NFPA receives $225,000 from General Motors

by Americas - ProjectsFeatured NewsProductsVehicles

The NFPA has received a $225,000 grant from General Motors to deliver free electric vehicle training to 12,000 volunteer and underserved U.S. fire departments.

The funding comes at a critical time, as more EVs continue to enter the roadways but many fire departments remain untrained in effectively mitigating associated incidents.

“While firefighters have had more than 100 years to learn how to handle incidents with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, they’ve had very little time to understand and train for those involving EV and hybrid vehicles,” said Andrew Klock, emerging issues lead manager at NFPA. “As electric vehicles increasingly dominate our roads in the coming years, ensuring that fire departments are adequately trained and equipped to deal with them is critically important.”

A 2020 report published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) states that the U.S. fire service is not prepared to fight electric vehicle fires. This issue is more prevalent among volunteer and underserved departments, which often don’t have the resources to receive the needed training; about two-thirds (67 percent) of U.S. fire departments are served by part-time or volunteer firefighters, according to NFPA data.

Through the General Motors grant, NFPA will work in coordination with U.S. fire service organizations and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Clean Cities Coalitions to conduct outreach among targeted audiences to maximize participation in the NFPA Electric Vehicle Safety training program, which will be provided online at no cost for one year.

“Providing free access to our training plays a pivotal role in helping ensure that volunteer and underserved fire departments are adequately trained and prepared to handle EV incidents,” said Klock. “Thanks to General Motors’ generous support, we’ll be able to provide the needed training to thousands of fire departments that otherwise would not be able to access it.”

NFPA is an ANSI-accredited national codes and standards developer for emergency responder qualifications, equipment, and tactics. Over the past 12 years, the association has worked to develop and refine its EV safety program in collaboration with NTSB, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the National Highway and Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), and numerous national research laboratories. These and associated efforts have earned NFPA widespread recognition among the major fire service organizations in North America as the leading EV safety training program for first responders.

NFPA also serves on the SAE J2990 Committee for EV Safety and continues to engage with the U.S. DOE, DOT, and NHTSA to conduct testing and determine new methods to combat EV incidents.

Magirus completes delivery of 17 fire engines to Austria’s Provincial Fire Brigade

by Breaking NewsProductsVehicles

During the Florianifeier festivity on 4 May 2022, the Provincial Fire Brigade Association of Lower Austria received 17 new Magirus tank pumpers for wildfire applications

The handover was completed in the presence of Provincial Fire Brigade Commander Dietmar Fahrafellner, Diocesan Bishop Dr. Alois Schwarz, Federal Minister Karoline Edtstadler and Deputy Provincial Governor Dr Stephan Pernkopf,

“Climate change is increasingly bringing new demands to the fire service. Vegetation fires are increasing in severity and number and are placing particularly higher demands for the population, for the fire brigades and their equipment. Often, the areas of operation are difficult to access, water sources are not available or hardly accessible and the permanent unpredictability of the fires poses an additional danger”, explains Josef Huber, the Provincial Technology councillor for the Lower Austrian fire brigade association.

The new vehicle concept for the “Forest Firefighting Vehicle”, HLF2-WB, is based on the current existing recommendations for forest firefighting vehicles – coupled with the requirements of the HLF2 according to the construction guidelines of the Lower Austrian Fire Brigade Association, in order to achieve the highest possible benefit and operational utility in everyday use. The main differences to the standard HLF2: all-terrain chassis, extensive equipment which is specially designed for forest fighting and vegetation fires, midship-pump configuration in conjunction with a self-protection extinguishing system, additional heat-protection for aggregates, a cabin with roll-over protection as well as a modular designed interior to increase multiple use of the vehicle.

The ” fast attach vehicle” VFA is built on a Ford Ranger with an innovative exchangeable modular structure. In the basic configuration, a vegetation firefighting module is equipped with tank, centrifugal pump and engine-unit and forest firefighting equipment. The simple module change, the storage possibility and respectively the flexible worktable is realized with a multi-adjustable, mobile work/logistics module. Besides to the forest firefighting module, one of the vehicles is equipped with a commander-module.

