FIRE SAFETY B
passive fire resistance should an incident occur. Compliance is equally important. Businesses storing dangerous substances should undertake a DSEAR assessment (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) to ensure storage arrangements, ventilation systems, and any electrical equipment are suitable for potentially explosive atmospheres. Two storage units may look identical externally, but only one may actually meet the required fire safety and electrical ATEX standards. Chemstore UK regularly encounters situations where businesses unknowingly compromise safety through poor specification or unsuitable modifications. As temperatures continue to rise, hazardous storage is no longer simply a compliance issue, it is increasingly a fire prevention priority. Chemstore UK works with businesses to properly assess storage risks and provide compliant, temperature- controlled solutions tailored to the materials being stored. With hotter summers becoming the norm, companies should urgently review whether their hazardous storage arrangements are genuinely fit for purpose.
Chemstore
www.chemstore.co.uk
MEET THE LATEST FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR HIGH-RISK INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
ritannia Fire continues to strengthen its P50 composite fire extinguisher range with the introduction of Monnex, a specialist, high performance dry powder for high- risk industrial settings.
Monnex powder is non-conductive and rapidly extinguishes Class B (flammable liquids) and Class C (flammable gas) fires. It works differently to standard dry powder, breaking into smaller particles in intense heat which increases its surface area and coverage to extinguish fires quickly and more efficiently. Britannia Fire’s P50 Monnex fire extinguishers are ideal for high-risk sites including petrochemical plants, airports, fuel depots, power stations and manufacturing facilities. They are also particularly suitable for isolated, offshore locations such as ships or oil and gas facilities.
All P50s are environmentally-friendly and fully recyclable with a 20-year life span and a 10-year guarantee. Unlike traditional, metal fire extinguishers, they don’t require costly external annual servicing. Instead, simple checks can be carried out by a responsible person. Andy Spence, managing director of Britannia Fire, says: “High-risk industrial sites need fire protection that performs instantly and reliably in extreme conditions. The launch of our P50 Monnex extinguisher gives operators a specialist solution that delivers rapid knock-down on flammable liquid and gas fires, while also reducing long term maintenance and environmental impact. “By combining Monnex’s exceptional firefighting performance with the durability and service-free benefits of the P50 composite range, we can help customers improve safety, resilience and costs in some the most challenging sites in the world.”
The P50 Monnex fire extinguisher has been independently tested and is legally compliant and safe to use in the UK, and beyond. It is BSI kitemarked and confirms to UKCA, EN3 and the Pressure Equipment Directive.
A model certified to the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) is also available, which includes the required Schrader valve for equipment used on ships, offshore platforms and marine installations. Spence continues:
“The MED approved P50 Monnex is ideal for offshore environments, where conditions are harsher and regulations are stricter. The P50 doesn’t corrode like traditional metal extinguishers and is much more durable. It also doesn’t require annual servicing,
something that’s historically been very difficult and costly in these hard-to-reach sites. The Schrader valve allows easy pressure checks and re-pressurisation.”
Gary Wise, director of North Weald Aviation Support Services, travels the breadth of the UK, setting up and managing temporary helicopter landing sites for customers such as charter companies and TV/filming crews. His fire vehicles are equipped with a range of firefighting equipment, including Monnex dry powder extinguishers. He has recently made the switch to the P50 Monnex:
“When comparing Britannia Fire’s P50 Monnex to metal equivalents, there were very noticeable benefits to switching to this more lightweight, composite model. P50s are British made, cheaper, last 20 years and don’t need costly annual servicing. The fact that we can now do our own simple annual checks and there is less weight on our trucks is a game changer. “North Weald Aviation Support Services has been built on trusted reliability and safety, that’s why we choose Britannia Fire.”
Britannia Fire
www.britannia-fire.co.uk INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE |SUMMER/AUTUMN 2026 27
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