Firefighter Health and Safety - News
With just days to go before World Mental Health Day, EMCOR UK has become the first organization globally to prove it prioritizes its people and be certified against BSI’s new scheme which is based on the international standard ISO 45003:2021 Occupational health and safety management — Psychological health and safety at work — Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks. The new international standard, which was published earlier this year, provides guidelines on how to improve...
In response to a petition by the IAFF and other stakeholders, the U.S. Department of Education is overhauling its Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program in an effort to provide relief for those who fell through the cracks. The changes will greatly benefit firefighters and EMTs who have student loans. The IAFF has been working with the Department of Education, the Biden administration and other stakeholders to make changes to the PSLF program in order to provide its members with student...
Verint Systems (Verint), the globally renowned customer engagement company, has announced that Quadrant Knowledge Solutions has named Verint’s Experience Management a top performer and technology leader, in the 2021 SPARK Matrix Analysis of the Global Voice of the Customer (VoC) Platforms Market. Quadrant Knowledge Solutions conducted an in-depth analysis and evaluated the products, market presence, and value proposition for the major VoC platform vendors. Verint’s comprehensive te...
The Nomination Committee for Saab AB for the Annual General Meeting 2022 has now been appointed, based on the shareholder structure on August 31, 2021. Members of the Saab Nomination Committee are: Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of the Board of Saab AB Petra Hedengran, Investor AB Peter Wallenberg Jr, Wallenberg Investments AB Ossian Ekdahl, Första AP-fonden Anders Algotsson, AFA Försäkring Nomination Committee for Saab AB The Nomination Committee represents approximately...
The London Fire Brigade successfully prosecuted a West London building owner, after major breaches of fire safety law were discovered, following a major blaze three years ago. On 9 August 2018, firefighters were called to a fire at a flat above a shop on Queensway in Bayswater, West London. It took 70 firefighters and ten fire engines to control the blaze that ravaged half of the four-story building. Two women were rescued from the building and treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. Absenc...
Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Industries and a globally renowned manufacturer of fire, patrol, and rescue craft, named Banner Fire Equipment, Inc. of Roxanna, Illinois, as its sales and service dealership for the US states of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and portions of Illinois. Established in 1986, Banner Fire Equipment offers first responders a full range of sales, service, and support capabilities. dealer network expansion “Adding Banner Fire Equipment to our dealer network is...
Go is the new-generation, single-loop fire alarm control panel from Advanced. Versatile and packed with premium features, Go provides cost-effective access to MxPro 5 range performance, quality and ease of use, in a simpler, non-networkable format, for complete fire protection peace of mind. Available to order from October 2021, Go is the ideal solution for a wide range of single-panel sites, including restaurants, bars and guesthouses to small offices, shops, salons and surgeries. Go fire ala...
Consistent with the various governments’ requests all around Australia and New Zealand, ARA has encouraged the employees to receive the COVID vaccination. The various state and federal governments have been telling them the best way out of the pandemic and to start living a normal life is to get all of them vaccinated. Many, if not all, of customers, are requiring them to be fully vaccinated to work on construction sites and visit their premises. Vaccination lottery ARA has establ...
The Home Office has published the latest fire prevention and protection statistics, showing a massive reduction in fire and rescue service activity during the pandemic. The number of fire safety audits carried out by fire and rescue service inspecting officers fell 30 percent on the previous year to just over 34,000. This is substantially lower than five years ago when services carried out over 54,000 audits. Fire and rescue service inspection Fire safety audit is a planned visit by a fire an...
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has been awarded ServiceMark accreditation by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), following record feedback from customers and colleagues. It’s the first time a fire and rescue service has achieved this recognition, and it’s a national standard, independently recognizing an organization’s customer service excellence. ServiceMark assessment report The ServiceMark assessment report noted that, KFRS has "turned customer culture completel...
HSE is becoming the new regulator for high-risk residential buildings, as per the provisions in the draft Building Safety Bill. This is a major component of the government’s actions towards meeting Dame Judith Hackitts 53 recommendations from “Building a Safer Future”. HSE recently published the attached document introducing the principles of what they want to see in a safety case, TCOM N328. The document suggests a number of things that building owners and building safety man...
Staff members from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were recognized for their outstanding contribution to safeguarding at the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Boards’ Safeguarding Recognition Awards Ceremony which took place virtually on 29th June 2021. The ceremony was an opportunity to recognize those whose contributions had provided a real and positive impact on people’s lives and to celebrate these outstanding contributions to safeguarding. Delivering essential s...
Safety helmets are essential in almost all industries. Be it mining, construction, forestry, or any other sector, a safety helmet is one of the most important parts of the personal protective kit for the workforce. Over the years, with the progress in technology, hard hats have become more advanced and provide better protection. However, not all types of safety helmets are suitable for every job. safety helmets Different types of safety helmets have different properties. And it is important t...
The importance of wearing a safety helmet should not be neglected, especially if working on a construction site, mining industry or anywhere that involves heavy machinery and objects. Safety helmets are designed to protect head from any fatal injuries, like shock impacts, electric exposure, anything heavy falling on head, untoward impacts, etc. According to the numbers, the most common causes of head injuries are heavy or sharp objects falling on head. The consequences of such injuries ma...
The NFCC Academic Collaboration, Evaluation and Research Group (ACER) will get to work this autumn, led by Nottingham Trent University academic Dr. Rowena Hill. ACER will review research from both the UK and across the world, keeping a watching brief on lessons learned that could apply to UK fire and rescue services. The NFCC is keen for ACER to encourage approaches from academics who share areas for potential research. NFCC set up The NFCC set up NOL that analyzed incidents to then share lea...
