IFSJ Exclusive: Unleashing the power of data

by Breaking NewsBuilding Management

Are digital asset registers the future of building safety maintenance?

Today, property owners, facility managers, and tenants expect a certain level of data. The industry wants to be proactive. The issue is a massive need for visibility.

The current situation

Right now, a property manager might engage with several fire and security maintenance companies, each using paper or their software. Unfortunately, this situation necessitates you to look for the proper report everywhere.

The issue is that no central repository exists to gather and manage all this information. You are required to log into multiple portals and handle various reports and certificates. No centralised view is available for your clients, leading to a scattered and messy situation.

Another problem is that there are still paper forms: people send static and straightforward reports to others that need to be actionable. “If a fire and security company is not using a digital asset register, I’d ask why,” says Roi Abraham, Head of Growth at Uptick.

Most companies are likely using generic job management software which does not log the assets, meaning they do not have the asset record. As a result, they do not know that a fire extinguisher has been missing for four years or when their five-yearly or ten-yearly are due. From a fire perspective, the more you record and manage the assets within your job management software, the better it is for everyone.

What needs to happen

Right now, the main barrier is paper and legacy systems. “Fire providers should be using better systems at the source,” says Abraham. “We ditch the paper and start to use modern asset maintenance software made specifically for the industry”.

Digital asset registers, he says, will make fire and safety maintenance easier by mapping an asset from a geospatial floorplan: “This is amazing from a property owner perspective, and it can save a tonne of time for the engineers on bigger sites, as well as giving your customers a real-time view.”

Another fundamental feature is the customer portal: “Every property owner should demand a real-time view of their contractors’ performance. Which assets are non-compliant? How long has it been non-compliant?

Third-party accreditation is also crucial: “If you’re a fire and security company, you should be third-party certified. Fire and security companies use many papers and forms and struggle to keep up. If they’re using a good software that does all of it within, it ensures that the fire companies are third party certified.”

QR codes have become synonymous since the rise of COVID, and Abraham notes that companies are putting a QR code in every single one of their assets: “This allows them to search the asset. So instead of trawling through a whole list of assets on site, they can find that asset quickly and save time for the engineers.”  If you are a tenant or property owner, this could also enable you to scan the QR code of any asset, see whether it is compliant, and find out when it was last maintained.

Abraham notes that another change on the horizon is remote panel monitoring: “Why go to the site when you don’t have to?”

Who owns the data

One issue that Uptick is trying to solve is the possible conflict over data ownership: It’s a long, long debate. So we’re trying to solve it by providing a repository in the middle called bSECURE, which allows each one to put whatever data they want in it.”

He compares it to a logbook for a car: “If you sell the car, the logbook stays with the vehicle. If you sell buildings, good luck finding the fire engineer report, even post-construction. It should remain with the installation.

The solution?

Uptick is software for fire and security companies. It is designed to make a property owner’s life easier by providing a complete asset register with all the data and fire certificates inbuilt. Crucially, they provide a portal to building owners, enabling them to monitor their entire portfolio and see real-time compliance.

“Our vision is that someone sleeping on level 18 of the building knows whether their building is safe,” says Abraham. “They go to sleep at night, put their head in the pillow, promised that their building is compliant, and they should expect that.”

IFSJ Exclusive: The digital-first approach to fire safety

by AmericasBreaking NewsBuilding Management

Robert Norton, UK Team Lead at PlanRadar, explains why digital platforms are the answer to new fire safety legislation

Fire safety in construction is facing increasing levels of scrutiny, influencing new laws and legislation. As of January 23rd 2023, updates to the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into play, forcing developers and asset owners to sit up and take the issue seriously. The changes are a result of widespread fire safety failings, particularly around fire door checks, which have consistently fallen short of required standards. The Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS), for example, recently found that three quarters of inspected doors failed to meet required standards.

It’s no surprise tighter legislation has come into effect. While the new laws are helping to create safer homes and buildings, particularly for those living in high-rise developments, the changes are also increasing the pressure on developers to update their approach to fire safety. Those that fail to do so face legal prosecution and segregation from the wider industry. Michael Gove MP’s six-week ultimatum for developers is a recent example – either sign contracts relating to fixing fire safety or face the consequences.

One of the major issues preventing the sector from improving its processes is knowledge of new laws and details around fire safety. Expert knowledge is few and far between – a lack of trained professionals and previous regulation has hindered standardised processes, creating a race against time to become fire safety compliant. However, many are yet to realise that the answer lies in technology that is improving fire safety record keeping and making assessments easier than ever. They just need the right tools for the job.

Digital evolution

This is where digital construction tools and platforms come in to their own. One of the biggest updates to the new regulations is the increased legal duties of the Responsible Person (RP). The RP must ensure that annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in common parts are taking place in residential buildings over 11 metres in height. What’s more, the RP must submit critical building information on the layout of buildings and flag any faults of fire equipment to the local fire and rescue services. The latter of which needs to be delivered digitally.

Opting for a digital platform where proof of fire safety checks can be logged and recorded can be invaluable for RPs trying to ensure a watertight audit trail. Having information stored digitally makes delivering important information more secure and easier to manage.

Not only that, but by choosing easy-to-use digital systems, teams can adopt tech straight into their working day, improving both the accuracy and efficiency of day-to-day activities. A digital footprint of checks around key firefighting equipment can also help keep local fire services up-to-date, creating running logs to keep them well-informed on potential issues. Importantly, working in this way is helping to achieve the all-important digital ‘golden thread’ of information – one of the key recommendations of the new and improved Building Safety Act.

