Industrial Fire Safety

Pete joins Advanced from Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd, where he held the senior positions of Global Finance Director and EMEA Operations Director, managing a manufacturing and supply chain organisation of almost 400 people in Havant, UK. Working previously within Advanced owner Halma PLC’s fold, Pete also worked as Global Finance Director of Avire, and spent 13 years at 3M in various financial and operational roles. Pete said: “It’s a real pleasure to lead such an outstanding business. Since joining Advanced I’ve been struck by the enthusiasm, passion and commitment of the staff here who have all been instrumental in the opening of our new headquarters at Balliol Business Park, North Tyneside, which marks the start of an important new phase in the growth of our company. We are in an excellent position to continue to drive Advanced forward and enjoy an outstanding track record of success in the future.” Vast Industry Experience Pete succeeds Ray Hope, Managing Director of Advanced, as he retires after 19 successful years and a long and distinguished career in the fire industry. Ray will continue to have an advisory role within Halma for the next year, sharing his vast industry experience and knowledge and supporting owner the parent company’s ambitious growth and acquisition plans. Advanced services around 80 countries from bases in the UK, US, India and Dubai and recently relocated from four separate sites in Northumberland to one, 48,000 sq ft base in North Tyneside.

The UK market for passive fire protection products is estimated to be worth around £650m at manufacturers selling prices - excluding installation. The market has grown by around 2% in 2017, with forecasts for 2018 at a similar level. This follows good growth between 2013 and 2015, which represented a period of recovery for the overall construction industry, especially in the education, offices, retail and leisure sectors. The forecasts indicate a more subdued performance, with lower levels of construction activity anticipated as investor confidence has fallen, in the lead up to Brexit. In terms of structure, the passive fire protection market is comprised of fire resistant doors, fittings and intumescent seals, cables, partitions and suspended ceilings, glass, structural protection and ductwork and damper systems. Fire resistant doors, fitting and seals account for the largest shares of the market, with around 60% of the total value. Innovations in the fire protection sector Recent product innovations in the sector include intumescent coatings with faster drying times Recent product innovations in the sector include intumescent coatings with faster drying times, electronic fire door closers that are linked to fire alarm systems, and more flexible fire stopping pipe collars that allow a greater range of applications compared to conventional collars. Key drivers, such as the regulatory aspects of the fire protection sector, are expected to remain unchanged in the short term, since the Hackitt Review into the Grenfell Tower disaster only covered high-rise buildings and provided no recommendations for immediate change in the technical aspects of Building Regulations. However, modifications are expected in the medium to longer term, and AMA Research also anticipates that there will be other implications for the wider industry, as manufacturers and specifiers alike seek to provide safer environments, possibly leading to positive growth by value. Modest growth prediction in construction sector Forecasts for the passive fire protection market in the medium-term are for modest growth in 2018 and 2019, with slightly higher growth levels by 2020. While the longer-term impact of Brexit remains unclear, investors are likely to remain cautious, and this has resulted in recent forecasts being less optimistic for overall construction sector output growth. In the short term, activity in the non-domestic construction sector is likely to slow down, with more subdued growth of around 1-2% in 2018-19. The overall market for passive fire protection products such as cable, glass, ceilings, partitions and doors, is dependent on the performance of key construction sectors, such as offices, industrial, entertainment, health and education. Impacting structural fire protection sector The hotel and entertainment sector has shown good growth in recent years and is attracting substantial investment In terms of output, new office construction is forecast to be less positive over 2018-22, following strong output growth of 70% between 2013 and 2017, something which may impact on demand in sectors such as structural fire protection, suspended ceilings and partitions. However, the hotel and entertainment sector has shown good growth in recent years and is attracting substantial investment, especially in the budget sector. The university sector has also been positive in terms of new orders in 2018, with future output having the potential to be boosted by demand for new accommodation and facilities for additional students following the removal of the cap on student numbers. Passive protection in residential sector Uncertainty regarding Brexit is expected to have less of an impact on residential construction, where the outlook remains modestly positive, driven in particular by the ongoing imbalance between demand and supply for new housing. Increasing numbers of new flats and apartments built will be the primary source of demand for passive protection in the residential sector. Other factors influencing the market include the performance of Sterling against both the US dollar and the Euro. Since the 2016 Referendum, Sterling’s fall in value and continued relative weakness has meant that materials price inflation has become a key influence in the UK construction market. If this situation continues, it will prompt some value growth in the passive fire protection sector, since a wide range of materials and products is imported.

