Recent Updates

At Fire and Safety Solutions (FASS) we are always keen to give a little back to the community by supporting a number of charities, both nationally and locally, particularly those supporting the armed forces.

FASS has for many years supported the Royal British Legion and with remembrance Sunday taking place on November the 14^th, we would like to take this opportunity to reach out to our clients who have not donated to the RBL Poppy Appeal 2021 yet, to consider doing so and join us in our support of the excellent work the RBL do.

Please donate by following the link below:

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/poppy-appeal

In this, the RBL century year since it’s founding, the work they do providing life-long support to ex-service personnel and their families is every bit as important now as it ever was. It is not just those personnel who are injured or traumatised by experiences, but a whole spectrum services available to all ex-forces. From advice and guidance, rehabilitation and recovery right through to transitioning and adjusting to civilian life, the RBL are there at every step and will continue to do so for life.

So please join us in pledging your support to the Poppy Appeal, buy and wear your poppy with pride, not only in remembrance of the brave who sacrificed and lost so much for us all, but also for those who are still with us who continue to need the support and expertise the RLB can provide. Thank-you.

As the World continues to move towards more and more battered powered consumer goods, from electric vehicles to scooters and hoverboards for fun, it is important to be aware of the dangers posed by batteries in the event of a fire.

Most people are aware that batteries catching fire can cause an explosion risk, but not everyone is aware of the ferocity and rapid spread caused by a battery fire and the significant danger to life this can pose for anyone nearby.

For example an electric scooter, which is likely to be powered by a small ion lithium battery, you can see in the video on this page how intense the fire becomes and dangerous that would be if it were within a building or someone was stood close by.

Battery technology is safe but there are some steps you can take to minimise the risk of fire.

• Always buy your battery powered product from a reputable outlet. Cheaper items often have batteries made to a lower, non-CE standard which either have thin outer casings that can be punctured easily, or they contain shards of small metal particles which heat up causing the electrolyte to boil and a fire to start.
• Never leave an item charging unattended or overnight which might allow heat to build up
• It’s not just domestic users, businesses need to be aware too that with employees potentially using electric scooters and bikes, not to leave items charging near combustible materials or in close proximity to people

One final thing, should a fire start it is important to use the correct type of extinguisher which in this instance would be a Class ABC Dry Powder Extinguisher. Fire and Safety Solutions are able to supply a range of Dry Powder extinguishers in different sizes and finishes. Contact us for further information and pricing.

Like so many across the country and around the World, FASS are sad to hear of the death of Prince Philip today, 9th of March 2021. FASS are a supporter of the Royal British Legion, of which Prince Philip was a life long member, Prince Philips devoted life of service to the Queen and Royal family, along with being a decorated veteran, made him a truly inspirational character.

As a proud veteran and an individual who characterised the resilience and determination to make the best of situations, so often seen and admire in our Second World War generation and our Armed Forces, his contribution to life and society will be greatly missed.

Our sincerest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family.

A recent article posted on an industry bodies website brought back in to focus for us here at FASS the importance of compliance with Fire Safety Regulations. This is especially so in current times of lockdown across the UK where many business premises will be empty, temptation is often to defer safety items until staff return, but this is not a responsible or legal attitude to have.

A recent article posted on an industry bodies website brought back in to focus for us here at FASS the importance of compliance with Fire Safety Regulations. This is especially so in current times of lockdown across the UK where many business premises will be empty, temptation is often to defer safety items until staff return, but this is not a responsible or legal attitude to have.

In other circumstances business owners are simply unsure of what regulations should apply to them and in these situations we would always urge you to contact us here at FASS for advice and a Fire Safety Survey to make sure your building is safe and you are compliant.

The article mentioned focused on a care home which had been issued with a prohibition order by the local fire and rescue service for extensive non-compliance with Fire Safety Standards. The prohibition order by its very nature means the immediate closure of the building, resulting in the re-homing of the residents to alternative care homes which in itself is unsettling. The care home now has 3 months in which to implement significant changes to the building before it can be reassessed.

Fire Safety Regulations are law and in place to ensure the safety of occupiers of a building, whether they are resident or employees, from takeaways to hotels, office blocks to mechanics, all commercial buildings are covered by and owners must adhere to Fire Safety Regulations.

Every industry and every building type needs to follow the regulations and it is important that you understand how your circumstances apply to the regulations. This is why it is important to get professional advice and a Fire Safety Survey from a registered company such as FASS.

It is not only your moral obligation to ensure peoples safety, but your legal duty to do so. Further information on FASS Fire Safety Risk Assessments can be found here.

Trinity is part of the Trinity Property Group who manage in excess of 110,000 homes across the different brands within the group.  Trinity are one of the largest residential property management companies in England and Wales. Working with leading house builders across the country, Trinity provide residential management services nationally.   Part of their property portfolio is a large East London estate.  The site consists of 651 homes set within a genuine community, supported by a new library, community hub, two public squares, rooftop communal gardens and even a market which forms the heart of the development.

Historically, Trinity had used various different fire safety companies on site.  Each company used, specialised in one discipline, such as one  company for the emergency lights, another for the fire alarms and another for the AOVs etc.  Unfortunately using several different companies led to problems in the level of service received; none of the companies were able to fix any of the systems and the fire alarm panels were in constant fault.

Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd (FASS) had looked after some other Trinity sites in the past and during a catch up meeting with the Contracts Manager, the estate and the fire protection maintenance challenges were discussed.  FASS are a ‘One Stop Shop’ with many departments covering all fire and safety bases and therefore having the ability to satisfy all of the customer’s requirements.  The Managing Director, Paul Wilkinson, has over 32 years experience in the fire industry with a wealth of technical knowledge and the ability to ensure that the site remains compliant with current fire protection regulations.  Trinity included FASS in the tender process and once submitted were lucky enough to be awarded the contract based on their knowledge, service provided and costs proposed.

The contract started with FASS working on clearing up all the faults within the buildings and ensuring the annual servicing and systems were up to date on the Fire Alarms, Dry Risers and AOV’s.  The faults were cleared and all the systems are now in a healthy state.  FASS are now required to complete continuous works as required and as flagged up via the annual servicing; this led to a recent installation of over 150 Emergency Lights which were failing after having been installed by a previous contractor.  The two organisations work together using a Customer Portal where all required works are input on to the system so that FASS can organise the correct technicians to attend and work on any issues. 

FASS will be continuing to work with Trinity at this site on an ongoing basis and are hoping to further their relationship by working on new contracts in the future.

The association between FASS and Trinity is going from strength to strength.  Feedback has been excellent and there is mutually beneficial steady, friendly and honest communication based on trust, regular contact and support.  FASS will be keeping the fire protection systems healthy and maintained to a good standard safeguarding tenants and property alike.

Ray Burke, Building Manager from Trinity says:

“We have employed Fire & Safety Solutions for our fire systems (including fire panels, AOVs, emergency lighting, dry risers) for over a year now. In that time they have displayed a deep knowledge of our multiple systems with corresponding reports and remedial programmes. The staff and engineers are very supportive and flexible and the quality of their works speaks for itself.”