Monday 13th November 2023

Make sure your home is a safe space for you, your family and friends over the festive period by following our Christmas safety advice. Christmas trees, decorations and celebrations can increase the risk of a fire starting in your home. Following these Christmas safety tips and having some key safety items to hand will help to ensure you can relax and enjoy the festive season.

Christmas fire safety tips

Christmas trees

Real Christmas trees catch fire very quickly when they start to dry out. Always stand your tree in water to keep it fresh for as long as possible and position your tree away from heat sources including open fires. Never smoke or place candles near your Christmas tree.

Keep a Water Mist Fire Extinguisher close to hand. This versatile extinguisher will quickly and effectively extinguish a Christmas tree fire as well as most other fire risks found in the home including electrical fires. Water mist extinguishers contain only deionized water and so do not leave any messy residue to clean up. They are non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about children or pets coming into contact with the extinguishing agent.

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It is also advisable to spray your real Christmas tree with fire retardant spray to prevent it from catching alight.

Christmas lights & electrical safety

Christmas tree lights (or fairy lights) can cause a fire or could trigger a spark which might ignite your Christmas tree if they are not properly maintained or used. Be careful no to overload plug sockets and extension leads. Use the electrical socket calculator if you are unsure. Check your fuses are the right type and if the bulbs blow, replace them straight away. Never leave fairy lights on when you go out or go to bed.

Replace Christmas lights straight away if you notice they are damaged or the electrical wire casing is cracked. When buying new Christmas lights, look for the CE mark to ensure they comply with European safety standards and read all labelling and instructions carefully before use. Watch the British Standards Institute Christmas light safety videos for further information.

Candles & decorations

Decorate your home with care to reduce the risk of a fire starting. Many Christmas decorations could easily catch fire so make sure they are not near heaters, open fires or candles. Never place decorations immediately above or around the fireplace when it is lit.

Place candles away from children or pets so they don’t get knocked over and ensure soft furnishing such as curtains or blankets are not nearby. Always make sure you put candles out before going to bed or leaving the house.

Cooking fires

More than half of all accidental fires in the home are started by cooking. Usually this is because a cooker, hob or grill has been left unattended. On Christmas day, there can be a lot of distractions whilst preparing the Christmas dinner. Keep children and pets away from the stove and never leave your cooking unattended. Follow these basic cooking safety tips to ensure a fire doesn’t ruin your Christmas. Keep a fire blanket in the kitchen to quickly tackle any cooking, clothing or waste bin fires that start and have a burns kit to hand just in case anyone suffers from a burn or scold.

Never cook if you have been drinking alcohol, especially if you feel tired or drunk. Drinking alcohol causes drowsiness, slower reactions and confusion and will affect your coordination. You could fall asleep whilst cooking, and are more likely to knock pans or spill hot oil if you have reduced coordination.

Fire detection – plan ahead to stay safe

Making sure you have working smoke alarms fitted in your home prior to the Christmas period could save your life. Fit a heat alarm in the kitchen to quickly detect cooking fires without causing false alarms (heat alarms respond to a sharp increase in temperature not smoke and so will not sound if you burn the toast!). Test all alarms before Christmas and replace the alarm or battery if required. For further fire safety tips and advice tailored to your home, try the free online home fire safety check.

Carbon monoxide safety tips for Christmas

During the festive period, there could be an increased risk of carbon monoxide gas in your home. Using log burners, open fires, heaters or boilers that have not been maintained throughout the year could produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

Sweep chimneys and service gas or solid fuel appliances such as boilers, heaters or cookers prior to use during the Christmas period. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in every room where there is a gas or solid fuel appliance, or open fire.

Carbon monoxide gas is also known as the ‘silent killer’ as it can cause death and serious illness in people and pets. Get to know the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning and share them with your friends and family. Always ensure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home to alert you, your household and visitors to the presence of this dangerous gas.

Wishing you a happy and healthy Christmas!

Consider this advice during your festive preparations in December to keep you, your family, friends and pets safe. Why not share our Christmas safety tips with others using the share buttons below? We wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and new year!