The Middle East’s outstanding security and fire safety projects and products will share the spotlight next week, when they contest for the ultimate accolade at the region’s only awards ceremony dedicated to excellence in commercial security and fire protection. A stellar shortlist of 55 finalists from 150 entries has been selected for the inaugural Intersec Security, Safety and Fire Protection Middle East Awards, with the winners across 10 categories to be celebrated during a gala dinner on the 20th September 2018 at Dubai’s Habtoor Palace. Hotly contested fire categories include the Fire Protection Project of the Year, where the Dubai Frame, the Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue Expansion, and Route 2020 Metro Rail are among the five finalists. Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Gate, Sheikh Zayed Sports City Stadium, and King Abdullah Economic City Hijaz in Saudi Arabia are the three finalists making the cut in the Security Public Assembly Project of the Year. It’s important to acknowledge the hard work and efforts that industry stakeholders undertake to ensure security and fire safety standards are maintained across the Middle East" The 1st Intersec Awards are organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, which also organises Intersec, the world’s largest security, safety, and fire protection trade fair which takes place every year and returns for its 21st edition in January 2019 in Dubai. Recognizing the work of security professionals Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “The Intersec Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the great work that security and fire protection-related professionals are contributing to keep our societies safe and secure, from manufacturers, authorities, consultants, and contractors, to the end-users and clients. “It’s important to acknowledge the hard work and efforts that industry stakeholders undertake to ensure security and fire safety standards are maintained across the Middle East, and we’re delighted with the industry response to these inaugural awards. “There have been exceptional examples of industry innovation in recent years, not only in functionality, but in other important areas such as sustainability, reusability, and aesthetics. The Intersec Awards brings the very best of these examples of industry best-practise, celebrated among industry peers and the public,” Pauwels added. Six security and four fire categories The Intersec Awards are good for the fire protection and security industries in general and particularly in the Middle East because they show the maturity that the industry has now reached in the region" The 1st Intersec Awards comprise six security categories (three project and three product categories), and four fire categories (one project and three product), with a 12-strong independent judging panel overseeing the shortlist and ultimately deciding the overall winners. Terry Johnson, Senior Fire Service Advisor at the Dubai Civil Defence, who was among the seven judges adjudicating the fire categories, said: “The Intersec Awards are good for the fire protection and security industries in general and in the Middle East in particular because they show the maturity that the industry has now reached in the region.   “They also show how the industry has gained in confidence in its actual abilities over the past years, and there’s a shared benefit from all participating companies and stakeholders.” Driving innovation and improvements John Cowling, Director of AcuTech Consulting Group in the Middle East, who was part of the Security Categories judging panel, added: “Initiatives such as the Intersec Awards are beneficial because they drive innovation and improvements, thus motivating the regional security and fire safety industries to higher achievements. Security should be an enabler, and not prohibit operations, so we take a holistic approach to those that add value, and show new innovative designs" “They keep industry standards high because they promote competition, showing suppliers, manufacturers, as well as consultants that striving for continuous improvement adds value to the industry.  “As judges, what we’re looking for is design, innovation and what adds value to businesses. Security should be an enabler, and not prohibit operations, so we take a holistic approach to those that add value, and show new innovative designs, which range from low tech and simplistic right through to the very high tech.” Seven key show sections at Intersec 2019 More than 250 industry professionals are expected to attend the inaugural Intersec Security, Safety and Fire Protection Middle East Awards in Dubai, which is partnered with Axis Communications as Platinum Sponsor, and ATEÏS as Categories Sponsor.  The 21st edition of Intersec will take place from 20-22 January 2019 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, featuring more than 1,300 exhibitors from 59 countries, and covering the seven key show sections of commercial security, fire & rescue, homeland security & policing, physical & perimeter security, safety & health, cyber security, and smart home & building automation. 

K-Safety Expo will introduce the latest safety and security technologies as well as the trends based on cutting-edge technology South Korea has recently suffered from disastrous calamities, such as 5.4 magnitude earthquake in the city of Pohang, fire at a sports centre in Jecheon, and gigantic forest fire. Owing to these incidents, ‘safety’ has become Korea's major concern and its government aims to foster and develop the overall industry of safety. For this reason, Ministry of the Interior and Safety of South Korea is holding K-Safety Expo (Korea International Safety and Security Expo) this November to present the convergence of advanced technology and safety industry. K-Safety Expo is Korea's largest trade fair focused on the safety and security industries. K-Safety Expo is in steady growth with 345 companies and government agencies plus 46,000 visitors participated for last year; in addition to delegations and overseas buyers of 26 companies from 21 countries and regions including UAE, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Cambodia as well. This year, with Korea being one of the world's leading nations for ICT, K-Safety Expo will introduce the latest safety and security technologies as well as the trends based on cutting-edge technology. Various products and services combining safety industry, in the areas of disaster prevention, security, transportation, and construction, with 4th industrial revolution technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be available.

