Types of Asbestos Surveys and When They Are Needed – Guest Article by Artisan Environmental

When considering both efficient and compliant management of Asbestos within properties and sites that you occupy, manage, develop, or are looking to acquire, it is important that you carry out the correct type of survey, at the right time and in the right order.

There are different types of asbestos survey, each designed for different scenarios and timelines. Let’s consider a brief overview of each;

Asbestos Management Survey. This is a full inspection and sampling survey of a building, with detailed investigation of every floor, room, basements, roof voids, external fabric and outbuildings. All accessible areas and building components are accessed, however no damage is caused to building fabric or décor. Only accessible Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) will be sampled and recorded. Any suspect materials that can be accessed should be sampled for analysis and should not be just presumed to contain asbestos.

Management Surveys are appropriate for acquisition Due Diligence prior to purchase, and for creating an Asbestos Register for ongoing management of an occupied building or site. While legally required for management of commercial buildings and the communal areas of residential flats, it may also be prudent to consider for a residential purchase to reduce potential risk, both to health and financially.

The building areas should be vacant for the survey, and damage will likely be caused to building fabric to gain the level of access required. For smaller refurbishment projects it is often  possible to make good and re-occupy, or even conduct a specifically tailored survey on an occupied building. A good consultant should be able to assess your SoW and advise accordingly on this matter to help you minimise disruption, cost and risk.

Asbestos Demolition Survey. This is a fully intrusive survey carried out in the same way as a Refurbishment Survey. The 2 survey types are collectively known as Asbestos Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys.

All areas of the building fabric must be fully accessed to identify all ACMs prior to demolition. The building should be vacant, and due to the level of access and damage required it is usually not economical to make good and re-occupy prior to demolition.

Asbestos Sampling Survey. In certain circumstances, for example where an asbestos register is in place but a room or part of the building fabric was excluded, then a sampling survey can be carried out to specifically take samples of suspect materials without conducting a full survey. This approach should be used with care and should not replace a Management or R&D Survey.

Asbestos Re-Inspection Survey. Once ACMs have been identified within a building, the survey report will include an Asbestos Register. This should include details of the type of material, location, asbestos type, finish and condition, along with a Material Risk Assessment (MA) of each ACM and a recommendation on how the material should be treated or managed moving forwards.

The ‘Duty Holder’ in charge of the building should then put in place an Asbestos Management Plan, including a Priority Risk Assessment (PA), which assesses the likelihood that each ACM may be accessed or potentially damaged considering different variables around occupation and use of the building. The combination of the MA and PA will then give the overall Risk Assessment score of each ACM and this in turn will help to manage and prioritise any required remedial actions.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR2012) specifies that ACMs should be inspected annually, primarily to ensure the level of damage has not changed, hence increasing the risk level of that material. This is carried out by means of an Asbestos Re-Inspection Survey in order to maintain ongoing compliance.

Do I only need one survey type? Different surveys can be conducted in sequence to reduce risk while maintaining compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. For example, an Asbestos Management Survey prior to purchase will locate most, if not all ACMs within the building in the majority of cases, thereby significantly reducing risk of unknown costs following acquisition. This survey could also be carried out at the early stages of a development project if the building is still occupied, again to identify ACMs and reduce risk of disruption to the SoW.

Once the building is acquired and/or vacated the survey can then be topped up to an R&D Survey to ensure compliance prior to refurbishment, conversion or demolition. Any ACMs that remain in situ can then be monitored annually by way of a Re-Inspection survey to ensure the Asbestos Management Plan remains up to date and in compliance with the legislation.

The earlier you speak to an asbestos consultant prior to acquisition or while planning proposed works the better. This will ensure that the right surveys can be scheduled at the right time and will save you from headache and undue cost down the line.

Alec Smith BS. AFAAM
Director

If you need any help with Asbestos Surveys and Management then you can get in touch with Artisan at;

Tel:      01329 800650
Email: enquiries@artisanenvironmental.co.uk
Web:   www.artisanenvironmental.co.uk

Are you looking for fire plan services? Do you require a fire plan for your business that meets the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005? Or a fire risk assessment?At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we can create a variety of fire evacuation and procedure plans that suit the needs of your business while complying with current legislation.