FAQs

How do I keep my pet safe at Christmas?

Christmas can be an exciting or anxious time for pets due to a change in routine, an increase in noise and people, and lots of new and interesting objects to stimulate the senses! Follow the RSPCA’s advice on keeping pets calm at Christmas and keep candles and decorations out of reach. Never leave your pet unattended near heaters or open fires and keep them out of the kitchen when you are cooking to avoid any mishaps or distractions.

Why are Christmas trees a fire hazard?

Real Christmas trees can catch fire very quickly especially when they start to dry out. Buy your real tree closer to Christmas so it doesn’t dry out too much and keep it well watered at the base. Artificial Christmas trees can also be a fire hazard if their flame retardant coating has worn off – check the lifespan of your artificial tree and replace if required.

Is it safe to leave Christmas tree lights on all night?

No, it is not safe to leave Christmas tree lights on all night. These lights can get hot and could start a fire. Switch Christmas tree or fairy lights off when you go to bed or leave the house.

What fire extinguisher can be used on Christmas trees?

A Water Mist Fire Extinguisher is the best fire extinguisher to have at home during the festive period. You can use a Water Mist Extinguisher to tackle all common household fires including fires involving Christmas trees and fairy lights. This type of extinguisher dispenses a fine de-ionised water mist. This is non-toxic and will not leave any messy residue to clean up.

Wednesday 12th July 2023

Just added to Britannia Fire’s range of P50 Service-Free Fire Extinguishers is the Fluorine-Free A-Foam Fire Extinguisher. Further to this, a P50 B-Foam Fire Extinguisher is coming soon. With the phase out of AFFF foam expected to begin imminently, these Fluorine-Free Foams provide a more environmental alternative.

What is the difference between AFFF foam and fluorine-free?

AFFF Foam contains PFAS chemicals that have been identified as being harmful to the environment, people, and wildlife. The most harmful component of PFAS chemicals is fluorine compounds. Some of these compounds have been discontinued by law since 2020, and other legal restrictions are expected to follow shortly. In light of this action, Britannia Fire have developed the P50 fluorine-free foam as an environmental alternative. This extinguisher contains no harmful fluorine compounds, and therefore will not be subject to PFAS regulations or other forthcoming regulations.

Is the P50 Fluorine-Free an eco-extinguisher?

The P50 fluorine-free foams are free from any harmful fluoro compounds, making it a true eco-foam extinguisher. They are non-toxic, more environmentally friendly than AFFF foam, and will not be subject to any changes relating to the PFAS regulations.

It is important to check the firefighting medium in an extinguisher that is called ‘eco-foam’ or ‘enviro-foam’. Previously, these terms have been used to refer to a group of AFFF foam extinguishers that contain lower fluorine content. Any amount of fluorine is harmful to the environment; these extinguishers should not be considered to be ‘eco’ or ‘environmental’.

Is fluorine-free foam a like-for-like replacement to AFFF foam?

In many situations, the P50 Fluorine-Free A-foam can be used as a direct replacement for AFFF foam extinguishers to tackle class A and electrical fires. The 6ltr extinguisher has ratings of 34A, 13B, and electrical equipment up to 1000 Volts. Where there is a high risk of class B rating fires (flammable liquids like oil, alcohol, or diesel), additional protection may be required. This will soon be provided by the P50 B-Foam Extinguisher which has ratings of 27A, 144B, 25F, and electrical equipment up to 1000 Volts.

Visit PFAS-Free Fire Extinguishers for more information, or book a free P50 Service-Free Extinguisher site survey.

Wednesday 14th June 2023

During the pandemic, funding became available for schools in Scotland and Wales to improve air circulation and reduce the spread of the virus. SAMHE, a government backed research project monitoring air quality in schools, is keen to further investigate the consequences of poor air quality on pupils’ health and concentration. With this issue high on the agenda, we look at how to identify poor air quality and the simple measures available to improve ventilation in schools where action is required.