The Shulman Rogers FCC Licensing staff prepares hundreds of applications every year for land mobile radio, microwave and other radio services Hundreds of thousands of acres have been lost in the paths of the worst fires in California history. In addition to the loss of lives and homes, vital communications infrastructure is at risk. Many government agencies need to relocate critical emergency transmission infrastructure as a result of the fires. Loss of this public safety infrastructure has immediate negative impact on the firefighters as they attempt to control current fires and hamper efforts to fight future fires. Providing FCC STA licenses at no additional costs "States, counties and cities must obtain FCC licenses for every new site to which they relocate transmission equipment," Shulman Rogers Telecommunications Practice Chairman Alan Tilles said. "We are offering to prepare and file Special Temporary Authority (STA) requests for California public safety agencies at no cost to the applicant." "Public safety licensees, radio dealers and radio manufacturers should contact us as soon as they know that they need to relocate facilities, and we will get their applications prepared expeditiously," Tilles said. Shulman Rogers is one of the leading law firms in the country representing public safety agencies, serving more than 200 states, counties and cities as clients. The Shulman Rogers FCC Licensing staff prepares hundreds of applications every year for land mobile radio, microwave and other radio services.

While whole room protection – sprinklers or gas systems – is a common choice, there is an argument for thinking smaller; taking fire detection and suppression down to the equipment, enclosures and even the components where a fire is most likely to start. Traditional Fire Suppression Methods A traditional water-based sprinkler system is the most common form of fire protection found in commercial and industrial buildings. They offer reasonable cost, large area protection for entire facilities, safeguarding the structure and personnel by limiting the spread and impact of a fire. Every square foot of the protected area is covered equally regardless of the contents of the space, whether it’s an empty floor or an object with an increased risk of fire. Sprinklers aren’t always the most appropriate choice. Not all fires are extinguished by water of course, and in some cases, water damage can be just as harmful or even more so than the fire. They are an impractical choice for instance for facilities housing anything electrical, such as data centres and server rooms. There is also the risk of accidental activation, with an estimated cost of up to $1,000 for every minute they are left running. Water damage can be just as harmful or even more so than any fire, so sprinklers may not be appropriate Targeted Supplementary Fire Suppression An alternative method to protect whole server rooms and data centres is gas fire suppression, which either suppresses the fire by displacing oxygen (inert) or by using a form of cooling mechanism (chemical/synthetic). These aren’t without risk; in the case of inert gas, oxygen is reduced to less than 15% to suffocate the fire, but must be kept above 12% to avoid endangering the lives of personnel. Similarly, clean agent gas can be toxic in high doses. There are smaller, focused systems that give the option of highly targeted supplementary fire suppression within fire risk areas. Installing a system directly into the areas most at risk, means that fires can be put out before they take hold and cause serious damage. Both sprinkler and gas systems can contain a fire, but micro-environment or closed space systems are completely automatic, detecting and suppressing the fire so rapidly that activating a sprinkler or gas total flooding system often isn’t necessary. The most popular enclosure fire suppression systems achieve this though the use of a flexible and durable polymer tubing that is routed easily through the tightest spaces. The tubing is extremely sensitive to heat and, because it can be placed so close to potential failure points, detects it and releases the fire suppression agent up to ten times faster than traditional systems. An airline was forced to cancel over 2,000 flights after a “small fire” in one of its data centers Cost-Effective Fire Protection Highly customizable, small enclosure fire suppression is specifically designed to protect business critical spaces and equipment. It is typically used inside machinery like CNC machines, mobile equipment like forklifts and inside server rooms and electrical cabinetry but is suitable for any hazard that’s considered to have an elevated fire risk. Some may question the need or cost-effectiveness of protecting micro-environments. However, examples abound of where fires that have started at component level have gone on to cause damage of the highest magnitude, and the cost of downtime can be crippling to many time-sensitive facilities and processes. An airline was forced to cancel over 2,000 flights in August 2016 when what was described as a “small fire” in one of its data centers ultimately led to a computer outage. The cost of that small fire, and the domino effect that quickly escalated from it, has since been announced as $150m. Admittedly that number is unusually high - the average cost of a data centre outage today is estimated at a more conservative $730,000 – but this is still an expense businesses can ill afford. Preventing Major Losses Staying with the transport industry, newer metros systems have redundant systems in place to prevent interruptions. However, older metro lines, such as the one in New York City, have experienced electrical fires that started small, but grew to such a magnitude that service was affected for months.Older metro lines, such as New York City's, have experience electrical fires that start small but grew exponentially A wind energy customer experienced a fire in a turbine converter cabinet. The loss of the cabinet was valued at over $200,000 and disabled the turbine for six weeks. Following investment in fire suppression systems inside the electrical cabinet, a subsequent fire was detected and suppressed before major damage could be caused. The cost on this occasion was therefore limited to a $25,000 component and downtime was less than two days.Equally - happily - there are also many instances where the installation of small enclosure fire suppression has prevented disaster. In the manufacturing world, CNC machines are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars and need to be constantly operational to justify the investment. Oil coolant used in the machines can create a flash fire in an instant due to failed components or programming errors. The fact that many of these facilities are run ‘lights out’ with no personnel present further exacerbates the risk. If a fire is not dealt with immediately, the machine will be destroyed; sprinklers don’t react quickly enough for this scenario and would be ineffective. Ensuring Business Continuity One such flash fire occurred inside a protected CNC machine at a machine shop in Iowa. The polymer tubing ruptured within a fraction of a second, releasing the suppression agent and extinguishing the flames. The machine was undamaged and was operational again with a few hours. Contrast this to a previous fire at the same facility in an unprotected machine; it was out of operation for 4 days, costing the business thousands of dollars in downtime In short, fire protection is an essential element of our industrial and commercial environments to ensure both safety and business continuity. However, the nature of that protection is changing, as capacity increases to cost-effectively protect specific areas where fires are most likely to start. Risk mitigation analysis needs to look beyond what has been accepted in the past and find ways to further limit the impact of a small fire using this next level of protection. The benefits can really have a positive effect on the bottom line in the event of fire.

