New Evacuator Site Alarms

Monday 14th May 2012

Recently Safelincs added several new site alarms to their range. These included the Evacuator Site Guard call point and push button alarms, the Evacuator Tough Guard and the newly released Evacuator Tough Guard Wireless.

All four of these alarms are designed for use in building and construction sites, temporary marquees, camp sites, markets etc. where installing a permanent fire alarm system would be impractical and unnecessarily costly.

The Evacuator Site Guard is ideal for less harsh environments, such as camp sites and markets, while the Evacuator Tough Guard is perfect for busy building and construction sites where it may encounter water, dirt, dust and debris. The Tough Guard features an IP56 rated weatherproof enclosure that copes with harsh weather conditions and the occasional knocks and bumps it may have to endure.

These battery powered alarms can be used as standalone units or linked using 2 core wire. Running interlink cables all over a busy construction site may not be safe or practical, and this is where the new Tough Guard Wireless comes in. The Tough Guard Wireless has all the strength, durability and weatherproof protection of the standard Tough Guard with the added benefit of completely wireless interconnection to other Tough Guard Wireless units. The amazing 18,000m wireless range, long life battery and extremely loud 118dB sounder make these alarms an essential piece of safety equipment for any situation.

Take a look at the new models in our site alarm product range.

Which type of smoke alarm should I use?

Tuesday 8th May 2012

Smoke alarms are the most essential components in any fire safety strategy, whether in commercial or domestic properties.

There is a wide range of smoke alarm models available designed to suit various circumstances. It is therefore important to ensure that you purchase the correct model for your requirements, in order to ensure your smoke alarms operate as efficiently as possible.

Below is a summary of the various smoke alarm models featured on our website:

– Optical smoke alarms are suitable for general use and are especially suitable for detecting smouldering fires caused for example by smouldering soft furnishings. They are also not too sensitive to false alarms from burnt toast, making them ideal in hallways (near kitchens), living rooms and bedrooms.

– Ionisation smoke alarms are able to detect the change in the behaviour of the air in case of a fire. Fast flaming fires, such as burning waste paper baskets, are easily detected by ionisation smoke alarms and we recommend ionisation smoke alarms for use in offices or on landings. Please note that ionisation smoke alarms contain a small amount of radio-activity. If you wish to avoid this, choose optical smoke alarms instead.

– Heat alarms are designed to detect the increase of temperature caused by a fire and do not cause false alarms. They are especially useful in dusty or smoky areas, such as kitchen and garages. They do, however, not cover very large areas, so cannot really be used for larger parts of a building.

– Multi-sensor alarms combine the features of optical and heat alarms, resulting in rapid fire detection and a reduced risk of false alarms. They are suitable for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and landings but should not be used in kitchens.

If you require further advice on which smoke alarm design is suitable for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We also publish a guide on the different smoke alarm technologies.

For warehouse areas and industrial properties we offer more fire detection technologies and central alarm panle systems.

Why are Fire Door Closers Important?

Thursday 3rd May 2012

In order for fire doors to function properly, they should remain closed when the door is not in use. As obvious as this sounds, in a busy office building it can be difficult to ensure that fire doors are being closed. Therefore automatic fire door closers are installed to ensure that, after a door is opened, it naturally returns to a closed position where it can offer the maximum fire safety.

Fire door closers are a legal requirement in most settings

How do fire doors closers work?

Door closers work by using the energy built-up when opening the door, to close it. Fire door closers have different closing strengths depending on the weight of the fire door. The closing strength is otherwise known as the EN power size. Smaller and lighter fire doors do not need as much strength in the fire door closer to shut the door. Many door closer models have an adjustable power size. The configuration of the door closers will also depend on the design of the door (inward/outward closing).

How do I check my door closer is working?

This fire door maintenance checker is a useful guide for checking all parts of your fire door to make sure they are compliant and operational. An unlatched or non-operational door closer will not shut the fire door if a fire breaks out. This could have disastrous consequences.

Which fire door closer do I need?

There are a number of different types of fire door closer available including closers that are even concealed within the doors themselves. Free-swing closers enable the doors to be held safely in an open position or to swing freely on the hinges. This can help to improve accessibility, particularly for anyone with mobility difficulties or in busy areas. In the case of a fire, the fire alarm will trigger these hold-open devices and allow the door closer to close the door.

If you are not sure which fire door closer you need, compare features and prices in this overview of fire door closers. Alternatively, contact our customer support team on 0800 612 6537.