The HLF2-WB are equipped with a Treibmatic winch and the VFA are equipped with an electric winch.

With these vehicles, in addition to the forest fire QUAD’s already in service, the Provincial Fire Brigade Association has now a complete and consistent forest firefighting unit, which has already been used in the firefighting operation in Hirschwang an der Rax (district of Neunkirchen). On this occasion, the vehicles have already passed a successful baptism of fire.

“It’s a special honour that the vehicle concept literally met the requirements even before the official ceremonial handover. Now, we can book a follow-up order for additional 8 HLF2-WB and 8 VFA vehicles”, states Christian Reisl, Managing Director of Magirus Lohr GmbH.

Construction Industry Council welcomes Building Safety Act

by Featured NewsSafety

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) welcomes the Building Safety Act, which received Royal Assent today. CIC and its membership of the professional bodies across the built environment have been liaising with officials at DLUCH (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017. CIC has provided input, representing our membership, into the Hackitt Review, the draft bill and the Bill which has, amongst other things, sought to implement her recommendations.

CIC is also particularly pleased that the establishment of a New Homes Ombudsman is taken forward in the Act, since this implements the main recommendation from the ‘More Homes, fewer complaints’ report.

The Act represents a paradigm shift in the way in which residential buildings are to be designed, built, managed and regulated. However, despite the scale of the Act (262 pages) and the vast number of amendments that have been made to it, there is still a great deal of detail to be determined through secondary legislation which CIC and its members stand ready to further assist government by providing expert opinion to enable government to get this detail right.

One issue that needs to be addressed is that, despite the five years that have elapsed since Grenfell, the wider industry is still ill-prepared for the changes to come. In tandem with the transitional period of 18-24 months for the implementation of secondary legislation there needs to be a considerable communication exercise to create the necessary culture change in the industry and to absorb the new regulatory regime.

CIC especially welcomes the specific focus on improving competence across all sectors engaged in the design, construction, maintenance, management and regulation of residential buildings. This carries forward the work of the Competence Steering Group that CIC has hosted over the past four years. CIC will continue to work closely with colleagues in the construction, built environment, fire safety and building owner/manager sectors to continue our engagement with the interim Building Safety Regulator and the Interim Industry Competence Committee.

Whilst welcoming the Act, which has taken two years since the publication of a draft bill in 2020, CIC has a number of reservations about the extensive changes that have been made during the passage of the bill. In particular, the holistic process recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt has been cherry-picked*. (Note 3) In some regards, her recommendations have been expanded upon (for example, in relation to scope, which we welcome) and in others they have been watered down and her rounded approach to achieving building safety has been impacted.

The last-minute change of heart about the statutory requirement to appoint a Building Safety Manager is a prime example of this break from the Hackitt recommendations. The role has been removed but the functions to ensure the building safety of residents remain and the idea that the cost of providing building safety management of occupied buildings, in scope to the Act, will not fall on the residents is unlikely to be the case, irrespective of whether there is a duty to appoint a Building Safety Manager.

CIC also remains concerned about the impact of extended liability under the Act, including for any works to dwellings (whether higher risk or not), and under the s38 of the Building Act. It is particularly concerned about extending the period of liability under the Defective Premises Act from six to thirty years and retains the belief that such a period of retrospective strict liability is unworkable for practical and contractual reasons. This amendment is likely to further exacerbate an already uncertain market for professional indemnity insurance (PII).

The PII market for construction-related activity in general and any work on high-rise residential buildings, in particular, is already far too weak to meet demand and there is adequate data to show that businesses are leaving the marketplace as a result. This is a major problem that requires urgent government intervention to enable businesses to continue to be able to carry out work on the design, construction and management of high-rise residential buildings and more widely, on fire risk and building safety work. Taken together with the rising cost of building work, particularly in relation to construction product availability and inflation, this will have a constraining impact on the industry’s ability to meet housing demand, especially affordable housing. This is a matter that the Treasury will need to consider very carefully.