Compliance can also be improved through greater communication between teams. The latest on-the-go software allows ‘tickets’ or jobs to be assigned to specific individuals for clarity as to ‘who did what and when’. It’s also possible to send instant messages along with images and videos for further proof that work has been carried out to a high standard.

Collating this information digitally means that fire safety reports can be created in seconds, saving businesses the laborious task of manually writing up reports and unnecessarily duplicating work. We have found platforms can save users as much as seven hours a week on reporting, helping to claw back valuable time better spent elsewhere.

Combined with intuitive design, digital platforms allow teams to hit the ground running without the need for time-intensive training, they simply download the app or platform and start using the tech right away. Against the backdrop of a growing labour crisis, this ease of use couldn’t be more imperative.

Just the beginning

A digital-first approach is a sign of the times, and it’s likely that these new regulations are just the beginning. Being able to navigate data governance to meet new legal challenges with ease will be invaluable to companies, particularly as the ‘safety-first approach’ increases within the sector. Let’s not forget that the government has the construction sector in its sights, and is using its full weight to ensure RPs are held accountable.

For those in the industry feeling underprepared or overwhelmed by the idea of increased safety protocols and compliance, the time to act is now. Adopting a ‘digital-first’ approach is paramount, and it no longer needs to be complex or overly expensive. Tech represents a new age in fire safety – offering more accurate and time-efficient fire safety checks, quicker fire assessments, all through a tamperproof digital audit trail. It’s now in the hands of building owners to deliver the change the industry so desperately needs.

This exclusive article was originally published in the June 2023 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Gas safety made simple

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

IFSJ looks at the EasyAssist Emergency Control Valves from Oxford Gas Products that are helping prevent the spread of fire

Oxford Gas Products was formed with one mission in mind: to make gas safety simple for everyone. It is focused on developing innovative and inclusive safety solutions for the gas industry. The company was created in order to establish a dedicated company that would focus on finding new solutions for the gas and other utility industries.

The company’s first product, the EasyAssist, enables domestic gas Emergency Control Valves (ECVs) to be turned off at the push of a button, and it has the critical safety feature that in the event of a fire it will automatically close the ECV when the temperature in a house reaches 93 degrees Celsius.

When a resident smells gas, they can call the emergency gas helpline, and if safe to do so they will be asked to turn off the gas at the ECV. This is for the safety of the customer, gas engineers and emergency responders. In an emergency, turning off the gas supply can be a critical factor in making a situation safe.

Ofgem identified this as a problem for many vulnerable customers suffering from conditions such as osteoarthritis and strokes who may not have the physical dexterity needed to disconnect the gas. Drilling down into the data highlighted the severity of the problem – in 69% of PSR customer reported gas escapes where the customer was unable to turn the gas off.

Approximately 4.4 million people in the UK have evidence of moderate to severe osteoarthritis in their hands and 1.2 million stroke survivors live in the UK, with 100,000 new survivors added year on year.

New regulations for Multiple Occupancy Buildings (MOBs) following the Grenfell disaster mean that dwellings in MOBs must have a thermal cut-off (TCO) mechanism, and the EasyAssist product provides a solution for that. The EasyAssist can be quickly and simply fitted to the ECV in a matter of minutes by a qualified gas engineer thereby saving companies money when fitting TCO’s in MOBs.

Rollout plans

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free and voluntary system that gas distribution networks use to ensure the correct support is given to its most vulnerable customers. It is a system designed and overseen by Ofgem to better ensure that individuals with special requirements have access to additional support from their energy supplier as and when they require it.

Cadent, a partner of Oxford Gas Products, plans to install EasyAssists across its four networks from June 2023. Oxford Gas Products are also talking to the other gas distribution networks such as Scottish Gas, Northern Gas Networks and Wales & West Utilities, about installing EasyAssist on these networks too.

IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey sat down with Robert Pocknell, Commercial Director at Oxford Gas Products to find out more about the company and its EasyAssist solution.

How did you come to set up Oxford Gas Products?

I was a founder in a design company called Oxford Product Design that responded to the call for innovation from the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC). We realised that gas and utilities was an areas which we wanted to target, so we created a new company, Oxford Gas Products in 2021. Its focus is primarily on gas, but it is going to develop more in the utility space generally.

I don’t come from either a fire or a gas background, but I’ve been working on this for the last four years so I’ve built up a modicum of knowledge. That is, I think, also true of Oxford product design – we’re in so many different industries and areas, and it’s just this one has really excited us because innovation goes very slowly in the utilities space. We feel like we are running like hares trying to get everyone moving more quickly, but the industry does go quite slowly. We are very excited to be an innovative company in an industry that takes time to change because we think we can bring faster innovation to the market.

How did the EasyAssist solution come about?

 The EIC is an organisation which was set up looking to try and coordinate more innovation for the energy networks. Cadent, which is an EIC partner and is now our company partner, were looking at how they could create something for the benefit of those on the Priority Services Register (PSR). They issued a call for innovation to our sister company, Oxford Product Design and we responded with this.

The product originally came out looking at vulnerability. They were looking for a solution for elderly and infirm and those with difficulties in turning off the emergency control valve. We pitched and won the call for innovation. The project was funded by Cadent.

