20ft & 40ft Containers Converted into Fire Training Units

Breakdown of the Project

This was a very interesting project we were asked the quote & supplied late 2014.

Our client based in Warrington offer safety training courses and were looking for a containerised unit for training the fire service in a confined space.

After a series of phone calls, drawings and emails we came up with a specification that was achievable inside a couple of shipping containers and most importantly met the customer’s specific requirements.

The ground floor unit was based on a 40ft used shipping container and featured a changing room at one end, fire exit doors, various partitions, a false steel wall down the centre with steps, ramps and a ladder leading to the 20ft container above.

The first-floor unit was based on a 20ft used shipping container and fitted with various steel partitions located on angles for the personnel to feel their way around in the pitch black and also a ladder to gain access to the roof and exit door to lead to the roof of the 40ft container.

The roofs could be accessed internally or externally via ladders & doors where we had safety railings welded into position to meet with all regulations. The roof areas were fitted with a crane arm for additional training. We installed emergency lighting throughout for the containers, to simulate various scenarios.

Conversion breakdown

• 20ft used shipping container and 1no. 40ft used shipping container.
• External ladder and framework installed to the exterior, including rooftop area.
  • Including safety railings.
  • Painted in yellow.
  • Ladder to the top of the 20ft container 19ft high.
  • Chequer plate flooring added to the rooftop area.
• Additional external ladder and framework installed to the exterior, including rooftop area.
  • Including safety railings.
  • Painted in yellow.
  • Ladder to the top of the 40ft container 8ft 6” high.
  • Chequer plate flooring added to the rooftop area.
• A third ladder and framework installed to the exterior of the rear 8ft panel of the 20ft container.
  • Including safety railings.
  • Painted in yellow.
  • Ladder to the top of the 20ft container 19ft high from the top of the 40ft container.
• Modifications to the 20ft first floor container included.
  • On the rear 8ft corrugated panel a push bar emergency personnel door was installed.
  • Internally the container was fitted with an internal crawl maze with a service ladder to the roof.
  • A personnel hatch installed in the roof.
  • An aperture cut out in the container floor to match the one on the 40ft container.
• Modifications to the 40ft container included.
  • On the rear 8ft corrugated panel a small escape hatch was installed.
  • On the left-hand 40ft corrugated panel a push bar emergency personnel door was installed.
  • Internally the container was fitted with an internal crawl maze with a service ladder to the roof.
  • A personnel hatch installed in the roof of the container through to the upper 20ft container.
  • Behind the cargo doors, a 5ft dwell area with storage and personnel door into the confined training space.
• Throughout the container there were multiple emergency lighting installed at various points.
• Internally the crawl spaces were also painted black – RAL9005, to make it as dark as possible.
• Externally both containers were painted light grey.