Fire plan services we offer include:

• Fire Escape Plans
• Fire Equipment Plans
• Fire Alarm Zone Plans
• Fire Compartmentation Plans
• Occupancy Assessment Plans

We can provide you with a diagram of the fire equipment and firefighting devices in your premises. This diagram is a map that highlights locations of fire alarms, fire detectors, call points, fire extinguishers, fire blankets, emergency lighting and test switches. This map is essential information for use in an emergency, as well as in the case of servicing fire equipment.

The importance of a fire plan

A fire is a great risk for businesses and people, and can start from anything such as a discarded cigarette, faulty electrical equipment or negligence when cooking in a kitchen. A fire safety plan can help you to keep your employees and equipment within your business premises safe. A fire safety plan is a detailed document that covers all aspects of fire safety for your premises. An effective fire plan will state specific maintenance that needs to be carried out to prevent fires, methods to minimise fire damage, details of emergency and evacuation procedures, how fire drills are conducted and their frequency, and maintenance procedures for fire protection systems.

A fire plan will also detail the layout of a premises, points of entry and exit, escape routes, fire doors, fire alarm system, emergency lights, portable fire equipment, and sprinkler systems plus any equipment provided for fire fighters. There are various types of fire plan, which are listed below:

Fire evacuation and procedure plans

This type of fire plan is produced in an A3 format and is specifically made to suit the safety strategy of your building. It typically covers the building’s fire procedure on one side, and supporting information on the other. Points of evacuation are detailed, as well as a plan of the assembly point.

Fire escape plans

Fire escape plans play a vital role in keeping occupants in your building safe. Installing a fire escape plan gives occupants essential information that they need prior to an emergency, so that they know what to do and how to safely leave the building should an emergency happen.

Fire alarm zone plans

This type of fire plan is split into different zones to help locate the source of a fire, or to identify where it is currently located and spreading to. This resource is helpful in noting false alarms and any fire alarm system faults.

Fire compartmentation plans

This type of plan is essential for maintaining and preserving a building’s fire protection measures such as solid compartment walls, fire-related walls and fire doors.

In order to keep the occupants of a building safe, it is important that a building has the proper fire stopping methods installed to prevent fire from spreading and causing damage to life and property. Every building layout is different, therefore every fire plan will be different. At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we can create a fire plan that is completely bespoke to your premises and that meets current fire safety legislation.

The law states that buildings and premises must be compartmentalised to prevent the spread of fire from one area to another. Such compartmentalisation is achieved through the use of fire-rated doors, which help to contain a fire while enabling occupants to safely evacuate a building. Effective fire-rated doors are essential to keep the occupants of a building safe. Correctly made and installed doors will hold back fire and smoke, preventing the spread of fire while helping escape routes to remain accessible. Fire-rated doors have two important functions in the case of a fire emergency – they hold back smoke and flames to stop them from spreading (when closed), and provide an effective means of escape (when opened). Every fire-rated door acts as a barrier to the passage of fire and smoke. There are two main categories of fire-rated doors – FD30 and FD60, offering 30 and 60 minutes of protection against fire. Fire doors must always be kept shut and not left open. If you leave a fire door open, you are breaking UK fire safety regulations.

At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we have everything you need to carry out timber fire-rated door inspections, maintenance, repairs, and we can also offer guidance and advice on the types of fire-rated doors you require for your premises.

What is a fire-rated door made of?

Most fire-rated doors are made from timber and are tested to see if they meet current legislation requirements and to ensure that they resist a fire for a specified period of time. Only a fire-rated door that has been properly constructed, certified and correctly installed will be able to contain the spread of smoke and eventually a fire. Metal fire-rated doors are also available in the UK. The level of protection provided by a fire-rated door is determined by the length of time that a door can hold back flames. Once a door’s integrity has been breached, it is no longer effective. Some doors hold back flames for 30 minutes, while others can hold flames back for one or two hours. It is possible to upgrade the fire resistance of the current timber fire-rated doors in your premises. Speak to our team to see how we can help you achieve this.

Fire-rated door inspections

Fire-rated doors should be inspected on a six-month basis to ensure that their integrity is intact. Our fire-rated door inspections at RES Fire Protection Engineers are designed to identify issues or problems with fire-rated doors such as:

• Self-closing devices that are not working correctly, or are missing
• Damage to fire-rated doors
• Removal of locks without suitable repairs
• Poorly fitting doors that have been caused by shrinkage or distortion
• Damage to doors from wear and tear
• Inappropriate door furniture
• Missing or incorrect mandatory door signage

We can also install timber fire-rated door sets in places where they should be positioned in a building. Speak to us today about the requirements of your premises, or we can carry out an inspection for you and advise on where you should position fire-rated doors. We also provide fire door reports and surveys, which are usually costed per door. You will receive a report with photos, containing advice and details relating to your premises.

