Gas Safe Europe calls for even tighter safety rules on smoke and gas alarms
New rules introduced in Scotland to improve household safety could be even tighter, according to an industry specialist. Under the regulations, every home in the country must have a smoke alarm fitted in the living room and in areas such as hallways and landings. There must also be carbon monoxide – CO alarms where there are fixed combustion appliances. Until now, such standards had only applied to private landlords and new builds but, as of February 2021, will apply to all homes in Scotland. John Stones, Managing Director of Gas Safe Europe, whose products ensure smoke and gas alarms are working properly, said: “While these new regulations are to be welcomed and are ahead of England and Wales, they still do not go far enough. While it is easy to realise if a smoke alarm is working when you burn the toast, a CO alarm is an entirely different matter because the sensor may be defective and therefore incapable of detecting an CO that might be present in a room. You can’t fully test a CO alarm without exposing it to a test gas.” John was the first person in the UK to sell carbon monoxide alarms to the public in volume by mail order, sat on the first British Standards Committee for CO alarms and acted as a Government adviser on alarm legislation. He moved his business away from alarms to develop a range of products aimed at ensuring that the sensors on CO alarms were working properly. Gas Safe Europe’s award-winning products, including Detectagas for CO alarms and Detectasmoke for smoke alarms, are now widely used by fire and security and health and safety and maintenance companies to test alarms to ensure they can detect traces of gas and smoke. John added: “Research has shown that around 15% of CO alarms are defective before they even get out of the box and a further 45% have been found to fail within three to four years – despite the 10 year warranties given by the manufacturers with their alarms. Just because the battery is working does not mean you are safe. Without a fully functioning CO sensor, the alarm is not going to warn a homeowner or tenant that they are at risk from deadly CO. There are currently more than 30 million CO alarms in the UK that could be providing consumers with a false sense of security and putting lives at risk.” Detectagas, the company’s first product, checks the battery and sensor in alarms in one test by injecting a specific and safe level of test gas into a specially designed transparent cover over the alarm. Detectasmoke is used by maintenance companies to test smoke alarms in multi-occupational housing and offices. Other products, including Detectaleak and Detectadusta, were subsequently developed due to customer demand. For more informatin about the CO alarms from Gas Safe Europe please visit www.gassafeeurope.com
Gas Safe Europe launches new Detectasmoke product
A company whose products help to saves lives by ensuring smoke and gas alarms are working properly has launched the latest addition to its range. Gas Safe Europe has added a new variant of its Detectasmoke product to meet demand. Detectasmoke DSF1 complements the company’s existing non-flammable version, which is widely used by global clients. The development of the new Detectasmoke aerosol followed changes to the Aerosol Regulations which meant that the existing propellant could no longer be used in the manufacturing process leading to raw material price increases. John Stones, Managing Director of North Wales-based Gas Safe Europe, said: “There was clearly a demand for a lower priced alternative to our non-flammable Detectasmoke and we pride ourselves on our ability to continue innovating and reacting to the demands of the fire safety industry. In addition to developing our new smoke test aerosol, we have also reformulated the non-flammable product to meet F-Gas Regulations. It ensures that our customers have the choice of which product to use at a price point to suit them.” All Detectasmoke products are fully compliant with 2018 F-Gas Regulations with an emphasis on performing quickly and producing the minimum amount of residue. They are also suitable for use with all pole delivery systems. John added: “The industry has been using aerosols to test for smoke and gas for over 30 years and has made it clear that it wants to continue using aerosol products. Our challenge as a manufacturer is to ensure that we continue to raise the bar in terms of the quality and effectiveness of the products we bring to the market. As a family-owned, multiple award-winning business, we also recognise the importance of ensuring our customers in the UK and internationally receive the best possible customer service.” Detectasmoke is widely used across a number of industries including Fire and Security, Maintenance and Marine to regularly test their smoke alarm systems. Detectasmoke is available in 250ml and 150ml cans and is available from distributors including City Electrical, Wolseley, Edmundson Electrical and CPC. In addition to Detectasmoke, Gas Safe Europe also manufactures a number of other safety products including Detectagas, Detectaleak and Detectadusta. for more information please visit http://www.gassafeeurope.com
