The idea
Review the current requirement to have so many fire extinguishers in low risk premises.
Seriously, when was the last time you saw someone in your office use a fire extinguisher? It's been at least three decades seen I've seen one used.
They're all over the place, but does anyone know how to use one? The only use I can see for them is to prop open (fire) doors when the office gets too stuffy or hot.
I'm happy with the last piece of government advice I got, if there's a fire – "Get Out and Stay Out". I'm not one for heroics fighting fires, anyway I thought that was what we had fire brigades for.
Then if you decide to train someone how to use a fire extinguisher it takes half a day and costs over a hundred quid. Surely it doesn't take half a day to tell someone to be – ready – pull the pin – and squeeze the trigger. Apparently they have to be re-trained every three years too, to do something perhaps only once in their lifetime.
Apparently even if your building is fully fitted out with a sprinkler system you still need fire extinguishers.
Then theres the man that comes round every year to check them, not exactly sure what he does. Seems to just check that the little arrow is still in the green, the safety pin is in place and that it is undamaged, seems like money for old rope, surely this can be done more cheaply.
Why is it important?
Reduce the financial burden on all businesses caused by having to purchase fire extinguishers that never get used, training for people that never gets put into practice and maintenance checks that could be done without paying external contractors to do it.