Lack of domestic smoke alarms in UK causing fatalities

by ActiveBuilding ManagementFeatured NewsFire DetectionIndustry SectorsProductsProjects

In research presented by BAFE and NAPIT, data collated over the last decade (2010-11 to 2020-21) in England, Wales, and Scotland record an unsettling 424,464 dwelling fires.

These fires resulted in almost 82,000 non-fatal casualties and close to 3,000 deaths. In more recent statistics made available by Fire and Rescue Services nationwide, there is an ongoing issue with high failure rates or a complete absence of domestic smoke alarms.

In England alone, during 2020 / 2021, there was a 28% failure rate of smoke alarms (i.e. that failed to operate or were not present). This failure rate rises to 39% in Scotland and increasing even further to half of all fires (50%) in Wales.

The ‘Fire Kills’ campaign from the UK government states: “You are around 8 times more likely to die from a fire if you don’t have a working smoke alarm in your home”. Both BAFE and NAPIT have stressed the paramount importance of having suitable life safety systems in place.

Provisional data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities reports close to 176,000 new build dwellings were started in England alone during the previous 12 months from year ending 2021 (July-September). It is of key importance that the housing development sector complies with Building Regulations and relevant Approved Documents when providing appropriate domestic fire detection and alarm systems. These must be installed by competent contractors.

In August last year, BAFE launched its latest competency scheme with NAPIT, called DS301. This provides a route for contractors to demonstrate their competence to design, install, commission, and maintain Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. This supports appropriate British Standards and working best practice, most notably the latest iteration of BS 5839-6 (Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises).

Justin Maltby-Smith, managing director BAFE, said: “This information clearly outlines that it is extremely important that any work on Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems is performed in compliance with the appropriate current regulatory and competency documents available. Having suitable systems in place will aid in alerting residents as quickly as possible, allowing for a safer evacuation and providing emergency services more time to mitigate any damage. The housing sector has a great responsibility to use competent contractors, which is why the BAFE DS301 Scheme was developed, and it will clearly help in evidencing this competency. We must not lose focus that these are people’s homes, and they should feel safe and be confident in the systems installed.”

Frank Bertie, chief technical officer, NAPIT added: “These statistics show the risk to life posed by fire is a real threat. NAPIT are proud to be leading the way with the introduction of the new DS301 Scheme with BAFE to provide homeowners, house builders, management companies and specifiers with confidence that the contractor they use is appropriately qualified, competent, and assessed.  Registered members on the NAPIT DS301 Scheme have demonstrated their competency to deliver design, installation, commissioning and/or maintenance works for Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. Correctly installed fire detection systems help save lives and must be considered a priority in all homes.”

London development installs 2,000 Hyfire wireless devices

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More than 2,000 Hyfire wireless devices have been installed across four towers in a London development. The project was completed with installers Gemini AMPM and property management firm FirstPort.

With up to 25 floors, the Elektron Tower, Proton Tower, Neutron Tower and Switch Tower are located on the banks of the Thames in Tower Hamlets, comprising 497 apartments in total. With fire system upgrades required outside the normal schedule of improvements to the buildings, wireless was an obvious choice, helping to limit time on site and reducing impact on the fabric of the building.

Jamie Dawson, director, Gemini AMPM, said: “With the requirement to install the upgraded system in an occupied buildings, wireless was the obvious choice, and Hyfire wireless devices are the best in the business. The original schedule to install the 2,000 individual detectors, call points, sounders and other wireless devices was six weeks, but we managed it in four thanks to the ability to pre-programme devices offsite and install them in minutes, with around 90% less cabling required.

“Our installers worked with the Hyfire team, who helped us to pinpoint the exact number of devices required and where they should be located. The onsite property managers from FirstPort helped facilitated us working across the four buildings and liaised with residents, ensuring we could gain access to 99% of apartments within the four-week schedule.”

