Fire extinguisher signage

[nearlythere]

To all the previous posters on this thread, explain this little gem for me then:

Put aside (if you can) the RRO and guides for a mo.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996
Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 341
PAGE 4
SCHEDULE 1
PART 1
(MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS REQUIRING SAFETY SIGNS AND SIGNALS AT WORK)
2. TYPES OF SIGN
2.1 PERMANENT SIGNS
2.1.1 .........Signboards and /or a safety colour must be used to permanently mark the location and identification of fire - fighting equipment.

Oh and by the way, the shell colour of an extinguisher is not classed as its' "location marking colour" as there is plenty of pre EN3 coloured kit still out there and the legal colour is RED.

But is the colour and information on an extinguisher not a permanent mark of the location and identification of FFFE? It does say a signboard OR a safety colour. If you have BS extinguishers then that is what you have.

[The Reiver]

Pre EN3
Powder - Blue
Foam - Beige
Co2 - Black (although they should have all gone by now)

S&S Regs
Page 5
Section 4
Fire Fighting Equipment - Colour - Red

e.g. Blue (pre EN3 dry powder shell colour) is not the legal safety colour for fire equipment signing

I am struggling to see any other interpretation of this statute other than the fact that you either need a sign (following the approved graphics listed later on) or you need to colour the location (the wall) red.

[AnthonyB]

If it was not for the fact the mark up on signs by some is astronomical the debate would be superfluous as the cost involved wouldn't make it worth arguing about.

Does anyone know of any notices issued for missing extinguisher signs where they are clearly visible. Would any of the posters who are FSOs ever issue such a notice?

After all there are several things that are against the law but in reality will never be enforced (generally not FS)

[Thomas Brookes]

You missed the Section en-titled Chubb Engineers.

It states you must install at least three signs per extinguisher unless you can get away with more, and once you have drained the life blood out of the customer add insult to ijury and sell them loads of exit signs, eventually the customer will give up and just hand over his blank cheque.

Sorry I just could not resist it.

[jokar]

I thought this had been answered, sign those not seen or do not meet the standard and don't sign those you can see after all the indications on the signs are on the extinguisher as well.

[CivvyFSO]

Re: Signs and Signals regs:

4.—(1)  Paragraph (4) shall apply if the risk assessment made under paragraph (1) of regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992[4] indicates that the employer concerned, having adopted all appropriate techniques for collective protection, and measures, methods or procedures used in the organisation of work, cannot avoid or adequately reduce risks to employees except by the provision of appropriate safety signs to warn or instruct, or both, of the nature of those risks and the measures to be taken to protect against them.

So the fire risk assessment part of MHSW regs was changed over the RRO, so para 4 only applied on a risk assessed basis.

(3)  Without prejudice to paragraph (1), sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (4) shall also apply in relation to fire safety signs where they are required to comply with the provisions of any enactment (whether in an Act or instrument).


Paragraph 4 (a) and (b) are the ones sending you to the schedule concerned, so if the RRO doesn't actually require them then it doesn't matter.

[kurnal]

Thats brilliant detective work Civvy- thanks  for leading us out of that minefield.