Posts in category: Projects

Rosenbauer has been awarded the Austrian State Award for Innovation for its electrified firefighting vehicle “Revolutionary Technology” (RT). Margarete Schramböck, Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs, particularly emphasised the sustainability of the RT at the award ceremony: “A great project that really stood out in terms of sustainability. I could convince myself of it.

With this vehicle, Rosenbauer consistently relies on new technologies and thus opens fire departments the way to digital future. The RT once again confirms the innovative strength of the Austrian world market leaders as the basis for economically sustainable models of success. “

“We are delighted to receive this prestigious award and see it as validation of the development work we started ten years ago on this firefighting vehicle”, says Markus Schachner, Head of Rosenbauer Product Development. “From our point of view, the RT combines everything that will be important for the fire departments of the future: a highly ergonomic vehicle architecture, a low-emission drive, an innovative, largely digitalised operating concept and comprehensive connectivity.”

Revolutionary vehicle architecture

The Rosenbauer RT provides a completely independent and trend-setting answer to the question of what the firefighting vehicle of the future will look like. By eliminating the conventional power train, the development engineers were able to largely break away from the classic superstructure philosophy and implement an unprecedented vehicle architecture that was conceived exclusively on the basis of function. 

The result is an emergency vehicle from a single source, with unparalleled driving dynamics thanks to its electric drive and excellent handling characteristics on any terrain thanks to its lowerable all-wheel chassis with independent suspension and rear-axle steering. The integral design of the cab ensures a high level of safety during emergency journeys, and the driver is supported by modern assistance systems such as electronic exterior mirrors.

At the operational scene, the RT can be lowered to such an extent that the crew cab can be accessed without obstacles and the equipment stored in the vehicle can be conveniently removed from the floor.

The seats in the cockpit swivel inwards, and the crew in the crew cab sit mostly on the sides of the vehicle, which results in a conference seating arrangement style and allows operational meetings to be held in the vehicle, protected from the wind and weather.

Fully electric operation

With the RT, the fire departments drive into operation fully electrically and with zero local emissions. In addition, recuperation via the electric motors reduces brake wear and thus the creation of fine dust particles. This protects the environment, especially in urban areas with a large number of emergency journeys and a high volume of traffic. And exhaust emissions and noise levels are reduced at the scene because the power for lighting and technical equipment as well as for pump operation is provided by high voltage batteries. This improves the working conditions around the vehicle, reduces the stress levels of the emergency crews and, last but not least, benefits the local residents.

The Berlin fire department, which is currently testing the RT in regular operation, has done the math: more than 90% of their operations can be handled purely electrically. Each electrically powered vehicle would save about 14 tons of CO² per year compared to a diesel-powered fire-fighting and rescue vehicle. A range extender is on board for long-term use and high-performance operations. This consists of a low-emission car diesel engine and a power generator. This turns the RT into a fully integrated power plant that automatically recharges the batteries when more energy is consumed than available during high power requirements and long operations.

Wireless operator’s panel

The RT is also extensively digitised. The cockpit offers a modern command post, all the functions of the vehicle, from lighting to extinguishing technology, can be controlled via a 17″ display centrally installed in the console. A secure Wi-Fi network, which the RT sets up itself and which can be used for wireless control of any robots, drones, and other electrical equipment, ensures networking at the operational scene. That makes it interesting not just for fire departments, but all disaster control and blue light organisations.

Highest national award

The State Award for Innovation is organised by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH on behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs. Participants are sent by all Austrian states, which identify them in their own innovation awards. The innovations submitted should be market-ready and initial experience of the effects of the innovations should already be available.

In the case of the RT, both are true: The electric firefighting vehicle was introduced onto the market more than a year ago and has been tested in regular use by the first lead customers since the beginning of 2021. Rosenbauer estimates that more than 3,000 emergency vehicles with comparable technology will be in service by 2030. The company is already working on the electrification of further vehicle types.

