Global fire protection systems market to reach $130bn by 2030

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementConstructionIndustrialIndustry SectorsSafety

The global fire protection system market size is expected to reach $130.37bn by 2030, according to a study. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing adoption of wireless technology in fire protection systems, growing human and property loss owing to fire breakouts, and stringent fire safety regulations are projected to fuel the market growth.

Increasing implementation of building safety codes and renovation projects is also anticipated to be a major factor influencing the market growth. The application and usage of fire protection systems are anticipated to increase continuously with the developments of commercial entities and corporations.

Reportlinker.com released a report titled ‘Fire Protection System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Service, By Application, By Region And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030’.

Technology enhancements such as extinguishing technology based on mist and products such as laser optical / infrared smoke detectors, alarms with embedded voice evacuation announcements, hypoxic air fire suppression systems, and wireless fire alarm systems are expected to gain traction in the market globally. In addition, in 2020, the market was hampered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has interrupted production, impacted demand, and caused supply chain disruption.

The growing trend of integrating fire alarm and detection systems with building automation systems offers vast growth opportunities to the market. Connectivity with building automation systems is increasingly becoming a major feature of fire protection systems in commercial, industrial, and residential applications.

This can be attributed to the fact that such integration allows for the development of systems that are capable of sharing and gathering data, which can help in alerting individuals about fire safety issues in the premises. A notable rise in investments in smart building automation technologies across several regions is expected to lead to new opportunities for building automation systems in the industrial and commercial sectors.

Consumers in developed regions such as Europe and North America have seen a steady rise in demand over the past few years, and the growth trend is also projected to continue over the next few years. However, a lack of stringent regulations and the high cost of advanced fire protection systems have kept the markets in emerging countries largely untapped.

Nevertheless, improving economic conditions in countries, including Brazil and India, are anticipated to boost the demand for fire protection systems over the forecast period.

Infrastructural development activities across the Asia Pacific region owing to the rising demand for new transport and utility infrastructure will drive the demand. The high rate of urbanization is placing increased pressure on under-invested, weak city infrastructure.

The consecutive rise in focus on new residential and infrastructural development projects is expected to propel the demand for fire protection systems across this region; thus, such factors are fuelling the market growth.

Triangle Housing awards SPIE fire and security maintenance contract

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsFire DetectionIndustry SectorsProducts

SPIE UK has been awarded a fire and security reactive maintenance and serving framework contract by Triangle Housing Association, a major provider of supported living, resettlement accommodation and support for people leaving hospitals in Northern Ireland.

SPIE UK will be responsible for the servicing and maintenance of fire safety equipment. This includes fire alarm systems, domestic smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, emergency lighting, firefighting equipment, smoke vents, door access controls, nurse call systems, warden call systems and other specialist fire safety equipment in accordance with Fire Safety Regulations.

On top of this, SPIE will provide a 24-hour reactive response and repairs service across all of Triangle Housing’s properties. The framework contract has been signed for an initial 36 months, with the option to extend it by a further 36 months if both parties agree to.

Andrew Fleming, property assets manage, Triangle Housing Association said: “We feel confident that SPIE UK will help to guarantee that safety over our large and varied estate and support our vision of building better lives together.”

Jim Skivington, divisional managing director, SPIE UK said: “We are delighted that Triangle Housing Association has given SPIE UK the responsibility of maintaining the fire and security equipment and systems across its estate. Our highly skilled team takes its responsibility to Triangle Housing and its tenants very seriously and we look forward to a productive future working relationship.”

The 36-month contract will see SPIE working across Triangle Housing’s 1,000 property estate and provide 24-hour reactive response.

Fire breaks out on ship carrying Volkswagen and Porche vehicles

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPorts & Maritime

A 650-foot-long cargo ship carrying Porche, and Volkswagen cars caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship’s 22 crew members fled the scene thanks to rescue works carried out by the Portuguese Navy.

Built in 2005 Felicity Ace can carry up to 4,000 cars. The vessel was on its way to a port in Davisville, Rhode Island, having set sail from Germany’s Emden.

The ship sounded the alarm after a fire broke out in the hold, the Associated Press reported.

Portugal’s navy said one of its patrol boats and four merchant vessels were helping with the rescue. Portuguese air force aircraft were also mobilized.

Both Volkswagen and Porche released separate statements, acknowledging an incident had taken place on a vessel that was carrying their vehicles among the cargo on the ship.

