Skip to content
Andy Spence, Britannia Fire
The public sector must continue to meet stringent sustainability targets while minimising costs. With a PFAS ban expected to be announced by the government next year, it’s important that fire safety equipment is compliant and fit for purpose. Andy Spence, Joint Managing Director at Britannia Fire, explains how composite fire extinguishers are revolutionising the market:
Demand for composite fire extinguishers is booming in the UK. Made from a unique combination of durable plastic and aramid fibres, they are strong, lightweight and don’t corrode like traditional metal models.
So why are facilities managers making the switch? They are principally driven by three types of savings: cost-savings due to vastly reduced servicing needs and number of units required; time-savings thanks to simpler checks and maintenance; and finally significant carbon-savings to help meet sustainability targets.
An end to costly servicing and multiple extinguishers
P50s just need an annual visual check carried out by a competent member of staff and a full service and refurbishment once after 10 years. This makes everything easier and saves money.
P50s are also multi-purpose, meaning many new customers can reduce the number of extinguishers they need at each fire point.
Nick Greenwood, Fire Safety Manager at the University of Brighton, comments:
“We cut the number of fire extinguishers needed by half and have not had to fork out for expensive third-party servicing over the last 10 years, saving over £200,000.”
Steve Wiggins, Associate Director of Health and Safety at the University of Bradford also notes huge savings:
“We consolidated and cut the number of fire extinguishers on campus by a third. At the time, we had 1,500 traditional metal extinguishers on site, which were a mix of C02, foam, water and powder. Switching to the P50-ECO simplified things considerably as we only needed around 500 units, resulting in huge cost savings.”
London’s Heathrow Airport has also benefitted from rationalising the number of fire extinguishers at each fire point, which along with reduced servicing costs, has saved the airport more than £1m.
A sustainable solution
Over and above the cost, time and convenience factors, composite fire extinguishers are much better for the environment. They last for 20 years, are easy to recycle, and require less energy to produce. Production emits 22% less carbon than metal alternatives and is partially powered by solar energy.
Britannia’s P50 range is also free from harmful PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, making them an ideal choice ahead of the impending PFAS ban.
Many customers across the public sector are using the P50, including hospital trusts, universities, schools and care homes, all reaping the benefits and proving that it’s possible to provide affordable, convenient, high-quality fire safety, while minimising impact on the environment.
More Information:
Britannia Fire’s P50 composite fire extinguishers are strong, lightweight and don’t corrode like traditional metal models.
Visit: www.britannia-fire.co.uk