Technical Data (RT Berlin)

• Battery capacity: 2 x 66 kWh
• Drive power: 360 kW (max)
• Range extender: 200 kW
• Drive: all-wheel drive via two axle-centric electric motors
• Chassis: independent suspension with air suspension and selectable ride levels
• Rear axle steering selectable (optional)    
• Driving assistance systems: EBS, ESP, ADM
• Dimensions: 7,600 x 2,350 x 2,900 mm
• Total permissible weight: 18,000 kg
• Crew: 1 + 6
• Built-in pump: N25 (FPN 10-2000)
• Pressure proportioning system + CAFS
• Extinguishing agent: 1,200 l water + 100 l foam compoun

NEBOSH, one of the world’s leading health and safety awarding bodies, has launched an updated Health and Safety at Work Award. The three-day qualification is popular in countries around the world for giving learners the first steps to health and safety competence.

Designed as a solid introduction to workplace health, safety and risk, the qualification is applicable to all industries and a new assessment – a workplace review – is designed to help learners apply their new knowledge by reviewing how health and safety is managed, identifying any issues present and how they are controlled and making recommendations for improvements. This makes it a great option for employers too because they can give their workforce practical skills that improve organisational health and safety performance. 

What’s more, the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award is a qualification – accredited at SCQF Level 5 – rather than a course, so that organisations and learners can be assured of its quality.

Emirates Global Aluminium has delivered the qualification to over 600 operational employees, making the organisation a safer place to work; its Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) rate in 2018 was 1.34 per million hours worked. In comparison the global average TRIF rate for members of the International Aluminium Institute in 2020 was 2.8 per million hours worked.

Zubair Majeed, Safety Manager at Emirates Global Aluminium, adds: “Having qualified personnel, including supervisors and shop-floor workers who are not full-time safety practitioners, is a vitally important part of successfully managing risks.”

Dee Arp, NEBOSH Chief Operating Officer, says: “Health and safety is for everyone, not just for managers. The NEBOSH Health and Safety Award at Work is a bitesize qualification that’s understandable and accessible so anyone can learn and add value to their own workplace. The language and principles are also closely aligned to NEBOSH Certificate-level qualifications to enable progression for people that want to develop further.”

The new Health and Safety at Work Award is available to study from 24 November 2021 via NEBOSH’s global network of Learning Partners. Find more information on the Health and Safety at Work Award page. 

Perimeter Solutions have announced that its registration statement on Form S-4 in connection with its previously announced proposed business combination to acquire 100% of SK Invictus Intermediate S.à.r.l., the ultimate parent company of Perimeter Solutions LP, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality firefighting products and lubricant additives has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Registration Statement provides important information about the Company, Perimeter and the Business Combination.

The Company expects to close the Business Combination on November 9, 2021.  Following the closing of the Business Combination, the Company expects that trading of its ordinary shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) will commence under the ticker symbol “PRM”. The Company intends to apply to list its warrants on the OTC under the symbol “PRMW”.

Following the closing of the Business Combination, the Company expects that 157,137,410 ordinary shares will be outstanding.

EverArc Holdings Limited, a publicly-listed acquisition company (“EverArc”) party to the Business Combination, applied to the Financial Conduct Authority and the London Stock Exchange to request the cancellation of the listing of its ordinary shares and warrants from the Official List and the cancellation of the admission to trading of its ordinary shares and warrants from the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. The cancellation is expected to take effect from 8:00 a.m. (London time) on November 9, 2021.

Work is due to get underway at the site of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s brand new Horsham Fire Station and Training Centre.

West Sussex County Council’s appointed contractor, Willmott Dixon, is expected to begin early works on the site off the A24 at Highwood Mill in the next few weeks.

The site will be home to a brand new 24 hour fire station for Horsham, along with an industry leading training centre, including a live fire training facility and road traffic collision training area.

The new fire station will incorporate all the best practice around firefighters’ health and wellbeing, including improved contamination management for firefighters returning from incidents.

