A recent fire at the National Archives in Kew, home to some of the UK’s most important historical documents, was tackled by 20 firefighters. The blaze was caused by two disused water towers at the site in Richmond, South-West London.
The National Archives is the official UK government archive and publisher and holds 11 million historical documents of national importance, some dating back more than 1,000 years. Among its collection are the Domesday Book, parchments, electronic records, photographs, posters, maps and paintings.
Fortunately everyone was evacuated from the building safely and no documents were damaged although the building was closed to the public for a short period for recovery.
This type of incident focuses people’s attention on the importance of preserving key documents and items of irreplaceable value, not just for large national institutions but also for businesses and individuals. For this reason more and more people are looking at ways to preserve such items in the event of a fire.
And, in the light of recent floods we are increasingly being asked for safes that will provide water protection as well. We have a range of fire and waterproof safes for paper documents and digital media that start at under £200. These fireproof safes with water protection have UL certification and have passed submersion testing to ensure their suitability.
Safelincs supplies Handelsbanken, a leading Swedish Bank with over 700 branches in 24 countries, 147 branches of which are in the UK, with fire safety products such as fire extinguishers. Purchasing fire extinguishers from Safelincs gives Handelsbanken full protection. Should the extinguishers ever be used, Safelincs will immediately replace the extinguishers. So, when on the 21st of October a CO2 fire extinguisher was used by the fire brigade in one of the Handelsbanken branches, Safelincs immediately replaced the extinguisher, free of charge.
We want our customers to use their fire fighting equipment without ever having to worry about the aftermath. This applies not only to extinguishers – all fire safety equipment bought from us used on or affected by fire is covered by our free replacement guarantee.
We were always convinced that our P50 service free extinguishers made from a Kevlar-type aramid were almost in-destructable. Nevertheless, when one of our engineers was visiting one of our customers, a refinery on the east coast, he was surprised when he was handed a fire extinguisher that had been run over by a van and that it was still fully pressurised!
This is not that surprising when you know that 1 in 500 of these extinguishers are tested by pressurising them 12,000 times from zero bar to 25 bar. And after they have undergone this harsh test, they are crushed flat by a steel blade before being re-inflated without being allowed to leak at 55 bar!
The P50 service free extinguisher is suitable for the harshest of environments, including outdoors.
Safelincs has worked in conjunction with a local authority and the fire service to solve an issue that arose with a child suffering from severe emotional and behavioural problems.
The child resides with a foster family and everything in his bedroom has to be padded with any sharp objects removed to prevent him from harming himself. The same degree of prevention could not be carried out in the rest of the house which meant that the child needed to be confined to his bedroom at night.
The concern with locking a child or a person with behavioural problems in their bedroom is that if a fire should break out, the person would be trapped and unable to escape.
The solution was to fit a magnetic lock outside the child’s door. The strong electromagnet keeps the door closed, but if a smoke alarm anywhere in the house is triggered the electricity fails and the magnet loses power; releasing the door which can then be opened. There is a switch next to the bedroom door for opening of the door, as well as an override in the kitchen, so that the lock can be released manually at any point in time and from different parts of the building.
The bespoke solution was put together by Safelincs utilising existing products. The foster parents are now able to sleep in the knowledge that the child cannot come to harm in his own room.
“We worked closely with the fire service and the Children’s Services at the local authority,” explained Stuart Baxter. “Our solution could easily be replicated for people in similar circumstances.”
The P50 service free extinguisher turned more than a few heads on the Safelincs stand at the recent Facilities Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
Facilities managers who attend the annual event are always looking for innovative ways to cut costs and provide better service for their clients. They didn’t take much persuading to see the benefits and potential savings offered by the P50.
Traditional extinguishers require servicing each year but P50s are constructed using a composite material that will not rust or corrode. This protects the contents and no discharge testing or refills are required for ten years. The expensive annual service by an external engineer is no longer necessary– just a straightforward yearly test that can easily be carried out by an organisation’s in-house staff.
After ten years the P50s can be refilled and used for a further ten years.