Christmas markets and festive light switch-ons are among the most popular annual events in the United Kingdom (UK), bringing together communities and attracting tourists from far and wide. In 2020, many Christmas markets that had been a tradition for decades could not take place, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and the subsequent restrictions, thereby causing disappointment to many visitors. Importance of security at public events However, in 2021, a number of UK Christmas markets are bac...
The IAFF Financial Corporation (IAFF-FC) is excited to offer supplemental insurance to members and their immediate family members for cancer and critical illness. The IAFF’s number-one priority is the members’ health and safety. Cancer And Critical Illness insurance Cancer in the fire service remains one of the most pressing concerns, along with other occupational illnesses. Firefighters are more likely to be diagnosed with certain types of cancer than the general public...
Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings solutions, has introduced Tyco Kantech KT-2, adaptable two-door controllers, which is cost-effective, easy-to-install and operate, for small-to-medium sized businesses. Tyco Kantech KT-2 door controller This new door controller expands Johnson Controls line of multi-door control solutions, purposely designed for retailers, medical offices, warehouses and businesses, with needs ranging from one door to t...
Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company in smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings solutions, has announced the release of the Zettler Profile Lite range of addressable fire alarm control panels, to the Asia Pacific markets. The two new addressable panel models, Pro215 Lite and Pro415 Lite have color LCD screens with 32 zonal LEDs integrated into a simple interface, which helps reduce operator errors. Both Profile Lite panel models feature red housing options, ideal for facilities tha...
A new qualification is now available for delivery by FireQual Approved Training Centers. This new qualification provides individuals with knowledge of the hazards and risks associated with fire in the workplace, how fire risk is controlled in the workplace, the principles and practice of fire safety management at work and the role of the nominated fire marshal. Basic fire fighting equipment This new qualification also requires individuals to demonstrate their ability to safely use portable fi...
A new qualification is available for delivery by FireQual Approved Training Centers. This new qualification provides individuals with knowledge of the hazards and risks associated with fire in the workplace, how fire risk is controlled in the workplace, the principles and practice of fire safety management at work, and the role of the nominated fire marshal. New qualification available This new qualification also requires individuals to demonstrate their ability to safely use portable fire fi...
Brother Mobile Solutions, a globally renowned provider of mobile, desktop, and industrial printing and labeling solutions, has announced the release of an agile, on-demand printing solution for the quick creation of safety signage and labels, which are required in modern workplaces and public spaces. Safety Labeling Solution The new on-demand Safety Labeling Solution pairs a Brother thermal transfer 4-inch printer with highly-intuitive safety signage design software, as well as a wide variety...
Fire chiefs from Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) last week at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Mass. NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley welcomed the chiefs and provided an overview of the association’s mission, reinforcing the critical role urban fire service leaders play in reaching the Association’s goals and initiatives. Guest List Special guests included Chair of...
Firefighters in Canada’s Yukon Territory are welcoming news that their government is adding a number of cancers to those deemed occupational in firefighters, including two cancers that will be the first included in presumptive legislation anywhere in Canada. On September 17, Yukon Territory announced it will introduce legislation adding thyroid and pancreatic cancer to its list of presumptive coverage, which would make it the first jurisdiction in Canada to cover those illnesses. They are...
In the case of a fire emergency at any airport, every second counts. Aircraft Rescue Fire Firefighters (ARFF) always have to be effective in a short time, in order to save precious lives from a burning aircraft. The firefighting foam must be quickly efficient and should be able to contain the fire effectively. fluorine-free foam (FFF) The world of firefighting is quickly moving towards fluorine-free foam products, moving away from PFAS-containing products (such as AFFF and AR-AFFF foams). The...
Fire Door Safety Week research reveals more than one in ten renters fear that raising fire safety concerns will affect their tenancy. There is cause to complain: a third of all renters have experienced fire doors being damaged or propped open and a quarter noticed a broken fire alarm in the last 12 months alone. With renters also concerned about whether reporting issues will even lead to them being fixed, the Fire Door Safety Week campaign is calling for fire safety to be urgently prioritized a...
Ardent is proud to announce that they have now obtained the latest version of P-Mark SPCR 199 certification for the Ardent Dual Agent Fire Suppression Systems. The P-Mark SPCR 199:2021 certification assesses the performance of fire suppression systems against realistic fire conditions and vehicle environmental aspects in engine compartments with combustion engines. The 2021 certification standard presents a new rating classification system over the previous 2017 version. SPCR 199:2021 certific...
The IAFF welcomes the Canadian election result and is prepared to work with the Liberal minority government and MPs from all parties to continue advancing firefighter and public safety issues. “We congratulate all MPs elected to the House of Commons on September 20 and look forward to collaboration from all parties on the issues that matter most to Canadians, and the issues that we bring forward on behalf of Canada’s professional firefighters,” says IAFF Assistant to the Gener...
A necessity in most places, fire extinguishers are designed to be recognizable and practical. In case of an emergency, people need to be able to spot fire extinguishers quickly and know what extinguisher to use and how to use it. That being said, Anglia Fire Protection understands that fire extinguishers are not the prettiest of things and people often want them to be discrete, or even worse, completely out of sight. This is a complete health and safety no no! extinguisher engineers offer expe...
Working at an industrial site involves its dangers and one of the major risks is head injury. The human brain is very fragile and is most susceptible to being affected by shock, bumps, or any other head injury. In fact, according to the research, head injuries seem to be one of the major causes of fatal accidents on industrial sites. Whether it is a construction site, where users are hanging 50 ft above the ground, or a mining site, where users are 50ft below the ground, protecting the head is...