Porche in its statement said that ‘it’s thoughts were with the 22 crew members of the merchant ship’. The statement also reaffirmed that the Portuguese authorities had rescued the crew members.

The Portuguese Navy has said there are no further details about the recovery operation, but the ship is said to be drifting eastwards.

Global fire alarm and detection market to reach $53.15bn in 2032

by ActiveBreaking NewsFire DetectionHealthcareIndustrialIndustry SectorsPorts & MaritimeProducts

The global fire alarm and detection market is expected to be $53.15bn in 2032 expanding at a CAGR of 6% from 2022 through to 2032. The market is currently valued at $29.68bn in 2022.

The increase is forecasted to comes from a demand for developed fire safety systems in mining, automotive, petrochemical, oil and gas exploration, and power and utility sectors.

Rising deployment of fire alarm and detection systems across educational institutes and increasing awareness about its benefits among residents for fire detection systems are key factors propelling market expansion during the forecast period. Furthermore, ongoing technological developments in fire detection and alarming devices is expected to boost the industry’s growth in the coming time.

In addition, the advancement of wireless and remote function fire detection and alarm systems are anticipated to offer significant opportunities for expansion in the evaluation time.  

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a change in the demand and consumption pattern of fire alarm and detection systems. With increasing hospitalisation rates and shift towards remote working, the need for residential and healthcare setting oriented fire safety protocols have increased, leading to growing sales of fire alarm and detection systems across these domains.

Key players in the global fire alarm and detection market have adopted various strategies of mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships. In August 2021, ProPharma group acquired iSafety Systems, an Indian pharmacovigilance service provider.

Then in July 2021, ICON plc acquired a CRO, called PRA Health Sciences. The objective of the acquisition was to increase the services portfolio of ICON plc. In October 2020, Honeywell rolled out its first tools from its new suite of Connected Life Safety Services (CLSS), which is its first all-in-one cloud platform for fire safety systems.

London Mayor consults residents on guidance to improve fire safety

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is spearheading important fire safety improvements
in the capital. The London Mayor has launched a full public consultation
on innovative draft guidance to ensure all new developments are designed with
the highest standards of fire safety from the earliest stage, keeping
Londoners, their property, and the fire service safe.

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, in which 72 Londoners tragically lost
their lives, Dame Judith Hackitt’s Review highlighted the need to transform the
fire and building safety regime. Dame Judith recommended that ‘some minimum
requirements around fire safety will need to be addressed when local planning
authorities are determining planning applications and will require input from
those with the relevant expertise’.

Khan has a strategic planning role for the city and his ‘London Plan’ sets
out guidance for development and building across the city.

He has also reiterated that the fire safety requirements in existing
national Building Regulations are not fit for purpose and the progress of
reform is too slow. With this draft Fire Safety London Plan guidance, Sadiq is
leading the way in London to ensure fire safety is embedded in the early stages
of all planning processes.

This guidance sets out how developers should demonstrate compliance with the
Mayor’s detailed London Plan policies to achieve the highest standards in fire
safety and ‘safe and dignified’ evacuations. This is in addition to the
Government’s fire safety considerations that apply only to a limited number of
buildings at the planning application stage.

The draft guidance also highlights that it is the responsibility of
developers to demonstrate that their developments can be constructed and
occupied safely with regards to the highest standards of fire safety, in a way
that won’t impact neighbouring buildings. To ensure this, the design of the
development needs to consider fire safety and the safe and dignified evacuation
for all from the outset – for example, where a fire engine will park in the
event of fire, whether there is a safe and accessible evacuation route for
occupants, whether the external walls are made of non-combustible materials and
what fire safety measures will be incorporated into the buildings.

Drager partners with the Fire Service College

by Featured NewsHealthcareIndustry Sectors

Dräger, a medical and safety technology company, has partnered with Fire Service College (FSC). Together furthering technical innovation through the optimisation of SCBA product development, firefighter training and communications. 

The FSC, owned by Capita, delivers training to all UK fire and rescue teams, as well as defence, national resilience and critical national infrastructure, and is recognised as an international leader with delegates from across the globe regularly utilising its expertise and facilities. Located on a 320-acre former Royal Air Force airfield, more than 7,000 delegates a year train using every scenario imaginable across domestic and industrial buildings, a ship, aircraft, motorway, train set/station and high-rise buildings – all of which are used for real fire and rescue scenarios on a daily basis. The FSC puts a strong emphasis on interoperability and large-scale exercises.