Survitec to supply advanced firefighting systems to eco ferries

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsPorts & Maritime

Survival Technology solutions provider Survitec has secured a contract to supply advanced fire-fighting systems to a pair of 48,000grt LNG dual-fuelled eco ferries under construction at Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) for Australian shipowner Spirit of Tasmania (TT-Line Company Pty Ltd).

“This is a major order from a returning customer,” said Michał Peruga, General Manager, Survitec, Poland. “This contract win demonstrates our ability to go beyond simple equipment supply to being able to provide a complete bespoke fire safety solution for all areas of the ship, from bow to stern.”

Survitec’s extensive scope of supply includes Novenco Fire Fighting (NFF) XFlow Water Mist systems for machinery spaces and accommodation areas; an NFF XFlow Deluge system for car decks; a dry powder fire suppression system for the ships’ LNG bunkering stations; a deep fat fryer fire extinguishing system and a CO2 system for the vessels’ galley ducts.

Peruga added that Survitec’s technical team helped the shipyard and owner navigate complex mandatory regulations in relation to the design, installation, and operation of a fire suppression system.

“Our NFF XFlow technology uses a combination of fine water droplets and water mist. Consequently, the system can be activated immediately, without the need to evacuate first, which reduces the risk of damage to machinery and other critical installations. It makes the system more efficient for certain types of fires compared to high pressure water mist systems, even though both systems have to pass the same test,” said Peruga.

Mika Laurilehto, CEO, Rauma Marine Constructions, said: “The agreement we have with Spirit of Tasmania is for a pair of world-class ferries capable of meeting exacting standards in terms of safety, reliability and customer service. 

“Survitec’s ability to offer a full range of fire safety solutions and also local after care services allowed us to streamline the design and procurement processes in a manner that benefits both the yard and the shipowner.”

Finn Lende-Harung, Commercial Director of Fire Solutions at Survitec, said: “Dual fuel systems and alternative fuels are setting new standards for fire safety in the industry. Shipowners and builders are looking for suppliers capable of providing technical support to high-value projects throughout the entire life span of a vessel. We work hard not only to keep on top of the latest changes in legislation but also to offer through-life benefits that help with the total cost of ownership – from the design and construction phase through to operation and servicing.”

Having successfully designed, installed and commissioned the advanced fire-fighting systems aboard Yara Birkeland, the world’s first fully electric, autonomous containership, Survitec is fast becoming the eco ship builder’s go-to fire systems choice supplier.

“The success of that project marked an important milestone for Survitec, placing us at the forefront in the development of fire safety technology for the next generation of environmentally sustainable ships,” continued Lende-Harung.

When delivered in 2023 and 2024, Spirit of Tasmania’s new 212m long ropaxes will each have capacity to ferry 1800 passengers across Bass Strait, on the company’s Geelong to Devonport, route which connects the island state of Tasmania with mainland Australia.

The new vessels will replace the Spirit of Tasmania I and II, both built in Finland in 1998.

Hochiki set to demo smart and green products at FIREX

by Featured NewsFire DetectionProducts

Europe’s most important fire safety event, FIREX, is coming back to London ExCeL and Hochiki Europe are thrilled to be exhibiting and meeting customers old and new face to face after a gap of three years.

The European team will be demonstrating a range of market leading products, as well discussing what the future holds for fire system design, why the industry must think green and how customer insight is driving innovation at Hochiki.

Sophisticated design combined with powerful customer insight

The Hochiki Europe team of experts will be on hand to demo the new and improved L@titude system. With huge investments made in the research and development of this product, led by customer insight, this latest model combines the very latest in hardware and software and is the company’s market leading control and indication system.

Sophisticated enough to operate anywhere in the world, in multiple languages, across all manner of applications – from schools and hospitals, city skyscrapers filled with thousands of office workers, apartment blocks and entertainment venues, cultural and commercial spaces as well as international travel ports, manufacturing warehouses and logistics hubs. The system has been designed to be simple to configure and easy to use, utilising touchscreen technology with a graphical user interface to help display vital information. It is EN approved and recently DBI certified for the Danish market following its EN54 Part 13 BRE approval.

