Deadline to ensure fire safety procedures looms in Scotland

by Featured NewsFire Detection

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has encouraged the business sector to ensure their fire safety procedures are adequate and in place before the change comes into effect from 1 July, 2023.

Under the new rules, when an alarm is activated factories, offices, shops, museums and leisure facilities, will have to investigate and confirm that there is a fire or sign of fire before Operations Control staff send any firefighters. 

Those with fire safety responsibility within a building, known as the dutyholder, are required to investigate the cause of the alarm and call 999 only once a fire has been confirmed. Only premises with sleeping accommodation, such as hospitals, care homes, hotels or domestic dwellings, are to expect the current level of emergency response.

False alarm

Fire crews are called to an average of 28,000 false alarms each year. Investigating each incident can involve nine firefighters and two fire appliances as part of the response. Combined, this means that 252,000 firefighters are needlessly being called to unwanted fire alarm signals each year.

The changes are being implemented following the outcome of a public consultation held in 2021, where SFRS sought the views of the people of Scotland on the options to reduce the number of false alarms to allow firefighters to do more for the communities of Scotland.

SFRS Director of Service Delivery, David Farries, said that these types of incidents account for almost one third of our activity across Scotland and they are often caused by cooking fumes, dust or a lack of maintenance.

“Responding to false alarms places a significant drain on front line services, and causes lengthy interruptions to workplace and business premises, whilst members of the public wait outside buildings for firefighters to confirm there is no fire,” he said.

“By changing our response to these types of alarms, we can potentially free up 64,000 hours every year giving firefighters more time for other activities, such as training and fire safety prevention work to support communities.

“More importantly, these measures will ensure that our crews are available to attend real life saving emergencies”.

The SFRS has business advice pages on its website with practical guidance and advice on actions that dutyholders can take now to prevent false alarms.

Fire safety regulations to become mandatory in buildings over 22 floors in Mumbai

by ConstructionFeatured News

Following major fires in recent months in city high-rises buildings including in Kurla, Dadar and Malad, have led to the Mumbai state government moving a new fire safety bill, which moved in the state assembly on Tuesday, making a fire safety officer and a supervisor mandatory for buildings taller than 22 floors.

Under the provisions of the bill buildings—both residential and industrial with hazardous activities— will have to set up an IoT-enabled fire safety mechanism that includes round-the-clock monitoring of premises to watch for potential fire incidents as well as a bi-annual fire safety audit to assess preparedness.

Violation of the new safety laws can invite imprisonment of up to three years and a penalty of up to ₹1 lakh.

The bill has been moved to amend the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act and bring it on the lines of the National Building Code (NBC) revised by the central government in 2016.

It will provide a legal framework to the fire safety norms that are currently in place in Mumbai and a few other cities in the form of orders passed after the massive fire at Mantralaya that gutted three floors in 2012.

The bill also permits an increase in the height of educational institutions in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune Metropolitan Region from the current 30 metres to 45 metres (over 15 storeys). Automated parking lots too can now go up to 100 metres against the present 45 metres.

An official from the urban development department said: “Once the act comes into being, buildings and housing societies will have to mandatorily follow the norms. The IoT-enabled system will have to be monitored by Building Management System (BMS) round the clock.

“The sensor-based system will monitor the water level in tanks, the condition of fire pumps near the water tank, the alarm system and sprinkler system among others. The fire brigade will get alerts about the lacunae and appropriate action will be taken against the societies.”

The officer also said that in Mumbai, the new Development Plan for the city has provisions for fire safety compliance for buildings above 32 meters: “They will now get a legal framework for action against violations. Unlike in the present system, the enactment will give legal powers to the authorities to hold auditors and societies responsible.”

The bill is expected to be passed in the state legislature this week. Once approved by both houses, the amendment will come into force immediately.

Hackney Council urges government to go further on fire safety measures

by ConstructionFeatured News

Responding to the government’s consultation on changes to fire safety regulations for residential buildings, the Hackney Council has urged the government to go further than its current proposal for new residential buildings above 30 metres to have at least two staircases, calling for the rule to apply to buildings over 18 metres high that have not yet received planning approval.

