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What is a Building Warrant of Fitness (BWoF)?

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The Building Act 2004 – which covers the safety and integrity of buildings – states that building owners with buildings that contain “specified systems” related to health and safety, then those buildings must maintain a Compliance Schedule and they must produce Building Warrant of Fitness documents annually. These documents verify that those specified systems have been adequately maintained and looked after. The Building Warrant of Fitness (BWoF) documents that the systems specified in the Compliance Schedule have all been properly inspected maintained, and reported on during the past 12 months. The BWoF and any supporting documents are supplied to the local council annually, and a copy of them should be displayed within the building itself where everyone can see it. The Building Warrant of Fitness should be renewed each year before it expires. Failing to have the documents renewed is considered a breach of the Building Act 2004 and you will face consequences. This ren...
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What Are The Different Classes Of Fire?

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Classes Of Fire The fuel burning dictates the type of extinguisher you use to fight the fire. To help you understand this concept you need to know how fires are classified and which fire extinguishers are suitable for each class. Class A Fires Class A fires start when materials such as paper, rubbish, wood, or other carbon-based materials ignite. Dry powder, foam and water extinguishers are suitable for this class of fire. Your best plan of attack would is to locate the nearest fire hose. This will give you a constant stream of water. The temperature at the base of the fire will cool to a point below that needed for combustion to take place. Class B Fires Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as paints, oil, and petrol. With these materials, its the vapours of fumes that burn rather than the liquid. Because the vapours a lighter than air, they can drift away from the seat of the fire, and then ignite, causing what’s called a flash-off. This class of fire...
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How Often Do Fire Extinguishers Need To Be Inspected In NZ?

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What Maintenance Does Fire Equipment Need? It is through the use of firefighting equipment that people are able to save property and even lives when fire accidents occur. Schools, homes, and workplaces are safer with firefighting equipment installed in their compounds. Taking care of firefighting equipment is necessary. Inspection should be carried out regularly, either weekly, monthly or after every six months. The checks should ensure that the equipment is functioning correctly. Failure to take proper care of your fire extinguishers will make the equipment less effective in case of a fire. As a result, a small fire accident that could have been dealt with quickly can become a catastrophe. You should understand that there are two types of maintenance services that you should give your firefighting equipment, namely, professional and self-maintenance. Professional Maintenance As per NZS 4503:2005 , It is a standard requirement in businesses for all fire equipment to undergo pro...
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All About Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers are the most common fire extinguishers in New Zealand. Often referred to as Dry Powder, Dry Chemical or ABE Fire Extinguishers, they contain a dry chemical powder as the extinguishing agent. How to Identify A Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers are a red cylinder with a white band running all around the top. Older, outdated models were an entire white cylinder. You can often see the words Dry Chemical printed on the front. Where To Use A Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher Due to their versatility, dry chemical fire extinguishers can be used in many different settings. They are suited for around the home, in the office, large factories and many other types of businesses. There are two kinds of dry chemical fire extinguishers on the market. ABE Fire Extinguishers As the name suggests, ABE fire extinguishers can be used to fight fires of class A, B, and E. This covers a wide range of hazards, including...
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Picking The Correct Fire Extinguisher

TYPES OF FIRES Before attempting to put out or control a fire, it’s crucial that you know the source. This is because using the wrong type of fire extinguisher could have disastrous effects and fuel the fire further, putting yourself and your family at risk of harm. These are the classifications for different types of fires with Class A, B, E and F being the most common types of household fires. Class Cause Flammable material examples A Carbon-based materials Wood, paper, cloth, rubber, plastics, textiles, grass and coal. B Flammable or combustible liquids Petrol, kerosene, oil, tar, paint and wax. C Combustible gases Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), butane, propane, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and acetylene. D Combustible metals Sodium, potassium, magnesium and aluminium shavings. E Electrical fires are usually considered ‘class (E)’. Electricity is a source of heat in itself and it can cause electrocution. Toasters, hairdryers, microwaves, electrical stoves, ovens, ha...
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What Are Some Common Workplace Electrical Hazards?

Electrical Hazards Of all the energy sources used in the workplace, electricity has the most significant potential to injure seriously or cause fatalities. The human body is an excellent conductor of electricity, and even non-fatal electric shocks can cause severe and permanent injury. Electrical injuries include burns, electrocution and shock. Electric shock can cause muscle spasms, breathing failure, irregular heartbeat, severe burns, unconsciousness and can be fatal. Electric shock can arise from exposed contacts, live electrical equipment, damaged insulation and wet conditions. An electrical fire can occur from loose connections, heating equipment, short circuits and the incorrect electrical equipment in hazardous environments. The main electrical hazards in the workplace are: Contact with live parts of tools, equipment, extension cables and machinery. Electrical faults causing fires. Fires or explosions where electricity is the source of ignition. Safe Work Pra...
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NZ Fire Extinguisher Types And Fire Class

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Fire is a constant danger when you're using flammable materials in any workshop. Your safety depends on whether you can Identify the cause of the fire. Identify the correct extinguisher to use on different fires. Correctly operate the fire extinguisher. Elements of fire Fuel, heat and oxygen must be present before there can be a fire: Fuel is anything combustible: any solid, liquid or gas that can burn, for example, wood, paper, oil, solvents and so on. Heat can come from flames, sparks, friction, electrical sources, hot pipes and equipment. Oxygen comes mainly from the air but also from some chemicals. To put out a fire, remove one of the three elements by: Removing fuel to starve the fire. Removing oxygen to smother the fire. Cooling the heat by using water. Types of fire The fuel that is burning dictates the kind of extinguisher you use to fight the fire. To help you understand this concept, you need to know how fires are classified and which fire ...
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