In addition to various training rooms used for digital simulations and assessments, three ancillary buildings will assist in the delivery of real-life scenarios:

• combined training tower and breathing apparatus facility
• realistic live fire training facility
• residential recruit training
• incident command training facility
• realistic road traffic collision training area

The learning and development centre will include residential accommodation to deliver firefighter training.

The new facility has an emphasis on renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and air source heat pumps providing heating, as well as electric vehicle charging points in-line with the county council’s drive to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue Service, Duncan Crow, said: “I am delighted that work will soon be underway on site to deliver this fantastic training facility and new fire station for our firefighters. We are committed to delivering a project that we can all be proud of.”

Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, said: “Our new fire station and training centre marks a significant investment from West Sussex County Council in our service, ensuring we have state-of-the-art facilities to carry out our work and continue our training. Work beginning on site marks the culmination of many years of planning and I very much look forward to seeing the project beginning to take shape.”

​ For further information please contact the press office on 0330 2228377 or email FRSMedia@westsussex.gov.uk.

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today the groundbreaking of a 90,000 square foot expansion to the company’s 360,000 square foot main facility located in Appleton, Wisconsin at 2600 American Drive. An additional 60,000 square feet of production space will also be added to Pierce’s Neenah, Wisconsin facility. Along with facility expansions, recruitment efforts have begun for the hiring of more than 200 jobs.

“As Pierce continues to develop innovative fire apparatus and technology, demand for our products has grown throughout the fire service community worldwide,” said Mike Kephart, vice president of operations for Pierce Manufacturing. “Work on the foundation for the expansion is already underway, with building construction beginning in January. The new areas of our production and testing facilities are expected to be operational by fall of 2022.”

Product demand has been the main driver for the need to increase space to produce fire trucks. The facility expansion will provide additional space for product assembly, material storage and testing of finished products.

The recruitment for more than 200 new team members is also underway for jobs which are instrumental to helping meet the increased customer demand.

Job openings include, but are not limited to:

• Welders
• Painters
• Electricians
• Assemblers

“Pierce Manufacturing is a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, a Fortune 500 Company. Pierce’s experienced and dedicated workforce of more than 3,000 team members stand by the motto ‘Work That Matters’,” said Stephen Kohler, director of human resources for Pierce Manufacturing. “Our team members average over 12 years of experience, a quarter of the workforce has 20 or more years of experience, and we are known for offering competitive wages, benefits, and a culture committed to serving the brave men and women of the fire service. If you have a mechanical aptitude and are willing to learn, we are willing to train and invest in you.”

New Pierce team members are engaged in an initial training program before transitioning to their hired role. Additionally, each team member may access $10,000 per year for continuing education to pursue an associate, bachelors, or master’s degree.

To learn more about Pierce Manufacturing’s expansion and employment opportunities, visit www.piercemfg.com.

The growth and development of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) continues apace; having recently gone through a rebranding initiative one of the final steps was to install new signage at the Association’s registered office. 

In 2020, the ASFP moved its secretariat and management services to be under the provision of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) at their Coventry-based facility, Spectra House. This move has seen the ASFP’s professionalism and resources grow significantly with the guidance and support of the BCF.

ASFP Business Manager Mike Ward comments:“The installation of the new signage rounds off what has been one of the most challenging years. Moving the ASFP during the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit transition was interesting. However, recruiting new team members, developing new systems including a CRM, website and YouTube channel, plus initiating the creation of new training courses and learning platforms would not have been possible without the excellent support of BCF.  Each Association is impressive in its own right; however, I think both respective management teams would agree we have all benefited from shared ideas and practices, and we are all the stronger for it.”

BCF Office Manager Nadine Saxon says: “It’s been an exciting first 16 months since being appointed as the ASFP’s secretariat provider.  In supporting the ASFP’s growth and increase in headcount, it’s been really important for us to be able to share in the great facilities and office space here at the BCF. With the return of more face-to-face meetings and training it’s a significant step in the ASFP’s progression to have a home to welcome members and visitors alike.  The arrangement for both organisations has been a huge success with us both benefitting from pooling our shared expertise. We are really looking forward to the continued success of our partnership.”