Taurus is a completely new range of high-performance wireless detection, control and alarm devices, based on a new protocol that offers unprecedented capabilities, quality and reliability. The range is fully certified to EN54 and fully compliant with BS5839 Part 1.

Standard addressable or conventional fire panels are wired via a loop to translators, from which wireless devices can be used on their own to build fully wireless systems of virtually any size or mixed with Hyfire wired products to provide seamless hybrid solutions, offering total flexibility to specifiers and installers.

Ollie Murray, regional sales manager at Hyfire said: “Since the launch of Taurus earlier in 2021, more and more installers have been discovering the benefits that wireless fire devices can offer. This is just one example of a project where fire system installations are made simpler and quicker, which is particularly beneficial in situations where buildings remain occupied. Whereas the upfront cost of the unit may be a little higher, the savings on running wiring loops and making good after are also considerable, so the cost/benefit analysis in favour of using wireless is highly favourable, and that’s before you even consider the other benefits.

The Taurus range includes all devices required to build a fully wireless commercial fire system, including optical, multi-criteria and heat detectors, manual call points, wall sounders, sounder bases, and output/input modules. The Taurus translator can process up to 128 devices, with expanders that can extend the range of the system by up to 1km in open air. This effectively means that the scale of the system is limited only by the number of devices that the fire panel can handle. Tony Ulasi, development manager at FirstPort, said: “Installing a new fire system across these four landmark towers is a huge operation. We needed to work closely with a trusted supplier that could provide a cost-effective solution, whilst going above and beyond to minimise disruption to our tenants during the pandemic. From the beginning of the project Gemini AMPM ticked all the boxes – from product selection, to design, to installation. As a result, we have been able to prioritise safety, whilst achieving considerable cost savings.”

Expert: ‘Smaller ships with flammable cargoes need an inert gas system’

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPorts & Maritime

Global survival technology specialist Survitec has welcomed industry initiatives to install Inert Gas (IG) systems to smaller oil and chemical tankers less than 8000dwt.

Acknowledging the positive impact of 2016 amendments to SOLAS, which mandated the fitting of an IG system to newbuild tankers of 8000dwt and above, Survitec says it has seen a number of IG installations to smaller vessels following recent industry calls for a revision of the rules to include all tanker sizes.

Bernt Ohrn, managing director, Survitec’s Maritime Protection brand said: “The amendments written into SOLAS II-2/4.5.5 and II-2/16.3.3 have gone a long way in preventing fatal explosions aboard larger oil and chemical carriers but we do recommend that operators of existing and smaller oil tankers not already covered by the SOLAS requirements should consider installing a system.

“If you are carrying a cargo with a flashpoint of 60°C or less, then you really should have an inert gas system onboard.”

Prior to 2016, only oil tankers of 20,000dwt were required to have an IG system installed, but the rules were revised after a spate of serious incidents, including 2004’s fatal explosion aboard the Bow Mariner.

A number of incidents involving vessels of smaller tonnage, however, led to calls for another revision to include all oil and chemical tankers, irrespective of size.

Referring to an inter-industry working group study published in 2017, Ohrn said the majority of reported incidents occurred during tank cleaning, venting or gas freeing. And in several cases, the tank atmosphere for non-inerted tanks had not been evaluated or was not being monitored.

“These incidents are avoidable, as reports show,” Ohrn said. “The installation of an inert gas system on tankers of all sizes that carry flammable cargoes is both technically and operationally feasible, yet only a small percentage of the global tanker fleet has installed technology designed to purge cargo spaces of hazardous vapour.”

An IG system is used to remove oxygen in a space with hydrocarbon vapours in cargo tanks to less than 8% by volume. Where tankers are not fitted with the system, flammable vapour is vented until outlet concentrations are less than 30% of the lower flammable limit.

Ohrn said that given the mass and energy of an explosion at a shore-based terminal or port storage facility, a number of operators are making it compulsory for tankers to be inerted prior to entering the facility.

“I think the transportation side of the industry can learn from the ports and storage terminal side. When it comes to safety there should be no debate, no discussion. Safety comes first.”