Safelincs’ managing director, Harry Dewick-Eisele was at the show and had the opportunity to speak to many facilities managers. “Those with responsibility for large estates could see savings running into thousands of pounds,” he said. “A good number were going back to their offices to weigh up how quickly they could replace their existing appliances and start cutting costs.”
According to statistics published by the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service in 2012, around 80 people die each year in in the UK after their clothing catches fire.
If your own clothing catches fire you should take the following course of action:
STAY where you are—moving or running feeds air to the flames and worsens the fire.
DROP to the floor—if you stand up, the fire can burn your face. Fold your arms high on your chest to protect your face.
ROLL slowly on the floor or ground, in a rug or blanket if you can.
COOL off as soon as possible with water for first and second degree burns. *
If you are in the position of helping somebody else whose clothing has caught fire you should apply the steps above. In addition there is one type of fire extinguisher that can be recommended for such a situation. See the video.
The Jewel E-Series Water Mist Fire Extinguisher is a new type of extinguisher, which works by dispersing microscopic ‘dry’ water mist particles to suppress fires and extinguish burning materials, The speed at which it takes effect, combined with the rapid cooling it induces, make it the perfect extinguisher to have to hand should a fire of this nature break out.
Jewel E-Series Water Mist Fire Extinguishers are the first broad-spectrum fire extinguishers. They can be used on almost every common fire including deep fat fryer fires. They are perfect for kitchens, as they contain no harmful substances and leave no residues. The extinguisher’s supersonic nozzle disperses microscopic ‘dry’ water mist particles to suppress fires and extinguish burning materials. The 35kV dielectrical test ensures that the extinguishers can be safely used near electrical equipment.
*In a serious fireroom temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. This heat can melt clothes to a victim’s skin. Never peel the clothing off – leave the treatment to medical professionals.
Many homes and small businesses are equipped with mains powered smoke alarms to BS5839 part 6 Grade D. These alarms are usually linked with cable and have to be installed by electricians. When increasing the number of smoke and heat alarms at a later date, it is costly and disruptive to run extra cable to the additional alarms, decorations are damaged and dust is created.
With the Aico Ei140 series (Ei141, Ei144, Ei146) and the Aico Ei160 series (Ei161, Ei164, Ei166), adding more smoke alarms to the group of alarms can be very simple using radio-interlinking.
Just one existing smoke alarm is taken off the ceiling and its existing base plate replaced with the RF base plate Ei168. This exchange, while very swift and simple, should be carried out by an electrician. The old alarm then simply slots onto the newly fitted base plate. Now you can install any of the radio-interlinked smoke alarm ranges from AICO/Ei in the additional rooms you wish to protect. The new radio-linked alarms will then communicate fully with the old system. This means that if any of the smoke alarms goes off (old or new alarms), the rest of the alarms will sound an alarm as well.
You have three choices to achieve this extension with radio-interlinked smoke alarms:
1) Install more mains powered alarms together with RF base plates. Their electrical power supply can be drawn from the nearest light fitting. This solution will require an electrician for all the work. However, this is a solution that will guarantee the Grade D rating of your installation. There is obviously no cabling required between the units, as the radio signal will communicate between the new alarms and, through the single converted old smoke alarm, with the old system. There are additional add-ons you can include in this system, such as RF manual break points and handheld controls for testing and, in the case of the Ei160 series, even for silencing and to locate the source of an alarm.
List of Alarms and add-ons available:
Series installed already
Mains powered RF Smoke alarms available
Manual break points available (optional). Wireless and 10 year battery
2) If you want to save the cost for the electrician and want to speed up the installation process, you can install battery operated radio-interlinked alarms. One of the radio-interlinked families is the Ei600 series, which comes with a sealed-in ten year power supply. This system is usually accepted as a Grade D system, even though formally, as it does not contain mains power, it is not classified as a grade D system. If you have to satisfy a Building Inspector or the fire service, it makes therefore good sense to get their agreement before installing the system.
List of battery operated alarms and add-ons available:
Series installed already
Battery operated RF smoke alarms
Manual break points available (optional). Wireless and 10 year battery
3) If you are not required to install in accordance to BS5839 Part 6 Grade D (eg older houses built prior to introduction of Building Regulations), you can also use radio-interlinked smoke alarms with alkaline backup batteries which must be replaced every year or two. This is of course the cheapest way of expanding your existing smoke alarm system. Again, all alarms will go off together, both the new as well as the old alarms.
