Rank: Forum user 
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Hi all - I posted re this a few days ago and its reared its head again. The warehouse is opening today, risk assessment carried out and the size of the warehouse is v large i.e. 300,000 sq feet to store oak furntiure with use of FLT etc. My question is relating to fire extinguishers. The fire extinguisher supplier suggested 140 units (6 litre foam) do you think this is overkill? The managers/directors have said they want the minimum quantity on site with a view that as the existing warehousing closes (other sites) we will utilise the existing units. We do not know yet WHEN they are closing so cannot even say its a short space of time. Am at my wits end with them. Do you have any advice and / or examples of the implications - I know they are non compliant to the fire Regs and have told them so but this is their response - help!
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Does it have sprinklers? What are the fire extinguishers for - safe evacuation or saving the stock?
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Rank: Forum user
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there are no sprinklers! the extinguishers are for safe evacuation
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hopefully one of the fire experts will see this and give you some guidance but a quick web search says
The how many is not always easy to gauge but, as a general rule, you will need one water-based extinguisher such as water, water additive (the best option for most) or foam (3 litre or bigger) for every 2000 square foot or 200 square metres of floor space. This is per floor.
The standards stipulate that no person should be more than 30 meters from a fire extinguisher.
The general guideline is 1 x 9L Water or Foam per 200sq Meters plus an extinguisher for special risk such as a Co2 for electrical or liquid fires.
If your building is larger than 400sq Meters then there should be a minimum of 2 fire extinguishers per floor and each floor should not have less than a fire test rating of 26 A (2 x 9 L Water or 2 x greater than a 4Kg powder or 2 x greater than a 2 Litre Foam) plus you should also have a fire extinguisher to cover any specific risks (i.e. Co2 for electrical risks or possibility of liquid fires). The formula is 0.065 x floor area (in Square meters) and that will give you the Class A fire test rating that you need as a minimum. (All the fire extinguishers on our site have their rating printed).
It is all down to risk assessment of course ,but you could always put it by your insurance broker.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Is difficult DM without seeing any plan - Decimomal has provided some guidance that should help - don’t want to take the post of track but I note no sprinklers - this is a big shed to get past planning without the requirement to fit sprinklers. Is there some reason for this such as a fire engineered solution or simply not changed the use of the building.
The problem with this thread is that the good people here will want help you best they can but as I say, the guidance they can only provide will be general as they cant see it.
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Rank: Forum user
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DP wrote:Is difficult DM without seeing any plan - Decimomal has provided some guidance that should help - don’t want to take the post of track but I note no sprinklers - this is a big shed to get past planning without the requirement to fit sprinklers. Is there some reason for this such as a fire engineered solution or simply not changed the use of the building.
The problem with this thread is that the good people here will want help you best they can but as I say, the guidance they can only provide will be general as they cant see it. thanks DM and all, realise its a difficult one, using the guidance, will speak with the insurers too - going to get Chubb in to do the FRA.
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Rank: Super forum user
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DaisyMaisygoing to get Chubb in to do the FRA.
[/quote wrote:
Without meaning to necessarily slate Chubb (although I am sure there are many opinions on this forum); it might be more prudent to obtain the services of a more impartial Fire Risk Assessor, for reasons which should appear obvious.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I appreciate that you seem to need somebody fast - if you do please let me know, the person who supports me with fire safety compliance is the best I have ever come across.
By happy to supply you with his details.
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Rank: Forum user
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appreciate some of you concerned about the use of Chubb but for the record they are doing the FRA only - for obvious reasons we have another company to install and supply extinguishers.
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