Remember to check for certification

Is there a label or plug on top (or occasionally on the side) of the door to show it is a certificated fire door? You can use the camera your smart phone or a mirror to check. If there is, that’s good news, otherwise report it to whoever is in charge of your building.

* The British Standards Institution has published BS ISO 3941:2026 – Classification of Fires. This introduces Class L for lithium-ion battery fires. However, this class has not yet been incorporated in the BS EN 2 / EN 3 extinguisher fire rating system. (April 2026)

BS 9999:2017 Annex I Routine inspection and maintenance of fire safety installations

Daily:
Fire door automatic release mechanisms
All fire doors that are held open by automatic release mechanisms should be released daily.

Monthly:
Automatic opening doors
The operation of fail-safe mechanisms should be tested once a month, either by ”breaking out” the doorset or by simulating failure of the mains power supply, as appropriate. The result of the test should be recorded. Any doors that are found to be faulty should be repaired or replaced.

Doors on hold open devices
The operation of hold open devices should be tested once a month by simulating failure of the mains power supply or operation of the fire detection and alarm system. The result of the test should be recorded. Any doors that are found to be faulty should be repaired or replaced.

Emergency and panic escape doors
The operation of all emergency and panic escape devices, especially on external doors not used for other purposes, should be checked once a month for ease of operation and opening of the door. Weather conditions can effect the door and frame relationship, and therefore the ease of operation of escape devices.

Six-monthly:
All fire doors should be inspected every six month. In particular, it should be ensured that:

a) Heat-activated seals and smoke seals are undamaged;
b) Door leaves are not structurally damaged or excessively bowed or deformed;
c) Gaps between the door leaf and the frame are not so small as to be likely to bind, or so large as to prevent effective fire and smoke-sealing;
d) Hanging devices, securing devices, self closing devices and automatic release mechanisms are operating correctly.

Fire Doors Regulation 10
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 will make it a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for
responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres
in height to: undertake quarterly checks of all fire door (including self-closing devices) in the common
partsake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing
devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts.

For full details, refer to Fact sheet: Fire doors (regulation 10) at the HM Gov Website.

There are 6 fire extinguisher label colours: Red, Cream, Black, Blue, Yellow and *Green.
Each colour represents a different type of extinguisher, used on different types of fires.

The fire extinguisher colours changed in 1997 to meet British and European Standard BS EN3.
All modern fire extinguishers have a red (or chrome) body, with the identifying colour displayed in a wide band at the top of the extinguisher – as in the image below:

* The British Standards Institution has published BS ISO 3941:2026 – Classification of Fires. This introduces Class L for lithium-ion battery fires. However, this class has not yet been incorporated in the BS EN 2 / EN 3 extinguisher fire rating system. (April 2026)

Up until 1997, the body of the extinguisher was usually made up of the entire distinguishing fire extinguisher colour.
For example, Co2 extinguishers would have been completely black, Foam extinguishers would have been completely cream, and powder extinguishers would have been completely blue.

The standard fire extinguisher colour was changed to ‘signal red’ for 2 main reasons.

Firstly, red is the colour associated with both danger and fire and so there is an obvious association with fire extinguishers.
Secondly, red is the colour most easy to see, especially in a darker environment, such as a smoke-filled room.

The only exception to the ‘red’ rule, is chrome extinguishers. Whilst these do not strictly conform to the guidelines, all chrome extinguishers in the UK are ISO 9001 quality supervised and tested against British Standard BS EN3.

We recommend using larger extinguisher ID signs with chrome extinguishers, to make them more visible.

See our separate Fire Safety Signage Guide

The different fire extinguisher colours tell you which classes of fire an extinguisher can be used on. Fire is a form of dry heat, but it comes in different forms. There are seven classes of fire: A, B, C, D, ‘Electrical’, F and now L*.

How water extinguishers work:

The water has a cooling effect on the fuel, causing it to burn much more slowly until the flames are eventually extinguished.

Types of premises/business who may need water extinguishers:

– Buildings constructed of wood or other organic materials
– Premises where there are organic materials to be found such as:
■ Offices
■ Schools
■ Hospitals
■ Residential properties
■ Warehouses
In fact, most buildings need either water or foam extinguishers.

Where to locate water extinguishers:
– By the exits on a floor where a Class A fire risk has been identified

How Foam extinguishers work:

As with water extinguishers, foam extinguishers have a cooling effect on the fuel. On burning liquids, the foaming agent creates a barrier between the flame and the fuel, extinguishing the fire.