Dräger’s relationship with the FSC spans more than three decades, and includes the provision of SCBA sets supported by bespoke training. FSC instructors are in an ideal position to provide feedback that supports product development, and to act as product ambassadors to demonstrate the manufacturer’s commitment to firefighter safety.   

As part of the new partnership, Dräger will provide the new PSS AirBoss Connect SCBA kits including telemetry, face masks, communications, and cylinders. And in reinvigorating the relationship there will be further joint activities to ensure delegates are provided with the latest developments and industry insight.

Dominik Wellmann, MD, of the FSC, said the partnership supports the college’s goal to use market leading, technical innovation. He said: “A key part of our responsibilities as a world-leading provider of emergency services training is investing in state-of-the-art kit that delivers optimum safety to all of our delegates. As the global leader in fire safety equipment, we recognise Dräger as the ideal partner to support this goal.”

Matthew Bedford, managing director sales and service added: “We’re very pleased to see the new AirBoss SCBA being utilised at the FSC and look forward to receiving feedback. The partnership enables us to support our industry and learn from it. It’s an invaluable long-standing relationship from which everyone wins.”

Building Safety Bill to clamp down on unsafe cladding

by Building ManagementConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The Building Safety Bill has added new powers that will see unsafe cladding clamped down on.

Under the new measure developers risk losing planning permission should they refuse to pay the costs of removing unsafe cladding. Projects can also be blocked under government plans.

The measures will also allow for cladding companies to be sued, with defective products earning fines. The proposed measures are part of a Building Safety Bill following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the BBC reported.

People who are currently facing bills of thousands of pounds to fix their homes welcomed the move.

Michael Gove, Housing Secretary, said: “We cannot allow those who do not take building safety seriously to build homes in the future, and for those not willing to play their part they must face consequences.”

Last month, Gove announced that leaseholders living in buildings high than 11 metres will not face costs for fixing dangerous cladding. In turn, developers would be expected to fix dangerous buildings. Failure to do so will result in legal or tax changes, he added.

Leaseholders now have up to 30 years, from the current six years, to sue builders and product manufacturers for defects in England, but there are plans to extend it UK wide.

Firefighters in Scotland to carry life-saving naloxone

by Featured NewsHealthcareIndustry Sectors

Firefighters in Scotland will set up a network of volunteers to administer naloxone. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will administer the medicine, which is given as a nasal spray in the event of an opioid overdose to help save someone’s life.

SFRS staff will be given training in partnership with the Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) as part of a £90,000 project funded by the Scottish Government, joining the Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland in recognising the role the medication can play in saving lives.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister said: “SFRS staff regularly interact with the public during operational incidents, prevention and protection work and community engagement and it is reassuring to know that if they come across a situation involving an opioid overdose that volunteers will be able to administer naloxone while they wait for an ambulance to arrive.“Naloxone is one of a wide range of measures being used to address the public health emergency of drugs deaths, but it plays an important role and allows those administering the kits to connect people who use drugs and their families with appropriate local services.

“Of course, we want to help people long before they get to the point of a life-threatening overdose and we are working hard to increase the number of people in treatment backed by total funding of £250 million over five years.”

Stuart Stevens, assistant chief officer and SFRS director of service delivery said: “We welcome funding from the Scottish Government to provide life-saving medication for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“We will fully support volunteers within SFRS to complete training to safely administer naloxone to help prevent avoidable drug deaths from overdoses. This project highlights our commitment to working with partners to improve the safety and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.”

Group Commander Paul Blackwood, pictured giving a demonstration of how the nasal spray works, took part in training from SDF a year ago and is encouraging colleagues to take up this opportunity. He decided to carry naloxone after a personal tragedy.

Paul said: “I grew up in Glasgow and I lost my best friend at the age of 19 from a drugs overdose. This traumatic experience has stayed with me and so it was important for me to volunteer to carry naloxone. I have the kit because I want to be in a position to save someone’s life.”

A naloxone information pack will be available to all SFRS staff. Firefighters who volunteer to undergo training to carry and deploy naloxone will be given guidance on how to identify the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose and how to use the medication to reverse these effects.