Whilst we were designing it, we thought it would be great if it had fire prevention thermal cut-off. The new regulations have come in mandating thermal cut-off, so this is a solution for that. We’re trying to evangelise the fire safety and prevention aspects.

We had a very collaborative approach with EIC and we enjoyed working with them. We also enjoyed working with Cadent who are, as the biggest gas distribution network, really keen to try and find solutions and to make use of the PSR. One of the problems is that the PSR exists but we are not making use of it enough.

What are your plans going forward?

In the future we are planning to coordinate more with the fire service and gas industry – I’m actually meeting with Northern Gas and a fire service in the area next week. There’s quite a lot of discussion going on about how the industry can try and input more data from the fire service, emergency responders and the PSR. There is a lot of data available but nobody is corralling it.

I was at the Utilities show where there was talk about how when the fire service inspect people’s houses, there are opportunities there because the fire services is such a trusted organisation. If the fire service are looking to put in a fire or smoke monitor, or carbon monoxide alarm, solutions such as the EasyAssist should be part of the same process as, for example, knowing where to switch your water off and knowing where to switch your gas off.

Raising awareness of these gas issues is something that we’re quite excited to be involved in, looking at how there can be more coordination and gathering of data to provide a much more holistic service.

There’s obviously privacy concerns around data, but there are some really big projects out there looking to utilise it. Google were quite prominent at the Utilities Show with Google Cloud. They have some ideas utilising big data solutions which could get us in strong position for future innovation. We have thermal cut-off, but in the future you could also have, for example, cut off in the event of different types of gases. There is a lot more innovation to come in this space to create a safer environment.

We originally anticipated that our solution would be rolled out only by the gas distribution networks to domestics. Then the Multiple Occupancy Buildings (MOBs) rules came along which say that Emergency Control Valves (ECV) can be installed in a MOB by qualified gas engineer – you don’t actually need to have it. In a domestic building the gas metre and the ECV is owned by the gas distribution network, so nobody is allowed to touch it apart from turning on and off.

We are excited to have created and brought to market a product that both helps customers with vulnerabilities, and provides a critical fire safety solution to help prevent the spread of fire. The EasyAssist is one of many solutions we are working on to support customers in vulnerable situations and to improve the safety of utility engineers and emergency responders.

This exclusive article was originally published in the June 2023 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

UK launches £18.6m Waking Watch Replacement Fund

by Building ManagementFeatured News

The UK government has announced a new £18.6 million Waking Watch Replacement Fund for the current year. The fund aims to cover the costs of installing common alarm systems in residential buildings throughout England, wherever a Waking Watch is currently in operation.

This funding builds upon the efforts of the £35 million Waking Watch Relief Fund (WWRF), launched with a focus on high-rise residential buildings above 17.7 metres with a Waking Watch, and the £27 million Waking Watch Replacement Fund from 2022, which broadened its scope to include residential buildings of any height.

The newly announced £18.6 million funding seeks to further expand financial support and adheres to the guidance given by the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC). It is particularly intended for buildings that shift from a ‘Stay Put’ to a ‘Simultaneous Evacuation’ fire safety strategy.

Applications to the fund opened on the day of the announcement, with full application guidance and an application form available to prospective applicants. The DLUHC personal information charter and privacy notice lay out the use of personal information during the application process.

Leaseholders, who may have encountered high costs or delays in implementing interim safety measures, will directly benefit from this fund. It aims to provide financial support and facilitate a more efficient, long-term fire safety system in their buildings.

Funding eligibility

To qualify for funding, a building must be in England, serve as a residential building, and have a Waking Watch in place. The fund will cover the upfront costs of installing an alarm system in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5839-1 for a Category L5 system, as referred to in the NFCC’s revised guidance on simultaneous evacuation.

Retroactive costs will also be considered, with the fund covering the cost of alarms where installation work began on or after 25 May 2023.

The fund will be administered centrally by the DLUHC for all qualifying buildings. Previous applicants to the 2021 Waking Watch Relief Fund and the 2022 Waking Watch Replacement Fund can find additional information and guidance on the associated prospectus and application guidance documents.

Building Information Modelling creates greater transparency says ASSA ABLOY

by Building ManagementFeatured News
  • Progress has been made in the built environment towards achieving positive changes in culture
  • The Building Safety Act provisions and Building Safety Regulator registration should accelerate change at a faster rate
  • BIM creates transparency and a ‘golden thread’ of information, enabling management of building elements through a single platform

Paul Thompson, BIM Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solution, has said that the introduction of the new Building Safety Act provisions and Building Safety Regulator registration should help to accelerate change in culture in the built environment at a faster rate.

The Building Safety Act

The 2022 Building Safety Act has recently introduced new provisions, which were enforced on 1st April 2023, including the duty to regularly review the safety and quality standards of buildings, facilitating the improvement of industry competence and building inspector standards, and establishing a system to provide building safety information.

The Act is due to be fully implemented by October 2023 and those responsible for the safety of high-rise buildings in England must register with the new Building Safety Regulator and have their building safety regime in place by this deadline. Failure to comply could lead to investigation and possible prosecution.

In order to establish an effective building safety regime, especially in high-risk environments like high-rise buildings, there are recommended methods to follow, including the ‘golden thread’ approach proposed by Dame Judith Hackett in her report, ‘Building a safer future’.

