The new RED-E Cabinet from TYCO

by Americas - ProductsProducts

The new TYCO® RED-E Cabinet is a pre-assembled, pre-wired, and pretested fire protection valve package enclosed within a free-standing, 14-gauge steel cabinet designed to occupy minimal floor space and provide an enclosure for the fire protection valve riser. The valve package includes the system (manual) shut-off control valve, automatic water control valve, and water-flow/supervisory switches.

The system is also available with an optional built-in air compressor, optional control panel, and back-up batteries for providing electrical alarm, supervisory, and trouble function.

Easy Installation

  • Valve riser has grooved connection to minimize installation time
  • Pre-assembled, pre-tested & pre-wired for plug & play convenience that reduces labour
  • Forklift compatible and industrial grade rollers for mobility

Efficient Maintenance

  • Equipped with magnetic light strips for clear interior visibility
  • Fully hinged removable double-doors provide convenient access to internal parts & extendable compressor stored at the bottom of the cabinet
  • Windows allow for viewing the releasing panel functions & essential system pressure gauges

Trusted Performance

  • Splash resistant drain cup ensures no water spillage during flow testing
  • Features the DV-5A valve with a one-piece diaphragm for simple maintenance & quick external reset

www.tyco-fire.com/

ASFP releases new advice on the fire protection of structural steel

by Passive

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has released a suite of new Advisory Notes which offer guidance on the fire protection of structural steel. The four new Advisory notes address specific concerns identified by industry.

ASFP Advisory Note 18: ASFP Position on Installing Partitioning to the Underside of Structural Steel Sections Coated with a Reactive Fire Protection System highlights concerns related to fixing partitioning directly to columns or beams treated with intumescent paint. It notes that fixing anything directly to either the column/beam will impede the intumescent paint from expanding and may allow heat to transfer to the steel, resulting in localised loss of strength and potential failure in the event of a fire.

Since partitioning is often installed along the line of a structural steel frame, the ASFP has joined with the FIS (Finishes and Interior Sector – the dry lining industry trade association), to recommend that, regardless of the existing sound or acoustic protection, the beam or column should be boxed out with an independently tested framed or an unframed system that will provide the required level of fire protection to the beam/ column.

Advisory Note 19: ASFP Position on the Use of Critical Steel Temperatures above 650°C recommends that if a limiting temperature of above 650°C is specified, then a second opinion should be sought from an appropriately trained structural engineer. This reinforces the best practice guidance contained within Advisory Note 12: Best Practice Guide for Specifying reactive coatings for structural steel fire protection, published jointly by the ASFP and the British Coatings Federation.

ASFP Advisory Note 20: ASFP Position on Portal Frame Buildings provides advice on providing fire protection to portal frame rafters, and should be used in conjunction with the SCI document P313: Single Storey Steel Framed Buildings in Fire Boundary Conditions.

It recommends that where fire protection is required to portal frame rafters, certified 4-sided beam thicknesses should be applied to all 4 sides of the rafter, using the appropriate critical temperature.  In cases where a portal frame rafter cannot be coated on the top flange if the roofing materials are in place, a structural engineer and/or fire engineer should be consulted, as further action may be required. Care should also be taken to use the appropriate 4-sided section factor in all cases.

ASFP Advisory Note 21: ASFP Position on Coatback with Respect to Unprotected Secondary Beams Fixed to Protected Primary Beams advises against the omission of coatback to protect secondary beams when the primary beam is fire protected.

It describes references to such omissions contained within Steel construction – Fire Protection, published by the British Constructional Steelwork Association in 2013, as unconservative. The recommendations in the advisory note has more detail than that contained within ASFP Yellow Book (5th edition) and ASFP TGD 8: Code of practice for junctions between different fire protection systems whichwill be amended accordingly.

The Yellow Book will state: ‘If there is no evidence to support the omission of coatback then a figure of 500mm as stated in ASFP TGD 8 Code of practice for junctions between different fire protection systems when applied to load bearing structural steel elements should be assumed as a conservative solution.’

The guidance highlights that the primary beam must be a solid web beam and that omitting coatback does not apply when the protected beams are cell beams. While noting that individual manufacturers have undertaken tests to show that reduced coatback may be sufficient, the guidance states that, the specific end use situation and the proprietary evidence must be considered and that coatback should only be omitted in situations where a detailed engineering study has been completed.

All ASFP guidance documents are available for free download from the Publications area of the ASFP website: www.asfp.org.uk.

BAFE opens new Emergency Evacuation Scheme with four-week consultation period

by Projects

BAFE has announced its new Emergency Evacuation Scheme, which is available to view and comment on for a four-week consultation period by industry.