Exclusive: A new horizon for the ASFP

by ConstructionIndustry Sectors

IFSJ catches up with Steve Davies, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Specialist Fire Protection 

Associations are a vital part of many industries. From the rail, aviation, security, construction, or hospitality industries, they all utilise support given by associations in their respective fields. Whether it is providing training, advice on practice or helping companies to remain compliant with the latest regulations affecting them, the support they give helps keep whole sectors working. In the background of this are experts with the knowledge and experience to know what is needed for their members.  

Historically, associations have been at the centre of many important sectors, and its own importance has not only maintained, but it is also growing. In a world where rules and regulations can change at a pace due to technological advancements or political hurdles, continued support is essential, and this is no different for the fire safety sector. For those in the fire protection sector, the Association of Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) brings together passive fire protection manufacturers, contractors, distributors and testing/certification bodies to encourage, develop and give guidance on essential standards in passive fire protection. The ASFP helps to increase the quality of installed fire protection within all forms of construction. To find out more about the associations ongoing relations with the industry, IFSJ caught up with Steve Davies, Chief Executive Officer of the Association.  

Technical experience 

When taking the role of CEO last year, taking over from former CEO Niall Rowan, Davies brought with him years of experience working with a number of trade associations. Since 2006 Davies has worked in membership organisations in various sectors, working in technical or engineering based industries from power generation and more recently his previous role as the CEO of the Lighting Industry Association (LIA). In terms of experience, the fire safety industry to Davies is relatively new. On this, he believes this has been one of the main challenges he has faced. He comments: “One of the challenges I have been faced with is getting to grips with the technical and political aspects of the sector. My appointment initially is about modernising and bringing the ASFP as a trade association forward and developing the services that they offer, whilst building my own technical expertise to be able to contribute at all levels.” 

He concludes: “I am very familiar with how to develop a trade association and how to make it a success and Niall has been very supportive during the handover process. He has helped me get around the table with other stakeholders to smooth the transition as much as possible. Going forward I think the main challenge for me will be making sure I am as technically competent as I possibly can be. I have made it a point to get involved with as many ASFP committees as possible, not only for my own education but also for my own interest as well. I want to be able to contribute to those discussions.” 

Times are changing

In terms of timing, Davies joins as there are a number of changes happening in the industry. Of course, this could be seen as a further complication, but the role of Passive Fire Protection and the ASFP is more critical than ever. ASFP needs stay on top of that change and shape the future of knowledge and education of the industry. Changes in attitude to passive fire protection measures have been in the pipeline for some time and there is real momentum in how the industry meets that change.

Davies comments: “I have joined, whether by design or by sheer luck at a time of huge change for the sector, not just passive fire but the construction sector as a whole. There has been lots of things that have happened prior to this that have been in the news and continue to be in the news but what that has driven is a huge appetite for people to know more about passive fire. We run a variety of Passive Fire Safety courses and the demand for them has significantly increased. Some of that is due to the pandemic with more people working from home who are trying to maintain their CPD but since people have returned that demand has continued to grow.  

He continues: “So, in looking backing at 2021 I have been trying to keep up with that demand and shape it to see what bits of education we might be missing so that we can fill those gaps.  There are lots of bodies that pass information around passive fire which is great. I hope to get the ASFP to the forefront of that in which we will be the first port of call and if we don’t offer what you’re looking for, we can point you in the right direction. I would say that is what we have spent most of 2021 doing, building that pathway of knowledge and education.” 

Rebrand  

His appointment also marked a new dawn for the organisation in terms of forward thinking within itself. Towards the end of 2021 they decided to undergo a rebranding which has come off the back of new introductions to the ASFP team. Davies reveals what the rebranding means for the organisation in the long-term: “Last year we underwent a small rebranding exercise on the back of having a new team and new ideas to mark a change in the association.

“However, it was also to pre-empt that we have a new CRM platform that is due to go live in the next couple of months. That has the new platforms for information, whether they’re documentation, online courses or webinars. We have been really busy planning, but we are coming to the end of that process now. It was the start of a plan as to how we start to promote ourselves online. The rebrand gave us an opportunity to put a marker in the sand and say, from this point on a new logo, the way we present ourselves to be more structured and professional will show that we are changing.” 