Hackney Council said it will go a step further by updating plans for its own new buildings where construction has not begun that will be above 30 metres, even where planning permission has already been secured.

Later this month, the Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the appointment of a contractor to build new homes on the site of the former Britannia Leisure Centre as part of its flagship Britannia development. As part of the agreement, the Council will work with the contractor to make changes to plans in order to incorporate a second staircase in the project’s three out of four buildings that are at or above 30 metres tall.

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney, said that since the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, the Council has led the way not only in encouraging government to take action on fire safety but in doing the right thing themselves: “Whether by upgrading our own buildings without passing the cost to leaseholders or working with other landlords to ensure they address fire risks. This work has also been undertaken with little government financial support.

“That also means keeping our own building plans up to date with best practice in fire safety. While our Britannia project has already been designed to meet and where possible exceed current building regulations, updating the plans now shows an example to other developers in Hackney and elsewhere and will ensure we build much-needed new Council homes that meet the highest fire safety standards.”

UL Solutions and IAFF partner on Residential Energy Projects

by Featured NewsSafety

UL Solutions, The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and United States Department of Energy (US DOE) have joined forces to address concerns with new technologies with enhanced energy performance when installed in residential properties.

Leveraging the safety science experience and industry relationships, UL Solutions and the IAFF initiated a joint project in 2022 under an agreement with the US DOE. The project will focus on two separate and important initiatives related to energy efficiency in residential buildings.

Initiative 1 — Fire Performance on Energy Efficient Exterior Walls

The first initiative of the project addresses concerns surrounding new technologies with enhanced, energy-efficient exterior walls installed on residential properties. The concerns of fire travel extending vertically or laterally were examined.

The IAFF and UL Solutions established a Project Advisory Panel and held several virtual meetings to present information on previous fire testing conducted by the UL Solutions Fire Research & Development team and the Fire Safety Research Institute of UL Research Institutes.

The panel discussed the development and goals of the earlier PNNL project, and then they developed a test plan.

Initiative 2 — Firefighting Tactics in Residential Properties with Building Energy Storage Systems

The second aspect focuses on the fire service response to Residential Battery Energy Storage System (RBESS) incidents. Again, the IAFF and UL established a Project Advisory Panel with several firefighters who have responded to BESS incidents, representatives from the battery industry, and engineers involved in designing commercial BESS fire and explosion protection solutions.

Next steps

Testing is complete for Projects 1 and 2, the advisory team will continue to analyse results and determine what next phase of tests will take place.

A report of this work will be released to the DOE and made available through IAFF and UL Solutions platforms.

Find out more about the project here.

Cross highlights dangers of misusing fire safety terminology

by Featured NewsSafety

Cross UK has released a report on the potential dangers of misusing fire safety terminology, highlighting the issue that there are cases where inconsistent and inaccurate fire safety terminology is used.

The report noted that many terms related to fire safety in buildings use everyday language, however they may take on specific technical meanings which may not be fully aligned to the common meanings.

Cross said that the adjustment often happens with the aim of improving comprehension for non-specialists, but has the result of distorting the topic unless explicitly addressed.

The reporter said they had encountered the general issue of misleading or misapplied terminology in discussions on what is a high-rise, a higher risk residential building (HRRB), a tall building, a complex building, and most importantly what constitutes a common building situation.

The reporter raised awareness on the issue, highlighting the fact that different participants in the design process might have a different understanding of the same term and that there is no universal common base yet.

They added that they welcome comments of similar experiences and examples, and until this issue is resolved centrally, they encourage the explicit clarification of terms used in professional activities, so that any potential confusion, ambiguity, and miscommunication is reduced.

Find out more about the report.

SFPE announces first 2023 review course for Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Fire Protection exam 

by Americas - EventsEventsFeatured NewsFire Engineering

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), the world’s leading professional society for fire protection and fire safety engineering, announces the opening of registration for its first 2023 Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Fire Protection Exam Review Course.  

