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Cladding removal plans submitted in Reading

by Projects

The application to remove combustible aluminium composite material (ACM) from Hanover House in the city of Reading has been submitted, three years after the cladding was discovered.

In November 2017, firefighters for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) recommended the closure of the car park below the tower after ACM was discovered, with RBFRS stating that it recommended this ‘due to fears a vehicle fire could spread to the flats above’. The car park was discovered to have used ACM identified in the government’s safety tests, though residents of the newly refurbished flats were ‘still in their homes’.

The seven storey building, a former driving test centre, was converted from offices into 14 flats without ‘changes to its external appearance’, receiving a new roof and internal refurbishment. Each of the flats and the communal areas are fitted with sprinklers, and ‘have other safety measures’ according to RBFRS, which was ‘notified’ about the cladding in the car park ‘as a result of guidance’ from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Reading Chronicle has now reported on the plans submitted to remove the cladding from the block, with the statement from Oxford Architects stating: ‘The existing cladding has been confirmed by the Berkshire Fire Service as potentially proposing a fire safety risk to the residents at Hanover House. The current building is therefore not providing a safe environment for its residents.’

The news outlet said that plans to remove the cladding had been approved in October 2018, but permission expired a year later ‘with no work having taken place’, and the latest proposal ‘seeks to both remove and replace’ the ACM with a powder coated metal system that Hanover House Residents Management Company – which manages the block – says ‘meets all necessary fire and safety requirements’.

It added in turn that a Reading estate agent had been fined £30,000 for ‘delaying telling buyers of a flat in the block’ about the cladding, with the building one of four in Reading discovered to have been clad with ACM, including St Lawrence House, a social housing block; Queen’s Court, a student accommodation block; and Crossway Point, another social housing block.

Of those buildings, the cladding at Lawrence House was removed at the end of 2019, while the material on Queen’s Court was removed in March 2020; remedial work at Crossway Point was paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to be concluded in December.

ASFP publishes independent guidance on active fire curtains

by Projects

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has published its new Black Book: Active Fire Curtains: Compartmentation and Protected Routes, 1st Edition: Guidance on specification, use and application of product. This is the most up-to-date independent guide to the provision of proprietary active fire curtains.

The new Black Book outlines how to select a suitable fire curtain, as well as best practice considerations for all involved in the specification, installation and maintenance of such products. It also provides details of recognised test methods and the classification system from EN 13501-1 and EN 13501-2 for Operable Fabric Curtains tested to European standards. In addition it features listings of products that have been fully tested to the appropriate British or European standards.

The active fire curtain industry is relatively young and until recently there were no dedicated fire test methods to determine the fire performance of active fire curtain products, or harmonised methods of assessing oversized dimensions. This new guide was developed to provide independent guidance on the advantages and limitations of these products and advice to help stakeholders to evaluate the diverse marketing data and claims made by manufacturers.

With active fire curtains increasingly being considered as an alternative to conventional compartmentation elements as designers seek to create more open plan buildings, the Black Book will be of interest to all involved in the manufacture, specification, purchase, commissioning or maintenance of fire curtains. It also offers useful guidance to inspection authorities, risk assessors, facilities managers and business owners, providing a useful introduction to all the requirements related to maintaining active fire curtains.

The document also references the ASFP’s latest Technical Guidance Document, TGD 21: CE Marking of Operable Fabric Curtains, which explains some of the complexity behind CE marking of active curtains and highlights where BS 8524 (Active Fire Curtain) differs from BS EN 16034 (Operable fire curtain).

The documents were launched in a webinar on Wednesday 9 September, which described the essential factors relating to the design and installation of active fire curtains in accordance with UK and EU legislation.

www.asfp.org.uk

Fire Door Safety Week: 60% of local authorities delay fire door programmes

by Passive

Fire Door Safety Week exists to stamp out the legacy of fire door neglect and to educate on the importance of fire door safety. To launch this year’s campaign, the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) have shared research into the state of fire door maintenance, inspection and replacement programmes across local authority owned and managed housing in the UK.

Over half (52%) of UK local authorities responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reported delays to planned fire door maintenance and replacement in the first half of 2020. The number rises to 60% when inspection delays are also factored in.