Identifying Issues: Monitoring Air Quality in Schools

SAHME is offering a free air quality monitor to schools across the UK. The devices measure carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) particulate matter (PM), temperature and relative humidity, with data available to both teachers and pupils. The data from each monitor is also recorded on a national database, available to SAHME, which will be analysed to understand and improve long-term air quality for all schools.

Schools in the scheme which monitor trends in air quality across their site will be able to identify areas in which ventilation improvements need to be made. SAHME acknowledges that in some areas, mechanical ventilation systems may be required. For many areas, however, natural ventilation from opening windows and doors is enough to reduce air pollutants to acceptable levels.

Improve air circulation with a fire door retainer

Fire doors are critical to any building’s infrastructure, but they can be a barrier to good air circulation. Propping or wedging open fire doors, or cutting the bottom off a fire door is, however, illegal, and could be dangerous as the door may fail to prevent the spread of fire.

Fireco’s Pro Fire Door Retainer System can improve ventilation without compromising fire safety. The fire door retainer devices hold fire doors open safely, allowing air to circulate throughout the building. Dorgard Pro and Freedor Pro retainers can be used to hold doors open at any angle, allowing for adjustments during colder months. Doors are released to close as soon as the fire alarm sounds, protecting pupils, staff and property.

The fire door retainer devices are wireless and battery-operated, meaning they can be installed with minimum disruption. In nurseries, primary schools, SEN schools, and other noisy environments, the Pro system is ideal. The ProHub control panel is hardwired directly into the building’s fire alarm panel which eliminates the possibility of false activations.

Allow ventilation with an intumescent grill

Air flow can be increased in schools by installing fire-proof ventilation grilles into fire doors. This should only be done after checking that the fire door can be adapted to include intumescent grilles. Due to the varying construction of fire doors, some doors cannot be safely altered in this way. Some doors may need an additional hard wood liner fitted in the newly-created aperture. Fire doors that require cold smoke seals may not be suitable for installing intumescent grilles. As the grilles rely on heat from fire to activate them to swell, cold smoke may be able to pass through before this happens. Always consult your fire risk assessment for the type of seals that are required before having work carried out on your fire doors. Any work to fire doors should be carried out by a competent person.

Air transfer vents fitted into fire doors should always be fire-rated. Intumescent grilles are specially designed to swell when exposed to heat, closing the gap and maintaining the fire resistance of the door. A standard air transfer vent would not do this and so would invalidate the fire door certification and fail to stop the spread of fire.

Safelincs fire door services

If you are unsure about whether your fire doors are fit for purpose, or require support to install fire door retainers contact our fire door team on 01507 464185 or email firedoors@safelincs.co.uk. Our qualified engineers can visit your site anywhere in the UK to inspect existing doors or carry out installation work.

FAQs

Is it safe to cut the bottom off a fire door to improve ventilation?

Fire doors should never be cut to improve ventilation. The maximum gap under a fire door is 8-10mm depending on the door specification. A gap any larger than that could result in the door failing to prevent the spread of fire. Some fire doors can be trimmed to fit if they are too tall for the door opening. Always consult the manufacturer to ensure it is possible to trim the door without affecting its fire rating. Great care should be taken when altering fire doors so that the door certification is not invalidated.

Are fire door retainers suitable for external fire doors?

No, fire door retainers are not suitable for external use. However, it is worth noting that in many cases, final exit doors do not need to be fire rated. If existing external/final exit doors are not fire rated, they are not fire doors. These can therefore remain open to improve a classroom’s ventilation.

There is no solution for retaining final exit doors which are also fire rated. If ventilation is insufficient in this instance, a mechanical ventilation system may be required.

Thursday 9th March 2023

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used in many devices now found in our homes and workplaces. Laptops, mobile phones, cameras, e-scooters, power tools and electric cars are all powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Whilst the chances of a lithium-ion battery fire are relatively low, the prevalence of these batteries and the ferocity with which they burn presents a new fire risk that is difficult to tackle with traditional methods. So, can you extinguish lithium-ion battery fires if they occur? We look at what fire safety technology is available to tackle them.

