Global HSE adopts PlanRadar to improve fire safety reporting efficiency

by Breaking NewsSafety

PlanRadar, a digital construction, real estate and facilities management platform, has announced that it has been adopted by leading fire safety and passive fire protection measures consultancy, Global HSE Solutions.

PlanRadar’s software will support the company’s Global Technical Services (GTS) division, which provides fire engineering advice and expertise to both Tier 1 contractors and Global HSE’s own contracting arm as well as hosting fire door inspection courses through its in-house Global Academy.

The software will assist in the delivery of more efficient, detailed and accessible fire safety information. The service will also help its clients to navigate the UK’s legislative landscape – including new fire door assessments regulations that came into effect on the 23 January 2023. The complete approach for delivering surveys and inspection results and will be rolled out across GTS’s entire inspection and surveying team.

Commenting on the partnership, PlanRadar Co-CEO, Ibrahim Imam says: “Global HSE and GTS has a well-established reputation for delivering exceptional results in a highly niche, specialised and increasingly important field. Given the stringent requirements around fire safety, there is no margin for error, and a missed record or lack of clarity in inspection reports could have huge ramifications.

“That’s why we’ve invested in making our tools fit-for-purpose for accurate, compliant and easy to understand data collation fire reporting, specifically for fire professionals. It also ensures that ‘Golden Thread’ principles are being followed throughout, for greater fire safety compliance.

“Global HSE’s confidence in our offering is a massive endorsement for PlanRadar’s relevance and efficacy. We look forward to collaborating with them going forward to deliver safe and secure commercial and residential environments.”

The efficient secret

GTS said that they became aware of PlanRadar’s digital solutions at FIREX 2022, where they saw the potential for its platform to address an ongoing pain point within the business: The creation and user-friendly presentation of fire surveys and inspection results.

The group reconised that the software could also tackle another persistent challenge faced by the business: recruiting enough highly-trained professionals to fill roles required.

They saw PlanRadar’s suite of services as a way of streamlining the amount of resource existing staff spent on this important, but time-consuming activity.

As Ross O’Loughlin, Head of Global Technical Services at HSE Global explained: “My main concern was how we could speed up our surveys without losing the value within the survey. I wanted to improve the working life of my staff. Reporting, writing, and collating information around a survey has always been a laborious task. If we can consolidate that in any way, it allows us to focus our energy on delivering our expertise.”

Large-scale useability

The team at GTS highlighted PlanRadar’s ability to record video and integrate BIM, which could support the division’s compliance requirements around the Building Safety Act and increased expectations for data collection in line with the Golden Thread of Information.

Following initial discussion, the platform was tested in a real-world environment to see how the software performed on a project from start to finish.

The test was based in a university in Northern England, where the surveying team were carrying out a fire damper inspection survey. With thousands of dampers to inspect, it was a daunting task requiring meticulous record-keeping.

The team’s feedback was unanimously positive, with users highlighting how the platform significantly sped up reporting in an easy-to-use way, vindicating the decision to trial it.

Better outcomes

Following the test, Global HSE and GTS decided to adopt PlanRadar’s platform, with the intention of rolling it out across all its inspection and surveying teams, providing them with an easy way to record and report.

O’Loughlin added: “With GTS users already being onboarded, we’re exploring how PlanRadar could be used across other parts of the company,” he says. “From a business perspective, uploading as many documents, photos or jpegs at no extra cost is a massive win in comparison to competitors in this space. It’s an incredibly useful tool, and the opportunity we can gain from getting to grips with, and using, all its functions would significantly improve our day-to-day operations.

Since introduction, PlanRadar has been brought onto over 20 GTS project, with the intention of using it as the standard reporting tool across the entire portfolio over the course of 2023.

Read IFSJ’s exclusive article from Robert Norton, UK Team Leader at PlanRadar, who talks the digitisation of The Golden Thread.

NFPA urges caution over use of home-heating equipment

by Featured NewsSafety

he National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has called on the public to use added caution when heating their homes during the winter months as nearly half (46 percent) of all US home heating equipment fires occur during this time.

Home heating equipment is the second-leading cause of US home fires and home fire injuries, and the third-leading cause of home fire deaths and direct property damage.

According to the latest Home Heating Fires report from NFPA, an average of 44,210 home heating fires occurred each year between 2016 and 2020, causing an estimated 480 civilian deaths, 1,370 civilian injuries, and $1 billion in direct property damage.