Within traditional commercial and industrial firefighting systems, engineers have primarily focused on permanent installation designs rather than entertaining alternative or supplemental mobile firefighting systems. Permanent installation design is typically better understood, supported, and supplied throughout the fire protection engineering and manufacturing community. However, mobile firefighting systems provide unique solutions and advantages compared to their permanent installation cousins such as flexible deployment, simpler servicing, improved economy, and much higher performance availability. The combination of both systems is frequently the most strategic solution for the facility operator. Limitations of fixed installation systems Permanent installation (fixed) systems include everything from sprinklers, foam systems, primary watermain pumps, and the plethora of piping in between. A large refinery complex will need to address various hazard mitigation and control problems that span both hardware and personnel needs. In the event standard hazard mitigation safety procedures and equipment have failed, the facility immediately initiates a hazard control operation. Passive fixed systems automatically engage the hazard through an array of sensors, mechanical triggers, and control algorithms. A properly designed system with adequate hazard coverage, preplanning, preventative maintenance, and testing will successfully terminate the hazard, while firefighting personnel respond and ensure no further hazards develop. This conceptual approach relies on hardware and personnel all operating as planned…. Combining permanent and mobile apparatus “According to plan” would never have any failures or fires, but history has a different script. In the worst-case petrochemical scenario, fixed systems fail to extinguish a hazard putting the entire response on human and mobile hardware resources. This would include but is not limited to firetrucks, mobile high-flow pumping systems, large mobile monitors, foam proportioning units, and large diameter layflat hose. This type of response escalates into a larger scale operation, sometimes involving agencies beyond the facility operator itself. Although a low probability event, the risk to life and property is significantly substantial. Fixed systems may be rendered inoperable due to the loss of electrical power or actual physical damage Reducing fire-related expenditureMore typical than the worst-case scenario, facilities experience both maintenance-related system downtimes and natural phenomena damage such as extreme weather and seismic events. In this case, fixed systems may be rendered inoperable due to the loss of electrical power or actual physical damage. In any of these situations, mobile fire apparatus may fill the gap requirements of the facility as their flexible storage and deployment would protect them from everything but the worst natural disasters. Their further benefit is that a smaller set of mobile apparatus resources may be used to protect a larger amount of infrastructure, especially while in use in a mutual-aid program between facilities and communities. According to the NFPA’s report “Total Cost of Fire in the United States”, fire-related damages and expenditures from 1980 to 2014 have risen from roughly $200B (adjusted for inflation to 2014) to nearly $330B. The greatest expenditure is in fire safety costs in building construction, amounting to $57.4B. Although the overall losses per year as a ratio to protection expenditures has dropped by roughly 70% over the past 30 years, petrochemical facility losses have continued to rise over the same time. In the worst-case petrochemical scenario, fixed systems fail to extinguish a hazard  Petrochemical facility challenges According to the NFPA, refineries or natural gas plants had reported an average of 228 fires or explosions per year through the 1990s. Furthering this data with Marsh’s “100 Largest Losses, 25th edition”, refinery losses have continually expanded throughout the last two decades with 11 of the top 20 largest losses of the past 40 years happening during or after the year 2000. Two primary drivers of this trend are the advanced age of petrochemical facilities and their staggering complexity. As oil margins fall, upstream operational businesses are detrimentally affected by reduced investment in everything to new equipment, maintenance and passive safety systems. There is an observable correlation between a major oil price drop followed by upstream facility fire losses. Even with reduced investment and oil throughput growth rates, US refinery utilisation at the end 2017 was at 96.7%, the highest since 2005 (Marsh, The Impact of the Price of Oil). The short story is that systems and personnel are being asked to do more with less with each passing year. Cost-effective mobile apparatus systems  Mobile fire apparatus is generally more cost-effective to procure when using standardised designs and application methodology. They can access open water sources by either drafting (when in close proximity to the water) or using floating source pumps (for variable level or difficult access water sources). Mobile fire apparatus is generally more cost-effective to procure when using standardized designs and application methodology With this open water access, they can provide significantly more water (upwards of 10,000 GPM or more per system if necessary) than any typical fixed fire pumping solution. Moreover, as their primary benefit, they are easy to move and deploy. This benefit allows them to be utilised at the point of hazard as needed while being easily accessible for service. While fixed systems are installed at “every known” hazard and must be continually maintained to operate effectively, mobile systems may be used sitewide or across facilities. This flexibility reduces overall capital expenditure requirements and establishes a valuable primary and secondary firefighting system depending on the hazard and facility resources. Combining fixed and mobile systems Permanent installation fire suppression systems are a mainstay of modern day firefighting. They provide immediate passive response with little human intervention. However, as facility utilisation is pushed to maximum capacity while fixed systems continually age out without adequate replacement or maintenance, mobile systems will need to both fill the response gap and provide a final wall to total loss incidents. The reality is that both fixed and mobile systems need to work together to provide the safest possible operation. Service and training requirements need to also be maintained to manage an adequate, or even better, exemplary response to hazard control incidents. Managing major facility uptime requires continuous oversight and to drive hazard mitigation standards throughout the organisation, including executive management. A safe, reliable and fully-functional plant is also a profitable and cost-effective plant much like a healthy worker is a better worker. Protect your people and property and you will protecting your company’s future.