BAFE SP207 covers the design installation, commissioning and maintenance of evacuation alert systems. These systems are used by fire and rescue services in buildings containing flats (including single-storey flats and maisonettes) across the UK. The Scheme has been developed with the support and cooperation of the National Security Inspectorate (NSI), Gerda and other industry parties.

The new BAFE Scheme observes best practice and the recent standard developed by BSI, BS 8629 (Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of evacuation alert systems for use by fire and rescue services in buildings containing flats), published in November 2019.

BAFE has made the BAFE SP207 Evacuation Alert Systems Scheme Document available to view and has launched a four-week consultation period requesting comment from the fire safety industry, Fire and Rescue Services and the wider safety industry for comment.

BSI has commented the BS 8629 Standard “exists to help ensure that systems are fit for purpose and to encourage uniformity. If systems look and function the same way in every building, firefighters won’t waste any time understanding how they work.”

In May 2020 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published a document: Government Response: Sprinklers and Other Fire Safety Measures in New High-Rise Blocks of Flats. In this it revealed that 92% of respondents believe that Approved Document B “should include a requirement for an emergency evacuation [alert] system, which could support fire and rescue services operational response by alerting residents if they need to escape.”

Government responded that “there was also strong support in the consultation responses for the inclusion of guidance on an evacuation alert system for high-rise blocks of flats, although many respondents also raised concerns about the use of this new technology.”

BAFE highlights that it was always planning to develop a Scheme to support the industry with a robust method of providing evidence of competency to work with these systems. The organisation strongly believes these systems in more buildings, when implemented correctly, will aid Fire and Rescue Services across the UK in saving lives.

The BAFE SP207 Evacuation Alert Systems Scheme consultation runs from 03/08/2020 to 31/08/2020 (closing at 11:45pm). Upon official publication, Third Party Certification for this Scheme will be available via NSI.

www.bafe.org.uk/

NFPA announces new FPRF study ‘Modern Vehicle Hazards in Parking Structures & Vehicle Carriers’

by Americas - Featured News

The NFPA has released a new report, detailing an analysis of the current scientific literature regarding the fire hazard modern vehicles represent to parking garages and marine vessels.

Vehicles have changed significantly over the years. Modern Vehicles present new hazards due to the incorporation of larger quantities of combustible materials (e.g. fuels, plastics, synthetic materials, etc.) into their designs. As alternative fuel vehicles are popularised, concerns regarding their unique hazards, burn characteristics, and typical burn duration have been raised.

Compared to older vehicles, modern vehicles burn differently. Modern parking garages have optimised space requirements for vehicle parking and storage and often implement automated retrieval features and car stacking, which presents unique hazards as well. Thus, it raises the question if the safety infrastructure of these parking structures and vehicle carriers (i.e. maritime vessels) have kept pace.

Vehicle fires in parking structures developing into large, out of control incidents are fairly rare and the rate of civilian injuries is low. However, fires in parking structures can lead to significant economic losses, as evidenced by recent fires at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in the UK and Stavanger Airport in Norway. These incidents involved hundreds of automobiles and resulted in severe structural damage.

Visit https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Building-and-Life-Safety/Modern-Vehicle-Hazards-in-Parking-Garages-Vehicle-Carriers to download the report.

Firetrace releases new report on Wind Turbine Fire Protection

by Passive

Firetrace manufacture a range of systems that are suitable for the protection of key identified risks such as Transformers, braking systems & electrical enclosures. Their new report, The Complete Guide to Wind Turbine Fire Protection, answers commonly asked questions about wind turbine fires and details the costs associated with installing wind turbine fire protection as well as the break-even point for fire protection on various turbine sizes.

Wind turbines are expensive and highly technical machines. In order to be financially viable, these machines must operate for a number of years without interruption. The last thing an operator wants to happen is a fire of any size breaking out that would put the turbine out of action.

A study conducted by Imperial College in 2014 concluded that wind turbines might catch on fire ten times more often than is publicly reported. Turbines are prone to catching on fire due to their design, which places extremely flammable materials such as hydraulic oil and plastic in close proximity to machinery and electrical wires which can ignite a fire if they overheat or are faulty. The study found the main causes of fires are lightning strikes, electrical faults, mechanical failure and errors with maintenance.

Fire damage can be limited or even prevented by installing an automatic fire suppression system in the nacelle and base of the turbine that would rapidly suppress a fire at the point where it started preventing expensive unnecessary damage.  However traditional total flooding fire suppression systems may not always be suitable for the remote and ventilated risks that wind turbines create.  A better solution is to install a targeted system that uses pneumatics in preference to electronics. This removes the need for any separate backups using batteries or alternative power supplies and helps to make the system autonomous, robust and reliable. 