Fire-rated doors can save lives if implemented correctly. Every building layout is different, therefore different premises will require different fire-rated door plans. We can advise on the correct fire-rated door solutions for your premises. We cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

A fire extinguisher is an essential piece of fire-fighting equipment that needs to work straight away when it is required by a user. It has to be reliable at all times – which means that business owners must ensure that fire extinguishers are regularly checked and serviced. As they are highly pressurised, fire extinguishers always carry the risk of bursting or causing injury to others. According to the Regulatory Fire Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005, all fire-fighting equipment (including extinguishers), must be well-maintained and kept in efficient working order/repair.

Fire extinguisher servicing

There are two different types of fire extinguisher service – a visual inspection and annual maintenance. In a visual inspection, an inspector will check the location of the extinguisher to determine that it is located in the correct place, where it can be easily seen and accessed. The instructions will be checked to ensure that they are facing outwards where they can be easily and clearly read, and the overall condition of the extinguisher will be checked to determine whether it has already been used, and whether it has suffered any damage or has any missing parts. Tamper indicators are checked to see if they have been broken.

In an annual maintenance service, as well as a visual inspection, a fire extinguisher needs to be checked for corrosion, and assessed to see whether it needs to be refilled or re-pressurised. Most fire extinguishers (water, foam and powder) need discharge testing every five years. If you have a CO2 fire extinguisher, this will need a pressure test every 10 years to insure the cylinder is safe to continue to be pressurised and a new valve will be installed. You can have your extinguisher refurbished in this way, or in some cases it may be worth purchasing a new fire extinguisher.

As a business-owner, you are legally obliged to effectively maintain your fire-fighting equipment so that your staff and visitors are protected. At RES Protection Engineers, the servicing process is straightforward and affordable. When you have a fire extinguisher service with us, our BAFE registered technicians will carry out inspections and servicing in accordance with BS 5306. Following the service, you’ll receive the relevant documentation required. We can also service portable fire extinguishers, hose reels, trolley units and fire blankets to ensure that they are suitable for use in line with current legislation. All services are undertaken by BAFE registered technicians. We also offer an emergency call-out service, here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Fire extinguisher sales and hire

Do you require a new fire extinguisher for your business? We can meet your requirements. All of our fire extinguishers are produced to European Standard EN3, and come with a five year guarantee. We offer discounts for large quantity orders. If you’d rather hire a fire extinguisher, we can provide hire services for up to six months.

Fire extinguisher service from RES

If you require fire extinguisher servicing, maintenance or repairs, RES engineers can carry out a comprehensive and affordable service. Our fire extinguisher services cover the South of England including the counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire including London, Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, Bristol, and the surrounding towns of Aldershot, Basingstoke, Beaconsfield, Bracknell, Cirencester, Egham, Farnham, Guildford, Henley on Thames, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Newbury, Oxford, Poole, Reading, Slough, St Albans, Staines, Swindon, Watford, Windsor, Woking, Wokingham and Worthing.

The importance of a fire blanket

In the case of a fire, a fire blanket helps to control flames and extinguish fires that are most commonly caused by cooking oils in kitchens. You can also use a fire blanket if clothing is on fire, or if an item such as a waste bin has caught alight. By covering the fire with a fire blanket, the supply of oxygen is cut to the fire, minimising its spread. At RES Fire Protection Engineers, our fire blankets have been certified and tested to the most stringent requirements of BS EN 1869:1997.

In a business premises, the most frequent location of a fire blanket is in a kitchen area, where cooking equipment is located. A fire blanket should always be positioned at least two metres away from a cooker, and fixed to the wall. When a fire occurs in a kitchen, it is normally on or around the cooker. To use a fire blanket, pull out the blanket from its pouch and hold the blanket between you and the fire. Protect your hands by inserting them into the sleeves of the fire blanket, keeping your fingers away from exposure as you are holding it. Place the fire blanket over the fire and step back immediately. Do not attempt to try and lift up the fire blanket until you are sure that the fire has been put out. Fire blankets should be discarded after use and not re-used.

