Question about emergency lighting and extinguishers

[geofire17814]

I have been a fire fighter in the air force for 7 years i left last December to look after my 2 children (hardest job in the world by the way). 5 weeks ago i applied for a job at a fast growing electrical testing company as a extinguisher engineer and got the job. a week after i started the manager of the fire division was sacked. i was approached and am no in charge of the fire division(scary). anyway ill get to my point Ive been asked to go to sites and tell them what extinguishers they need and where they need to be. My knowledge of FP isn't the greatest so any help would be appreciated.
Also i need to get a hold of some emergency lighting test keys can't find them anywhere can anyone help?
Also if anyone could give me any contacts of supplier's of extinguishers and other equipment that would be great?
Many thanks Paul.

[Graeme]

Paul

Without trying to sound like a smart ass,i would expect a FP Manager to know all what you have asked for.Your company should be offering you training if you have no experience.I would be concerned that you are going out to advise customers on issues you don't know yourself.You could end up looking a bit daft when they start asking you questions not to mention giving them incorrect advice on safety.

As for test Keys. Most common are MK which can be bought at any Electrical Wholesalers.

[AnthonyB]

A few points;
maintaining extinguishers- do you & your staff have a current competency certificates issued by a organisation approved by FETA, BSI, BFC or IFEDA? Unfortunately anyone can 'service' extinguishers, but without the proper training, glaring errors will be made & standards change - are you guage testing, using the Basic Service/Extended Service/Overhaul matrix, Overhauling CO2s at 10 yrs, not 20, not putting pull seals on breakable OK pins......

My pet hate is the large & small firms, from nationals to one man bands that do not do the job properly.

As you are interested in doing things right I am more than glad to help you - if you contact me direct by email I will send you operational procedures, the relevant BS extracts/codes on extinguisher provision, details of approved extinguisher service technicans courses & some good trade suppliers of extinguishers, parts & filling services

EL test keys - took me a couple of years to "find" all the different ones through site inspections - you need to sizes of fish key & a sardine tin shaped key or you will get stuck as ther eare three common types and the MK key (the larger of the two fish keys) is not as universal as it once was.

I am concerned that your employers sound like the firms who I am constantly battling against, i.e "wipe & swipe" merchants - you should be given full training - just servicing alone is a weeks residential course, exam and then a period of in house & on the job training/shadowing before anything else.