To find out more, visit www.firetrace.com/

Wagner highlights causes of fire and ultimate prevention in warehouses

by Projects

Statistics on warehouse fires make it clear: If a fire occurs in the warehouse, the owner has not only to deal with business interruptions, but also with the loss of goods, damages to the building and delivery problems. German-based fire protection system supplier, Wagner, has produced a review of the possible causes of fires and the evaluation of the consequences of the fire lead to a definition of the protection goals. This is the basis for the planning of a holistic fire protection with the analysis showing whether the warehouse is safe.

According to a study by the German Insurance Association, more than one third of all industrial and commercial fires occur in warehouses. As such, fire prevention takes on special importance within the storage and logistics sector, and needs to play an important role in logistics centres and warehouses right from the planning stages. Most warehouse fires are caused by sparks emitted by overloaded electronic components, such as drive motors or high-back racking units.

Technical defects represent another fire hazard. The particular conditions in warehouses and logistics centres increase the risk that fires will spread rapidly: narrow alleys, high bay systems, long conveyor belts, a concentrated volume of goods within a tight space, and flammable packaging materials are all conducive to fire development. Fire protection takes on particularly great significance when storing small load carriers (SLC) or hazardous materials. In SLC storage, the fire behaviour of the plastic material used to make the SLCs creates additional risk. In hazardous materials storage, the mildly to highly flammable substances stored here must be specially protected due to the explosion hazards fires would create.

The significance of fire protection in storage and logistics…

  • Personnel protection
  • Environmental protection
  • Protecting operating processes and maintaining uninterrupted delivery capability (thus part of securing continued existence)
  • Protecting investments in goods, technology and buildings

The need for, and thus the number of, logistics centres and warehouses is steadily increasing. At the same time, the storage and logistics industry is being confronted with a number of new requirements: Developments like online retail and increasingly high customer expectations (same-day delivery, for example) are resulting in new and increasingly complex challenges.

Process automation, optimised interfaces, speed and complete flexibility are all necessary for providers to be able to ensure ever-shorter throughput times from goods receipt to dispatch. And maintaining delivery capability and operational processes at all times is crucial to the company’s success and continued existence.

Wagner take a solution-oriented approach to addressing the individual requirements and protection needs that our customers bring to us. With more than 40 years of experience as successful fire protection systems engineers, Wagner’s numerous innovations are the product of their in-house research and development labours, which have resulted in more than 700 patents so far.

www.wagnergroup.com

Telgian’s Russell Leavitt named NFPA 1st Vice Chair

by Americas - Featured NewsPeople

Russell B. Leavitt, Executive Chairman of Telgian Holdings, Inc. was recently elected 1st Vice Chair by the Board of Directors for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA is a global, nonprofit organisation devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The organization focuses on fire codes and standards, as well as public education for fire safety, outreach and advocacy, training and essential research.

NFPA Board Members are selected based on fire industry experience, as well as the respect of peers in the safety community, a proven commitment to the association’s goals and an appreciation for the relationship NFPA must maintain with society as its needs evolve.

As NFPA 1st Vice Chair, Leavitt will work with the association as it delivers information, knowledge and training nationwide. In addition to this leadership position within NFPA, Leavitt also serves as chair of the NFPA 13 Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria Technical Committee, on the NFPA 13 Installation Technical Committee, as well as NFPA 3, NFPA 4 and the Cultural Resources (NFPA 909 and 914)  Technical Committees.

With almost four decades of industry experience, Leavitt has long been recognised for his expertise, which he shares as a sought-after speaker and presenter. Leavitt is a senior instructor for AFSA and Fire Smarts and conducts fire and life safety seminars nationally and internationally on a variety of related subjects. Examples include Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office fire sprinkler training events, such Fire Sprinkler Systems – Plan Review and Acceptance Testing for AHJ’s, Marketing for Contractors in Fire Protection for Expo Fire Protection Mexico & International Congress and NFPA 25 Step-by-Step Testing Procedures for FireCon, among others.

During the course of his career, Leavitt has also authored numerous industry training materials and informational articles including “Fire Safety Codes and Standards: What You Need to Know,”  “Understanding Fire Protection Classifications,” “International Fire Sprinkler Opportunity” and AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development Program.

Leavitt will hold the position of NFPA 1st Vice Chair for two calendar years.

www.telgian.com/

New dates announced for Intersec Saudi Arabia

by EventsMiddle East - Featured News Archives

New dates have been announced for Intersec Saudi Arabia, with the Kingdom’s largest trade fair for security, safety, and fire protection, now scheduled to take place from 15-17 March 2021 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The three-day event is organised by Saudi-based ACE Group under licence from Dubai-headquartered Messe Frankfurt Middle East. The new dates come after extensive feedback and consultation with the venue, exhibitors, visitors, trade partners and associations, as the Saudi government continues to contain the spread of Covid-19.