Types of premises/business who may need Foam extinguishers:

– Buildings constructed of wood or other organic materials
– Premises where there are organic materials to be found such as:
■ Offices
■ Schools
■ Hospitals
■ Residential properties
■ Warehouses
– Buildings where flammable liquids are stored
In fact most buildings need either water or foam extinguishers

Where to locate Foam extinguishers:
– By the exits on a floor where a Class A or Class B fire risk has been identified

LFX
LFX extinguishers are water-based, meaning they are Fluorine-free, whilst discharging as a foam which quickly absorbs the heat. As a result, the chain reaction which leads to thermal runaway breaks down, cooling down the battery and preventing other cells from overheating.

Suitable for homes, offices, workshops and repair stores with cordless tools, mobile phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, toys, etc.

Lith-Ex
Using a non-toxic and revolutionary extinguishing agent, AVD (Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion) is deployed as a mist which then creates a film over the surface which instantly dries to create an oxygen barrier, cools and prevents re-ignition. The Lith-Ex fire extinguisher is the only one which is safe to use on a lithium-ion battery and works even where a powder can’t.

Perfect for vehicles, aviation, marine, medical facilities and any premises with items which have lithium-ion batteries.

How CO2 extinguishers work:

CO2 extinguishers suffocate fires by displacing the oxygen the fire needs to burn.

Types of premises/business who may need foam extinguishers:

– Premises with electrical equipment, such as:
■ Offices
■ Kitchens
■ Construction sites
■ Server rooms

Where to locate CO2 extinguishers:
– Place near to the source of an electrical hazard and/or near the fire exits with a Class A extinguisher where electrical hazards are present.

How dry powder extinguishers work:

Dry powder extinguishers smother fires by forming a barrier between the fuel and the
source of oxygen.

Types of premises/business who may need Dry Powder extinguishers:

■ Businesses using flammable gases for chemical processes
■ Premises where welding and flame cutting takes place
■ Garage forecourts
■ Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) dispensing plants
■ Premises with large, commercial boiler rooms

Where to locate Dry Powder extinguishers:
– Place dry powder extinguishers near to the source of the fire risk.

Specialist Dry Powder extinguishers – what’s the difference?:
Specialist dry powder extinguishers work in the same way as standard dry powder extinguishers but are for use with flammable metals only. There are 2 types of specialist dry powder extinguishers – ‘L2’ which only tackles lithium fires, and ‘M28’, for all other flammable metal fires.

How wet chemical extinguishers work:

Wet chemical extinguishers create a layer of foam on the surface of the burning oil or fat, preventing oxygen from fuelling the fire any further. The spray also has a cooling effect.

Types of premises/business who may need wet chemical extinguishers:

■ Premises with commercial kitchens

Where to locate wet chemical extinguishers:
– Place near to the source of the fire risk.

Trolley Units

Wheeled trolley units are designed to fight fires in many different environments including warehouses, petroleum sites, research sites and factories. Easy to manoeuvre, the wheeled trolley unit can be operated by one person.

Available in ABC Powder, C02, Foam and Lith-Ex variants.

Mobile fire points

For environments like forecourts and construction sites, it isn’t always possible or practical to have fire extinguishers fixed to walls or limited to dedicated areas. This is where fire extinguisher trolleys and mobile fire points can help. They can have a manual hand bell and first aid kit with signage and accomodate two or three extinguisher types.

Fire extinguisher cabinets

Prevent misuse, vandalism, and damage from adverse weather as well as for use on vehicles. Available in single or double sizes.

Fire buckets

Fire buckets are an effective way to extinguish small, contained fires and contain spills of flammable liquids in the UK. They are typically filled with sand or water and are easy to use. They are a valuable tool for fire safety due to their simplicity (easy to refill), effectiveness, and affordability.

Fire extinguisher legislation in the UK can feel a little complicated for some people. That’s why we wrote this simplified guide to the UK’s current laws and available guidance on fire extinguishers.

As with all fire safety legislation in England and Wales, UK Fire Extinguisher regulations form part of ‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’, also known as the ‘RRO’.

All premises used for non-domestic purposes, with a few minor exceptions, come under this order.

You can read the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 here

Whilst the legislation has been responsible for dramatically reducing commercial fires in the UK, it can be difficult to interpret if you’re not a fire safety professional – which is why we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions below as clearly and simply as possible.

* The British Standards Institution has published BS ISO 3941:2026 – Classification of Fires. This introduces Class L for lithium-ion battery fires. However, this class has not yet been incorporated in the BS EN 2 / EN 3 extinguisher fire rating system. (April 2026)

There two main types of smoke control and smoke ventilation systems, natural and mechanical.

These systems rely on the natural buoyancy of hot smoke rising to exhaust it through strategic openings such as shaft doors, roof vents, windows or AOV louvres.

These systems are used where natural ventilation is impractical, for example in many high-rise developments, taller, larger buildings and or those with more complex layouts.

