Fire Safety Testing - News

Wildland firefighting has always faced many challenges, but the challenges have increased as wildland fires have grown in size and magnitude, over the last 25 years. During a fire, wildland firefighters face long hours dealing with challenging and changing conditions. Wildland firefighters spend the majority of their time on their feet, walking over rugged and steep terrain, in hot temperatures, all while carrying the gear that they need for extended time, out on the fire line.   Imp...

The fire safety industry is widely welcoming the campaign by AEI Cables to highlight the importance of using only approved cabling in signal and control equipment. The company has been advising the industry of the requirements under the revised version of the Code of Practice for Category 3 fire performance cables. The systems powered by these cables, including smoke and heat extraction systems, assist fire services in firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. AEI Cables&r...

More than 80 staff from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service took part in a major incident training exercise aboard the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel RFA Fort Austin, the first for 18 months due to coronavirus. Part of an initiative with Cammell Laird, the training exercise put 10 fire and rescue teams through their paces with two different emergency scenarios - both set on the 23,384-tonne vessel which is berthed at Cammell Laird’s facility in Bidston, Wirral. The first scenario involved...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has announced the expansion of its Tyco corridor sprinkler family, with the launch of the Series RFII-C Royal Flush II Quick Response Concealed Pendent sprinkler. Corridor sprinklers Along with the recently released EC-8C Light Hazard Quick Response sprinkler, the corridor sprinkler family offers the cost-saving benefits of needing fewer sprinklers at lower design pressure, compared to standard covera...

Rainwear is a category of PPE that is as important as others. However, this category has often been put on the back burner in favor of other categories, namely safety shoes, gloves, eye & ear protection, etc. Why? Simply because rain isn’t an everyday thing. But businesses must understand that they can’t just discount the need for rainwear, simply due to the occasional nature of rain. If it rains and the need for rainwear pertains, they must have the ‘right’ PPE at t...

In anticipation of the upcoming Fire White Paper, the Fire Minister launched a new website called 'Fire England', where the government is now hosting 'trusted, transparent, and consistent' information about fire.    Previous Fire Ministers have trailed the creation of a fire-focused website for England, but it has not materialized until now. Unusually, this new website is located at www.fireengland.uk and not part of the standard gov.uk domain. Fire Kills campaign Fir...

Big Bear Fire Department received a report of an aircraft down in a residential area at the corner of Meadow Lane and Nana Avenue in Big Bear City. Upon arrival at the scene, a single-engine plane was found to have crashed into a vacant lot. Fire crews observed a fire to the aircraft, nearby fence, and outbuilding that sustained minor damage. The pilot and passenger were pulled to safety by nearby bystanders. Bear Valley Electric crews Help restore power The victims sustained moderate to seri...

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) and National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) have come together to produce a new Code of Practice to bring clarity to the use of premises information boxes for residential buildings. The Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings is in response to recommendations about fire safety information made by the Grenfell Inquiry. One of the recommendations focused on the provision of premises information boxes and this new Co...

BAFE are proud to announce that Chris Auger, Director of Schemes, has accepted an invitation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to be a member of the Interim Industry Competence Committee (IICC). The committee has been established to act in an advisory position, which will support the HSE’s Building Safety Regulator (BSR). The committee will aid in developing new regulatory measures regarding life safety within the new and current built environment. Chris Auger joins Interim Indu...

The digital ingredient brand Twiceme Technology has joined forces with the Italian multisports brand Dainese to increase safety within the mountain bike segment. The Italian brand leaves no stone unturned in order to figure out how technology and innovation can be used to create the safest helmets out there while placing a large focus on usability. This mission compelled them to create the lightest full-face helmet ever made weighing in at a mere 570g even though it is filled to the br...

FIA released Fact File 90: Video Fire Detectors and Detection Systems. This FIA Fact File introduces ISO/TS 7240-29, the new ISO Technical Specification (TS) published in June 2017. It gives information as to the nature and content of the standard to assist manufacturers of video fire detectors (VFDs) in achieving design compliance. The Fact File also discusses the recent BRE/FIA collaborative research project aimed at developing repeatable test methods for testing video fire detectors. It als...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is partnering with technology firm - NBS to help architects and designers specify passive fire protection products and systems when looking at building safety design. In a win-win approach, those using the NBS cloud-based platform can now have access to appropriate high-quality guidance and technical content, helping them to produce accurate and structured specifications.  Providing product information It will also assist ASFP member...

Working with industry experts, the FPA has published a concise guide for sprinkler owners and specialist sprinkler maintenance contractors to inspect, test and maintain sprinkler systems to meet the required standards. Sprinkler system service and maintenance: guidance, records and checklists is supported and funded by RISCAuthority and is endorsed by the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA). Maintaining sprinkler systems The guide is freely available to download here and cont...

Working on an assembly line can be physically demanding and exhausting, wearing the correct safety equipment and workwear will help to keep users safe and may even help with comfort levels when working. There are many dangers and hazards when working on an assembly line, whether that’s in the packaging industry, automotive industry, or even food production industry. Clothing can get caught in machinery and if users don’t have tear-away clothing, it may lead to physical danger....

Even the most minimalist sliding pocket door can achieve an impressive FD 30 fire rating now that Scrigno has extended the fire resistance characteristics to its Essential sliding door models, without compromising their sleek aesthetics. The Scrigno EI30 from Boss Door Control is a 30-minute rated FD30 sliding door kit. It features all of the time-saving pre-assembly characteristics of the Scrigno Essential range but can be used with fire doors up to 120kg in weight/44mm thickness. Scrigno FD3...

