?
  • Are there any blockages in the hose?
  • Are there any signs the extinguisher has been tampered with?
  • Is the extinguisher pressurised?

More information:

You must also ensure that an annual service of the extinguisher has been carried out by a trained engineer and in accordance with the British Standards.

Please note that where self-maintenance extinguishers are installed, a yearly visual inspection by your staff is required, which must be documented in your fire safety log book but no annual visit is required by an external engineer.

Fire alarms and manual call points

As the responsible person you will need to ensure that there is an adequate fire detection system in your offices. A common way to achieve this is to install fire alarms. The size, configuration and use of your office will define what sort of fire alarm system you require.

More information:

Make sure that all employees understand that the first thing to do if they discover a fire is to press the nearest manual call point (also called manual break points). This alerts all of your staff of the fire. New staff must be shown the call points during their induction period.

Where office buildings are shared with other companies, make sure that a system is in place for notifying all the companies in the building in the event of a fire.

Free fire safety log book

We offer a free online log book with custom reminders and the ability to print it if you wish to keep a hard copy. Keeping an online log book will ensure that it is protected in the event of a fire so that you can show your due diligence and compliance.

It is essential that you keep a record of all your fire safety checks and fire drills in a fire safety log book.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Lighting the Way – Emergency Lighting Requirements

What you need to know about emergency lighting

Why is emergency lighting necessary?

As the responsible person it is your legal obligation to ensure that adequate emergency lighting is installed across all the escape routes and exits from every area of the building with a minimum backup duration of between 1 and 3 hours. Emergency lighting is essential to light escapes routes for emergency evacuations when normal mains-powered lighting fails.

Eden Bulkhead Emergency Lighting
LED Emergency Lighting Bulkhead – Eden

There are different types of emergency lights, some function as a normal light and others function only as an emergency light source. As a starting point you should know what type of emergency light you want to install for example; do you want a maintained emergency light (stays on constantly) or a non-maintained emergency light (illuminates only in the event of a mains power failure)?

Where to install emergency lights and signs

When deciding where to install emergency lights, take into account any hazards that there may be along the evacuation route, such as corners, stairways or uneven flooring. You must also ensure that fire alarm call points and equipment used for firefighting, such as extinguishers or fire blankets, are adequately illuminated to be easily seen or located. Some areas will require continued operation (e.g. a chemical processing room, operation theatre etc); higher continued lighting requirements must be considered in these areas.

Jalite photoluminescent fire exit signs
Jalite photoluminescent fire exit signs

A sub-category of emergency lighting is fire exit signs, which are green ‘running man’ signs with arrows that guide people towards the nearest exits. These are either internally lit in the same fashion as space emergency lighting or, in case sufficient other emergency lights are available, they can be photoluminescent. Such ‘glow-in-the-dark signs store energy from either natural or artificial light and releases this stored energy when the light source is no longer there, emitting a yellow/green glow to illuminate the text on the sign.

You should refer to your fire risk assessment to ensure that you have covered all the essential fire escape routes and addressed any hazards on your site that were highlighted in this assessment. It is a legal requirement to carry out a fire risk assessment and you should refresh this assessment if the activities within your premises change or if significant changes to the layout are made. You can find authoritative guidance in the government's fire risk assessment guides.

Buy emergency lights

Visit our emergency lights and signs section to view our full range of emergency lighting products.

Testing and maintenance

As with all fire safety equipment, regular testing of your emergency lights must be carried out to ensure that it is working correctly. You should test that the lights are triggered when the mains supply is cut, and also that all the lights are illuminated as they should be. This can be done with the use of a fish key.

You will need to test your lighting once a month and ensure that a full discharge test is carried once a year. Log the results as any other fire safety equipment tests in your fire safety logbook.

If you would like to know more about emergency lighting our emergency lighting guides can provide you with useful information.

Free reminder service

Sign up to our free reminder service to receive text or email reminders to regularly test your emergency lighting.

More information

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

CO Detectors and ‘False Alarms’

CO detector false alarmsCO detectors, or carbon monoxide alarms, are essential for the detection of a deadly gas, carbon monoxide (CO). This gas cannot be seen, tasted or smelt and is only detected with the use of co detectors. It is produced through the incomplete combustion of fuel, such as gas, wood, coal and oil.

Before we go on to look at CO detector false alarms here is some advice on what you should do if your alarm goes off.

What to do when your carbon monoxide alarm is going off

If your CO detector is chirping do not assume that it is a false alarm, remember carbon monoxide can’t be seen, tasted or smelt. You should assume that there is CO present and should follow these steps to ensure your safety.

  • Stay calm, open doors and windows to increase ventilation
  • Where safe to do so, turn off any fuel-burning appliance
  • Leave the premises and notify other occupants of the potential carbon monoxide leak (you should also notify any occupant of premises adjoined to your home as CO can seep through walls and floors
  • Call Gas Emergency Services 0800 111 999 or a local Gas Safe Registered Engineer to check for the source of carbon monoxide
  • Get medical help for anyone suffering from symptoms of CO poisoning

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are:

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: persistent headaches

Persistent Headaches

Having persistent dull headaches and tension type headaches.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: dizziness

Dizziness

Having waves of dizziness or feeling light headed and off balance.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: nausea/vomiting

Nausea / Vomiting

Feeling like you need to be sick (nausea) and actually being sick (vomiting).