According to the data obtained from 147 local authorities that own and manage their own housing stock, at least 26,318 fire doors were scheduled for maintenance or replacement between January and June 2020, but 16,580 did not progress – meaning 63% of individual planned works were delayed until at least the second half of the year, affecting a minimum of 9,954 individual properties.

In addition to delays to maintenance and replacement in the first half of the year, 31% of all responding local authorities stated their fire door inspection programmes were delayed, affecting at least 12,596 fire doors.

Not all responding local authorities provided reasons for delay, but over half (53%) of those experiencing delays cited COVID-19-related restrictions, including limited property access and availability of contractors due to social distancing guidelines. However, it was positive that several local authorities proactively mentioned that emergency repair works to fire doors continued throughout the lockdown period to maintain the safety of residents.

Of those local authorities that experienced delays, 65% intend to commence works by the end of the year. This signals that the majority recognise the importance of properly fitted and maintained fire doors. However, worryingly 31% of local authorities stated that they are yet to define a date for recommencing the planned works.

The findings follow an open letter from the London Fire Brigade to all housing providers in the Capital urging them to put plans in place ahead of new fire safety legislation coming into effect. The letter strongly advises building owners to consider the risks of existing fire doors in their fire risk assessments, regardless of the height of the building.

Fire’s don’t stop – it’s time to prioritise fire doors

It’s clear COVID-19 has understandably impacted on service delivery across a variety of sectors, but fires don’t stop. With the UK lockdown period forcing many people to spend more time at home, people without fit for purpose fire doors have been put at risk. There is a need for continued and urgent focus on ensuring the safety of all building occupants whether in local authority or privately-rented accommodation, workplaces or other building types.

Whilst we have focused upon local authority owned and managed housing stock, we strongly suspect that our insight reflects the wider market. We hope that through this years’ Fire Door Safety Week, we can draw attention to these important issues and encourage all with responsibility for fire doors to take urgent action across fire door maintenance, inspection and replacement.

When it comes to fire door inspections, fire doors can become damaged at any time, especially where they are frequently used. If a damaged door goes unidentified it cannot perform its life-saving role. Like previous years, this year’s Fire Door Safety Week campaign will emphasise the importance of regular inspections, carried out by trained and competent professionals.

https://www.bwf.org.uk/

NFCC calls for ‘sustained’ FRS funding amid safety check data

by Projects

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for ‘sustained funding’ for England’s fire and rescue services (FRSs) after the Home Office released its latest prevention and protection statistics.

The data, covering the year from April 2019 to March 2020, includes statistics on home fire safety checks and fire safety audits, and revealed that in the last year FRSs have undertaken 581,917 home fire safety checks (HFSCs), with 489,922 of these for disabled people or those aged 65 and over. The NFCC said this was ‘testament to the focus’ that FRSs have ‘placed on targeted interventions and advice to those who are most at risk of fire’.

These checks are, the NFCC noted, ‘one part of FRSs’ prevention work to manage community risk as part of their individual’ integrated risk management plans, alongside adopting a ‘person-centred approach to identify and address the underlying cause of fire’. Around 48,414 fire safety audits were undertaken in 2019/20, with shops most commonly audited at 7,800 or 16% of the total, and care homes second – 66% of audits, or 31,9778, were ‘deemed as satisfactory’.

FRSs also carried out 83,348 other fire safety activities, an increase of 11% compared to 75,306 in 2018/19, and issued 2,295 formal notices – a smaller number than in 2018/19 – comprising 347 enforcement notices, 788 prohibition notices, 108 alteration notices and 52 prosecutions.

NFCC chair Roy Wilsher said: ‘As the latest figures show, [FRSs] continue to work extremely hard, delivering excellent prevention and protection work and carrying out an additional 8,312 other fire safety activities during 2019/20. Although these latest Home Office figures reveal an 8% reduction in HFSCs, [FRSs] are better at targeting the work and are committed to delivering an improved risk focus to ensure the most vulnerable in our communities receive the best possible fire safety advice and support.

‘This year’s stats have also highlighted a very small decline in fire safety audits. Reduced protection capacity is an area which has been highlighted consistently by HMICFRS, which is directly related to austerity and the subsequent 23% reduction in wholetime firefighters since 2010. This year, fire protection in English [FRSs] received £16m investment from government, plus another £4m to the NFCC Protection Hub to improve central co-ordination, guidance and input to issues like the new fire safety bill.