The ‘golden thread’ is a comprehensive tool for managing buildings as holistic systems, providing valuable information to design, construct and operate buildings safely and effectively. It encompasses the necessary steps to keep both the building and people safe, now and in the future.

Creating greater transparency

“There has been some progress made in the built environment towards achieving positive changes in culture, and the introduction of the new Building Safety Act provisions and Building Safety Regulator registration should help to accelerate change at a faster rate,” said Thompson

“BIM has the ability to create greater transparency and produce this ‘golden thread’ of information, allowing building elements such as doorsets to be managed through a single platform – from specification to installation and ongoing inspection.

“BIM applications also help to lock in positive behaviours from the very start of a project and support an increase in trust and confidence that safety is paramount throughout a building’s specification, construction and maintenance.”

ASSA ABLOY’s Openings Studio

ASSA ABLOY’s Openings Studio BIM app works with design software to create and show door openings, along with the schedule and specifications for the door, frame, and hardware, making it easy to create complete door requirements that meet building regulations.

Product, performance, and budget info is saved within the BIM design environment. Through real-time collaboration, designs can be validated for compliance, function, and appearance, and shown as 3D views that can be integrated into the overall project design.

ASSA ABLOY uses the final schedule of information to manufacture the complete doorset solution, including the leaf, frame, and all hardware specified.

An extension to Openings Studio is now widely used in the industry, which offers a mobile app that directly accesses this data for use during the door installation process, ensuring full validity of the finished product prior to project completion.

The app also offers an easy to use ‘check box’ system to carry out and capture detailed inspections based on the specific details of each door included in the schedule.

This report validates if a door has remained compliant, or identifies what elements need to be corrected or replaced to return the product to the standard required, providing full traceability and ownership of all changes at all stages.

This means the doorset is managed as a holistic compliant solution and connects all components through a single platform. This eliminates the risk that doors are pieced together as an assembly of parts from various sources or maintained and repaired as a collection of individual parts.

Thompson added: “This is a unique collaborative tool for all project stakeholders, helping to minimise costs and streamline the data sharing process throughout the entire project lifecycle – from the initial design, right through to construction, delivery, asset management and beyond.”

IFSJ Exclusive: Evacuation – Have you got a plan for that?

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Kevin Carr, Senior Fire Protection Specialist, talks about the NFPA’s emergency evacuation guide

Recently, someone that I know was in a building that needed to be evacuated due to an emergency situation. As many of us have experienced, building evacuations are often unplanned events that require an immediate response from occupants. Even under the least stressful conditions, relocating people to a specific area within a building, or having them vacate entirely, can be an arduous process. In this particular case, the individual I mentioned has a cognitive disability, which makes processing information and responding calmly difficult for them. Thankfully, due to a previously developed emergency evacuation plan that was properly executed, both the individual, as well as his companions, were able to egress the building safely without incident.

This example underlines the critical role that emergency evacuation plans play for occupants within a given building. These plans can take many forms, and may be required by applicable building, fire, and life safety codes. I would argue that a key consideration of these documents is understanding the occupants who are likely to be present. This includes people with disabilities, as they may have specific challenges and assistance needs, some of which may not be apparent. Unless carefully considered during the plan’s development or update, these concerns could potentially be overlooked.

To assist with these endeavors, NFPA recently released the third edition of the publication, Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities (herein, the Guide). The document’s main purpose is to provide building occupants, as well as building managers in non-residential buildings, guidance on how to develop an emergency evacuation plan that is inclusive of people with disabilities. Similar to previous editions, the document was developed by the NFPA Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee (DARAC), who specialises in advising NFPA regarding disability concerns.

DARAC, along with NFPA staff, sought to reimagine the publication from previous iterations. Most pressing, the focus was to guide the reader through practical considerations to develop a plan, explaining the fundamentals of evacuation, and provide a tool to record their findings. Given this premise, the Guide was reformatted into four distinct areas listed below, with some practical questions to consider:

1. Preparing an emergency evacuation plan

It could be argued that one of the most difficult challenges with emergency evacuation planning is where to begin. This section outlines practical considerations that should be considered before, during and after the plan’s creation. For many organisations, emergency evacuation plans could be a component within a larger emergency plan, and include other aspects, such as business continuity operations, for example. Others may develop a stand-alone document that is not reliant on outside factors.

In either case, the emergency evacuation plan often originates with the creation of a planning team. This team should ideally be composed of key stakeholders, such as building management, and seek to include people with disabilities among its members, as they are able to offer specific and relevant information. The team, once constructed, should assess the building, its operation, and occupants, leading to the creation of relevant and detailed plan.

Once developed, and most critically, the plan should be practiced. This step cannot be overstated enough, as testing will reveal how occupants might respond during an actual emergency. The planning team should review any exposed deficiencies to determine the most appropriate course of action. Finally, the planning team should establish a time to review the plan and provide updates at appropriate intervals.

Are you developing a new emergency evacuation plan or revising an existing one? If so, you may wish to consider these questions to get you started:

  • Does my organisation or building have a current plan?
  • When was this plan developed?
  • When was the last time a test of the plan was performed?
  • Who is responsible for the plan?
  • How is the plan communicated to occupants?
  • Has input, specific to people with disabilities, been received for inclusion within the plan?