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: stomach pains

Stomach Pains

Pains in your stomach or lower abdomen, sometimes accompanied by diarrhoea.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: difficulty breathing

Difficulty Breathing

Sudden shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (dyspnoea).

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: tiredness

Tiredness

Having no energy or feeling tired, sleepy, lethargic and sluggish.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: sudden collapse

Sudden Collapse

Sudden collapse, seizures or loss of consciousness.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms: confusion

Confusion

Confusion, difficulty concentrating and becoming easily irritated.

What causes CO detector false alarms?

A false alarm is when your CO detector alarms and where no carbon monoxide is detected by your engineer. There could be several reasons for this:

  • The carbon monoxide detected did not come from your own appliances but may have seeped through the walls or floor from a neighbour. Check if your neighbours have fuel-burning appliances that might emit carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide might escape from chimney stacks allowing carbon monoxide to enter your premises via a joint loft space.
  • The replace-by date may have been exceeded. CO alarms become erratic once expired. This is the most common reason for false alarms.
  • Excessive moisture from a bathroom may set off your CO alarm. CO alarms should not be installed in areas with excessive steam.
  • Lead acid battery chargers produce hydrogen gas which sets off CO detectors. Keep this in mind if you are charging your caravan/boat battery at home.
  • Freshly screeded floors emit a gas that sets off carbon monoxide alarms.
  • The carbon monoxide alarm that you have installed may not be suitable for the type of premises, for example if it is installed in a caravan, tent, boat or living quarters of a horsebox you will need to ensure that your alarm is Kitemarked to BS EN50291-2. Alarms tested to BS EN50291-1 are only for use in home environments and are not suitable for camping and caravanning.
  • On rare occasions if here is a heavy smoker in a room that is poorly ventilated the CO from smoking may trigger an alarm.
  • Homes that are adjacent to very busy roads may experience higher levels of CO in the home when windows are open as traffic fumes may enter the room and set your alarm off.
  • The sound that your alarm is making may not be the alarm sound to alert you that there are dangerous levels of CO present. Most alarms have several audible sounds to indicate things such as low battery warning or that there is a fault with the alarm. When you install an alarm read the user manual and get to know what the different sounds indicate. Keep the manual safe so that you can refer to it should the alarm go off.

Buying a CO detector

You should have a carbon monoxide detector in every room where there is a solid fuel burning appliance. Only chose CO detectors that have met the rigorous testing standards of the European standard EN50291. That way you will have peace of mind that this vital alarm has been manufactured and tested to the highest standards.

If you are looking for a CO detector that you can also take on holiday, for caravanning, camping or using on a boat look out for ones that are Kitemarked to BS EN50291-2 such as the Kidde 7CO. If you would like a detector that gives you a visual display of CO levels, we recommend the Kidde 7DCO.

Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm - 7DCO / 7DCOC
Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm - 7DCO / 7DCOC
  • Product Life: 10 years
  • Battery: replaceable AA alkaline batteries included
  • Warranty: 10 year warranty
  • Displays CO levels from 10ppm
  • Peak Level Memory - recalls highest CO levels
  • Ideal for domestic use and camping, caravans & boats
  • Kitemarked to BS EN50291-1 and BS EN50291-2
  • Also suitable for the 2022 Welsh legislation
£15.21 ex VAT
£18.25 inc VAT
Buy Now
                                        

If you are unsure if you have the correct carbon monoxide alarm installed our customer care team are here to help. You can call them on 0800 612 6537 or email support@safelincs.co.uk.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Fire Door Retainers Hold Fire Doors Open Hygienically

With concerns of the coronavirus being spread through contact with door handles and hand plates, many companies and health care settings are looking for solutions to hold fire doors open; reducing the need to touch door handles, without compromising fire safety.

Fire door retainers, such as Dorgard Original and Dorgard SmartSound, hold fire doors open legally and hygienically.

Dorgard Fire Door Retainers offer easy-to-install solutions that can be fitted to an existing fire door in around ten minutes by your own handyman, without the need to book an engineer to install. By fitting your fire doors with either the Dorgard Original or the upgraded version Dorgard SmartSound, you can hold fire doors open legally and eliminate the need to open the door using the handle once the Dorgard plunger has been depressed. This reduces the risk of germs and viruses spreading. The Dorgard will let the fire door close automatically when a fire alarm sounds, as the devices recognise the sound of a fire alarm.

For settings where at night time the doors should be closed, the Dorgard can be programmed to self-close at a specific time.

Call us today to speak with a customer service adviser on 0800 612 6537.

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Safelincs supports Buses 4 Homeless

Buses 4 Homeless is a social enterprise that was set up by Dan Atkins with a mission to provide 14,600 nights of sleep a year for the homeless. This exciting project, offering a three-month rehabilitation programme to vulnerable homeless people, is run from four refurbished double-decker buses and aims to re-engage homeless people back into the community.