Home fires caused by heating equipment were less likely to occur in the overnight hours from midnight to 6am (13 percent), but they accounted for more than two out of five fatalities (43 percent), as well as disproportionate shares of injuries (22 percent) and direct property damage (20 percent).

Space heaters are most often responsible for home heating equipment fires, accounting for one-third of the fires, as well as the vast majority of associated deaths (88 percent) and injuries (80 percent).

Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA, said: “During the coldest months of the year, home heating equipment kicks into high gear, so making sure it is in good working order and used properly is critical to reducing the likelihood of fire.

“By better understanding when and where home heating fires happen, people can take the steps to minimize associated risks and safely heat their homes.” 

NFPA offers these tips and guidelines for safely heating your home during the winter months:

  • Heating equipment and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
  • Keep anything that can burn at least three feet (one meter) away from all heating equipment, including furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters.
  • Always use the right kind of fuel, as specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
  • Create a three-foot (one meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
  • Make sure space heaters are in good working order and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
  • Fireplaces should have a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container, which should be placed outside at least 10 feet away from your home.
  • All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
  • If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.
  • Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are located throughout the home; test them monthly to ensure that they’re working properly.

NFPA offers a wealth of home heating safety tips, information, and resources to help better educate the public about ways to safely heat their homes. In addition, NFPA’s “Put a Freeze on Winter Fires” campaign with the U.S. Fire Administration works to promote a host of winter safety issues, including home heating.

Halma expands fire safety portfolio

by Featured News

Global life-saving technology group Halma has announced its acquisition of Thermocable (Flexible Elements) Ltd (Thermocable) for its Safety sector fire detection company, Apollo Fire Detectors Limited (Apollo).

Thermocable is based in Bradford, UK, and is a developer and manufacturer of Linear Heat Detectors (LHDs) – temperature sensitive cables, installed in areas at risk of overheating and fire, which trigger an alert when they detect a change of temperature. 

Thermocable’s specialist detection technologies will expand the range of devices on offer from Apollo helping to keep more people safe from the risk of fire.

Thermocable’s technology is particularly suited for use in challenging infrastructure and industrial applications such as tunnels, factories, car parks, and increasingly solar farms.

“Thermocable’s specialist technologies will further enhance Apollo’s existing strengths in fire detection and alarm systems for industrial and commercial customers, “ said Andrew Williams, Group Chief Executive of Halma. 

“They will enable Apollo to address a greater range of customer needs in niche applications for a variety of sectors such as urban infrastructure and transportation, logistics, natural resources and emerging applications in renewable power generation.”

David Bulley, Managing Director of Apollo, said: “Our long-term growth is driven by increasing urbanisation, population growth and safety regulation. With the acquisition of Thermocable, we will serve a greater range of customer needs globally while offering an extra layer of protection to help extinguish fires at the source before they cause serious harm. Its technologies are highly aligned with Apollo’s purpose to protect people and their environment.”

The acquisition is part of Halma’s growth strategy to acquire bolt-on and standalone businesses, with a total of four acquisitions so far this financial year.

Swedish technology group Sdiptech adds Patol to its portfolio

by Featured NewsSafety

Fire detection specialist Patol has announced that the company has been purchased by Swedish technology group, Sdiptech.

The purchase makes Patol the 12th business in the UK to be added to Sdiptech’s portfolio and it joins the group’s Special Infrastructure Solutions Business Unit.

Patol has been manufacturing and supplying fire detection solutions across a wide range of industrial sectors since it was founded in 1968. Under private ownership throughout this time, this announcement marks a significant investment from an international technology group based in Sweden that specialises in creating more sustainable, efficient and safer societies.

The acquisition also sees Sdiptech taking ownership of Patol’s sister company, Linesense, which will continue to offer Linear Heat Detection Cable (LHDC) solutions for specialist applications such as transportation, petrochemical sites and tunnels.

Commenting on the announcement, Iain Cumner, Managing Director of Patol, said: “We are delighted to become part of Sdiptech, our new long term owner. The Group’s wide ranging experience in a number of different fields will prove invaluable in continuing to develop the Patol business.

“I have already met a number of senior personnel from other companies within the Group and the opportunity to discuss areas of common ground, as well as learning from their own experiences, is providing much food for thought and ideas which we can implement and build upon to further improve our offering in fire safety products and systems.

