Glossary
Every term in the wiki, in alphabetical order. BS means it's mainly used in British Standards, NFPA mainly in NFPA codes.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AFFF | Aqueous Film-Forming Foam: foam that spreads a thin film of water over a burning liquid |
| AHJ NFPA | Authority Having Jurisdiction: whoever enforces the code (fire marshal, building official, insurer) |
| Annex NFPA | Explanatory material at the back of an NFPA document. Not mandatory. |
| BAFE BS | UK third-party certification body for fire protection companies (e.g. SP101 for extinguishers) |
| Basic service BS | The annual service of an extinguisher under BS 5306-3 |
| BS / BS EN / BS EN ISO BS | British Standard / European standard adopted in the UK / international standard adopted in Europe and the UK |
| Cartridge-operated | Extinguisher pressurised at the moment of use by a separate gas cartridge |
| Class A, B, C, D, F/K | Classes of fire by what is burning. C and F/K differ between BS and NFPA. |
| Commissioning | Checking that a new installation works and is correctly set up before handover |
| Competent person BS | Someone with the training, knowledge and experience to do the job properly |
| Condemn | Permanently remove equipment from service as unsafe or beyond economic repair |
| CTT DOW | Dow's technical requirements documents that apply to work on Dow sites |
| Discharge test BS | Firing an extinguisher to prove it works, as part of the 5-year extended service |
| Extended service BS | Deeper 5-year extinguisher service including a discharge test |
| FSO / RRO BS | Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the main fire safety law for workplaces in England & Wales |
| Fire watch | A person or patrol watching an area while its fire protection is impaired |
| FM Global | A US-based industrial insurer that publishes its own engineering "data sheets" and approves equipment ("FM Approved") |
| Hydrostatic test NFPA | Pressure-testing an empty cylinder or shell with water to prove it won't rupture |
| Impairment | Any time a fire protection system is out of service, planned or emergency |
| Inspection | A visual check that equipment is in place, undamaged and appears ready to work |
| ITM NFPA | Inspection, Testing and Maintenance |
| LOTO | Lock-Out / Tag-Out: physically locking and labelling an isolation so nobody can re-energise it |
| LPCB / LPC Rules BS | Loss Prevention Certification Board; the LPC Rules add insurer requirements to BS EN 12845 for sprinklers |
| Maintenance | Work to keep equipment operable or to repair it |
| Overhaul BS | 10-year service of a CO₂ extinguisher including a hydraulic pressure test |
| Permit to work | A written authorisation stating what work may be done, where, how, and under what precautions |
| Responsible person BS | Under the FSO, the person in control of the premises, who has the legal duty for fire safety |
| Stored pressure | Extinguisher permanently pressurised, usually with a gauge |
| Tamper seal | A small plastic tie or seal that breaks if the extinguisher is operated or interfered with |
| Test | Operating equipment to prove it works |
| UL NFPA | Underwriters Laboratories: US product testing and listing ("UL Listed") |
| Verification-of-service collar NFPA | Plastic collar fitted round the valve neck after an internal examination or recharge |