Lithium-ion Fire Extinguisher

There are 2 types of fire extinguisher to tackle lithium-ion battery fires that occur in items such as mobile phones, laptops and power tools.

The Lithco LB6 Fire Extinguisher is a water-based extinguisher with an additive called ‘P Foam’. The agent in these extinguishers is specially designed to penetrate through the outer casing of electrical devices to the source of the fire (the battery). The Lithco LB6 has been rigorously tested and is proven to be very effective when fighting li-ion battery fires. The Lithco LB6 is suitable for use on live electrical equipment (up to 1000v). It also effectively extinguishes class A fires making it a versatile unit.

The other type of lithium-ion fire extinguisher uses an Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion (AVD) agent to surround and cut off the burning battery cells.

Electric Car Fire Blanket

Due to the intense nature of electric car fires and the toxic fumes emitted, they are notoriously difficult to tackle. The Electric Car Fire Blanket from Bridgehill is designed to contain the fire to prevent flames and flying materials from spreading to nearby vehicles and buildings. As well as containing the fire, the fire blanket stops oxygen from getting to the fire, therefore controlling it further. Designed for use by the fire service or in parking lots, at charging stations or on car ferries, we recommend this car fire blanket is used by trained personnel only.

Lithium-ion Battery Safe

The Phoenix Battery Commander range provides safe storage and a protected charging point for li-ion batteries and devices. Heat activated seals contain any fire within the safe and also protect the safe contents from an external fire. For further protection, an optional fire extinguisher, smoke detector or alarm can be fitted.

Extinguishing Lithium-ion Battery Fires

The lithium-ion extinguishers and containment featured in this blog provide some solutions to this modern fire risk. Great care must always be taken when tackling lithium-ion battery fires as lithium-ion burns quickly and intensely and emits toxic fumes. If in any doubt, always contact the fire service as soon as possible to deal with the blaze and evacuate the area.

FAQs

What can lithium-ion extinguishers be used for?

Lithium-ion extinguishers can be used to tackle fires in any item that is powered by a lithium-ion battery. This includes rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops, power tools or electric bikes or e-scooters amongst others. Lithium-ion fire extinguishers are not suitable for use on electric cars. This is because of the large quantity of extinguishing agent that would be required to tackle such large fires. Instead, an electric car fire blanket could be used to control and contain the fire.

What fire extinguisher should be used for lithium-ion batteries?

There are two types of fire extinguisher that have been specifically developed for putting out lithium-ion battery fires. The Lithco LB6 Fire Extinguisher will effectively extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire in handheld devices, laptops and power tools plus other lithium-ion battery powered items. A car fire blanket will contain and control a lithium-ion battery fire in an electric or hybrid vehicle.

Thursday 1st December 2022

The new longlife radio-interlinked smoke alarms from UltraFire are a great option for any home. They are the only radio-interlinked smoke and heat alarms available in the UK that have a 10-year warranty for complete peace of mind.

Longlife and long warranty

UltraFire longlife radio-interlinked alarms are fitted with a 10-year sealed battery. This battery lasts for the lifetime of the alarm so will never need to be changed and cannot be tampered with. The base of the alarm and the alarm itself are covered by a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty for the lifetime of the alarm. This gives you complete peace of mind.

Radio-interlinked alarms give you the best chance of escape

Radio-interlinked alarms are recognised by the fire service as giving the best chance of escape. Fitting multiple alarms around your home and linking them together means that if one alarm detects a fire, all the alarms will sound. This means that where ever you are in your home, you will be alerted if a fire is detected. This early warning gives everyone in your household a better chance of escape.

Fire detection throughout your home

Wirelessly link up to 15 of these UltraFire radio-interlinked smoke and heat alarms in one system. This will quickly alert the whole house if a fire is detected. Fit the UltraFire heat alarm in the kitchen and garage, and smoke alarms in any rooms where a fire could start. As a minimum, alarms should be fitted in the main living area, kitchen and all hallways and landings.

