OGUK, the leading body of the UK offshore oil and gas industry, has said that today’s Queen’s Speech could support a UK-led clean energy revolution, with the recently agreed North Sea Transition Deal being central to this.
OGUK CEO Deirdre Michie said: “In this important COP26 year, today’s Queen’s Speech reinforces the need for industry and government to harness the UK oil and gas sector’s 50 years of energy expertise, ensuring the UK can show real global leadership in tackling climate change.
“OGUK is clear that this can spark a UK-led global clean energy revolution, with the UK oil and gas sector at its heart.
“With the UK expected to continue to use oil and gas as part of a diverse energy mix for some years to come, as the Climate Change Committee has pointed out, it is essential we accelerate the development of homegrown, greener energy.
“Building on this reinvigorated recognition for joint working to tackle climate change, the challenge now is now to work with government to champion the implementation of the recent North Sea Transition Deal and in so doing, accelerate the drive for the sustainable future we all want to see.”
Providing officers with leading video solutions to capture and deliver unquestionable evidence plays a vital role in reducing the number of collisions and persons killed or seriously injured. The contract is the first to be led by BlueLight Commercial and is immediately available for emergency services to order in-car video technology.
“In-car video enhances operational policing as it brings the benefits of gathering visual evidence from multiple vantage points, aiding decision-making and maintaining a record for transparency,” said Lianne Deeming, Chief Executive Officer at BlueLight Commercial. “The new integrated in-car video solutions will help the police achieve their strategic objectives for policing the roads: Safe roads, safe speeds, safe vehicles, safe road users and effective post-crash response investigation.”
For officers on road patrol, situations can escalate from routine to an emergency within moments. The Motorola Solutions 4RE In-Car Video Solution captures evidence from multiple camera points both outside and inside the police vehicle to deliver a live 360-degree view of any situation. Live-streaming to the control room allows real-time monitoring and enhances collaboration between frontline officers and control room personnel. All evidence is securely processed and automatically stored in Motorola Solutions’ Evidence Library, ensuring officers are more efficient and productive.
“Our in-car video systems will deliver security, flexibility and efficiency in the most demanding environments,” says Fergus Mayne, country manager and head of U.K. sales at Motorola Solutions. “By reducing crime, reducing accidents and making the roads safer for all users, our video solutions will ultimately ensure that citizens and police alike return home safely.”
*BlueLight Commercial works together with blue light organizations to help them transform their commercial services, working alongside local forces, providing them with commercial intelligence, market insight and effective processes and tools. BlueLight Commercial embeds and enhances collaborative procurement, making best use of combined national buying power, increasing standardization and improving value for money. Strategic procurement approaches deliver annual savings, which can be reinvested into frontline services.
Comelit’s fire alarm and detection systems, including beam detectors, have been installed by Ozzas Security Systems at Art Hub Studios CIC, a non-profit, artist run community interest company.
The inclusive, affordable artists’ studios, based in South East London supports over 235 creatives. It offers 24/7 access, free use of facilities and a community gallery as an affordable platform for exhibiting studio members alongside local artists and students.
Welcoming a high volume of members, clients and visitors to the studios, including those attending dedicated art courses, fire safety and security is an integral component of the building maintenance.
Ozzas Security was called to the site following a risk assessment on the fire alarm and detection system. With recommendations made for a new system, Comelit’s Atena Easy single loop system was fitted with point detection and beam detectors to offer simple and quick installation, without impacting on site aesthetics.
Says a representative of Art Hub Studios: “We’ve been running art hub studios in East London for over 20 years, with an aim to raise the profile of such talented artists across our region. We welcome clients and visitors to view our members’ works alongside local artists, students and community groups.
“With so many people present at any one time, we need to ensure their safety and security, and we have regular checks and assessments planned. When issues were raised with our fire alarm and detection systems, we instantly contacted Ozzas as our local fire specialist, who fitted the Atena system quickly and efficiently and it is end-user friendly, which is a welcome bonus.”
Comelit’s Atena Easy single loop solution is a compact, entry level fully addressable system. The system can accommodate up to 500 devices over 2 loops, making it ideal for small to medium applications, with a fully functional networked opportunity to expand with a facility or building requirement.
Ozzas Security also installed eight beam detectors at the studios, equipped with an integral laser and set of passive reflectors to allow for simple auto-alignment made the install much simpler.