Improving competency 

As we usher in a new year, like so many of the companies it supports, the ASFP will be keen to ensure that the start is as seamless as possible, and with a structured plan in place that they have set out and key goals that they want to meet, it promises to be an interesting year for them. Part of these plans are to improve competency and networking. Davies comments on how this has resulted in what they are anticipating being a busy but productive year: “Our plans to develop competency in passive fire in the construction sector has been at the forefront of our activity as a whole. We budgeted this year to spend a lot of time developing a competency framework for passive fire.

“We already have an introduction course, Level 2 and 3 which is supported by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). What we have acknowledged is that we have a void between the online 3-4 hour course and then going up to the full five day level two course and then level three. We are filling that gap with various learning opportunities that will be CPD based .with specialist sections to suit the different parts of the construction sector from architects/designers through our typical audiences such as Contractor to facilities managers and landlords. 

He concludes: “We spent a lot of time in discussions at the end of last year, as COVID restrictions began to ease, about how we can create a wide-ranging networking calendar for the sector that gets us where we want to be. 2022 so far has been about what bodies we want to influence and how we wish to engage with them. We have a role here in not only an influencing and lobbying role but also one of bringing our members together from a networking and engagement perspective to learn from each other. You may have noticed an upturn in our marketing and social presence and that has been part of what we have been planning and developing for this year. 2022 will be a very busy year for us.”  

With regulations continuing to change the landscape for those in passive fire, it seems that it won’t just be this year that will be busy for the ASFP. Whilst a new CEO and a rebrand has set out a new era for the organisation, it is worth keeping a keen eye out for future developments that they will be mapping out.  

Alternate fire safety strategies for the London residents living with waking watches  

by Building ManagementIndustry Sectors

New data has revealed 1,149 buildings in London have fire safety defects so severe that they need 24-hour patrols. As the number of buildings failing fire safety inspections grows faster than owners can make them safe, more residents are living the financial burden of waking watches and the emotional toll of waiting months, or years, to feel secure in their homes. 

The cost of employing one person to carry out waking watch duties 24 hours a day exceeds the average one-off cost of installing a fire alarm system in three to six months, depending on the hourly rate charged. 

The Government recently boosted the Waking Watch Relief Fund to £57m to cover the cost of installing alarm systems in high-rise buildings with dangerous cladding, removing or reducing the need for waking watches. However, with limited funding available, thousands may be left paying for fire marshals to patrol blocks 24 hours a day, costing over £11,000 on average per building every month. The fund also generally only covers the upfront capital costs of installing a fire safety system in buildings with unsafe cladding. Therefore, residents impacted by non-cladding issues which render their buildings unsafe may continue to face ongoing waking watch costs and remediation bills. 

As it becomes clear that a change in fire safety strategy is essential, industry experts are looking at alternative strategies that can maximise fire safety while minimising costs.  

Nick Rutter, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of fire safety technology experts FireAngel, says, “Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, thousands of residents in London alone have been forced to rely on 24-hour fire safety patrols. However, they’re expensive and only designed to work as an interim measure. Relying on humans for fire prevention shouldn’t be the only intervention and it certainly isn’t sustainable long term. 

We’re at a stage where technology can shoulder some of the responsibility of fire safety, and protect residents and homes more effectively.  

Connected technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help cut fire risks within the parameters of an existing budget, offering residents, building safety managers and landlords more intelligent ways to manage their properties. 

Smart fire safety systems can remove the need to physically access properties, with maintenance data and risk analysis for each device and property reported via an intuitive dashboard. Data monitored in real-time can alert residents, developers and social housing providers to the status of alarms in a property, for example, if triggered or in need of maintenance, in turn, eliminating wasteful visits, time and administration fees. 

Our connected solution creates a network that can detect fire, carbon monoxide, and dangerous temperatures. The network can then send rapid, detailed alerts if it registers heat, smoke, or gas – so even if a tenant cannot call for help themselves, the fire service can be contacted and dispatched at speed.  

Equipped with our unique Predict™ technology, patented in application, our solution can highlight trends and patterns of high-risk behaviour. For example, it can show if a tenant’s alarm is triggered frequently due to electrical appliances overheating, prompting early intervention from a housing officer or a home fire safety visit from the Fire and Rescue Service. The ability to cut costs while raising fire safety standards can relieve the economic burden, improve residents’ quality of life, and prevent a fire before it becomes a 999 call. 

Looking to the future, a combination of IoT, robust fire detection and alert systems and evacuation plans could replace the need for waking watches completely, helping tenants who fall outside of the relief fund feel safe in their own home.”