List of radio-interlinked, battery operated alarms and add-ons available:
Series installed already
Battery operated RF smoke alarms
Manual break points available (optional). Wireless and 10 year battery
As well as testing your smoke and heat alarms on a regular basis, it is important to make a note of when the units actually need to be replaced. Studies have shown that the functionality of smoke and heat alarms can start to deteriorate when they reach a lifespan of 10 years. Each smoke and heat alarm should have a “replace by date” visible on the outside of the unit and we recommend that you adhere to this guideline.
When replacing a smoke alarm it can be quite difficult to recognise a suitable replacement product. In some cases, you may find that the current alarm model has been discontinued. With battery operated alarms, as there is no wiring in place, it is much easier to replace the unit for another smoke alarm with like-for-like features. Mains powered alarms are hard wired and are most likely interconnected during installation. It is because of this that finding replacement detectors can be difficult.
Working with Kidde Safety Europe, Safelincs are able to provide a list of mains powered discontinued Kidde smoke and heat alarms, along with their suitable product equivalents.
The new alarms will interlink with other, still working units of the previously installed smoke alarms. This means that there is no need to replace all of the units within a system if only some of the installed detectors have reached the end of their recommended lifespan. All new mains powered smoke and heat alarms are provided with a mounting bracket and a wiring connector. It is important to note that you need to replace the existing mounting base and re-connect the wiring to fit the new units. With any mains powered alarms, all electrical work should be carried out by a qualified electrician.
Safelincs offer a smoke alarm reminder service which allows customers to be notified when their smoke and heat alarms are due to be replaced, when the batteries need to be changed and reminds customers to test their alarms on a regular basis. The service is completely free and customers can choose if they wish to be reminded by email, SMS text message or by Twitter.
The fire triangle is made up of three elements, which are the three components needed for a fire to start and burn: fuel, oxygen and heat. Removing one of these elements will prevent the fire from spreading and causing irreversible damage. Fire protection equipment will help you and your staff break the triangle, reducing potential risks of damage to a building or loss of life.
The Fire Triangle: Heat, Fuel, Oxygen.
The three elements of fire explained
Heat
Heat must be present for a fire to ignite. Flammable materials constantly release flammable vapours, where heat is present, these vapours will ignite and start to burn.
Once a fire has started, heat from the fire will dry and remove moisture from surrounding materials (fuel), which results in the fire spreading.
Fuel
A fire needs fuel to burn and feed it. Fuel can be in the form of any combustible material such as paper, wood, textiles, oil, liquids etc. Removing the fuel will prevent a fire from spreading or starting in the first place.
Oxygen
Without oxygen, a fire cannot ignite and continue to burn. Oxygen is all around, making this one of the most significant factors of the fire triangle.
How does fire safety equipment break the fire triangle?
Installing fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and fire blankets, can help stop a small fire from spreading. Fire blankets deprive the flame of oxygen by covering it, killing the fire.
Many fire extinguishers, such as foam and water fire extinguishers, work in the same way; either by covering the flame and its fuel to remove oxygen, or by cooling the fire and any nearby fuel, reducing the risk of the fire spreading. Water Mist fire extinguishers deploy a cooling mist, and are safe to use on live electrical equipment up to 1000V, making them an ideal extinguisher for businesses, education, hospitality and the care sector.
Although fire safety equipment can be a useful tool in stopping a small fire from spreading, a fire should only be tackled if staff are trained to use them, and are confident in what they are doing.
Water Mist fire extinguishers are ideal for businesses, education, hospitality and the care sector.
To prepare your staff to effectively extinguish fires, there are a variety of on-site fire safety training courses available. This includes fire safety awareness and fire warden training, as well as evacuation training to ensure that staff can escape to a place of safety until the fire is under control. These training courses will not only reduce the risk of a fire breaking out on your premises by enabling staff to reduce the risk of fire in their daily duties, but also improve responses and outcomes in the event of a fire.