Fire protection market in construction will be worth $4.32 billion in 2022

by Breaking NewsConstructionIndustry Sectors

The global fire protection materials for the construction market is expected to grow from $3.81 bn in 2021 to $4.32 bn in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%. These projections are based on a report published on Reportlinker.com titled ‘Fire Protection Materials For Construction Global Market Report 2022’. 

The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the Covid-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $6.04 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 8.7%.

The fire protection materials for the construction market consist of sales of fire protection materials by entities (organisation, partnership, sole traders) that are used to protect the construction sites from fire and other safety situations. Fire-resistant building materials are any materials that resist fire and do not melt for a long time, that is, they can withstand heat long enough for the residents of the structure to safely leave the premises. Fire protection materials include concrete, reinforcement steel, gypsum, cast iron, bricks, asbestos cement, timber, stone, glass, among others.

The main types of fire protection materials for construction are coatings, mortar, sealants and fillers, sheets or boards, spray, preformed devices, putty, cast-in devices, and others. Mortar is a substance used to fill the gaps between bricks and blocks in masonry construction.

The growing regulations on the mandatory use of fire safety materials are likely to have a positive impact on the growth of fire protection materials for the construction market. Fire safety standards generally aim to reduce the fire-response of products and materials used in various living environments, such as domestic dwellings, household equipment, furnishings and electronics, buildings, and various modes of transportation.

Globally, fire safety standards aim to prevent fires from starting by establishing performance-based norms that, if followed, will improve the fire safety of materials and products. For instance, in March 2020, to improve fire safety in buildings in England and Wales, the Home Office introduced the new Fire Safety Bill.

Key manufacturers in the fire materials for construction market are constantly focusing on cutting-edge research and technological advancements to create improved fire protection materials that can withstand fire for a longer period and emit less smoke when burned. In September 2020, CIN, a Portugal-based company developed two new products C-THERM S110 and C-THERM S111 FD, to protect steel structures from fire.

Bull Products makes carbon zero commitment by 2030

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsFire DetectionFirefighting EquipmentIndustry SectorsProducts

Bull Products is leaping ahead to decarbonise its offerings by developing products and services that help to reduce the carbon impact of its customers’ activities.

The company has committed itself to becoming zero carbon by 2030 and has developed a seven-strand sustainability strategy to achieve this goal. Three of the strands directly reduce their customer’s impact on the environment.

Historically, many fire safety products are scrapped when a site or project reaches completion. This waste disposal strategy is detrimental to the environment.

Bull’s asset management solution will collect fire safety products from a project and securely store them at a regional centre. The products are then cleaned, serviced and certified, ready for delivery to a new site.

Bull also extends the life of products as part of its asset management programme. Take fire extinguishers as an example – extinguishers are reused until they are at the end of their life cycle. At this point, they are remanufactured by stripping them down and completely refurbishing them to be as good as new. This massively reduces carbon emissions when compared with manufacturing new products.

Ross Markham, managing director, Bull Products said: “Over time, we will reduce the energy we consume and secure energy supplies from sustainable sources. We are changing the way we work. We are focusing our business development on greener and more sustainable products and services. I am proud that Bull is leading the way in the fire safety industry by driving sustainability initiatives to create a zero-carbon future.”

Case Study: Norfolk school deploys Hochiki fire detection systems

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

Hochiki, a fire and life safety products manufacturer, has been selected to deliver on a UK-based project in an educational establishment.  

Based in Norfolk, the Fred Nicholson school meets the educational needs of 162 pupils who have Educational Health and Care Plans identifying learning difficulties and a range of associated complex needs, including some children who receive specialist Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) provision.

Offering a personalised curriculum with high staff to pupil ratios, the school offers national curriculum and learning experiences that are relevant to their pupils needs which enables them to achieve. The school also offers residential provision to help further the life skills of certain pupils.