In its 4th edition, Intersec Saudi Arabia was initially postponed to run in September 2020, however Show Director Alexandria Robinson said the move to 2021 was widely supported by stakeholders: “Plans are underway to deliver a sold-out event once again next year with more than 120 exhibitors from 20 countries participating. As is customary, we’ll deliver a wide range of value-added conferences and workshops covering pertinent security, safety, and fire protection topics.”

“Intersec Saudi Arabia is an important and growing show, designed to reflect Saudi’s security, safety, and fire protection industries, and one where international solution providers look to make inroads in a bustling market,” added Ms. Robinson.

Intersec Saudi Arabia is supported by the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Saudi Civil Defense, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).  It covers the six key product sections of commercial security, information security, perimeter & physical security, homeland security & policing, fire & rescue, and safety & health. fire

Saudi is the Middle East’s largest commercial security, fire protection and safety market, and is estimated to be worth US$9.6 billion in 2020 according to analysts 6Wresearch.

Homeland security and policing will hold the lion’s share of spend this year, at US$5.4 billion.  This is followed by information security (US$2.8 billion), commercial security (US$892 million), fire safety (US$309 million), and physical and perimeter protection (US$227 million).

www.intersec-ksa.com.

 

Nittan provides fire safety protection for Nottingham students

by Products

Nittan Europe has had its Evolution analogue addressable fire detection system installed into a new student accommodation development in Beeston, Nottingham. The system was installed by Nottinghamshire based integrated safety and security solutions provider, TIS.

Dagfa House is a unique development of townhouses, clusters and studios adjacent to The University of Nottingham campus. It provides accommodation to 229 students and a range of leisure and study amenities. At the heart of the development is a Grade two listed building that dates back to the 18th-century and was converted into a school in 1948. This latest development has been undertaken by the Cassidy Group, which has over 30 years of experience in construction and property.

One of the key fire safety challenges posed by the Dagfa House development was the mix of accommodation blocks, with some being relatively small. A cost-effective fire detection system was required that could potentially evacuate each site in the event of a fire and that would also be future proof, with spares readily available.

A Nittan Evolution analogue addressable fire alarm system, comprising two individually networked systems, each utilising eight Evolution1 panels and Nittan devices was chosen as the solution. Chris Mills, Head of Fire Division at TIS explains: “TIS carried out market research of a number of fire alarm manufacturers before finally settling on the Nittan Evolution panel with Nittan devices which provided a single source approach while providing a cost effective and reliable solution.”

Evolution is Nittan’s advanced, premium fire system. Evolution uses ASIC technology in the sensors and sophisticated detection algorithms, combining extremely reliable fire detection together with a very high degree of protection against unwanted false alarms.  Its advanced, highly flexible protocol allows for substantial amounts of information to be transmitted at high speed and is not affected by the number of devices on the loop.

At Dagfa House, the Nittan Evolution1 Panel was selected because of its built-in network connectivity, making it extremely cost effective, plus its ease of installation and cause & effect configuration.

For the primary detection in the majority of locations, Nittan’s EV-PYS Optical Detector with built-in sounder was selected for convenience, due to the reduced cost and time required compared to installing separate detectors and sounders, as well as the combined detector/sounder providing a more aesthetically pleasing solution.

In the open areas, such as the cinema room, games room, common room and the communal garden terrace, Nittan EV-HIOP-SB High Output Sounder Beacon VADs were installed.  These devices provide high volume sound, EN 54-23 compliant visual alarm and are waterproofed to IP65, making them suitable for the outdoor areas.

One of the most important devices in any fire alarm system is Manual Call Points, which are strategically located in the Dagfa House development at points of evacuation. Nittan EV-MCP2-SCI Call Point with built in short circuit isolators were chosen to ensure the loops were adequately protected, so the system remains compliant even under short circuit fault conditions.  Each Call Point was also fitted with a hinged front cover for compliance with BS-5839-1: 2017, the code of practice for designing, installing, commissioning, and maintaining fire detection and alarm systems.

nittan.co.uk/

Elkhart Brass launch HydroBlast Remote Control Monitor System

by Americas - Featured News

Elkhart Brass have produced a HydroBlast Remote Control Monitor System for fire protection and cleaning needs. The product is suitable for fire protection applications, construction equipment and dust mitigation. The HydroBlast Remote Control Monitor is seen to be extremely reliable/ efficient and can be suited to individual needs.

The operator will find options when using the wash sequences to reduce manpower and save washdown when using the product on different sized vehicles. Elkhear Brass have built the Hydoblast out of corrosion resistance silicon bronze to ensure durability. With product design being the main focus, user safety was also at the forefront. The HydroBlast has mechanical stop limits to ensure safety and accuracy whilst in operation. 

www.elkhartbrass.com/