More residents than ever to benefit from sprinklers in their homes as Nottingham City Council funds fire safety improvements in their housing stock. Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, Nottingham City Council agreed to an £8.5 million fire safety enhancement program. Nottingham City Homes manage the Council’s housing stock and have overseen fire safety works in low-rise and high-rise blocks across the city. Nottingham City Homes The program of works has led to sprinklers be...

The FLIR A500f and A700f Advanced Smart Sensor ruggedized thermal cameras feature high-temperature detection for extreme environments paired with on-camera analytics and alarm capabilities – ideal for industrial early fire detection or outdoor condition monitoring applications. Along with enhanced spot, area, line, polygon, and polyline analytic functions that improve the definition of areas of interest and object curvatures, the A500f/A700f can help commercial and industrial organization...

Dräger, an international pioneer in the field of safety technology announces the appointment of AWC, Inc., an industrial controls technology company founded in 1965 with offices in nine states and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization will represent and promote Dräger’s fixed flame and gas detection systems portfolio sales in the states of Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama. “We are very pleased and excited to partner with AWC as an official manufacturer...

Three fire and rescue staff from South Yorkshire are named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021. Jess Grayson Control room operator - Jess Grayson has been awarded the British Empire Medal. She was named a BEM for services to mental health, having used her own mental health experiences to spearhead attempts to tackle the well-being issues firefighters and other emergency services workers face. Alongside her day-to-day duties in the control room Jess, a Watch Manager, also trained resili...

Firefighters from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) will be supporting Sheffield GP practices by delivering COVID-19 vaccines. This comes just over a month after several fire service volunteers were trained up as vaccinators by St John Ambulance, and is part of a huge national effort from fire services across the country to help with the pandemic response. vaccinations at practices The agreement struck by Chief Fire Officer, Alex Johnson, and pioneers at NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissi...

BAFE statement on the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire. BAFE would like to recognize the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire and pay respects to all the people who lost loved ones and their homes because of this event.   Regrettably, the fire highlighted multiple areas where substantial change is required to maintain a safe environment for people in their homes. BAFE has strong objectives to be part of this positive change to improve the fire safety arena and will c...

Osage Beach Fire District hired 3 new firefighters. Probationary firefighters once hired are required to work a 40-hour week of training preparing them for their first 48-hour shift with their assigned shifts. Learning the basics  During this 40-hour week, the newly hired firefighters learn the basics, including but not limited to, hose deployment, rope rescue, and auto extrication.    This 40-hour week also gives the new firefighters a chance to meet everyone they may not wor...

Envirograf has announced testing its latest solution, Envirowall, a fire-resistant eco panel that offers effective passive fire protection, thermal performance, as well as sound absorption. Envirowall eco panels Over 50 experimental tests have been carried out for Envirowall eco panels, achieving 133 minutes of fire integrity, insulation, and load-bearing. Acoustic performance has been tested, in accordance with BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010:45 (-2;-7) dB, achieving a thermal U-value of 0.40 W/sq. m...

The point detector is the most common of all fire detection devices. Sometimes taken for granted, it is the first line of defense for fire protection. Many elements are taken into consideration when it comes to fire protection. However, the most critical decision is not the chosen brand or its open or closed protocol, but the type of point detector selected. This verdict determines the safety of staff, customers, and the property. 6000PLUS addressable point sensors The 6000PLUS range is Prote...

CIC has inaugurated Justin Sullivan as its new Chair at its Council Meeting. Justin succeeds Stephen Hodder MBE in this role for a two-year term of office starting with immediate effect. Stephen now becomes Deputy Chairman for a year, by CIC’s rules and by-laws. Justin Sullivan Justin Sullivan is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with more than 30 years of experience Justin Sullivan is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry and foun...

The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is recognized as being one of the most comprehensive and ambitious greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, measurement and reporting programs in the world. All emissions reports submitted to the EU ETS must be verified by an organization that is accredited against the international ISO 14065 standard. In the UK, this scheme has been replaced by the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, based on the EU ETS requirements. Similar mandatory requirements for...

The Home Office on Monday (07/06/2021) has published an update regarding guidance covering fire safety in purpose-build blocks of flats. The Home Office states that “This document is a guide to ensuring adequate fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, regardless of age. Practical advice is offered on how to assess the risk from fire and how to manage fire safety in such buildings. The document also includes case studies based on the commonly found issues in blocks of flats, with sug...

The UK Government has launched on 8 June 2021 a new consultation on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (‘PEEPs’) in high-rise residential buildings, which seeks views on implementing the relevant Grenfell Inquiry’s recommendations. The consultation will be open for a period of six weeks, from 8th June to 19th July 2021. Raise awareness of the new consultation Alongside the consultation, the Home Office are also holding workshops They would like to encourage everyone to res...

Following the success of FireQual in gaining regulated status from both CCEA Regulation in Northern Ireland and SQA Accreditation in Scotland, are not standing still. Attention is now turning to the subject matter of Fire Detection and Alarms. FireQual is developing a series of qualifications that will look to provide the underpinning knowledge required by those who work within the area of fire detection and alarms. industry-led qualifications In addition, reflecting on the core messages of t...

The UK Home Office on Monday (07/06/2021) published an update regarding guidance covering fire safety in purpose-build blocks of flats. The UK Home Office states that ‘this document is a guide to ensuring adequate fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, regardless of age’. how to assess fire risk Practical advice is offered on how to assess the risk from fire and how to manage fire safety in such buildings. The document also includes case studies based on the commonly found i...