Using a fire blanket

For a fire to burn and quickly spread, it requires fuel, heat and oxygen. A fire blanket is used to cut off this supply of oxygen to a fire, and should successfully put it out completely. A fire blanket must be sealed around the fire for it to work effectively, to stop oxygen from getting to the flames. Fire blankets usually have two ‘tails’ that are visible from its packaging. When using a fire blanket, you should place one hand on each tag ‘tail’ and pull simultaneously to remove the blanket from its packaging. If a person’s clothing is on fire, you should use a fire blanket in the same way and make sure that it is correctly sealed around the fire to prevent air escape.

Fire blanket installation and servicing

If you require fire blankets for a business environment, they should receive an annual service along with your other fire-fighting equipment. Service charges for fire blankets are usually half of that for extinguishers, and having your fire blanket serviced can save lives. An RES engineer will unpack the blanket and carry out a full inspection to ensure that the quality of the blanket still meets the legally required standard before placing it back into its packaging. An engineer will check for signs of wear, stains and any other types of oil staining, and will inform you of any holes in the blanket that may stop the blanket from working properly in the case of a fire. You will receive a certificate containing details of the fire blanket service.

Fire blankets from RES

At RES, we provide fire blankets that meet the most stringent requirements of BS EN 1869:1997. Our services cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent,

At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we offer powder and CO2 extinguishers for electrical-based fires. A powder extinguisher can be used on electrical hazards when combustibility is a danger (including applications on engines and machinery). A CO2 extinguisher is ideal for instances where vast amounts of electrical equipment is on fire, i.e. in an office or server room full of computer components.

Powder extinguisher

Powder extinguishers are very versatile and can be used on class A, B and C fires. They can be used on fires involving electrical equipment, but there is a risk that the fire could reignite, as the extinguisher cannot cool the fire down. Powder extinguishers are only suitable for open spaces and should be used in areas where there is plenty of ventilation, as they can create breathing difficulties and loss of visibility (especially in smoke-shrouded locations). They shouldn’t be used indoors unless there is no other option. Powder fire extinguishers are marked with a blue label.    

CO2 carbon dioxide extinguishers

If you need a fire extinguisher for a large space containing great volumes of electrical equipment (such as a server room with lots of computers, or a production line with lots of electrical machinery), the safest choice is a CO2 carbon dioxide extinguisher. This type of extinguisher can be used without leaving a residue (unlike powder and foam extinguishers). A CO2 extinguisher smothers a fire so that it doesn’t receive extra oxygen that can fuel it and cause it to spread. It reduces the supply of air to the fire, and is ideal for application to electrical equipment that is ablaze. CO2 extinguishers are marked with a black label.

RES Fire Protection Engineers offer both powder and CO2 fire extinguisher solutions for environments containing electrical equipment, including the following:

Fire extinguisher purchase and hire

Do you require powder or CO2 fire extinguishers for rooms holding electrical equipment? We can meet your requirements at RES Fire Protection Engineers. Our entire range of fire extinguishers are produced to adhere to European Standard EN3, and all have a five year guarantee. We offer discounts for large quantity orders. We also offer electrical fire extinguisher hire services for up to six months.

Servicing/refilling electrical fire extinguishers

If your electrical fire extinguisher needs maintenance or routine checks, we can service portable fire extinguishers, hose reels, trolley units and fire blankets to ensure that they are suitable for use in line with current legislation and British Standards. All extinguisher services are conducted by BAFE registered technicians. We also have an emergency call-out service, here for customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our engineers can also refill your fire extinguishers at either our premises or through our refilling service vans, 5 days a week from 8am-5pm.

Chrome and stainless steel fittings

We offer stainless steel and chrome fittings to indicate action signs, prohibition signs and fire-fighting signs in relation to your fire safety equipment and fire extinguishers. Single or double stands for your extinguishers can also be provided.

Purchase, hire and maintenance of electrical fire extinguishers from RES

Do you require an electrical fire extinguisher for your business so that your staff and premises can be kept safe? We provide a wide range of fire extinguishers for either purchase or hire, and can service and maintain them for you on an ongoing basis. Talk to RES about your business requirements today. We cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

If you require fire extinguishers click here Better than wholesale fire extinguishers

What should you use a water fire extinguisher for?

