Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Toxic Prevention: Carbon Monoxide Alarm

There are a lot of things in life that don't really hit us until it is too late. As a property manager in the past for a good number of commercial establishments, I work hard to make things safe, secure and running smoothly. I'm very particular about fire safety and fire protection equipment - as a commercial fire is in my opinion, the single most destructive preventable disaster. But I realized at one point, that feeling the heat or smelling something funny cooking may already be too late when it comes to this. This is where the nifty modern gadget known as the carbon monoxide alarm comes into play.

First off, let me point out that carbon monoxide is one of the most harmful but frequently occuring substances in extremely minute amounts in our breathing air. It is very, very toxic. Luckily enough, carbon monoxide amounts in our breathing air isn't usually at toxic levels. In nature, carbon monoxide is usually produced via volcanic activity or through huge forest or brushfires. However, there are many instances wherein this gas can be at toxic levels even in our modern situations. Car engines can cause it and so can your stove. What's more, it is odorless, tastless and virtually undetectable by our human senses until it may be too late. This is why visible, hot fires isn't the only thing I seek to prevent via fire protection equipment, I also recommend installing a carbon monoxide alarm.

The the carbon monoxide (C0) alarm is usually very easy to install, affordable and can have a good number of additional features such as combining with a smoke alarm. It gives off a very loud and distinct noise alarming anyone and everyone in the area that C0 levels are at the limit and people must vacate that particular area. Personally, I use it not only in the establishments I handle but also in my own home. Carbon monoxide can come from a number of locations in our home actually - from the car's engine, from the fire place, from the stove and perhaps a good number of other places I may not be aware of.

I even go as far as carry a plug in version of the carbon monoxide alarm when travelling - especially when I go to strange places with my family. As a property manager I get paid to be obssesive-compulsive about the safety and pretty much everything else with making things run smoothly in my own turf - and boy I have yet to see common establishments that will meet my expectations and therefore, my peace of mind when staying there! If I did see them, then perhaps I wouldn't be writing this now.

The C0 alarm like any other fire protection equipment, should be installed and used in conjunction with many others. This in particular, is a special preventive measure because unlike fire that someone can see and respond to, carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It causes dizziness and severe nausea in just small amounts of 1 out of 10,000 gas particles in the air and can be produced by a good number of common stuff. I highly recommend inquiring with your local fire station or fire safety dealer.

Fire Safety Equipment

The most common recommendation I have as a former commercial property manager when it comes to fire safety is to customize according to one's needs. This is very true especially nowadays, in the event of the Fire Safety Order (FSO) 2005 being ratified a few years back. Every company legally, needs to have satisfactory fire safety measures. Fire engineering is always a good solution to prevent fire in the long run and to design your areas in such a way that the onset is most likely prevented in most cases. However, fire safety equipment is also essential. It makes sure that the employees and other people staying in the area have an active role and responsibility to act and operate against the fire.

Now most of us would think that fire safety equipment is "the heavy stuff" such as large canisters of fire extinguishers. This is simply not the case. These equipments are actually designed for convenience, mobility and effectiveness in serving their purpose. For instance, a fire hose reel is ideal for taking out fires that get caught on fabric, clothing and the like. It usually has a good range and one can take the hose out of the reel, and deliver powerful jet sprays of water out. Fire hose reels generally take care of the small stuff.

A C02 fire extinguisher is an example of a vcrsatile fire safety equipment. No matter how good the fire engineering is, a desktop computer or a generator caught on fire can spell big trouble. What's more, they can't be doused by normal water-based equipment. C02 effectively smothers out the oxygen out of the fire, thereby quickly and effectively taking it out. It also does little damage to the electronics. Thus, the important files on the memory of a laptop caught on fire will still have a good chance to be retrieved by professionals if it is doused this way.

Automatic fire extinguishers can also be used for smaller areas, and will activate when it reaches a certain temperature. This is good for dousing fires that can happen even when people aren't directly involved - such as chemical laboratories and where constantly operating heavy equipment are found. These are usually installed in one place, and their positions are recommended by the dealer or a fire engineering consultant.

Besides what I have mentioned, there are many other kinds of fire safety equipment which include the presence of an activatable fire alarm system, the installation of intumescent material, panic bolts installed on fire exits, fire and health safety signs. The key here is to make sure that the provision is at the very least, legally satisfactory and to have an effective training making all the employees in the area aware of the fire safety measures in the case of an emergency. Of course, meeting legal requirements is one thing, but promising safety for your clients and partners in the vicinity cannot be compromised. I highly recommend consulting an online fire protection dealer and your local fire station for more information.

Electrical Fire Extinguisher

The Electrical Fire Extinguisher - Choking the Modern Flame

In my past experiences as a property manager of commercial establishments, I found that the trend of companies is to go digital. As I write on this blog, I begin to remember the "old days" in which the most efficient machine in the office is the photocopier. Nowadays, every office needs internet access. Every office has a good amount of electronic equipment. Now speaking of recent happenings, the Fire Safety Order (FSO) Law 2005 ratified a few years back requires the right safety measure for the different kinds of business establishments. But one thing in common for certain is that every establishment will have a good number of electronic equipment. This is where the electrical fire extinguisher comes in - choking the modern flame.

This is also known as the C02 fire extinguisher. If you still know your basic chemistry, you know that C02 or carbon dioxide chokes out oxygen - which aside from supporting life is also the main fuel of fires. Thus, what cannot be extinguished by a fire hose reel and other water based extinguishers effectively needs this. Electrically sparked flames as we now, can cause even more serious damage to equipment or even the residents in the area if water is used to douse it as water conducts electricity. In effect, some of the water used actually feeds the flame and thus doesn't take out the computer's fire fast enough.