Greener life safety products

For visitors looking to improve their energy consumption, the Hochiki team will be providing live demonstrations of the power saving and environmentally friendly FIREscape+ combined emergency lighting and fire detection system. The system features LED downlighters consuming only 0.1W once fully charged, the lower energy consumption directly correlates with lower CO2e emissions; providing building owners with a greener and more cost-effective solution.

Visitors can also learn how Hochiki are helping to protect and keep operational one of the UK’s largest offshore windfarms at Margate, critical as thoughts turn to how the UK can start to produce more of its own energy and rely less on foreign sources. For a country once solely reliant on coal to power its homes and businesses, the UK is now the leader in offshore wind energy. Encouragingly, today 44% of the UK’s electricity comes from renewable sources – a figure expected to accelerate given the Government’s April 2022 announcement, committing to “supercharge” clean energy deployment, which would see 95% of Great Britain’s electricity set to be low carbon by 2030.

A new generation of Hybrid Wireless Fire Detection

Hochiki’s next generation of hybrid wireless fire detection products, Ekho is also available for demonstration.  At the core of the system is the wireless Translator module, hard-wired to the fire alarm control panel loop and communicates continuously with the wireless devices. Wireless Expander modules are then used to extend the self-healing radio mesh network, increasing the reach and capacity of the overall system.

Commenting on attending the event, Hochiki’s Sales Director, Nathan Hudson said, “It is exciting to meet with our customers face to face and get back to live events. You cannot beat a live demo and I am looking forward to hearing what visitors think of the life safety technology we are bringing to the show, especially our FIREscape+, L@titude and Ekho ranges. I think this year’s event, for many reasons, really will be the best yet.”

I am immensely proud of our teams and how they have continued to develop and bring to market leading products as well as serve our customers over the last two years. There is a reason we have been trusted as the leader in fire detection for over 100 years, it is our people and their passion to ensure our customers get the best. I would like to extend an invite to all attendees to come and say hello at our stand at FIREX.”

FIREX will take place at Excel London 17th-19th May 2022, head to stand FI 1640 to speak to the Hochiki team of experts. Or for more information visit the websitehochikieurope.com/events

NEBOSH Diploma scholarship returns for 2022

by Featured NewsPeople

NEBOSH has opened applications for its 2022 scholarship programme and this year it’s offering even more opportunities for aspiring health and safety professionals.

After attracting more than 500 applicants in its first year, the 2022 programme will now award ten scholarships to study for a NEBOSH Diploma. Three National (UK) and seven International learners will be awarded paid-for online study for the NEBOSH National or International Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals.

The Michael Adamson NEBOSH Diploma Scholarship is named in memory of Michael Adamson who lost his life in a preventable workplace incident. The Diploma and scholarship are designed to help learners develop the knowledge and practical skills they need to succeed in the workplace, advance their careers and keep people safe from harm.

Tran Duy Thanh Truc works for Oxford University Clinical Research Unit Vietnam as Health and Safety Manager and is one of the winners of the 2021 scholarship. She says: “This is a great opportunity to improve your health and safety competencies. NEBOSH is offering us the chance to create better workplaces in the world, not only in the rich countries but for everyone. All workers in the world have the right to access better working conditions – the scholarship can help you to progress your education and help make safer workplaces.”

Applications are open from 3-24 May 2022 and must be submitted through a form on NEBOSH’s website. Those who meet the minimum criteria will be reviewed by an expert judging panel who will select the winners. Judges include:

  • Dee Arp, NEBOSH Chief Operating Officer
  • Matt Powell-Howard, NEBOSH Head of Product Development
  • Louise Adamson, Michael’s sister and NEBOSH Ambassador
  • Khansa Burai, NEBOSH Diploma holder and HSE Engineer for the Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company
  • Robert Jukes, NEBOSH Diploma holder and HSEQ Manager for Northwood Tissue

Fire Protection Association to participate at FIREX International

by EventsFeatured News

The Fire Protection Association is set to make its presence felt at this year’s FIREX International with key personnel from the FPA involved in delivering conferences and keynotes.