Rytis Ozolas of Ozzas Security added: “Any artist studio is a specialist consideration when it comes to fire safety, especially with the use of different materials and substances in every day works by the artists on site. The Art Hub Studios demonstrates good practice in having regular fire alarm system risk assessments and maintenance checks, calling on specialists to update equipment if issues raised. Comelit Atena Easy is simple and quick to install, with beam detectors aiding alignment for the large open areas.
Mandy Bowden, Comelit Fire BDM, concluded: “What is demonstrated with fire safety at Art Hub Studios is the significance of regular fire safety checks and the ability with approved installers and Comelit Atena systems to react quickly when required. The beam detectors are definitely an added advantage, and as demonstrated by Art Hub Studios, are suitable in buildings where point detection is not suitable for use due to the height of the building. It all amounts to a seamless customer experience from risk identification to project completion.”
For further information on Comelit’s fire detection range, please visit www.comelitgroup.com
In the wake of World Asthma Day 2021, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are to carry out inspections that will focus on occupational lung disease.
Inspections will focus on businesses across Great Britain to check that they are managing the respiratory risks of welding fumes and metalworking fluids.
Health and safety inspectors across GB will be targeting businesses whose workers undertake welding and use metalworking fluids to check that they are complying with the welding fumes guidance and metalworking fluid guidance. During the visits, dutyholders will need to demonstrate they have measures in place to manage risks to protect their workers from occupational lung disease and ‘WorkRight’ to keep workers healthy and safe.
Dutyholders will need to demonstrate they have measures in place to manage risks to protect their workers from occupational lung disease
Last year in the UK, 12,000 people died from lung diseases estimated to be linked to past exposure, from work in a range of sectors. There is scientific evidence that exposure to welding fumes can cause lung cancer and exposure to metalworking fluids can cause a range of lung diseases, including occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis (OHP), which are debilitating diseases with life changing impact.
Welding fumes and metalworking fluids pose health risks to workers
Inspectors will be looking for evidence of employers and workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls to protect workers’ health. If necessary, they will use enforcement to make sure workers are protected.
While the primary focus will be on lung health during this programme of inspections, if an HSE inspector identifies any other areas of concern, they will take the necessary enforcement action to ensure these are dealt with. This will include making sure that businesses are COVID-secure and doing all they can to protect their workers from the risk of coronavirus.
HSE’s Acting Head of Manufacturing and Utilities Unit, Clare Owen, said: “12,000 people died last year from lung diseases estimated to be linked to past exposure from work, with thousands more cases of ill-health and working days lost. We want businesses whose workers use metalworking fluids and undertake welding activities to take action now to protect their workers’ respiratory health.
“Through visiting metal fabrication businesses, our inspectors are able to speak to a range of dutyholders and look at the measures they have in place to comply with the law and protect workers from lung diseases such as occupational asthma and lung cancer.
“Our inspection initiative aims to ensure employers and workers are aware of the risks associated with the activities they do. They must recognise these dangers and manage these risks through reducing exposure. Dutyholders need to do the right thing, for example, through completing a risk assessment, ensuring workers are trained and reducing exposure using local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and using suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect workers, where required.”
A construction company has been fined for failing to comply with Work at Height Regulations after putting employees at significant risk of a fall from height while working on a roof.
Blackpool Magistrates’ Court heard how on two occasions, 10 and 11 July 2019, two employees of Ron Richardson Construction Ltd were observed waterproofing a flat roof at fifth floor level in Harrow Place, Blackpool close to an unprotected edge without the means to prevent a fall. The workers were not being monitored and had accessed the roof to do the work as they were unable to carry out the task from below with the equipment, which had been provided for them.
Enforcement Notices had previously been served against the company for work at height failures at the same site. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had not followed its own procedures and was not sufficiently supervising the work. Suitable edge protection to prevent a fall from height was not provided and the workers had not been given sufficient training in working safely on roofs.
Ron Richardson Construction Limited of Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 (1) of The Work at Height Regulations 2005. They were fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,342.
Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Christine McGlynn said: “The dangers here could have been mitigated with adequate planning and supervision of the work undertaken.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fail to heed advice and continue to breach health and safety legislation.”
Gunning London, the Chartered Building Company specialising in internal and external refurbishments, has launched a new division, Gunning Fire, to meet the increasing need for professionally installed fire door and fire stopping solutions.