‘We welcome the extra Home Office and Ministry of Housing Community and Local Government funding this year but would want to see that base lined through the spending review. We currently do not know what the economic impact of COVID-19 will be on the public sector, but it is essential people continue to receive an excellent level of service.

‘Resourcing to risk, maintaining the number of firefighters, better resilience, investing in people and vital prevention and protection work are all areas the government must consider to ensure [FRSs] can continue to provide the services communities need and have come to expect.’

Despite this perspective, many regional FRSs were reported to have carried out ‘record-low’ or lower numbers of safety checks on buildings, with Chelmsford Weekly News, Stroud News and Journal, Telegraph and Argus, Northumberland Gazette and MiltonKeynes.co.uk all reporting on their local FRSs’ figures.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service was said to have undertaken a ‘record-low number’ of building safety checks, with 824 fire safety audits completed – ‘the lowest number of inspections since comparable records began in 2010-11’, while Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service completed 610, 758 fewer than the 1,368 undertaken in 2010-11. Of those, 80 or 13% resulted in an ‘unsatisfactory’ rating, while 74 informal notifications were handed to premises that failed audits.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service carried out 646 audits, again ‘the lowest number of inspections since comparable records began’ in 2010-11, with 301 or 47% resulting in ‘unsatisfactory ratings, and 210 informal notifications handed out alongside 81 enforcement notices and 11 prohibition notices.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service undertook 427 audits, 1,133 fewer than the 1,560 recorded in 2010-11, with 146 or 34% ‘unsatisfactory’, and 133 informal notifications and four prohibition notices handed out. Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service completed 267 audits, ‘the lowest number’ since 2010-11, with 79 or 30% ‘unsatisfactory’ and 101 information notifications handed out, alongside 11 enforcement and 13 prohibition notices, and one prosecution.

Finally, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service undertook ‘over 1,000 fewer’ checks compared to 2010-11, and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Matt Wrack, stated that over a decade of government cuts had led to preventative work being ‘slashed’: ‘The Grenfell Tower fire exposed the shameful state of building safety in the UK. The scale of the building safety crisis is beyond all current comprehension – and firefighters have a crucial role to play in tackling it.’

While the FBU supported the building and fire safety bills, Mr Wrack commented that ‘to be effective, the [FRSs] must be properly funded. As things stand, the government is trying to do public safety on the cheap’.

A Home Office spokeswoman meanwhile said that the government ‘was committed to providing’ FRSs with ‘the resources they need’, stating: ‘Funding for standalone [FRSs] has increased by 3.2% in 2020-21. We’ve also made more than £20 million of funding available to the sector to support fire protection work – £16 million of which is being invested directly to increase the number of audits and qualified officers.’

www.thefpa.co.uk/

Telgian Fire Safety appoints Ryan Smith as Senior Vice President of Sales

by People

Telgian Fire Safety recently announced the promotion of Ryan Smith to Senior Vice President of Sales. In this position, Smith will align the sales organisation’s objectives with business strategy through strategic planning, sales strategy development, forecasting, resource planning and budgeting. Smith will also develop sales strategies with operations and account executives to ensure successful onboarding of new accounts, implement marketing programs to increase brand awareness, and improve the customer’s experience.

Smith’s career spans more than 25 years as an effective corporate executive. His extensive knowledge of management, business development and operations includes forecasting, market intelligence, data analysis, operations and team management.

In his 17-year career at Telgian, he has been a vital contributor to the company’s strategic planning and corporate initiatives. This includes developing fire protection and life safety solutions for a wide range of business sectors such as commercial real estate, retail and grocery, warehousing and distribution, government, healthcare facilities, and education, among others.

Smith’s professional accreditations include a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation from National Fire Protection Association, a Facility Management Professional (FMP) designation from International Facility Management Association and a Certified Product Owner (CPO) certification from the Scrum Alliance, as well as licenses for Property and Casualty Insurance and Life and Health Insurance License, both from the State of California.

In addition, he plays an integral role in international codes and standards training programs and is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), as well as the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

Smith conducted his Fire Sprinkler Inspector Training at Oklahoma State University. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as an MBA from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.

www.telgian.com/

CCS develops revolutionary fire safety solution

by Products

Contactless Check Solutions (CCS) has developed an industry-first solution to “transform” the fire safety sector in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

According to the company, its “simple” solution to make fire safety inspections faster and more accurate will reportedly ensure fire door compliance in line with UK regulations.