Members of both associations are encouraged to use the meeting and hospitability facilities at Spectra House, not only because of their central location and value for money, but also because it offers the team an additional chance to meet members and talk about important issues.

For further information on the ASFP and passive fire protection advice, visit www.asfp.org.uk

As the UK manufacturer supplying the range of smoke and fire barriers carrying the widest number of technical accreditations, TBA FIREFLY is also enhancing the training options available to installers and other fire professionals to ensure its products are expertly installed in line with exact specifications, helping to protect both life and property, as well as delivering peace of mind to all stakeholders.

The various training courses are delivered to groups of up to six people, either at Firefly’s Rochdale headquarters or in Raunds, Northamptonshire, with the content tailored to offer the appropriate blend of theory and hands-on practical experience.  Site based training is also available to address project specific requirements, especially where bespoke installation details are demanded.

The most popular ‘General Assembly’ course covers fixing and jointing Firefly barriers, along with the key aspects of Building Regulations and the critical aspect of service penetrations.  Delegates will gain instruction in vertical and horizontal barriers, along with skills such as seaming and managing installations.   Responding to customer demand, Firefly has added a new module for Assessor Training which is intended to arm supervisors and surveyors so they can determine if barriers have been correctly installed in accordance with product specifications and regulations.  

TBA Firefly’s Product Manager, Christopher Boam comments : “Installation training is a key step towards inclusion on the FIREFLY^M Preferred Installer List and, importantly, allows fire contractors to demonstrate to their customers that they are not only competent, but take safety and compliance seriously.”

The Fire Fighters Charity has today launched a free wellbeing, fundraising and social media platform, built exclusively for all serving, retired and supportive members of the UK’s fire services community.

My Fire Fighters Charity (MyFFC) is available to users via Android and iOS apps for mobile devices, as well as online, and aims to bring the UK’s diverse fire family together, while also offering individuals access to a wealth of wellbeing advice and information.

Tim Beynon, the Charity’s Head of Marketing and Engagement, led on the development of MyFFC and is excited about the difference it could make to people’s lives; “This is a real first for us and has the potential to help thousands more people with their health and wellbeing, as well as allowing them to stay connected with each other and with us,” he explained.

“As a charity, enhancing the health and wellbeing of our fire family is why we exist and the introduction of MyFFC means that we can now complement the face-to-face support offered to thousands, with life-changing digital support that can be shared with hundreds of thousands.”

Boasting an extensive library of health and wellbeing content – written by the Charity’s experienced practitioner team and tailored for the fire services community – MyFFC allows users to follow topics that interest them and to explore related content. Director of Beneficiary Services, Sharon Bailey, explained more:

“Nothing like this exists for the fire services community,” says Sharon. “We’ve created this content with our community in mind, which means that – while our beneficiaries may be able to find information on many of the subjects elsewhere – they can have confidence that everything they read or watch on MyFFC has taken their profession into account.

“We can do this because we have the experience to do so. Our practitioner team understands the fire services community and its needs. So, we want to share this expertise with those we support through MyFFC and also use this exciting new tool to hear directly from them in regard to the information they would like from us.”

Expanding further on this last point, Tim picked up on the diverse ways in which MyFFC users can interact with each other and with the Charity through the new portal: “In essence, this is Facebook for the fire service community,” he said.

“Many of the engaging aspects of traditional social media sites can be found on MyFFC, with users having confidence in the fact that the site is managed and moderated by the Charity. Users can, for example, follow others, join groups on specific areas of interest – including our regular fundraising campaigns – discuss content, ask questions, share their own media, run polls, share ideas, win badges, score engagement points and tell us directly what they think about it all. Indeed, we want the site to evolve and grow based on what our users tell us.”

Open to the entire fire services community, including those who work for fire services, those who are retired, their families and the Charity’s many supporters, users can join by registering today at www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/myffc or after downloading the MyFFC app from their device’s app store.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is supporting a campaign to help prevent and manage work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

With three in every five workers affected, MSDs are one of the most frequent causes of disability, sick leave and early retirement and the most common work-related health problem in Europe.