The electrical fire extinguisher in my opinion, should be recommended for any office. Whether it is for the bank, a restaurant's online cash register, an electronics shop or a travel agency one should keep one stored in the area. A good advantage of this actually, is that it does minimal damage to the equipment while taking out the flame. Powder based extinguishers such as ones used for taking out cooking oil fires will corrode the sensitive metal circuitry in any equipment, while water based extinguishers such as a fire hose reel will short circuit it.

Now since C02 is designed to choke out oxygen, one must remember to keep the safety points in mind. NEVER, ever let your hand be exposed to the extremely cold foam spewing from the nozzle - it is so cold it can actually cause frostbite! Also, do not mistake an electrical fire extinguisher for other kinds - because it will always have a black strip at the type with the letters "C02" printed on it for safety reasons. Always keep sensitive equipment stored safely and tucked away from meddling while accessible enough in the case of an emergency.

While water based fire extinguishers such as a fire hose reel are still important for a good number of cases such as a burning carpet or clothing, the C02 variety is indispensable. Of course, there are many other fire safety measures but that's another story. To know if one would be good for your area and it probably would, contact your local fire station or a reputable dealer of fire safety equipment to know what best options are available for you.

Automatic Fire Extinguisher

The Importance of the Manual & Automatic Fire Extinguisher

In my past experience as a commercial establishment property manager, I have come in contact with a good number of different businesses that come to operate in our establisments. I have found that when it comes to fire safety, the recommendations are usually dependent on what particular operation they are involved in. I remember this one client that had a business that distributed scientific equipment across the United Kingdom. This meant that they had chemicals, sensitive electronic equipment and the like. This was the first time that I encountered the installation of an automatic fire extinguisher in their area - that are designed to go off when a the area reaches a certain point in temperature. This was a particular safety measure for them since a certain combination of chemicals or faulty products may cause a major fire even in the abscence of personnel at any given time.

My point? That different fire safety solutions are required of different establishments. Don't forget that the UK is known for the frequent incidents of fires, and that the recent Fire Safety Order (FSO) 2005 requires all businesses to take satisfactory fire safety measures. Now whether it is the right installation of fire extinguisher cabinets or mounts, all companies must comply with this.

This brings me to the importance of the and automatic fire extinguisher. Manual fire extinguishers are the ones we are most familiar with, available in different types and sizes while the automatic variant is used to safeguard a certain area, usually ranging from the 2 cubic meters to the size of a small room. These come in different sizes, types, brands and such catering to every fire safety need.

These two kinds of fire extinguishers are very important since aside from following the aforementioned Fire Safety Law, they are major factors in keeping an area safe and protecting your assets. For instance, kitchen fires in restaurants aren't uncommon - plus they are cumbersome to put out especially if it came from cooking oil which means the flames are burning at very high temperatures. A top-of-the-line manual extinguisher carrying a particular chemical designed specifically for cooking oil flame is used in this case, and must be stored in long-lasting and easily accessible fire extinguisher cabinets. An automatic fire extinguisher as mentioned, needs to be used in chemical heavy businesses where a fire can spark and spread at any given time in certain areas.

The importance of these extinguishers lie in the simple fact that fire safety is different from one business to another. The best way to fireproof a place and thereby comply with the UK safety laws is to consult with a local fire station and with fire protection companies that frankly, know better than most of us. In my experience, the cost of fire safety equipment isn't cheap at all - but imagine how much they can save - not to mention the priceless lives of people. Whether is about buying simple fire extinguisher cabinets or finding out which manual extinguisher works best for your electronics shop, they are no doubt essential.

Fire Fighting Equipment

An Overview of Fire Fighting Equipment

Well it has been another interesting year. More fires occured in our beloved United Kingdom, and what's more The Fire Safety Order (FSO) Law 2005 is strictly being implemented in commercial districts. As a former property manager of medium scale commercial establishments, I feel it is essential to point out certain essential points on fire safety based on my experience. This will be a general article, and it would be best of course to obtain specific and technical information from your local fire station and reputable fire safety equipment dealers. I will be stressing more on why we need fire protection than actually getting into details on the fire fighting equipment.

The first thing and probably the cheapest and simplest thing one should install in any commercial establishment, especially in buildings are health and safety signs. These are essential because they work for you and make things more safe and secure even in more common emergency situations other than an actual fire. A first aid kit sign that shows where the first aid kit is stored for example, is useful for anyone injured and for keeping anyone in need of immediate medical attention a bit more time and comfort before one reaches the hospital. The same is true for small office and kitchen fires with your fire extinguisher signs and other signs that point to the location of fire fighting equipment. The most important in my opinion are the signs that point the direction to the fire exit - ensuring a better chance of an efficient yet effective exit of all people in the vicinity in the case of an actual fire.

Fire extinguishers are a close second - whether the manual or the automatic type in conjunction with the fire sprinkler system and a fire alarm system. As pointed out, health and safety signs should also point out the directions and proper instructions of manual fire extinguishers in particular. There are different types of fire extinguishers available recommended for different types of fires. A fire that burns on paper and a fire that burns from a computer will require different chemicals from the extinguisher. Again, with regards to this it is best to inquire with your local fire fighting equipment dealer for more specific information.

More elaborate equipment include the installation of a fire alarm system, an automatic fire extinguisher system and the installation of intumescent material on key places in the vicinity. While these are really hefty on the price tag, they are needed to buy time for immediate safety that only a local fire station force should handle. Plus, you'll need to do this to abide by the law too.

In closing, I would again like to stress for the Nth time that the best recommendation will always come from the authorities especially that of the local fire station and fire equipment dealers. They will help one get into the specifics such as effectively placing the health and safety signs, fire exinguishers and the like. I hope that this post will help you see the importance of fire safety equipment in your own area.