We offer a smoke and heat alarm starter kit which can be linked to additional alarms from the same range.

Suitable for the 2022 Scottish legislation

The UltraFire Longlife Radio-interlinked Smoke and Heat Alarms comply with the latest Scottish alarm regulations for homes.

Wednesday 19th October 2022

With energy prices soaring and lots of businesses still feeling the effects of the Covid pandemic, many businesses and organisations are understandably looking for ways to reduce costs. When it comes to fire safety, cost saving should never compromise the level of protection in your organisation. Read our top money saving tips for businesses so you can cut costs without cutting corners.

1.Switch to P50 Service-Free Fire Extinguishers 

No annual service from a trained technician – Due to their unique construction, P50 Service-Free Fire Extinguishers can reduce your fire extinguisher costs substantially. Unlike traditional steel extinguishers that require annual servicing from a trained technician each year, P50 Service-Free Extinguishers only require a simple visual inspection. A member of your team can carry out this inspection and will receive free training from Safelincs at the point of installation. This eliminates your annual extinguisher servicing costs.

Longer lasting and highly durable – P50 Service-Free Extinguishers have a 10 year warranty and a lifespan that is twice as long as steel extinguishers. They can last for 20 years if they are refilled by the manufacturer after 10 years. P50 Extinguishers will not corrode – even if left outside for 20 years! This is due to the materials used in their construction.

Reduce the number of extinguishers required – Due to its superior fire rating and versatility, the P50 Foam Service-Free Extinguisher can often replace a common extinguisher combination of 9ltr Water and 2kg CO2. Making this switch actually gives you better coverage for class A and B fires and can also be used to effectively tackle electrical fires. Having one P50 Foam Extinguisher rather than the traditional combination of water and CO2 extinguishers also removes confusion about which unit to choose in the event of a fire. Having less units to install and maintain will significantly reduce fire extinguisher costs.

Free site survey, delivery and installation service – If you decide to switch to P50 Service-free Extinguishers, Safelincs will carry out a site survey at your premises, deliver and install the extinguishers free of charge. Our professional technicians will also commission the P50 extinguishers and supply and fit wall brackets with no extra charge. Your staff will receive training on how to complete the annual visual inspection and the engineer will complete and supply all relevant certification. Our team will even remove and recycle your old steel extinguishers!

2. Install LED emergency lighting

The purchase price of LED emergency lighting has come down a lot in recent years. It is now in many cases cheaper than the cost of the traditional fluorescent bulb equivalent. Aside from the upfront cost saving, the accumulative saving with LED lighting is substantial.
With the price of electricity at a record high and continuing to rise, cutting energy usage can make a big difference to business expenses year on year. LED emergency lights such as the Eden LED Emergency Lighting Bulkhead (Maintained) are far more energy efficient. They use only 5W of power compared to the 21W used by a standard fluorescent bulb. View our LED Emergency Lighting cost for comparison article for further analysis of the amount that can be saved.

3. Carry out regular maintenance checks

Keeping your fire safety equipment maintained in good working order is a legal requirement. This could also save you money in the long run. Servicing fire safety equipment and making regular checks will uncover any issues early on that could be more costly to rectify later on.

4. Choose versatile fire extinguishers

Install a broad-spectrum fire extinguisher such as a Water Mist Extinguisher and you could reduce the number of fire extinguishers you require. Suitable for class A, B and C type fires and tested for use on live electrical equipment, Water Mist extinguishers are ideal for tackling most common fires found in offices, warehouses, schools, churches and many other locations.

5. Take advantage of quantity discounts from a trusted supplier

Purchasing a higher quantity of equipment at one time means you can take advantage of quantity discounts. Safelincs offer a reduced unit price on many items when multiple units are purchased at the same time. It often also pays to use one trusted supplier for multiple services and equipment as this may help to reduce call out fees or delivery costs. Safelincs can provide a complete range of fire and safety services and equipment, and we would be happy to discuss your individual requirements.

If you would like to speak to our team about any of these money saving tips for businesses please call 0800 612 6537 or email info@safelincs.co.uk.