Dan contacted Safelincs to ask for advice about fire safety and when we heard about the project we decided to get involved and donate a state of the art Zerio Plus wireless fire detection system, fire extinguishers, and a fire escape ladder. Installing the equipment enabled the first guests to be welcomed onto the project just before Christmas. Dan Atkins said “I picked up the phone and called Safelincs, spoke about the project and what we are doing. Everyone at Safelincs has been so supportive”. Dan went on to say “it is humbling to have such support”.

The buses provide four very distinct areas for the guests including sleeping accommodation, dining, wellbeing, and education. Each individual has the opportunity to work on their own specific areas and issues that led them to become homeless, learn new skills and help them secure employment. The programme offers the opportunity of long term mentorship to underpin long term success. We wish Dan and his team every success.

Buses 4 Homeless fitted with Zerio Plus wireless alarm panel and water mist extinguishers

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous? Advice to students

As a student, it may be the very first time that you are living away from home and you will have just settled into your new accommodation. Many things may be on your mind and the safety of your new room may not be one of them; after all, isn’t that covered by the landlord? While landlords have the full responsibility to ensure that the rooms they rent out are fully compliant, news articles would suggest that this is not always the case and that some landlords are failing to meet their responsibilities.

It is always worth checking that the basics have been ticked off; are smoke alarms and fire extinguishers installed, in date and serviced? What about carbon monoxide? what do you know about this gas and do you need protection from it? Knowing about the dangers of carbon monoxide could save your life.

What is Carbon monoxide (CO) and how will it affect you?

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that when breathed in will attach to your red blood cells, reducing the amount of oxygen that is carried around your body. Low levels of CO over a long period can have devastating effects on your health, such as causing damage to nerves and brain as well as affecting your heart. Being exposed to high levels of CO can cause sudden unconsciousness and death.

What do you need to look out for?

University students should ensure that they know the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning, it could save their life.

You can’t see, smell or taste carbon monoxide and that is why the only way to know if this poisonous gas is present is to install a carbon monoxide detector. Having a detector that will give an audible signal if CO is present means you will get alerted even when asleep.

The symptoms of CO poisoning are very similar to flu (and hangovers!) and as such a CO leak may go undetected. The main symptoms are persistent headaches, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, stomach pains, difficulty breathing, tiredness, confusion, and sudden collapse. If your symptoms get better when you leave your accommodation and go outside that is another indicator that CO may be causing your symptoms.

How can you protect yourself?

As a student, you are most likely living in either University accommodation or a privately rented room in a shared house. Check to see if your accommodation has a carbon monoxide alarm installed. This is important if you have appliances that use fuels such as gas, oil, and wood as CO is produced from the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. If you use a fuel appliance, such as a cooker or fire, and don’t have a CO alarm fitted ask your landlord or University accommodation department to install one. It is their legal duty to provide a CO alarm for you if there is fuel used within the building.

Do you need a CO detector if you don’t have any fuel burning appliances?

Yes, it is recommended that even if you don’t have any fossil fuel appliances in your accommodation that you have at least one CO detector fitted. Carbon monoxide can seep through walls and as such you are at risk of CO poisoning from your neighbour.

Is there anything else you should look out for?

You should check that all your appliances, such as cookers, fires, and boilers are serviced every year. This is the responsibility of your landlord and a legal requirement. Ask to see the annual certificates or reports if you can’t see an in-date sticker on the appliance. If your landlord can’t produce them then insist that the service is carried out again.

In between the annual service or checks keep your eyes open for any telltale signs that the appliance isn’t working properly. These may include soot marks around the appliance, excessive condensation in the room, lazy yellow or orange coloured flames instead of a bright blue one. If you notice any of these signs inform your landlord immediately and ask for the appliance to be checked.

What do you do if carbon monoxide is detected?

If you suspect that carbon monoxide is leaking into your accommodation the first thing to do is open doors and windows to let in fresh air and ventilate the room. Turn off the appliance if safe to do so and contact the emergency services:

Gas Emergency Services (24 hours) 0800 111 999

Solid Fuel Advice Line 01773 835400

Oil (OFTEC) 01473 626298

Ambulance 999

For more information and advice on how to stay safe visit: https://www.carbonmonoxideinfo.co.uk/

*All telephone numbers were correct at time of publishing

Where can you buy a carbon monoxide alarm?

There is a wide range of carbon monoxide alarms available for different budgets, with optional features such as sealed lithium batteries that last the full lifespan of the sensor or digital screens that show the current and peak level of CO measured in the air.

Digital Carbon Monoxide Alarm - Kidde 5DCO
Digital Carbon Monoxide Alarm - Kidde 5DCO
  • Product Life: 10 years
  • Battery: AA batteries included
  • Warranty: 7 year warranty
  • Displays CO levels from 10ppm
  • Peak Level Memory - recalls highest CO levels
  • CE Marked and UKCA Marked
  • Kitemarked to BS EN 50291-1: 2018 (domestic use)
  • Also suitable for the 2022 Welsh legislation
£13.19 ex VAT
£15.83 inc VAT
Buy Now

Angie Dewick-Eisele

Director

Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.