Smoke control systems can form part of an overall fire strategy and must be integrated with the fire alarm and other life-safety systems. While the premises Fire Risk Assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order does not automatically mandate smoke control, it often identifies where smoke control is a proportionate life-safety measure, especially in multi-storey residential and high-risk buildings.

Under Approved Document B, residential buildings over approximately 11 m (typically four storeys) normally require smoke control in common escape routes such as stairwells and corridors. This can be achieved with AOVs or equivalent smoke shafts providing the minimum free area required under Approved Document B (often 1.0m² in residential corridors, subject to design).

Guidance (such as BS 9991:2024) also influences how and where smoke control systems should be designed and can set specific performance criteria for tall residential blocks.

In many purpose-built blocks of flats designed around a stay-put strategy, smoke control systems are essential to maintaining tenable conditions in common corridors while individual flats remain compartmented.

In single-stair residential buildings, smoke control to corridors and stairwell cores is particularly critical, as the protected stairwell may be the sole means of escape for occupants above ground level.

Approved Document B – Building Regulations
Approved Document B sets out the performance requirements for fire safety in
buildings, including smoke control to protected escape routes. It guides where and
how smoke control measures should be applied in residential and other buildings.

BS EN 12101 Series
BS EN 12101 is a suite of standards (adopted in the UK) that governs the performance, testing
and certification of smoke control system components such as vents, fans, dampers and control panels. Compliance with these standards (and UKCA marking) is expected for any life-safety smoke control product.

BS 9991:2024 Fire safety in the design, use and management of residential buildings. Code of practice
BS 9991 provides best-practice guidance for smoke control and evacuation in residential buildings, and recent editions include updated provisions on when natural and mechanical smoke ventilation systems are required based on building height and travel distances.

BS 9999:2017 Fire safety in the design, use and management of buildings. Code of practice
BS 9999 supplements ADB and BS 9991 for non-residential, complex or bespoke buildings, offering additional guidance on smoke control design, inspection and testing requirements.

BS 7346-8:2013 Components for smoke control systems – Code of Practice for planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance
BS 7346-8 outlines the planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of smoke control (including ventilation) systems.

View our project case study where we replaced a rooftop louvre vent, installed louvre windows and serviced AOV domes.

View Case Study

Smoke control systems are a vital aspect of fire safety and must be correctly specified, designed, installed, commissioned and maintained by competent professionals to ensure the system delivers when required.

A compliant smoke control and ventilation system can reduce the risk of a fire developing and limit smoke damage to a building and greatly reduces the chances of building occupants choking or being overwhelmed by smoke. It reduces the risk of smoke inhalation around escape routes such as corridors and staircases and makes it easier for emergency services to access a building.

Record keeping: Detailed records of all maintenance regimes, including daily or weekly tests, quarterly visual inspections and six-monthly / annual servicing and maintenance by competent engineers.

*BS7346:8 Components for Smoke Control Systems: Code of Practice for design installation, commissioning and maintenance recommends that special inspections of smoke vent systems are completed when a new contractor takes over maintenance. This will also be required as part of a building safety case for submission to the Building Safety Regulator under the Building Safety Act.

The frequent lack of sufficient documentation available on site can make it difficult to ascertain the original design intent for systems, particularly fire engineered solutions that do not follow the approved guidance. In such cases an assessment must be made using fire engineering to arrive at appropriate performance criteria that can be tested to on site. Unless clear performance requirements are available then any regular testing and maintenance will be inadequate and inconclusive.

Failure to maintain smoke control systems may result in enforcement action by an Enforcing Authority such as the Fire and Rescue Authority.

There are several categories and types of fire safety signage a premises requires.

Carrying out an FRA and regularly reviewing it, as required by the RRO, is essential to determine which signs your premises requires and are always maintained, keeping your premises compliant at all times.

■ Fire exit and Exit signs highlight the safest evacuation route and nearest emergency exit of a building.

■ Fire door signs provide mandatory instructions to occupants to ensure the effectiveness of a building’s compartmentation.

■ Fire alarm signs highlight the nearest fire alarm and manual fire alarm call points, providing information regarding its activation.

■ Emergency door operation signs offer simple instructions on how to operate emergency exit doors.

■ Stairway and floor level identification (wayfinding) signs enable occupants of multi-storey high-rise buildings to accurately and quickly inform Fire and Rescue Services of the location of a fire and assist firefighters in navigating their way around the building.

■ Fire assembly point signs show where a building’s assembly point is located to enable evacuees to report to their designated point and identify any missing persons quickly.

■ Fire extinguisher signs indicate the position and type of extinguishers present in a premises, show the classes of fire they can be used on and how to operate them safely, and help identify any missing extinguishers that need replacing.