FIREX International welcomes thousands of fire safety professionals to explore the latest innovative products and solutions and meet face-to-face with the fire safety community – all under one roof, over three days.

“We’re delighted to be returning to FIREX International this year and we relish the opportunity it presents to connect with our members, customers, and the wider fire safety sector. FIREX will see the launch of several new and exciting FPA services including our Material Identification Laboratory, for identifying building insulation material; two fire resistance test furnaces, in collaboration with global safety science leader UL; and our newly developed fire compartmentation and door survey technology. “We are also pleased to be hosting the General Assembly of the Confederation of Fire Protection Associations (CFPA) Europe during the same week and our European partners are very much looking forward to the show.”Jonathan O’Neill OBE, Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association

Hear from industry experts in the FPA InfoZone theatre, featuring talks on the latest legislation, technology, and building safety. Highlights include:

Day 1: Bringing the global world of fire testing to the UK
Jonathan O’Neill OBE, FPA and Chris Miles, UL

Day 2: NFCC updates
Gavin Tomlinson, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service & NFCC Protection Committee Chair

Day 3: Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS-UK)
Steve Hamm, IFE and Neil Gibbins, CROSS UK

Building Safety Bill receives Royal Ascent and becomes a law in UK

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry SectorsSafety

The Building Safety Bill received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022 and is now an Act of Parliament. It has been a long process leading up to this point since the tragic Grenfell fire on 14 June 2017, but there is much further work to do in order for the changes in the Act to be implemented.

As many stakeholders will be aware, the Act is a significant piece of legislation that completely overhauls the regulatory regime for higher risk buildings in England, as well as introducing numerous other changes that affect construction products regulation, competency standards in the construction industry, the management of building fire safety risks, liabilities, and so on.

Peter Baker was previously appointed as Chief Inspector of Buildings by the Health and Safety Executive, and is leading the new Building Safety Regulator as established under the Act. Mr Baker notes that:

“The Building Safety Act introduces tough new measures for the safety and quality of buildings which will be enforced by the new independent regulator being established in HSE.

“I call on everyone involved in the design, construction and management of buildings in England to now step up, get ready for the changes, and work together to drive the necessary culture change to protect people and deliver safe and good quality buildings”

The Government’s transition plan notes when various provisions are expected to come into effect, however this may well be updated now that the Act is law. HSE has said that the registration of high-rise buildings will be starting from April 2023, with the new safety management regime requirements applying from October 2023. No doubt further dates for other changes will soon be released.

Now that the Act is in force, Developers need to be looking at how they procure higher risk projects and what effect the Act will have on these developments and their obligations in relation to the same. Similarly, Contractors and Consultants need to understand their additional obligations not only on higher risk developments, but also on building projects generally where they will hold specific duties.

All construction stakeholders (including manufacturers and suppliers) need to understand the full extent of the changes coming, and appreciate now what actions and business investment are required in order to ensure compliance with the new regime, and act now or risk being caught short.

MSA Safety launches ALTAIR io 4 Gas Detection Wearable

by Featured NewsPPEProducts

Adopting new technology that helps to simplify safety procedures and connect managers to their employees in hazardous environments has never been more easy. MSA Safety announced that its latest innovation – the ALTAIR io 4 Gas Detection Wearable device – is now available for order.

Designed to work in concert with the company’s new MSA+ safety subscription service, the ALTAIR io 4 device represents the hardware portion of a cloud-ready suite of technology that MSA calls the Connected Work Platform. When connected together, the ALTAIR io 4 and MSA+ create a versatile and powerful hardware/software combination that enhances worker safety while simplifying safety program management.

“The Connected Work Platform brings workers, worksites and workflows together to help make safety simpler for everyone,” said Gustavo Lopez, MSA Safety’s Vice President of Connected Services & General Manager of Industrial Products. “We’re empowering safety managers to use the platform as a solution to develop adaptable and proactive safety plans by leveraging our world-class sensor technology and cloud-based solutions to enhance safety and productivity.”