Preventing a fire from starting in the first place is always the best form of fire safety. Encourage staff to keep an eye out for potential causes of fire, such as faulty electrical equipment or hazardous materials, and use flammable liquid storage cabinets to reduce the risk of these flammable liquids igniting.
All staff must be trained to safely evacuate to a place of safety in the event of a fire.
Employers are required by law to ensure that all employees receive adequate fire safety training. Employers must also provide adequate equipment, such as evacuation chairs and evacuation sheets, to ensure everyone in the building can safely evacuate.
For more information about the best fire safety equipment for your business, or to arrange a site survey, contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the three elements of the fire triangle?
The three elements of the fire triangle are heat, fuel and oxygen. These three components are essential for a fire to start and continue burning. Understanding the three elements of the fire triangle is fundamental to fire safety. Heat provides the ignition source that allows flammable vapours to ignite. Fuel gives the fire something to burn and feed on, which can be paper, wood, textiles, oils or other combustible materials. Oxygen, which is present in the air around us, supports combustion. When all three elements come together, a fire can start and spread. Fire safety equipment works by breaking the fire triangle, removing one of these critical elements to extinguish flames.
What element of the fire triangle does a fire blanket remove?
A fire blanket removes the oxygen element of the fire triangle. When you place a fire blanket over flames, it creates a barrier between the fire and the surrounding air, cutting off the oxygen supply. What element of the fire triangle a fire blanket removes is important to understand because, without oxygen, combustion cannot continue, and the fire will die out. Fire blankets are designed to be placed over small fires, completely covering them to prevent oxygen from reaching the flames. This makes fire blankets particularly effective for small contained fires, such as small frying pan fires or waste bin fires, where smothering is an appropriate extinguishing method.
What do foam extinguishers remove from the triangle?
Foam extinguishers remove both oxygen and heat from the triangle. When you discharge a foam extinguisher onto a fire, the foam creates a blanket over the fuel surface, separating it from oxygen in the air. Additionally, the water content in foam extinguishers helps remove the heat element from the fire triangle by providing a cooling effect. The foam works by floating on flammable liquids, preventing flammable vapours from rising and mixing with oxygen while simultaneously cooling the fuel below its ignition temperature. This dual-action makes foam extinguishers particularly effective for fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.
What element of the fire triangle does a fire blanket remove and therefore put out a fire?
A fire blanket removes the oxygen element of the fire triangle and therefore puts out a fire by smothering it. When considering what element of the fire triangle a fire blanket removes and therefore puts out a fire, understanding this smothering action is essential. Fire blankets are typically made from fire-resistant materials that can be safely placed over a small fire to create an airtight seal. This seal prevents oxygen from reaching the flames, which interrupts the combustion process. Without access to oxygen, the chemical reaction that sustains a fire cannot continue, and the flames will extinguish. This makes fire blankets an effective tool for tackling small, contained fires – particularly in kitchens or laboratories.
A fire blanket removes which element of fire?
The answer is oxygen. Fire blankets are designed to completely cover a fire, creating a barrier that prevents oxygen from reaching the flames. By removing this crucial element from the fire triangle, the combustion process cannot continue. When you place a fire blanket over a fire, you’re effectively cutting off its air supply. Fire blankets are particularly useful for small fires that can be completely covered, such as pan fires in kitchens or clothing fires. Remember that fire blankets should only be used by people who have been properly trained in their use and when it’s safe to approach the fire.
What element of the fire triangle does the blanket remove?
You stop combustion and extinguish a fire by removing at least one of the three elements of the fire triangle: heat, fuel or oxygen. Different fire extinguishing methods target different elements. Water-based extinguishers primarily remove heat by cooling the burning material below its ignition temperature. Foam extinguishers create a barrier that removes both oxygen and heat. Powder extinguishers interrupt the chemical chain reaction of combustion. CO2 extinguishers displace oxygen. Fire blankets remove oxygen by smothering the flames. The most appropriate method depends on the type and size of fire you’re dealing with. Always ensure you’re trained in proper fire safety techniques before attempting to extinguish any fire, and prioritise evacuation to a place of safety if the fire is too large or spreading quickly.
When would it be appropriate to smother a fire with a fire blanket?
