PAS 79 Parts 1 and 2

[colin todd]

The closing date for public comment on both parts has now passed, and there is a huge number of comments. Still hopeful for publication in December though.

[AnthonyB]

I found it amusing how a certain industry collectively 'threw their teddies out' and tried to mob the comments on a particular subject in Part 2.... There were several posts on the relevant industry social media encouraging this.

Having said that at least it showed people making an effort to contribute and influence things - is there any way of knowing how many people have actually viewed the drafts via BSI? It should really number in the thousands.

[colin todd]

Tony, Not being a young trendy like you, your comment went right over my head. What industry, what social media and can you give me links. If all they did was make 500 clone comments, it will only count as a single comment in any case. It could account for the hundreds of comments suddenly received in a tidal wave at the last minute. if something is right, you only need one person to say it. If it is wrong, it doesn't really matter how many people say it. When I was young lots of people ( including a boss I had) still believed in the luminiferous ether, but it had been proved as non existent decades before. loads of people chuntering on about it must exist because how can eaves travel through nothing, did not make it exist.

[AnthonyB]

Fire extinguisher engineers - there are a few Facebook & similar groups used by them and on one there was a post asking as many engineers as possible to comment on PAS79-2 to reverse the advice about the non provision of extinguishers in circulation areas of flats.

The most common causes of collective rage from extinguisher engineers on Facebook & LinkedIn fall into two categories:
1) The P50 user maintained extinguisher, and
2) Not having extinguishers in flats circulation areas

Another common bone on contention is that in virtually every country that has adopted EN3 other than the UK an extinguisher that passes the 35kV di-electric test is marked as and can be installed for fires in electrical equipment up to 1000V and as EN2 doesn't recognise electrical fires many codes/standards don't have the 'CO2/Powder only' part that BS5306-8 does (The Irish Standard  is a English language example where there is no specific provision requirement for electrical fires beyond that water or foam extinguishers must be 35kV test passed if located where they could be used on live equipment). This then links back to rage point 1 as Britannia follow 'true' EN3 conventions on their water and foam spray extinguishers marking them for direct use.

[colin todd]

Yawn.................. zzzzzzzz. I have been through the first 250 comments and not one yet about fire extinguishers. Perhaps I am still to come to them.

[AnthonyB]

Obviously a lot of last minute commentors, when I went on there were very few so the extinguisher ones really stuck out, good to hear so many people have had some input.

[colin todd]

Including, I note, your good self, Tony.