“It is an excellent fit for us and I look forward to working with the team at Sdiptech and sister-companies as we look to build on more than 50 years of protecting people and property from the threat of fire.”

Johan Lahiri, Business Unit Manager of Special Infrastructure Solutions at Sdiptech, said: “As a business we recognise that a well-functioning infrastructure is vital to our societies and everyday lives. Effective fire protection has an integral role to play in that process, not only protecting lives but also buildings and assets.

“Patol has demonstrated its capacity to manufacture innovative systems which are in use throughout the world, as well as forming relationships with partners to extend its capabilities into areas such as Aspirating Smoke Detection (ASD) and Infrared Heat Detection.”

Fire Safety regulations come into force in England

by Breaking NewsSafety

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which implement the majority of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, come into force as of 23 January 2023.

The regulations are new requirements for ‘responsible persons’ of mid and high-rise blocks of flats to provide information to fire and rescue services to assist them with operational planning and provide additional safety measures.

In all multi-occupied residential buildings, residents should now be provided with fire safety instructions and information on fire doors.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 are now law from 23 January 2023 and form part of a package of risk mitigating fire safety measures that the government is delivering following the Grenfell Tower fire to keep the public safe.

In high-rise residential buildings, responsible persons will be required to:

  • provide their local fire and rescue service with up-to-date electronic building plans and information on the design and materials of their external wall
  • undertake monthly checks of firefighting lifts, evacuation lifts and other key pieces of firefighting equipment
  • install a secure information box and wayfinding signage

In mid-rise residential buildings (over 11 metres), responsible persons will be required to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common part.

Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, Chris Philp, said: “I am very pleased that measures to improve fire safety in blocks of flats are now law following recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

“Keeping the public safe is our utmost priority and we are committed to ensuring that the Grenfell tragedy must never happen again.”

London Fire Brigade warns over use of camping stoves to cut energy bills

by Featured NewsSafety

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned people not to use camping stoves or barbeques indoors as a way to cut down on energy costs.

The warning follows several viral “life hack” videos encouraging people to use improvised heating devices to save money amid the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.

“It might be tempting to use a camping stove or barbecue indoors to save on energy costs, but doing so is not only a fire risk, it could also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning,” LFB said in a post on Twitter. “Only use these items outdoors.”

Fire chiefs warned people not to make the devices, which have become popularised in “life hack” videos on social media sites, including TikTok.

IFSJ Exclusive: The Last Word with ROCKWOOL

by Featured News

Will Wigfield, Product Manager for HVAC & Fire Protection at ROCKWOOL®, tells us about some of the company’s current initiatives.

Can you give us an overview of your history and current role at ROCKWOOL?

A chemistry graduate, my ROCKWOOL career began 14 years ago in the Quality and Process Department as an Engineer. Since that time, I held a number of positions within our Technical Department before taking on my first Product Management role in 2018.

As the new Product Manager for HVAC & Fire Protection, I’m responsible for the development and certification of new and existing products, ensuring that all supporting test data and literature is up-to-date. I also work closely with our Marketing Communications department to develop CPD’s, digital assets and online tools that educate and assist customers in specifying insulation products for HVAC and fire protection.

What’s your current focus at the moment?

As always, there’s an emphasis on working to ensure our products are tested to the latest and most stringent standards.

A particular focus is the development of our passive fire protection solutions for ductwork, ensuring not only that all testing is carried out to the latest EN standards, but that the ductwork specification itself accurately reflects what our customers use in fire-rated applications.

It’s our view that working with fire duct system suppliers to test complete systems is the best approach for ensuring that we meet the needs of the specifiers and installers. To this end, we’re working closely with fire-rated ductwork system holders to ensure we meet the needs of those who specify and install fire-rated ductwork.

What’s new from ROCKWOOL in terms of resources and support?

We’ve just launched an updated version of our ROCKWOOL FIREPRO® Book, our comprehensive catalogue of tested and certified passive fire protection solutions

It contains all the information specifiers and installers need for firestopping and fire resistance in every application, from structural protection to cavity firestops, and building services protection. Users can also find detailed information for each product in the FIREPRO® range, including application and installation advice, testing data and relevant specification clauses.