2. Stages of an emergency evacuation

Understanding the building, and its operation, is an essential component for the creation of an effective plan. This section reviews five stages of evacuation to help the reader ensure that each phase is considered. The phases (Notification, Exit Signs, Exit Access, Exits, and Exit Discharge) are provided with associated images to visualise these concepts for the reader.

These five components, which are steeped in aspects of NFPA codes and standards (for more information, see www.nfpa.org), are provided in simple terms so both new and experienced individuals may participate in the plan’s development. It is important to note that while the Guide is a tool, it does not take the place of local, state, federal or other legal or regulatory requirements applicable in any jurisdiction. Please contact your authority having jurisdiction (otherwise known as “AHJ”) for information regarding your specific responsibilities.

Questions to Consider:

  • How is your building arranged?
  • How does your building utilise each phase of evacuation?
  • Who can assist you with questions you may have about your building’s arrangement?

2. Checklist for emergency evacuation planning

Having a tool to collect information is essential to crafting an effective plan. This section provides a checklist for the planning team, or individuals, to document their findings. The checklist is provided in five separate parts, based on the topics covered under the Stages of Emergency Evacuation, mentioned above. This is by design, as it allows the checklist to work in tandem with the source material to assist in uncovering any gaps that might be exposed.

Questions to Consider:

  • What items on the checklist are most applicable to the building’s arrangement?
  • Does the checklist need any additional areas to be added?
  • How will the information from the checklist be used and stored?

4. Resources

As the Guide is provided as a tool only and is not intended to replace legal or regulatory requirements, the planning team may determine that additional resources are needed to assist them with specific considerations. This section provides a partial list of NFPA and other resources that have expertise in a variety of areas and topics. As mentioned previously, a key resource to consider is the AHJ, who may include, but is not limited to, a building or fire official. Please consider contacting them with specific questions or concerns, as well as guidance.

Questions to Consider:

  • What resources are essential for your emergency evacuation plan to consider?
  • What outside resources should be consulted?
  • Have any areas for training been identified? If so, how will they be addressed?

As this brief outline of the Guide demonstrates, emergency evacuation plans are vital documents that have the ability to assist all occupants, including people with disabilities, in emergency situations. It is imperative that careful thought and consideration be undertaken when developing and revising these plans to achieve the most inclusive results.

When practiced and executed effectively, these plans have shown to have a significant impact on occupants’ ability to observe safer, calmer, and orderly evacuations. I challenge you to examine your own building’s plan and ask questions about how it could be improved for the benefit of everyone.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay inclusive.

About the author

Kevin Carr is a Senior Fire Protection Specialist at NFPA. He is the staff liaison for several technical committees, including NFPA DARAC. He may be reached at kcarr@nfpa.org.

Any opinion expressed in this column is the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Exclusive: Improving evacuation strategies with Evac+Chair

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIFSJ Exclusives

Ges Wallace, Managing Director at Evac+Chair looks at improving evacuation strategies for all

Planning for the safe evacuation of everyone has become of increasing prevalence in recent years. With many commercial organisations adopting a more inclusive recruitment strategy to attract a wider demographic of employee, it is imperative that the correct health and safety policies and procedures are in place.

From improved accessibility and facilities, to having an evacuation plan that details how a mobility impaired individual will be assisted in the event of an emergency evacuation, organisations must ensure they are appropriately prepared. With the average retirement age increasing coupled with the growing number of disabled individuals in employment and many more individuals living with non-visible disabilities, it is of increasing likelihood that in an emergency there will be someone who will require assistance to evacuate.

Emergency evacuation for everyone

Everyone has the right to a quick, safe means of escape, which sounds simple enough for the able-bodied and something which is never questioned or no doubt thought about. However, the same cannot be said for those who have a mobility impairment, it is a daunting, frightening experience – as soon as the fire alarm goes off, they know only too well this starts the waiting game for them.

Not only will they have to wait for assistance to be taken to the safe refuge area, but they will also then have to wait to be evacuated, watching everyone rush out of the building, to safety. Even in a false alarm, the feelings of abandonment and fear are known only too well by those individuals who are left waiting. The question is clear: how long can we continue to let this happen?

Historically, the focus has been on visible impairments and almost all the signage we see, depicts that being disabled means being in a wheelchair. Today, we know that this view is outdated and not reflective of the world in which we live. The terms ‘mobility impaired’ and ‘disabled’ now cover a much broader spectrum of conditions and many are not always visible or permanent.

Temporary impairments such as a sporting injury, pregnancy or recovery from surgery and non-visible impairments such as mental health, illness or neurological conditions, can impact a person’s ability to self-evacuate and can be further exacerbated, during an emergency situation. At some point during all of our lifetimes we will become mobility impaired or our mobility will be impacted. With all of this in mind, there is a need for more to be done to ensure no one is left waiting to be evacuated, or worse lose their life.

It is estimated that 1.3 billion people (1 in 6) equating to 16% of the global population, have a moderate or severe disability and an estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age population have some form of disability. In the United States alone, 2 in 10 adults live with a disability, 306 million have difficulty walking or climbing upstairs, 12 million require assistance with everyday tasks and 3.6 million use a wheelchair. With these statistics increasing due to an aging population, rising numbers of obesity and chronic health conditions, now is the time for change.