Having achieved independent UKAS accredited certification from Bluesky in April, the division will offer fire door installation, fire door maintenance, fire stopping (compartmentation), and cladding refurbishment, delivered by their in-house team of installers. And as a member of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), Gunning Fire will be responsible for the overall coordination of all fire safety projects.
Gunning London carries considerable experience in the field, having completed numerous fire stopping projects in the past as Principal Contractor. These include extensive fire compartmentation works for University of the Arts London; the installation of fire doors and fire break partitions for the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine; and fire upgrades to Fair Acres, a residential estate in Kent.
The division will be led by Richard Shatford, who sees this as a logical development for a longstanding company: “Much of our work over the last few years has been in fire protection and with so many educational, heritage and residential properties looking to provide the best possible safety measures, this new division will allow us to keep up with the increased demand we have experienced.”
Tom Gunning, Director at Gunning London, says Gunning Fire allows the company to put its customers first: “While we have a history of successfully completing fire safety works, we have never been fully autonomous to offer the service we feel our customers deserve. But as a principal contractor we will be able to ensure that all aspects of a project run to our high standards.”
Survival technology leader Survitec today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Hansen Protection, a leading European provider of personal protective equipment.
The transaction reinforces Survitec as the global leader for survival technology across the maritime, defence and government, energy, and aerospace markets. Survitec’s complete portfolio and its wide-reaching footprint creates a single partner for customers across the globe.
Ron Krisanda, Executive Chairman at Survitec, commented: “The addition of Hansen Protection, and its leading portfolio in personal protective equipment, protective rainwear, and technical textile solutions, fits perfectly within Survitec.
“Our acquisition strategy is intended to broaden and deepen our offering and enhance our ability to service customers and this transaction does just that. The global reach and the combined company’s products and services will offer greater value to our customers by providing one single supplier for survival technology across a number of categories, including immersion suits, lifejackets, liferafts, marine evacuation systems, fire systems and servicing.
“Hansen Protection has built an outstanding brand, with a strong reputation for the consistent delivery of excellent products and services, and we are committed to maintaining the brand and supporting its growth.’’
Terje Gorm Hansen, CEO for Hansen Protection, added: “Joining forces with Survitec is the next logical step for the growth of our combined business. Coming together means that we can offer our customers greater capabilities and capacity, access to a larger portfolio of survival technology and wider geographic reach.
“We are two companies with a very strong alignment in culture, with safety and innovation in our DNA. Working together, we will lead the way in engineering and providing world-leading solutions for our customers across the globe.”
Headquartered in Moss, Norway, with additional locations in Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, Hansen Protection specialises in the design, manufacturing, distribution, and servicing of personal protective equipment, protective rainwear and boat canopies and textile solutions for a variety of tasks in harsh and cold-water environments.
As part of its strategic growth plans, Survitec recently announced the finalisation of a £270 million refinancing agreement, showing strong support and confidence from the company’s shareholders and lenders. Survitec’s co-controlling shareholders, Searchlight Capital Partners, a leading global private investment firm, and M&G Investments, an international asset manager, supported the company in both the refinancing of the business and the acquisition of Hansen Protection. Hansen Protection was previously owned by the IK VII Fund, managed by IK Investment Partners.
Award-winning Taktis fire panels, manufactured by Kentec Electronics, a leading manufacturer of life-critical control systems, are protecting students and property at the University of Nicosia (UNIC)’s new state-of-the-art student residences in Cyprus.
The integrated fire system was installed by Kentec Installation Partner (KIP) Glosec Dragon, a Cyprus-based business specialising in the design, installation and maintenance of security, surveillance, hazard prevention and hospitality systems.
The UNIC student residences have been designed to set a new standard in modern student living. They consist of two separate complexes, SIX and TRIANGLE, which provide a multitude of dining, relaxing and entertainment options including a cafe, mini-market, gym, TV rooms and games areas.
Split between six, 12-storey distinctive towers, SIX comprises 307 luxury student residences, and is protected by two, highly-sophisticated Taktis eight-loop addressable fire panels. TRIANGLE complements SIX with an additional 147 modern and spacious rooms, with one six-loop Taktis panel installed.
Across both SIX and TRIANGLE’s fire protection systems are 578 Apollo heat detectors, 530 sounder bases, 94 call points and 339 optical detectors. Three Taktis Vision Repeaters provide information on the status of the fire alarm system in key positions across the residences via large, full-colour, touch-screen graphical displays.