■ Fire equipment signs ensure that equipment is present, and correctly and clearly identified (where provided) to enable firefighters to gain immediate access to facilities such as rising main outlets and smoke control vents on arrival at the scene of a fire.

■ Fire action notice signs include step-by-step instructions for occupants to follow in the event of a fire.

■ Prohibition Signs indicate actions or behaviours that are strictly forbidden because they pose a health or fire safety risk.

■ Warning and Hazard signs identify the location of potential hazardous materials or environments.

■ Fire safety notices and Fire plans reinforce important messages of life safety arrangements to occupants and Fire and Rescue Services concerning the premises.

Fire safety signage is categorised by colour and shape to indicate safety information, hazards, and actions under UK Regulations. The five main categories are Safe Condition (green), Mandatory (blue), Fire Equipment (red), Warning (yellow)), and Prohibition (red) signs. They ensure safe evacuation and fire safety compliance.

Safe Condition Signs are green rectangular or square signs which mark Exits, Fire Exits, Escape routes, operation of doors on escape routes and exits, Assembly points and the location of safety equipment, such as first aid equipment and breathing apparatus.

Mandatory Fire Safety Signs and Notices have blue circles which must be obeyed as a legal requirement such as fire door signs, fire action notices and keeping escape routes clear.

Fire Equipment Signs are red signs to indicate the location of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire alarm call points and fire brigade equipment.

Warning Signs are yellow triangular signs and warn of potential risks such as flammable liquids, gas and chemicals.

Prohibition Signs are red circular signs with crossbars that forbid certain actions that could be dangerous such as No Smoking, Do not use mobile phones and No Admittance.

A premises may well have Combination Signs, one sign providing different instructions using each signage categories colour such as Green for a safe condition/escape route action, Blue for a mandatory action, Red to identify fire equipment or a prohibition action, and Yellow to warn people to a danger or an unsafe action.

Above: Typical examples of combination signs found in premises.

Orange signs indicate serious hazards, often related to dangerous substances that may intensify or complicate a fire. Examples include, highly flammable liquids, reactive chemicals and explosive materials. Orange acts as an enhanced visual warning in environments where extreme caution is required.

Above: Typical examples of combination signs found in premises.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 made it a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for all high-rise residential buildings in England to install Wayfinding Signage. This includes clear markings identifying floor and individual flat numbers as per the requirements of Building Regulations:

Wayfinding signage for the fire service 15.13 To assist the fire service to identify each floor in a block of flats with a top storey more than 11m above ground level, floor identification signs and flat indicator signs should be provided. (Building Regulations 2010 AD B V1 B5 Section 15: Access to buildings for firefighting personnel – flats)

Approved Document B should be consulted for detailed guidance on the type, positioning and specification for signs; the wording to be used on each floor identification sign; and the specification for flat indicator signs to provide information relating to flats accessed on each storey.

Further information:

Fact sheet: Wayfinding signage (regulation 8)

Case Study – Wayfinding signage for high rise residential buildings

A fire alarm zone plan is a diagram showing how a building is divided into fire detection zones and is typically located next to the fire alarm control panel. It should include important features such as entrances, exits and circulation areas (fire doors) and should be oriented to match the viewers perspective and be presented in a tamper proof frame.

When a fire alarm activates, anyone responding to the alarm needs to be able to identify the affected area immediately. The plan can be used for quickly locating the area the alarm has been activated in as well as for fire marshals when evacuating the building.
This improves response times, supports effective evacuation, and enables fire and rescue services to act quickly.

If your premises does not have an accurate and up-to-date fire zone plan this is now classified as a major non-conformity according to BS 5839- 1: 2025.

See our Fire alarm zone plan video

Fire strategy plans are essential for modern premises to have on record, often contained within the premises fire strategy document, they should be used by an assessor during the FRA process to ensure all fire safety systems and measures, including fire safety signs are maintained as originally designed as an absolute minimum.

In older premises where there is no record of the original ‘fire’ plans, by using basic floor plans, a competent person such as a fire risk assessor should use floor plans as part of the FRA process to record and make recommendations regarding the premises fire safety systems, equipment, signage and passive fire protection measures. One recommendation may be to include a full compartmentation survey complete with plan should confirmation of the premises internal fire resistance be required and or there are concerns with the lack of fire resistance in some areas.

‘Fire Plans’ for any premises under the RRO are an essential item for a premise fire safety document records and should be kept on site to ensure any works (decoration, renovation or maintenance) being carried out, the plan is referred to so fire safety systems, equipment, signage and passive fire protection measures are always maintained and not compromised.

Safety signs are a requirement to protect the health and safety of the employees and anyone within the vicinity of the building. For an effective safety signing system, signs should be of similar style, design and format. A good way to achieve this, is to ensure that your signs conform to standards.