Safe evacuation for all

These statistics highlight more than ever, the importance for all commercial buildings to have the means to evacuate everyone. Whilst fires are the emergency, that we all naturally think of being the main cause of an evacuation, there are a number of other risks that need to be considered. The climate crisis is making flooding and extreme weather the norm and the energy shortage is increasing the likelihood of blackouts. In addition, broader emergency situations such as security breaches, terrorism and electrical faults – especially in densely populated areas, cities and urban locations are all increasing the number of risks and therefore the likelihood of the need to evacuate in an emergency.

Being prepared for any eventuality and having the correct assistive equipment will ultimately save lives, should the worst happen. A mobility impaired person trying to evacuate without assistance may impede the whole evacuation process, and as a result put others’ lives along with their own, at risk. With lifts out of service and the stairs being the only option, it is not uncommon for people to panic and race to exit a building; causing accidents and congested stairwells, leading to further delays for everyone involved.

Planning ahead will save lives in the future. Having an evacuation plan that has been tried, tested and is regularly checked and updated will ensure the correct measures are in place in order to evacuate everyone. It is imperative during the planning stage, to factor in the building and its layout. Challenges can arise when evacuating high-rise buildings, where there will be many individuals all rushing to the fire exits and the time needed to travel down multiple flights of stairs to exit the building, will mean the evacuation will take longer – the higher the building, the more complex the evacuation plan.

The correct equipment to evacuate safely

Having a suitable evacuation plan which includes a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) or a GEEP (Generic Emergency Evacuation Plan) detailing the correct assistive equipment, is of paramount importance. Furthermore, ensuring everyone knows what to do in an emergency, including personnel who are trained to assist in the safe evacuation of everyone from Fire Marshalls to operators of assistive equipment, will ensure the evacuation is successful.

The type of assistive equipment required depends upon the building, the personnel who require assistance and the evacuation route itself. Evac+Chair offers a wide range of products to suit any type of staircase or personnel requirement and it is vital these requirements are taken into consideration, when selecting the correct equipment. In addition, the assistive equipment must be stored in the correct location, ensuring it is easily accessible and regularly maintained.

An Evac+Chair is quick and easy to deploy and use, providing complete peace of mind that should you need to evacuate the mobility impaired; you can do so safely and quickly. Evac+Chair products are suitable for all environments including (but not limited to) offices, hotels, schools, sports stadia, retail outlets, healthcare and factories, each chair has a unique set of features that make it more suitable for certain environments.

The safest and fastest way to evacuate down stairways

Evac+Chair International Limited is the original manufacturer and global leader in emergency evacuation chairs for the mobility impaired. Underpinned with over 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of evacuation chairs, Evac+Chair is trusted and relied upon in emergency situations to assist in saving lives.

Manufactured in the United Kingdom in a state-of-the-art headquarters, Evac+Chair uses world class technologies and processes. With a wide range of accreditations including ISO 9001 Quality Management standards, ISO 13485 Medical Device Quality Management and a number of quality checks throughout the entire manufacturing process and prior to shipment; Evac+Chair prides itself on its superior product quality.

The Evac+Chair was invented as a result of a very personal experience, by US citizen David Egan following an emergency evacuation in which he and his wife were involved. David’s wife had suffered from polio as a child, which had caused her mobility to be impeded and when they were forced to evacuate from the 38th Floor of a Manhattan building, David had to carry his wife to safety as there was no assistive equipment. Following this event, David recognised the need for a product to assist in the quick and safe evacuation of the mobility impaired and set about designing a solution that would do just that.

Today, the iconic blue and yellow Evac+Chair is recognised worldwide; exported to 70 countries, across 6 continents and has assisted in saving countless lives. Earning a well-deserved place in the 9/11 memorial museum for assisting in the evacuation of mobility impaired people, during the twin towers attack, the Evac+Chair is undoubtedly a life saver.

Whilst the fundamental design aspects of the Evac+Chair have been unaltered over the past 40 years, customer insight and investment in R&D has led to the product range being expanded and enhanced, providing greater safety and comfort to both the operator and passenger. Independent research carried out by the University of Greenwich concluded that an Evac+Chair provides the safest, quickest means of escape for the mobility impaired, compared with other types of evacuation products.

Evac+Chair is dedicated to evolving its products and delivering innovation. Investing in research and development and listening to customer feedback, Evac+Chair ensures its products meet the needs of its customers and is committed to creating a safer, more inclusive world. With the risk of an emergency evacuation growing and the global number of individuals with conditions that affect their mobility increasing, being prepared for the quick and safe evacuation of everyone must be a number one priority for us all.

Tel: +44 (0) 121 706 6744
Website: evacchair.co.uk
Email: enquiries@evacchair.co.uk

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

NFPA updates guide for disabled community emergency evacuation

by Building ManagementFeatured News

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a new edition of a guide that helps the disabled community prepare for emergency evacuation.

The main purpose of ‘Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities‘ is to provide building occupants, as well as building managers in non-residential buildings, guidance on how to develop an emergency evacuation plan that is inclusive of people with disabilities.

The guide has been reimagined and redesigned from the ground up. It utilizes a simplified layout, with content arranged in four unique parts: Preparing an emergency evacuation, stages of an emergency evacuation, checklist for emergency evacuation planning and NFPA publications and other resources.

The Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities is available as a free download.

Kevin Carr, Senior Fire Protection Specialist at the NFPA, commented: “We hope that you find the guide to be a useful tool to assist you with emergency evacuation planning. Please contact your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for information regarding your responsibilities in your jurisdiction. If you have questions or comments about the guide, NFPA would appreciate hearing from you.”