Taktis provides an expandable solution, which includes a full suite of graphics, communications (copper and fibre), analytics and remote management tools. Multiple protocols can be supported on each panel to give installers and end-users maximum choice in their systems’ design, and the scalable nature of the product provides the highest level of futureproofing and networking capabilities.
A 7” full-colour resistive touch screen display and a clear, uncluttered intuitive interface makes it easy to use even for those with minimal or no training, essential in the event of an emergency.
Stathis Ierodiaconou, Managing Director of Glosec Dragon says the business has worked with Kentec for more than two decades and developed a trusting relationship:
“Our experience with Kentec meant we knew Taktis was the right system for the project’s scope and needs. The project required that remote monitoring was possible from one control room to cover both SIX and TRIANGLE residences. It also needed to be an expandable system, which can grow as the development grows.”
With Glosec Dragon also installing and maintaining a suite of other CCTV, wireless access control, intercom, parking and energy-saving systems, Stathis says integration was essential: “Taktis is easy to install, integrates with other systems well and customer feedback has been good.”
Anastasia Christodoulou, Manager, at UNIC Residences, says student safety is paramount: “We required complete assurance that our fire protection system is providing the utmost protection. We were assured that Taktis does just that, and that its advanced integrative capabilities mean a futureproofed and user-friendly system.”
Costas Constantinides, Head of International Development at Kentec, says the Taktis panel with EN54-13 certification was the ideal choice for this development:
“The highly-powerful and sophisticated Taktis panel was chosen to ensure the fire safety system had the required reliability, scale and flexibility to protect large numbers of students at such a prestigious development.”
Aspiring health and safety practitioners have until 25 May to apply for a scholarship to study for a NEBOSH Diploma
The scholarship is being offered by NEBOSH, one of the world’s leading health and safety awarding bodies, and is the first programme of its kind to be offered by the charity.
Two winners – a UK and an International learner – will be awarded paid-for online study for the NEBOSH National or International Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals.
The Michael Adamson NEBOSH Diploma Scholarship is named in memory of Michael Adamson who lost his life in a preventable workplace incident. The Diploma and scholarship are designed to help learners develop the knowledge and practical skills they need to succeed in the workplace, advance their careers and keep people safe from harm.
Dee Arp, NEBOSH Chief Operating Officer and one of the judges, says: “NEBOSH is dedicated to supporting budding health and safety practitioners to gain the skills they need to achieve their academic and career dreams.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for two people to advance their professional development and gain a sought-after and respected qualification. It’s the perfect platform for them to go on and help keep even more people and communities safe and healthy.”
Applications are open from 4-25 May 2021. Applicants fill in an online form on NEBOSH’s website and are initially assessed against minimum criteria. The third and final stage of the process is a judging panel who will select the two lucky winners. Judges include two NEBOSH Diploma holders, two NEBOSH employees (themselves Diploma holders) and Louise Adamson, Michael’s sister and NEBOSH Ambassador.
Task Force Tips (TFT), a fire service leader in innovative and life-saving firefighting equipment, is excited to announce a new partnership with Hoosier Burn Camp (HBC). The partnership is a natural fit for TFT, which was founded on the legacy of firefighter Clyde McMillian, who was severely burned in the line of duty. TFT has committed to a significant, multi-year sponsorship to bolster the important work Hoosier Burn Camp is already doing to improve the lives of young burn survivors and their families.
“Task Force Tips is proud to forge a long-term strategic partnership with Hoosier Burn Camp. Our leadership team, as well as our employees, welcome the opportunity to work together with Hoosier Burn Camp to continue their mission of building hope for young individuals traumatized by fire-related injuries. Hoosier Burn Camp provides purpose that aligns with the values of our life-saving mission as well as our goals to make the world safer, healthier and more productive. Together, we will greatly multiply the efforts of fundraising and hands-on philanthropy to serve more burn survivors than ever before, “said Task Force Tips CEO, Chris Vazzana.
Hoosier Burn Camp provides year-round, life-changing programs for burn survivors free of charge, including a week-long summer camp near Lafayette, Indiana.
“We are humbled to partner with Task Force Tips and their team to help further the important work that’s happening within the HBC family. These funds will expand our reach and services that we offer to young burn survivors in the state of Indiana,” said HBC Executive Director Mark Koopman.
