Marking on fire hydrants marker plates

JonJones

BS 3251 says yellow fire hydrant markers plates should have the size of the watermain and the distance from the hydrant on them. Is that a legal requirement or just recommendation?

Victor

It's a standard. As it is a British Standard, it isn't automatically binding in Ireland. However, some other document may require that certain work comply with a specific standard.

Legally, it's about incorporation of documents (that's not the correct term). If, say, the county development plans says that all water pipes in a development need to comply with the council's water policy (which is independent of the whole Irish Water issue), and that policy says yellow fire hydrant markers plates must be installed to BS 3251, then it is legally binding. Otherwise your development wouldn't comply with your planning permission and enforcement action could be taken.

Similarly, if a developer hires a building / plumber to install water mains and the contract requires yellow fire hydrant markers plates must be installed to BS 3251, then that would be legally binding.

And if the fire authority sought the purchase of yellow fire hydrant markers plates to BS 3251 in a tender, then they must comply, if the supplier wants to get paid.

Similarly, some other standard could apply, e.g. a European Norm (EN) or German standard (DIN) could apply. Those standards might have different requirements.

Separately, there is the matter of 'grandfathering[/url', so if a fire hydrant was installed, is say 1957, before the first edition of BS 3251, there might be no requirement for and plate and any existing plate might not need to comply with it. That said, it can be important to let fire fighters know exactly where the hydrant is, so having such plates can be useful.

JonJones

Victor wrote: »

It's a standard. As it is a British Standard, it isn't automatically binding in Ireland. However, some other document may require that certain work comply with a specific standard.

Legally, it's about incorporation of documents (that's not the correct term). If, say, the county development plans says that all water pipes in a development need to comply with the council's water policy (which is independent of the whole Irish Water issue), and that policy says yellow fire hydrant markers plates must be installed to BS 3251, then it is legally binding. Otherwise your development wouldn't comply with your planning permission and enforcement action could be taken.

Similarly, if a developer hires a building / plumber to install water mains and the contract requires yellow fire hydrant markers plates must be installed to BS 3251, then that would be legally binding.

And if the fire authority sought the purchase of yellow fire hydrant markers plates to BS 3251 in a tender, then they must comply, if the supplier wants to get paid.

Similarly, some other standard could apply, e.g. a European Norm (EN) or German standard (DIN) could apply. Those standards might have different requirements.

Separately, there is the matter of 'grandfathering[/url', so if a fire hydrant was installed, is say 1957, before the first edition of BS 3251, there might be no requirement for and plate and any existing plate might not need to comply with it. That said, it can be important to let fire fighters know exactly where the hydrant is, so having such plates can be useful.

If, say, the county development plans says that all water pipes in a development need to comply with the council's water policy (which is independent of the whole Irish Water issue), and that policy says yellow fire hydrant markers plates must be installed to BS 3251, then it is legally binding

How would you find out if the county development plan says that?

Victor

JonJones wrote: »

How would you find out if the county development plan says that?

One would read the county development plan (and amendments) on the council's website. However, I was hypothesizing, it might not say anything like this.

Who mentioned BS 3251 to you? And in what context?

JonJones

Victor wrote: »

One would read the county development plan (and amendments) on the council's website. However, I was hypothesizing, it might not say anything like this.

Who mentioned BS 3251 to you? And in what context?

someone was asking me about a hydrant pillar in their estate and if it could be moved to prevent its use in anti social behaviour

Victor

That seems odd. If the sign is on a pole adjacent to a wall / fence and is used for climbing, get a sign that is affixed to the wall / fence itself (which is much more common).

Realistically, do they want (a) anti-social behaviour (b) a house that burns down because the fire brigade can't find the hydrant to get more water or (c) a small sign affixed to their boundary.

JonJones

Victor wrote: »

That seems odd. If the sign is on a pole adjacent to a wall / fence and is used for climbing, get a sign that is affixed to the wall / fence itself (which is much more common).

Realistically, do they want (a) anti-social behaviour (b) a house that burns down because the fire brigade can't find the hydrant to get more water or (c) a small sign affixed to their boundary.

I don't think anyone can just do that. they have no problem with a marker affixed to the boundary

Anyway that is not the issue, I became curious as to the BS status when researching it

Victor

The BS is basically about having the same signs everywhere and not having everyone inventing their own one.