Taught by 12 expert instructors with backgrounds across all areas of fire protection engineering, the SFPE PE Exam Review Course and leverages the deep knowledge from SFPE’s member community to prepare candidates for the PE Exam in Fire Protection Engineering.  All courses are live, online, and conveniently offered twice weekly beginning in June 2023, with recorded sessions available on-demand afterward.   Additional review sessions, online discussions, practice problems, and office hours with the instructors are included – providing the comprehensive preparation needed to head into the exam with confidence. 

“The SFPE PE Exam Review Course focuses on the fundamentals of each topic area of fire protection engineering while preparing attendees to think critically, adapt to the exam, and be successful Professional Engineers,” stated Stephen Dale, Chair, SFPE PE Exam Review Subcommittee.  

Each year, engineers who enroll in the 18-week SFPE PE Exam Review Course are more prepared for the PE exam than those who don’t. An additional SFPE PE Exam Review Course will be scheduled in late 2023 to prepare engineers for the new spring exam schedule commencing in 2024.

“Past participants of the SFPE PE Exam Review Course report a 90% pass rate on the exam – notably higher than the NCEES reported first-timer pass rate of 74%,” stated Nicole Boston, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Society of Fire Protection Engineers. “Our instructors are some of the most recognized and well-known engineers practicing today, and they ensure that course participants are well-equipped with the knowledge to pass the exam.”

Additional information about the SFPE Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Fire Protection Exam Review Course is available at sfpe.org/2023peexamreview. 

West Sussex FRS to advise Churchill Retirement Living on fire safety

by Featured NewsSafety

A legal partnership between West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and the Churchill Retirement Living Group has been established to help ensure customers remain safe from fire.

Churchill Retirement Living (Churchill) has selected West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) to be the Primary Authority for their business.

The partnership will see WSFRS provide assured and consistent advice on fire safety regulations in order to make it easier for the company to comply with legislation across their organisation.

Going forward, other fire and rescue services will be expected to respect this advice when regulating Churchill premises in areas outside of West Sussex.

Fire safety regulations have ‘changed enormously’

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer, and National Fire Chiefs Council’s Lead for Business Engagement, Mark Andrews said: “I am delighted to be working on this partnership to help manage fire safety within Churchill buildings.

“Following on from the Grenfell Tower fire, fire safety regulations for multi-occupied residential buildings have changed enormously, and will continue to do so. It’s vital that responsible persons fully understand the changes and implement the necessary adjustments to meet legal requirements.

“Fire safety was introduced into the Primary Authority Scheme in 2014, but this is the first Primary Authority that West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has agreed to. I believe that Churchill’s values underpin everything we stand for, with both organisations aiming to keep its communities safe from harm and this shared value stands us in good stead to fulfil a successful and productive partnership.”

Hugh Lambourne, Managing Director of Churchill’s property management business, added: “At Churchill we have always taken fire safety extremely seriously, so we are thrilled to have agreed this new partnership with West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure a consistent approach at the 200+ developments we manage nationwide, ultimately helping to keep our apartment owners safe.”

Placing items to close to heat sources biggest growing cause of fire in the UK

by Featured NewsSafety

New research from ADT has revealed that the causes of fires in the UK that have been rising the most are placing items to close to a heat source and faulty fuel supply.

The study looked at recent statistics to determine which were the most common causes of fires with the highest year-on-year percentage change

Although the misuse of equipment and appliances has the highest total for the most common cause of fire in England, placing articles too close to heat has the highest year-on-year percentage change with an increase of 4.87%, dwelling fires caused by this category rose from 3,327 in 2020/21 to 3,489 this year. 

Faulty fuel supplies follow behind as the second most common cause of dwelling fires in England. Increasing from 2,278 to 2,361, England witnessed a rise of 3.64% in fires caused by this category. 

Other accidental causes come in third place, this including the likes of flammable liquids and lithium-ion batteries.

Regional breakdown

The research also looked at the places with the highest fire-related incidents in the UK. 

Greater London experienced the most fire and rescue incidents with a rate of 202.96 per 100,000 people. The number of fires in the area has also risen by 13.36%, and fire and rescue incidents by 18.56%.

Greater Manchester experienced a growth of 34.84% in the number of fires in 2021-22, reflecting a rate of 53.99 per population, up from 49.16 last year.