MSD ailments include back and neck pain, tendinitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome, which are primarily caused or aggravated by work or the working environment.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is aiming to raise awareness of MSDs and their impact on individuals, business and society though its Healthy Workplaces Lighten the Load campaign.

It is calling on employers, managers and employees to work together to create lasting improvements – and IOSH is delighted to announce its status as an official partner to mark European Week for Safety and Health at Work, which starts today.

Alan Stevens, Head of Strategic Engagement at IOSH, said: “IOSH works with EU-OSHA on a variety of projects to highlight the importance of good OSH management. So, we’re delighted to add our support to Lighten the Load, which focuses on one of our priority areas and aligns with our own activity.

“MSDs affect workers everywhere across the course of their working lives, in all sectors and sizes of organisation. However, they are often preventable.

“Well-designed work, in which risks are properly managed, can both prevent the development of these conditions as well as support employees with non-work-related MSDs.”

IOSH will work with EU-OSHA and its fellow partners by exchanging and sharing information, tips, tools, initiatives and events throughout the campaign, which runs until late 2022. With an international membership of more than 48,000, IOSH is encouraging all its members, wherever they are in the world, to get involved.

Three of the four most frequently identified risk factors in EU-OSHA’s Third European of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks study are MSD risks: repetitive hand or arm movements, prolonged sitting, and lifting or moving people or heavy loads.

Good OSH to tackle the issue includes risk assessments, simple preventative measures such as ergonomics and training, and worker participation.

Check out IOSH’s research and resources on MSDs and how to manage them, find out more about Lighten the Load and look out for campaign updates.

Bosch Building Technologies plans to acquire Protec Fire and Security Group Ltd., headquartered in Nelson, UK – one of the leading system integrators for security and fire detection technology with an innovative product portfolio. Corresponding agreements were signed by Bosch and Protec on October 22, 2021. Protec employs around 1,100 employees at its nine European locations in the UK and the Netherlands and generated sales of GBP 125 million (around 142 million Euro) in the fiscal year 2021 according to preliminary figures.

“With the acquisition of Protec, Bosch Building Technologies aims to expand its business and grow further in the European market,” says Thomas Quante, president of Bosch Building Technologies. It has been agreed that the purchase price will not be disclosed. The acquisition is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.

Protec is one of the leading system integrators for security and fire detection technology in the UK – the largest market in Europe besides Germany. Bosch Building Technologies currently has the focus of its European system integrator business in Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, the Bosch division is also active as a system integrator in the USA and Asia.

“With its market presence in the UK, Protec is an ideal complement for Bosch Building Technologies. Together, we want to continue to expand the business, building on Protec’s strong brand with an innovative product and service offering, the highly experienced management that is committed to the company, and the employees who have in-depth industry knowledge and a high level of customer service”, explains Quante.

Protec Fire and Security Group Ltd. was founded in 1968 and looks back on a successful company history of over 50 years. “With Bosch, we found a great partner who values our history, brand and our extraordinary team. I believe this cooperation will open up great opportunities for our company as well as our employees and lead into a successful future,” says Barrie Russell, founder and chairman of Protec Fire and Security Group Ltd. The company’s services and products are used in numerous sectors, for example in industry, airports and railway stations.

Alongside the UK, the Netherlands is another important market for Protec, accounting for the largest share of its overseas sales. Here, the company is mainly active under the brand Hacousto Protec. “In the Dutch market, Protec and its complementary customer and competence structure is an excellent expansion of Bosch Building Technologies’ current business.

The acquisition will significantly strengthen our joint market position in the security and fire detection technology sector, create a broader service offering for our customers and expand the product portfolio in the Security & Life Safety area,” adds Quante. Protec maintains five sales locations in the UK in addition to its corporate headquarters with an affiliated development and manufacturing centre in Nelson, Lancashire. Further, the company has three locations in the Netherlands.