A water fire extinguisher should be used on textile fires, as well as fires caused by burning paper or wood materials. They are also suitable for any other ‘Class A’ graded fires. A water fire extinguisher is ideal for cooling down fires while extinguishing them. In the case of fires caused by burning textiles, the liquid water saturates the fabric to extinguish the flames. Because they do not contain any harsh chemicals, water fire extinguishers are ideal for children’s play areas, food-preparation areas and in areas where there may be vulnerable people. They are also environmentally friendly. Many businesses choose water fire extinguishers because they are easy to refill and cost-effective. That said, a large quantity of water fire extinguishers is needed to cover larger areas, as the water is very quickly used up within a single water fire extinguisher. Sizes available include capacities of 3 litres, 6 litres and 9 litres.

If you intend to use a water fire extinguisher to fight fires caused by electrical equipment, extinguishers with special chemicals inside them are available to prevent current flow and to ensure safe application without electrocution. Water fire extinguishers work well with CO2 extinguishers, and are suitable for home use.   

What does a water fire extinguisher look like?

Water fire extinguishers are red in colour and match the body of the extinguisher. They usually have ‘water extinguisher’ marked on them. At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we always recommend installing signs next to your fire extinguishers to clearly indicate their purpose and nature.

Limitations of water fire extinguishers

Never use water fire extinguishers for the following types of fire:

• Electrical fires (unless they have special chemicals inside to prevent electrocution)
• Cooking related fires (such as a chip-pan fire).
• Fires involving gasses such as methane
• Fires involving highly flammable substances such as petrol or alcohol

How to use a water fire extinguisher

Water fire extinguishers are very simple and safe to use. Remove the safety pin to break the seal on the extinguisher, before pointing the nozzle at the base of the fire and spraying by squeezing the handle. Ensure that the fire is properly extinguished (keep spraying if you are unsure).

Water fire extinguisher purchase and hire from RES

If you require water fire extinguishers for your business, we can meet your requirements at RES Fire Protection Engineers. Our water fire extinguishers adhere to European Standard EN3, with a five year guarantee. We offer discounts for large quantity orders, and hire services for up to six months if you do not want to purchase an extinguisher. We can also refill and maintain your water fire extinguishers, either filling them at our premises or using our mobile vans.

If you require fire extinguishers click here Better than wholesale fire extinguishers

Talk to RES about your business requirements today. We cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire extinguishers are appropriate when used to fight fire caused by burning substances such as wood. They are also suitable for fires involving the igniting of flammable liquids such as petrol. This is because of the nature of the foam extinguisher, as the foam inside can expand and engulf burning liquids and objects. The foam can also soak into materials that are on fire, such as fabrics. Inside a foam fire extinguisher there is a certain amount of water, which cools the fire down while the foam starves the fire of oxygen, helping to minimise its spreading action.

The main body of an AFFF foam fire extinguisher is typically red. The identification field will be cream coloured for ease of recognition.

Foam fire extinguishers are great for use in the office and home. Care should be taken when cleaning up foam discharge from the extinguisher, or the actual extinguisher’s disposal, as the foam inside is carcinogenic and has the ability to poison. Always recycle a fire extinguisher responsibly. At RES, our fire extinguisher servicing engineers can recycle your extinguisher for you so that it is disposed of in a responsible manner.

RES Fire Protection Engineers offer foam fire extinguisher services, including the following:

Fire extinguisher sales and hire

If you require a new foam fire extinguisher, we can meet your requirements. All of our fire extinguishers are produced to European Standard EN3, with a five year guarantee. We offer discounts for large quantity orders. If you’d rather hire a fire extinguisher, we can provide hire services for up to six months.

Fire extinguisher servicing

We can service portable fire extinguishers, hose reels, trolley units and fire blankets to ensure that they are suitable for use in line with current legislation and British Standards. All work undertaken is carried out by BAFE registered technicians. We also have an emergency call-out service, on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Refills for fire extinguishers

Our engineers can refill all makes and types of fire extinguishers at our premises and with our service vans, 5 days a week from 8am-5pm.

Chrome and stainless steel fittings

We offer stainless steel signage for action signs, prohibition signs and fire-fighting signs in relation to your foam fire extinguisher. We can also provide single or double stands for your extinguishers.

Foam fire extinguishers from RES

If you require foam fire extinguisher sales, hire, maintenance or repairs, RES engineers can carry out a comprehensive service to meet your business requirements. We cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.

We provide practical and cost-effective fire risk assessment services and foam fire extinguishers for our clients to keep their business and staff protected in the event of a fire.