The method involves using a pin containing a unique identifier that is then installed into a fire door at manufacture or retrofitted.

The company’s fire inspection app can then be installed on a smartphone or tablet and is used to scan the pin and give the inspector access to the door’s manufacturing and maintenance history in real time.

The app will then prompt the inspector to complete a checklist with compulsory photos which automatically update the record stored on the cloud.

Building owners and managers will have quick and easy access to see a complete overview of all their fire door stock, site by site, floor by floor, using a simple traffic light system, and the history of each and every door, the Maryport firm said.

Andy Tyas, managing director, said: “The fire safety industry is under intense scrutiny after Grenfell. The government is looking closely at how and when fire doors are inspected, maintained and managed.

“The development of this project will benefit the people responsible for the building as well as the regulatory authority to ensure correct inspections are being carried out in accordance with building regs.”

CCS is being supported by the Made Smarter North West adoption pilot, which helps SME manufacturers to adopt digital technologies.

Mr Tyas added: “Made Smarter funding and advice has accelerated development of the technology by two years and dramatically increased our chances of being first to market with a technology that could transform the fire safety sector.”

CCS said the innovation will make it easier for owners and managers to ensure compliance with UK regulations by establishing a consistent system for fire door inspection programmes, regardless of the type of building.

With nothing similar currently on the market, CCS said it is targeting manufacturers of the six million new fire doors produced every year in the UK, as well as the managers of the hundreds of millions of fire doors currently installed.

CCS directors Sean Parnaby, David Reay and Andrew Tyas have been manufacturing fire doors for almost 20 years.

According to CCS, it isn’t just focussed on the UK market and has already had discussions with building managers in Europe and the Middle East.

The company are also discussion with door manufacturers, inspectors and local authorities regarding applying the solution to refuse chutes in high rise buildings and sprinkler systems.

https://ccs-fire.com/

RIBA introduces new fire safety educational framework

by Projects

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced ‘The Way Ahead’ Education and Professional Development Framework after the Grenfell tragedy and growing concern about the climate.

The framework signifies a new direction for architectural education and continuing professional development, with a greater emphasis on health and life safety, the climate emergency and professional ethics.

For the first time, the RIBA has developed a single standard covering pre and post-registration education and professional development. Key components of the new framework include education themes and values, mandatory competencies, career role levels, core CPD curriculum, specialisms and accreditation.

The Education and Professional Development Framework will be phased in over two years, beginning in 2021. The Way Ahead, which outlines the changes, gives advance notice of these developments to schools of architecture, CPD providers, practices and members so they can implement and respond.’

Adrian Dobson, RIBA’s executive director of professional services, said: “After 40 years of deregulation in UK society, there was an appetite to re balance professional standards against commercial imperatives”.

RIBA president Alan Jones said the change was due, adding: “The education of future chartered architects, and the professional development of those who have already achieved chartered status, need a sharpened focus on the core knowledge, skills and experience required to respond to the immediate and mid-term challenges facing our world, society and industry.”

The first mandatory competence – health and life safety, including fire safety – will be introduced next year with architects expected to pass a test demonstrating their competence.

It is key that across society we are embedding fire safety knowledge at all levels to ensure that we are making society better, safer and more competent – especially in the realm of fire safety. Beyond the breadth of these changes, another great aspect of the new Education and Professional Development Framework is the idea of re-certifying to ensure that professionals are kept up to date on the latest changes and can become familiar with best practices.

www.architecture.com/

Holmatro launches revolutionary Pentheon Series

by Products

Holmatro has launched a series of high-tech cordless rescue tools, designed to outperform all other equipment on the market, battery-powered and hose tools alike. Unparalleled speed, ultimate control and easy battery management are the most important benefits of the new Pentheon Series.

Unparalleled Speed

Holmatro Pentheon tools are equipped with Stepless Speed Maximization. A patented mechatronic system inside the tools continuously optimizes the motor and pump settings to deliver a maximized oil flow over the full pressure range. Where all other rescue tools show a substantial drop in speed when they switch to a second or third stage, to deal with higher loads, Pentheon tools stick to the ideal stepless speed curve.

