As a company we are always bringing to people’s attention the need to have good quality, serviceable and appropriate fire detection and extinguishing devices – the benefits speak for themselves, aside from being a legal requirement in many places.
However, what is often overlooked is what happens when a device such as a fire extinguisher reaches the end of it’s serviceable life? What do you do with it? The extinguisher might now be consigned to the rubbish bin but a highly pressurised, large metal canister is not something anyone should consider just putting in the office bin!
However, we recently read of one such incident in central London where somebody did incorrectly dispose of a redundant extinguisher into the general rubbish and it caused quite an incident. Unfortunately when refuse collectors emptied the bin, the CO2 fire extinguisher was tipped into the back of the rubbish truck and subsequently exploded under the pressure of being crushed by the machine. Thankfully no-body was injured although considering the forces involved in the explosion this was extremely fortunate indeed, it did however cause considerable damage and it left rubbish strewn across the street.
Given the pressurised nature of extinguishers these need to be disposed of correctly and this is where FASS can help. We are licensed waste carriers and as such have the correct paperwork and knowledge to correctly dispose of extinguishers safely. So if you require your extinguishers to checked to ensure they are still operable and safe to use, or require your old and redundant extinguishers to be disposed of, please contact us to discuss how we can help you.
For example, if you have a server or IT room in your office you may CO2 extinguishers in the corner of the room, ready to tackle a fire should one break out. But what if you weren’t in the room? What if the fire started whilst you were in the next room or grabbing a coffee? For situations like this we can offer a 
On recent article highlighted a curry house owner in Somerset who has now been jailed for six months for endangering the lives of both customers and staff following several breeches of fire safety laws. In this particular case the owner had put storage on the staircase on both the ground and first floors which would have made it extremely difficult to escape in the event of a fire.
At Fire and Safety Solutions we often share news stories that we feel highlight potential risks relating to fire or failings with regards to reducing fire risks. Many of these items relate to commercial property such as industrial businesses or restaurants for example. However, we were equally alarmed to read the recent prosecution of three landlords of private properties for basic failures in protecting their tenants from the danger of fire.
If you regularly read our news section, you will know that at Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd we take our responsibilities, and that of our staff and Fire Technicians, towards our clients seriously and never more so than when it comes to ensuring that any work we carry out on your behalf is done by a qualified and competent person, to the correct standards. This is not only because we believe in delivering a quality service, but more importantly any mistakes or shortcuts could be costly or at worse, fatal should a fire break out.