UK Government updates Approved Document B

by Building ManagementFeatured News

Following a review and consultation, the UK Government has introduced regulations to strengthen the ban on combustible materials used in and on the external walls of buildings.

The ban on combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings, first introduced in 2018, will now apply to hotels, hostels and boarding houses in addition to blocks of flats, hospitals, student accommodation and dormitories in boarding schools.

The Government has also published an update to Approved Document B to introduce new rules for external walls and balconies for new blocks of flats between 11 metres and 18 metres in height.

This new statutory guidance sets clearer standards which will set limits on the combustibility of materials used in the external walls of buildings. This will mean that lower risk developments between 11m and 18m meet necessary safety standards, while allowing designers and developers flexibility to use environmentally friendly materials.

The Institute of Fire Safety Manager said this new guidance balances the need to allow a degree of flexibility for lower risk medium-rise buildings so as not to preclude the use of environmentally friendly materials, such as structural timber, where they are used as part of a robust system.

These latest changes to Approved Document B also build on the changes already introduced to improve building safety, including the provision for sprinklers in all new blocks of flats over 11 metres in height introduced in 2020.

IFSJ Exclusive: Keeping evacuation protocols up to date with Advanced

by Breaking NewsBuilding Management

Ken Bullock, Business Development Manager at Advanced, speaks to IFSJ about the new requirement for evacuation alert systems in England

Tell me about Advanced – who you are and what you do?

Advanced is a global provider of fire and life safety solutions dedicated to creating a safer future. Established in the UK in 1999, we’ve developed an extensive product range that offers performance, quality and ease of use and Advanced solutions are now used in over 80 countries around the world. In 2013 we joined Halma, a FTSE 100 global group of life-saving technology companies. As part of that group, we’re able to tap into a wide array of expertise, helping us to grow and constantly improve.

What is your role at Advanced?

I’ve worked in fire and security sector for most of my working life, starting off on tools, progressing to commissioning and maintaining systems before moving into tech support and then over to sales 15 years ago. I joined Advanced in 2017 as their Southern Regional Sales Manager.

With the publication of BS 8629, Advanced sought to play a key role in developing a solution and I took the opportunity to be part of this emerging area of fire safety, becoming the Business Development Manager for Evacuation and Alert Systems. Now I spend my time educating end users, trade customers, housing associations and fire and rescue services on the benefits of having these solutions in place to create a safer future for people in high-rise residential blocks today.

What are the impending changes concerning evacuation to the building regulations and why are they happening?

The why comes back to what is the largest fire tragedy the UK has ever seen: Grenfell Tower. The reports that came out of that found that building regulations were lacking in certain areas. One of the things highlighted was that the Stay Put policy needed to have a Plan B: the fire and rescue service had to have a means of doing something beyond running round knocking on doors to alert people to leave the building in an emergency. The response from industry experts and the fire and rescue service was to create BS 8629, a code of practice for an evacuation alert system for use by the fire and rescue service.

Building industry regulations move much faster than Government regulations. The BSI was able to act quickly and published the new code of practice in 2019. Now the building regulations are being updated and the code of practice is being included. The new building regulations call for the evacuation alert systems to be mandatory in all new-build residential blocks over 18m in England. In Scotland, the systems are already included in their technical handbook, and we expect the other devolved nations to follow.

What is the intended impact of these changes?

From our perspective, the installation of evacuation alert systems should give residents in high-rise, residential buildings reassurance that if the fire and rescue service need to tell them to leave the building, the instruction will be communicated clearly and safely, whether by an external alarm or flashing beacons.

With a BS 8629 system, evacuation is controlled and targeted, enabling the fire and rescue service’s main commander to evacuate specific areas of the building effectively using toggle switches on the panel. They can ensure staircases are not overwhelmed, control the evacuation and get firefighters into the building where necessary.

What is Advanced’s view of these changes and the work that has been done around this area?

These are important steps that need to be taken to protect residents’ lives. We are concerned about the height factor and believe solutions should be risk-based because the risk might be just as real at 10m or 11m as it is at 18m. Residential safety should be risk-based.

How involved have you been in the development process?

We were at the forefront of the development of a BS 8629 solution and first to market with an evacuation alert system. My role for the last 18 months has been education – we’ve been working to inform everyone through the buying cycle to ensure they’re buying the right solution for their needs.

We would like to see evacuation alert systems being included in the early phases of the design. Even if a building is being built without a housing association in mind, the electrical design should now have an evacuation alert system built into it, along with other solutions called for within the building regulations.

Have you found people to be responsive to these changes and are there any challenges surrounding them?

The biggest challenge until now has been that these systems have not been mandated This is an area we’ve been trying to address as an industry for some time – it shouldn’t be about a minimum or a bottom line, it should be about risk-based solutions that are going to give residents the right level of protection.

What solutions does Advanced offer for these changes?

We launched EvacGo, the solution to BS 8629, just over two years ago. We brought this to market with partners – the robust tamper-proof enclosure being a specific requirement for evacuation alert control and indicating equipment. We’ve also just produced a handy pocket guide to BS 8629 – with all materials available to be download from our website at www.advancedco.com. You can also email questions to the EvacGo team using evacgo@advancedco.com.

In addition, we run a free one-hour FIA-certified CPD course twice a month which allows you to learn more about BS 8629 and how evacuation alert systems differ from fire detection and alarm systems. We also cover how they are installed differently, as well as some of the key questions that we come across on a day-to-day basis.