Following scheduled servicing, the need to update the existing conventional and 2-wire systems was identified, and the school underwent an upgrade to an addressable life safety system. TP Fire & Security was enlisted to help with the design and installation of the new system, and Hochiki, a manufacturer of life safety products, was chosen to deliver on the project.

Across the school L2 safety coverage was required, whereas ‘live-in’ areas such as dormitories required complete L1 coverage (much the same as a hospital or hotel) which included automatic fire detection.

Hochiki’s ESP addressable range was installed, due to its quality, reliability and diverse range of intelligent products including high performance sensors, flexible input and output modules and an assortment of ancillaries, perfect for a school environment where the fire detection system needs to have a bespoke and flexible design. Hochiki’s Ekho hybrid-wireless fire detection range was also installed and would interface with the main panel via a loop-powered translator module, for the schools mobile and outdoor classes.

As an educational setting with children with learning difficulties and ASC, it was extremely important to the school to keep disruption to an absolute minimum to avoid distressing the pupils. The flexibility and ease of installation of the Hochiki products was key to the success of the project as explained by technical design manager Kevin Harris.

He said: “A big plus with Hochiki products is how simple they are to install – it’s why they’ve become our go-to supplier for the past 20 years. Many other manufacturers only offer hardwire solutions, and for locations such as schools and care homes, keeping the installation simple and reducing on-site time is a huge win as this helps ultimately to reduce the disruption to both staff, and the day-to-day occupants.”

West Midlands strengthen incident response with real-time data receiver tech

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsProductsProjects

West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service will implement data-receiver technology to enhance situational awareness, improve collaborative working across services, and assist incident resolution.

The authority is using the radio frequency technology supplied by Enterprise Control Systems (ECS).

The West Midlands emergency services will integrate ECS’s portable monitoring terminal, Handyview, onto command vehicles and in control centres to gain instant access to encrypted audio and video footage of live incidents transmitted via ECS video link equipment, Evenlode Airborne Data Link (ADL) – fitted on the National Police Air Service’s (NPAS) fleet of nineteen helicopters and four aeroplanes.

Gaining real-time access to this intelligence improves decision-making and ensures a faster more collaborative response to critical incidents such as large-scale and industrial fires, flooding, road traffic collisions, monitoring crowds at large events, and aiding the search for missing people.

West Midlands is one of the first regions in the UK to adopt this capability. The contract comes as a natural progression to the services’ advanced technological capabilities and is testimony to their ongoing commitment to innovation which helps to ensure the safety of communities, firefighters, and paramedics. It also follows the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry report, which highlighted the importance of access to NPAS footage to help teams on the ground effectively coordinate and respond to major emergencies.

Handyview complements both services’ existing drone capabilities and ensures crews can access live intelligence even when their drones can’t fly – for example, during poor weather conditions. Handyview will improve commanders’ situational awareness, allowing them to make better-informed operational decisions.

Marc Haysey, managing director, Enterprise Control Systems said: “This announcement represents an important next step in how the West Midlands emergency services – and the industry as a whole – are continually seeking to improve their multi-agency communications and collaborative response to incidents. At ECS we’re proud to design and manufacture equipment that’s already being deployed by air and ground teams, facilitating access to crucial data that empowers them to continue performing the essential task of protecting our communities and saving lives.”

Colin Waite, UK Police business development manager at Enterprise Control Systems said: “The ability to receive live high-quality video and data has always been key for the security and emergency organisations we work with. Now with more collaborative and joint operations, not only is it essential to have interoperable voice communications, but the ability to share situational awareness information which will be key in being able to resolve incidents efficiently and safely.”

Richard Moore, group commander, West Midlands Fire Service said: “We’re really excited to be linking up with our ambulance and police colleagues for this downlink project. It’s the latest innovation in our drive to keep our communities safe with a digital and data-driven approach. We’ve been trialling our own drones for a year, so appreciate how an aerial dimension can complement our work on the ground. The NPAS partnership will help our decision-making as we bring incidents to a safe resolution.”