Ultimate Control

All Pentheon tools have a two-mode control handle for ultimate tool control. At any time during the rescue operation, you can choose between the tools’ high speed and low-speed modes. Like with all other Holmatro rescue equipment, the speed is still proportional to how far you turn the control handle to its left or right.

Battery Management Made Easy

Holmatro Pentheon tools offer you the option of on-tool charging. Leave the battery on the tool, plug the tool into the charger and the whole charging process will regulate itself. The battery on the tool always has priority over the one on the charger. You can connect up to 3 chargers and 3 tools, to be powered from one outlet. This way you can charge a total of 6 batteries without any human interference, of which 3 batteries simultaneously.

https://www.holmatro.com/en

Public encouraged to honour emergency service workers on ‘999 Day’

by Active

Emergency Services Day, also referred to as 999 Day, begins with a two minutes’ silence at 9am on September 9, to represent the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month.

The public are being encouraged to fly the flag of 999 Day and to share and promote an emergency services charity on social media.

Organisers said the event is an opportunity to pay tribute to the two million people who work and volunteer across the NHS and emergency services, including more than 250,000 first responders.

It also aims to educate the public on using the services responsibly, as well as raising money for charities and to highlight the different career and volunteer roles in the emergency services.

Now in its third year, Emergency Services Day is backed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and has been promoted by members of the royal family.

Mr Johnson said: “It takes a very special kind of person to put your life on the line for a complete stranger, yet that is what we see day in, day out from the remarkable men and women of our emergency services.

“You protect us from harm, deliver us from danger, and tend to us in our hours of need. And you do so without hesitation or complaint – if we dial 999, we know you will be there for us.

“I know the dedicated men and women of the emergency services did not get into this line of work for the accolades or applause.

“You are heroes of British life, doing what you do not for the plaudits but out of a sheer sense of duty and a determination to serve the public.

“All of us in this country owe each of you a debt of gratitude.

“So, it is only right that, on Emergency Services Day, we celebrate your work and, as a nation, say a huge thank you for doing so much for so many.”

Organisers said a main national “open day” style event is held on the nearest Sunday, but this year’s event, which was scheduled in Belfast, was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Last year, the Duke of Cambridge visited the Fire Fighters Charity’s centre at Harcombe House in Chudleigh, South Devon, to mark the event.

Tom Scholes-Fogg, founder and chief executive of Emergency Services Day, said: “As we saw earlier this year with people clapping at their doors, the UK is united in its support for those who put others before themselves.

“I encourage everybody to support our emergency services personnel all year round, not just on 999 Day.”

Dorset businesses urged to prioritise fire safety in Covid world

by Active

Businesses across Dorset which have had to make changes due to Covid-19 are being urged to make sure fire safety remains a top priority.

The call comes from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as many have had to implement new ways of working due to the current pandemic. The NFCC is reminding businesses about the everyday fire risks in the workplace – and there is both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure premises are safe from fire.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) group manager Tim Gray, said: “The last few months have undoubtedly been difficult and challenging for many people and businesses.

“As such, we want to make sure that whilst businesses address the changes needed in response to Covid-19, they remain fire safe in doing so.

“Fire can have a devastating impact on businesses, with many never recovering after an incident.”

The fire service says many businesses had to respond quickly to the pandemic once they were allowed to reopen and while revisiting risk assessments, fire safety may not have been at the forefront of planning.

As part of NFCC’s Business Safety Week, running September 7-13, DWFRS is encouraging business owners and to ensure they review fire risk assessments.

They should also seek guidance and advice to help them keep their premises and occupants safe from fire.

DWFRS says businesses must consider the potential risks that the Covid secure measures, which are required to open some premises, may in some cases, compromise fire safety measures:

  • New screens must not obstruct smoke detection or sprinkler heads
  • Business must have enough trained staff to support evacuation procedures
  • Ensure measures to support social distancing do not impact evacuation procedures, exit doors or the ability of emergency service to help you
  • Protect your business from arson
  • Help your fire service by reducing false alarms – which currently accounts for about 40 per cent of all emergency calls

Mr Gray said: “We are encouraging businesses to firstly review their fire risk assessments, and to contact us for advice should they need any support. Our goal is to keep all businesses working safely.”

www.dwfire.org.uk/business-fire-safety

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