What are the key takeaways around the new evacuation regulations?

We don’t want people to miss the fact that this change is coming. It has big implications for the people who will need to design and install these systems so it’s important they understand what they need to do to comply.

Finally, the people who are installing fire alarm systems need to understand that evacuation alert systems must operate entirely independently of them; you cannot integrate any element with a fire system if you are going to fully comply with the standard. These points can cause problems and compromise safety if missed, so we will continue in our quest to create a safer future by making sure that people understand how the actions they take need to meet the new requirements.

Ken Bullock, Business Development Manager at Advanced, speaks to IFSJ about the new requirement for evacuation alert systems in England

Tell me about Advanced – who you are and what you do?

Advanced is a global provider of fire and life safety solutions dedicated to creating a safer future. Established in the UK in 1999, we’ve developed an extensive product range that offers performance, quality and ease of use and Advanced solutions are now used in over 80 countries around the world. In 2013 we joined Halma, a FTSE 100 global group of life-saving technology companies. As part of that group, we’re able to tap into a wide array of expertise, helping us to grow and constantly improve.

What is your role at Advanced?

I’ve worked in fire and security sector for most of my working life, starting off on tools, progressing to commissioning and maintaining systems before moving into tech support and then over to sales 15 years ago. I joined Advanced in 2017 as their Southern Regional Sales Manager.

With the publication of BS 8629, Advanced sought to play a key role in developing a solution and I took the opportunity to be part of this emerging area of fire safety, becoming the Business Development Manager for Evacuation and Alert Systems. Now I spend my time educating end users, trade customers, housing associations and fire and rescue services on the benefits of having these solutions in place to create a safer future for people in high-rise residential blocks today.

What are the impending changes concerning evacuation to the building regulations and why are they happening?

The why comes back to what is the largest fire tragedy the UK has ever seen: Grenfell Tower. The reports that came out of that found that building regulations were lacking in certain areas. One of the things highlighted was that the Stay Put policy needed to have a Plan B: the fire and rescue service had to have a means of doing something beyond running round knocking on doors to alert people to leave the building in an emergency. The response from industry experts and the fire and rescue service was to create BS 8629, a code of practice for an evacuation alert system for use by the fire and rescue service.

Building industry regulations move much faster than Government regulations. The BSI was able to act quickly and published the new code of practice in 2019. Now the building regulations are being updated and the code of practice is being included. The new building regulations call for the evacuation alert systems to be mandatory in all new-build residential blocks over 18m in England. In Scotland, the systems are already included in their technical handbook, and we expect the other devolved nations to follow.

What is the intended impact of these changes?

From our perspective, the installation of evacuation alert systems should give residents in high-rise, residential buildings reassurance that if the fire and rescue service need to tell them to leave the building, the instruction will be communicated clearly and safely, whether by an external alarm or flashing beacons.

With a BS 8629 system, evacuation is controlled and targeted, enabling the fire and rescue service’s main commander to evacuate specific areas of the building effectively using toggle switches on the panel. They can ensure staircases are not overwhelmed, control the evacuation and get firefighters into the building where necessary.

What is Advanced’s view of these changes and the work that has been done around this area?

These are important steps that need to be taken to protect residents’ lives. We are concerned about the height factor and believe solutions should be risk-based because the risk might be just as real at 10m or 11m as it is at 18m. Residential safety should be risk-based.

How involved have you been in the development process?

We were at the forefront of the development of a BS 8629 solution and first to market with an evacuation alert system. My role for the last 18 months has been education – we’ve been working to inform everyone through the buying cycle to ensure they’re buying the right solution for their needs.

We would like to see evacuation alert systems being included in the early phases of the design. Even if a building is being built without a housing association in mind, the electrical design should now have an evacuation alert system built into it, along with other solutions called for within the building regulations.

Have you found people to be responsive to these changes and are there any challenges surrounding them?

The biggest challenge until now has been that these systems have not been mandated This is an area we’ve been trying to address as an industry for some time – it shouldn’t be about a minimum or a bottom line, it should be about risk-based solutions that are going to give residents the right level of protection.

What solutions does Advanced offer for these changes?

We launched EvacGo, the solution to BS 8629, just over two years ago. We brought this to market with partners – the robust tamper-proof enclosure being a specific requirement for evacuation alert control and indicating equipment. We’ve also just produced a handy pocket guide to BS 8629 – with all materials available to be download from our website at www.advancedco.com. You can also email questions to the EvacGo team using evacgo@advancedco.com.

In addition, we run a free one-hour FIA-certified CPD course twice a month which allows you to learn more about BS 8629 and how evacuation alert systems differ from fire detection and alarm systems. We also cover how they are installed differently, as well as some of the key questions that we come across on a day-to-day basis.

What are the key takeaways around the new evacuation regulations?

We don’t want people to miss the fact that this change is coming. It has big implications for the people who will need to design and install these systems so it’s important they understand what they need to do to comply.

Finally, the people who are installing fire alarm systems need to understand that evacuation alert systems must operate entirely independently of them; you cannot integrate any element with a fire system if you are going to fully comply with the standard. These points can cause problems and compromise safety if missed, so we will continue in our quest to create a safer future by making sure that people understand how the actions they take need to meet the new requirements.

This article was originally published in the November edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.