It would be appropriate to smother a fire with a fire blanket when dealing with small, contained fires, particularly those involving cooking oils or fats in kitchen pans or when a person’s clothing has caught fire. Fire blankets work by removing oxygen from the fire triangle, making them ideal for situations where the fire is limited to a small area that can be completely covered. They are also usually suitable for fires involving small electrical appliances such as toasters or hairdryers in their early stages, as the blanket provides insulation from electrical current. However, you should only attempt to smother a fire with a fire blanket if you’ve been trained in its proper use, if the fire is small enough to be completely covered, and if you can safely approach the fire without putting yourself at risk.
Fire doors play a critical role in preventing the spread of smoke and fire, protecting lives and also properties. However, the effectiveness of fire doors depends heavily on their maintenance, including having well-maintained fire door seals. Over time, fire door seals can deteriorate, become damaged or no longer meet safety standards, which leads to a key question; should you retrofit or replace them?
Can you modify a fire-rated door?
Any modifications to your fire door, including structural changes, should be carried out strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and only by an accredited and competent individual. Any modifications to your fire door could affect its certification. Regular maintenance on fire doors is essential to ensure the doors are up to specification and still effective. BSI recommend that fire door inspections should be caried out every 6 months, but this guidance may need to be adapted depending on the location of the door, the fire risks that exist and the amount of use it has. In residential high rise blocks, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 states fire doors should be checked more regularly; our help guide provides further information on this. Intumescent strips should be inspected within this check to ensure they effectively seal against fire and smoke, forming a secure barrier.
Safelincs offer fire door seals for fire and smoke protection. Both use intumescent material that expands in a fire to seal the gap. Smoke protection seals also have a brush to block smoke before the intumescent material is activated. Smoke seals are rarely omitted, one occasion is when doors lead to areas without smoke detectors, triggering alarms in circulation areas.
Fire door seals are fitted on three sides of a fire door, leaving the bottom gap uncovered. There are products available to prevent smoke from escaping under doors if necessary.
Drop down smoke seals offer a fast and convenient solution. They function with a graduated scissor action, dropping to the floor to prevent smoke passing through. For retrofitting, surface mounted drop down smoke seals are an alternative option, as they require no routing or rebating.
How to replace fire door seals and can you retrofit intumescent seals?
Fire door seals can be replaced or retrofitted with intumescent seals depending on the condition of the door. Rebated intumescent fire door seals can be fitted where a rebate exists or the current seal is damaged. The seals are fitted into the existing rebates either in the door leaf or frame. However, modifying rebates requires a certified professional, as it may impact the fire door’s certification.
To avoid having to cut a rebate in either the door or the frame, surface mounted fire door seals can be fitted. These are applied easily by sticking to the frame or door with their self-adhesive backing.
If you are unsure on the condition of your fire doors, a fire door inspection allows a qualified inspector to assess your fire doors, ensuring they are fit for purpose and will provide adequate protection against fires. A clear report is provided indicating in detail which doors are compliant and where further action is required.
Can you retrofit intumescent seals?
Yes, you can retrofit intumescent seals; following a fire risk assessment, doors are sometimes re-designated as fire doors if the door and frame are substantial enough to be justifiably counted as a nominal fire door. The same applies to older fire doors which do not follow the latest specifications. In these cases, fire door seals can be retrofitted.
Do fire door seals need to be replaced?
Fire door seals do not need to be replaced unless they are damaged, missing, or ineffective. Intumescent seals do not degrade with age in day-to-day circumstances. Regular inspections can identify issues, and replacements must follow manufacturer guidelines or be done by a certified professional to ensure compliance with fire safety standards.
A recent fire at the National Archives in Kew, home to some of the UK’s most important historical documents, was tackled by 20 firefighters. The blaze was caused by two disused water towers at the site in Richmond, South-West London.
Safelincs supplies Handelsbanken, a leading Swedish Bank with over 700 branches in 24 countries, 147 branches of which are in the UK, with fire safety products such as fire extinguishers. Purchasing fire extinguishers from Safelincs gives Handelsbanken full protection. Should the extinguishers ever be used, Safelincs will immediately replace the extinguishers. So, when on the 21st of October a 
Safelincs offer