The West Midlands sits in third place with a rate of 46.28. Interestingly, the percentage of fires in the West Midlands has jumped by 33.85%.

Further Insights

On average, dwelling fires receive the fastest reaction with a response time of 7 minutes and 52 seconds.

Scotland takes the top spot for the country, not only with the highest year-on-year percentage change, with fire-related incidents rising by 11.83%, but also the highest total of incidents per population with 1.75%.

The full research from ADT can be found here: https://www.adt.co.uk/blog/fire-fire

Fire safety practitioners in New South Wales must consult with FRNSW for construction certificate

by ConstructionFeatured NewsSafety

From 1 August 2023 fire safety practitioners in New South Wales who develop a design brief for a performance solution for a fire safety requirement in a Class 2-9 building will need to consult with Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) if a construction certificate is required for the building work. This requirement will apply typically to fire safety engineers.

The engineering profession in NSW has seen major change in the building and construction industry since 2019, including the Residential Apartment Building Act, the Design and Building Practitioners Act and Regulation.

Last August the NSW Government released for consultation some wide-ranging reforms that aim to ensure people can own, occupy and use more compliant, safe and resilient buildings. Engineers Australia made several submissions to this consultation.

The proposed fire safety reforms were passed by the NSW government in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Regulation 2022 (the Fire Safety Regulation 2022) and were published on the NSW legislation website in December 2022.

After the initial change for fire safety practitioners on 1 August 2023, there will be one additional step: From February 2025 (or 18 months after an accreditation scheme is approved, whichever occurs first), persons who certify installed fire safety measures before a fire safety certificate is issued must be accredited. 

Also, engineers maintaining essential fire safety measures in class 1b-9 buildings must do so in accordance with procedures in the Australian Standard 1851-2012 routine service of fire protection systems and equipment, where the maintenance activity is addressed by the standard.

Engineers Australia said it is committed to its ongoing work in building reform and helping to shape the regulatory landscape of the industry and to that end we continue to work closely with the NSW government  

Engineers Australia added that it supports the efforts of the New South Wales Government to reform the building industry in NSW and to implement the recommendations of the Building Confidence Report.

To find out more about fire safety regulation reforms see the New South Wales Government Fair trading website.

Practice fire safety with water-damaged battery powered devices says Fire and Emergency New Zealand

by Featured NewsSafety

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has encouraged people in the Hawke’s Bay to practise fire safety after a power outage or their battery powered devices have been damaged by floodwater.

District Manager Glen Varcoe said it is important to be aware of the additional fire risks in your home: “If you have devices that have come in contact with water, we encourage you to dispose of these correctly to avoid someone else picking them up and using them

“Water and electricity don’t mix well causing fires to start. If safe to do so, isolate your mains power. Mud deposits and debris can also conduct electricity, making premises and part of the surrounding area highly dangerous both during and after flooding.”

Varcoe said there are risks to charging any battery powered devices that have been damaged by water, particularly those containing lithium-ion batteries: “Please do not try to charge any devices that have been in water. This includes laptops, phones, e-scooters and power tools.

“Trying to charge devices that have been in water increases the risk of a spark or explosion occurring, particularly in lithium-ion batteries where the thermal runaway can cause the device to overheat and combust,” he says.

He also encouraged homeowners whose power had come back on to be mindful of the switches that have been left on since Monday night: “Switch off the electricity supply at the fuse box, if it is safe to do so. If there is evidence of water inside the fuse box or if there are signs of arcing or overheating, don’t switch it on and seek professional advice.

“Before you attempt to switch the power back on, particularly if your house was impacted by the floodwater, if you can, get it checked by a licensed electrician.”

“The same advice applies to solar panels; we encourage you to get a licenced electrician to inspect them.”

With many displaced families staying with friends and family across the Hawke’s Bay, it’s important that everyone is well protected from fire risks.

“Make sure you have working smoke alarms in every room that someone is sleeping in, and that everyone in the household is aware of your escape plan and safe meeting place,” he says.

“It’s important we all stay safe during these incredibly difficult times. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by this devastating cyclone. Kia kaha Hawke’s Bay.”