In addition, we’ve just released the latest edition of the ROCKWOOL Red Book, our established fully-interactive industry guide to acoustic, fire and thermal insulation. This new version also features details of our updated CPD library, including access to on-demand modules for industry professionals to upskill their knowledge at any time, and from anywhere.

We’re always looking at ways to improve our user experience and embed the golden thread process across our solutions. With this in mind, we’re currently working on our digital app, and look forward to being able to share an exciting update in the near future.

Do you have any product news to share with us?

Our RockLap Pipe Supports are now CE-marked, which provides verification of the product’s non-combustible Euroclass rating. This makes them, we believe, the first such certified non-combustible pipe support solutions available in the UK, further reinforcing our commitment to effective passive fire protection.  There’s no doubt that specifying non-combustible where possible, even when not regulated to do so, can embed an extra element of fire safety within a project.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

Over 300,000 fire safety violations reported by Vietnam Ministry of Public Security

by Featured NewsSafety

The Ministry of Public Security disclosed on Tuesday that a total of 306,708 violations of fire prevention regulations have been recorded, resulting in penalties of VNĐ324 million (US$13,817), Vietnam News has reported.

Speaking at a press conference, Brigadier General Nguyễn Văn Long, deputy minister of Public Security, called the current campaign on fire prevention ‘just the beginning’ of the ministry’s anti-fire action.

According to Long, police units must thoroughly grasp the importance of fire prevention and fighting, as stipulated in the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 01. He said: “Fire prevention must be the key and the elementary in stopping fires.

“Our mission must be to prevent, repel and completely end dangerous fires that cause severe losses. The Deputy Minister proposed raising public awareness of fire prevention and response to fire accidents”.

Long also expressed appreciation for recent achievements made by many localities and firefighting forces.

63 local police forces have followed the direction of the Minister of Public Security and actively advised local people’s committees to issue documents on implementing fire prevention and firefighting according to the direction of the Prime Minister and the ministry.

Local authorities have coordinated with police forces to ensure effective implementation. All 1.1 million properties managed by the Government are fully inspected for fire prevention and fighting.

TransPennine Express bans electric scooters over fire risk

by Featured NewsSafety

TransPennine Express (TPE) has introduce a ban on all e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards within its stations and trains.

The ban took effect on Tuesday 27 December and covers e-scooters, hoverboards, and e-skateboards. Mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ruling. The train operator will join other UK train operators in banning all electric scooters and similar devices due to the potential fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries can produce a vapour of toxic gases and lead to a fire or a risk of explosion if damaged or overheated.

Iain Peacock, Head of Safety and Security at TPE, said: “At TransPennine Express the safety of our customers and colleagues comes first.

“The risks associated with e-scooters and similar devices are of significant concern. Most of these devices are not approved for use in the UK and the batteries are often unregulated.

“We ask our customers to adhere to these new rules and be kind to our staff helping to enforce them, so we can keep everyone safe.”

NFPA calls for prompt removal of Christmas tree due to fire risk

by Featured NewsSafety

The National Fire Protection Association has encouraged the prompt removal of Christmas trees, pointing out that one-third of US home fires involving Christmas trees occur in January.

According to the latest Christmas Tree Fires report from NFPA, 160 home structure fires began with Christmas trees and resulted in two civilian deaths, 11 civilian injuries, and $12 million in direct property damage, on average each year between 2016 and 2020.

Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA said: “As much as we all enjoy the look and feel of Christmas trees in our homes, they’re large combustible items that have the potential to result in serious fires.

“The longer Christmas trees remain in homes, the longer they present a risk.”

Carli noted that fresh Christmas trees, which continue to dry out and become more flammable over time, are involved in a much larger share of reported Christmas tree fires than artificial trees.

Safe disposal tips

To safely dispose of a Christmas tree, NFPA recommends using the local community’s recycling program, if possible; trees should not be put in the garage or left outside. NFPA also offers these tips for safely removing lighting and decorations to ensure that they remain in good condition:

  • Use the gripping area on the plug when unplugging electrical decorations. Never pull the cord to unplug any device from an electrical outlet, as this can harm the wire and insulation of the cord, increasing the risk for shock or electrical fire.
  • As you pack up light strings, inspect each line for damage, throwing out any sets that have loose connections, broken sockets or cracked or bare wires.
  • Wrap each set of lights and put them in individual plastic bags or wrap them around a piece of cardboard.
  • Store electrical decorations in a dry place away from children and pets where they will not be damaged by water or dampness.