Cameron McVittie, tactical incident commander, West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Learning from incidents is at the forefront of our command development as an organisation, and the addition of the airborne Data Link into our command toolbox will be a fantastic asset to ensure that as a multi-agency command team we can make the best decisions to keep our patients and staff safe at incidents such as water rescue, fires or terrorist attacks.”

Alabama Fire College programme will benefit firefighters globally

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsPeople

Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa, USA has developed a way to help firefighters focus on their main mission while easing the paperwork burden. Firefighters like fighting fires and caring for sick and injured people, but they are not overly fond of paperwork, the US-based college justified.

Tracy McNair, the college’s database administrator, led a team to come up with a data management system that is changing the way fire departments manage and track their training, certifications and record keeping.

The system turned what has been a frustrating paper-based system into a sophisticated online records management system that will benefit every paid fire department in Alabama and many around the world, Tuscaloosa News reported.

McNair’s system is set to benefit people who must deal with the administrative side of the fire service.

The first phase of the programme involves the development of a new website. The second phase, which came online in November 2021, was the rollout of a new department dashboard, which allows officers and administrators to manage most of the training and certifications, class registrations and record keeping. This means that all that information can now be accessed and controlled by each individual fire department.

The third phase of the rollout is the development and will allow individual firefighters to create a profile and manage their own records and personal information.

The Alabama Fire College is accredited through Pro Board, the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications and through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.

Northampton industrial fire to be investigated

by Featured NewsIndustrialIndustry SectorsUncategorized

A huge fire broke out in Northampton Industrial estate which was heroically fought off by the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service. Now, an investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched which gutted one industrial unit on Connaught Street.

Authorities were first called to the blaze at 3.33am on February 20, Northants Live reported. Firefighters used breathing equipment to tackle the fire and a 45mm jet and hose reel jets were also used. The area was cordoned off and locals were told to keep their windows and doors closed to protect them from the fumes.

It took more than four hours to bring the fire under control, and thankfully there were no casualties. A spokesperson for the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service was called to reports of a fire at an industrial premises on Connaught Street in Northampton at 3.33am on Sunday (February 20).

“Fire engines from The Mounts, Moulton, Mereway, Brixworth and Earls Barton were called to the incident, as was the aerial appliance from Corby. “Members of the Fire Investigation Team attended the scene this morning (February 21), found no remaining hotspots, and have started to investigate the possible cause of the fire.”

Improvements approved for Isle of Wight fire stations

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Fire stations across the Isle of Wight are to set to recevie improvements to the tune of £1.7m. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority (HIWFRA) approved the spending at a meeting last week.

The money follows on from a £1.1m investment in its Isle of Wight estate in 2021 (Phase one improvements) which saw the Island’s 10 stations fitted out with new and improved vehicle exhaust extraction kits and upgraded fire alarm systems.

Following the Fire Authority’s decision to invest further, all 10 sites will now receive electrical infrastructure updates and surveys to bring the stations in line with those in Hampshire.

Other work will include:

• Roof replacements at Newport, Cowes, Bembridge, Ventnor and Freshwater
• Kitchen upgrades at Ryde, Newport, Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin and Freshwater, to make life better for our colleagues and attract partner agencies to these locations
• The appliance bay door at Shanklin will be upgraded
• A four-bed dormitory and bathroom will be created at Bembridge, providing accommodation for colleagues travelling to the Island, at no cost to HIWFRS

Rhydian Vaughan, Councillor and chairman of HIWFRA, said: “As we approach the first anniversary of the formation of the Combined Fire Authority, it is pleasing to see the progress that has already been made to improve fire stations across the Isle of Wight. The investment of a further £1.7m will now allow more essential maintenance work to be carried out, making life better for firefighters, support staff and our communities.

He added that council charges one of the lowest taxes in England, yet continues to be committed to providing good value for money to its residents. “Proactively investing in our estate is important because it ensures that our buildings are fit for purpose and can meet the needs of a modern fire and rescue service,” Vaughan added.