To showcase the features, benefits and value of MSA’s Connected Work Platform, the company is hosting a virtual Connected Work Summit May 17 – 19, 2022. Attendees can learn from and chat with MSA experts about why the technology that enables connectivity is often under-utilized or missing from safety management programs and how to leverage connected technology to address those gaps and create adaptive safety programs.

MSA will feature the ALTAIR io 4 at the summit, highlighting how it was designed from the ground-up, making it MSA’s first direct-to-cloud gas detector to feature:

  • Out-of-the box global cellular connectivity and GPS location to transmit real-time data, like critical gas detection readings and location information, directly to supervisors via the MSA Grid software platform;
  • Access to MSA software services that enable fleet management, as well as real-time monitoring, incident reporting and datalogging services;
  • A new, electronic MSA id device tag that replaces paper-based sign-out processes;
  • MSA’s industry-leading XCell Sensors; and
  • Compatibility with a new ALTAIR io Dock calibration test stand, enabling automatic bump testing, calibration and datalogging.

With MSA+, safety managers can bundle hardware and software needs for long-term safety advancements and a convenient way to stay ahead of safety innovation and with minimal capital expense. The MSA Grid and accompanying MSA+ safety subscription has various price points and subscription levels to accommodate individual customer needs and budgets. MSA+ also extends warranty coverage and provides automatic and ongoing software upgrades.

“Having the ALTAIR io 4 connected with MSA+ means it will only get better with time,” Lopez said. “It means getting the latest software updates automatically, ultimately bringing the most recent safety technology immediately to the worksite. Additionally, with safety data automatically logged in the MSA Grid, it helps make compliance easier by streamlining the data gathering and creating reports to inform safety decisions.”

In addition to the Connected Work Platform and the ALTAIR io 4, the mid-May Connected
Work Summit will allow safety managers to learn more about managing and protecting their safety programs now and in the future. Over the three-day event, learn how connected worksites, gas detection wearables, and software solutions can enhance worker and infrastructure safety.

Sessions include:

  • How Connectivity Can Help Simplify Safety and Boost Productivity – Tuesday, May 17;
  • Managing Your Gas Detection Fleet with Hardware and Software – Wednesday, May 18;
  • Why Cybersecurity Matters for Connected Work Programs – Thursday, May 19.

To register for the free summit sessions, click here. The ALTAIR io 4 will be first made available in the United States and Europe, and MSA said it expects to begin shipments in May. For more information on the ALTAIR io 4 Detector and MSA+, please visit the company website by clicking here.

Darley welcomes new board members

by Featured NewsPeople

Lieutenant General L. Scott Rice, former director, Air National Guard, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. recently joined Darley’s Defense Advisory Board.

He was responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, plans and programs affecting more than 105,500 Guard members and civilians. Before assuming his current

position, General Rice served as the adjutant general and commander, Massachusetts Air National Guard.

Darley also added two new members to our Fire Advisory Board. Chief Dan Eggleston began his fire service career in 1978 and is currently the career fire rescue chief with the Albemarle County (VA) Department of Fire Rescue.

Chief Eggleston is a past president and chairman of the board for the International Association of Fire Chiefs and currently serves as a board member for the National Association of Counties.

Chief Kim Zagaris, or ‘Chief Z’ as some call him, is currently the wildfire policy and technology advisor for the Westen Fire Chiefs Association. His position is new, created in response to the destructive

wildfires that have. unfolded across the West.

Chief Zagaris retired as state fire and rescue chief for the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), a position he held for 18 years. Chie Zagaris has extensive background in fire service, emergency management and homeland security which includes working with local, state federal and international agencies over his 42-year fire service career.

During his tenure in California, he served under six governors. and has been actively involved in every major and catastrophic emergency in California as well several in the nation. During his time with Cal OES he was able to expand the fire apparatus fleet from 106 fire apparatus to 300 fire apparatus most with Darley pumps.