Do you sleep soundly at night knowing that your fire safety systems are up to scratch?
If you just take your fire extinguisher maintenance provider's word for it, you might be in for a nasty shock.
The truth is, just because you're told your equipment is meeting legislation, doesn't mean it actually is. Take the following example...
After the Grenfell disaster, a local Landlord hired a new maintenance company to bring his existing fire safety system up to regulations - including his Fire Alarm, Emergency Lighting and Fire Extinguishers.
He chose a seemingly competent business that he trusted to do the job properly.
After the site visit, the Landlord was told he had nothing to worry about as his systems were now meeting legislation.
Later that day, the maintenance man shared a few pictures on LinkedIn of his 'job well done'.
He claimed that the old system had been brought up to current regulations, but was quickly challenged by a number of other fire safety professionals.
Here's an example of one of the comments left about the Fire Alarm control panel on the controversial LinkedIn Post:
Commenter: "It's difficult to see the electrical spur used, however, it doesn't look correct. It should be red with an isolation keyswitch and the text should be marked. Also, have you mounted an alarm zone plan?"
Maintenance provider: "Yeah, I know. I'll do it next time."
Commenter: "I wouldn't leave it too long until you return to finish the job, after all, you claimed you have brought the system up to regulations. The last thing you need is a system failure..."
If the control panel's wrong, what does that suggest about other parts of the job, such as the fire extinguisher servicing?
The Landlord is under the impression that:
However, the maintenance provider has just admitted on Social Media that the parts aren't up to scratch! If something goes wrong, who's to blame?
Choosing a competent fire extinguisher maintenance provider is critical!
If the worst happens and the Landlord is also the Responsible Person, he could face a jail sentence or unlimited fines.
It is the Responsible Person's job to hire a competent company.
The story above highlights the fact that, just because someone looks and claims to be competent, doesn't always mean that they are.
Your maintenance provider may appear legitimate, with a branded van and all the right tools for the job... but how do you know he can put his money where his mouth is?
After all, you're no expert, which is why you hired him in the first place!
To eliminate risk, your provider should have accreditation - e.g. NSI Gold Fire.
We achieved our NSI Fire Gold accreditation in 2005, which means that we are audited beyond BAFE competency standards as we're also tested for quality management.
For you, the customer, this means:
Blake's has extensive experience designing, commissioning, installing and maintaining fire safety systems to offer business owners the ultimate peace of mind.
If you're currently relying on your tech-savvy family friend for your Fire Extinguisher maintenance, or even a professional company who aren't accredited, we would strongly suggest that you reconsider.
Without proper maintenance, your fire safety equipment can do more harm than good. Don't wait until it's too late to pick an accredited company.
As a Responsible Person you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders. Our experts have written a short guide to help you with 10 things you MUST get right. Click below for your copy and let Blake's lift some of that weight!