Speciality vehicle maker, Triel-HT of Brazil, has adapted over 120 Allison-equipped Scania firefighting trucks for its national airport and fire corps customers. Among the reasons for choosing Allison fully automatic transmissions, Triel-HT cites 35 per cent faster acceleration, better vehicle control and ease of integration. Nine different Scania chassis have already been adapted for airport and industrial firefighting, civil defence and special explosives transport, among them the P250, P310, P360 FF, P440 FF and G580 models. Manoeuvring Agility These trucks are already present in more than 70 airports and air bases throughout Brazil, including remote units in Manicore and Fonte Boa in Amazonas, the Alcântara Air Base in Maranhão, and the recently renovated Viracopos airport in Campinas, in the state of Sao Paulo. Triel-HT develops the vehicles using in-house manufactured or adapted equipment. The vehicles equipped with Allison automatics comply with international standards for extreme performance and work in harmony with the trucks “The automatic transmissions are preferred due to their convenient operation, ride performance, manoeuvring agility and also the ease of gearbox integration with the essential components and electronic controllers of the fire truck,” said Triel-HT executive Claudio Vincentini. The vehicles equipped with Allison automatics comply with international standards for extreme performance and work in harmony with the trucks, according to Vincentini. Significant Investment Programme Allison automatics accelerate up to 35 per cent faster than manual or automated manual transmissions (AMTs). In addition to the 120 vehicles already delivered, another 12 Scania units with Allison automatics are now in the final stage of preparation, as part of a significant investment programme for airport vehicles. Five of them are for Infraero. Another four units have been ordered by the Department of Civil Aviation and will be sent to the airports of Comandatuba (BA), Barreirinhas (MA), Pato Branco (PR) and Patos, in Piauí. Two units are for the Fire Corps of Maringá, State of Paraná in the south of the country, and another unit is for an explosives transportation application in Peru. The trucks are equipped with diverse gear that can include special clothing, reptile pick-up accessories, pumps for water launch with high flow capacity, and liquid foam generator and dispensing equipment (LGE).

With its ability to detect flame and smoke at a very early stage, the Bosch video-based fire detection system is a real asset at all three facilities Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, manufacturing company Mouka Limited has built a leading position on the country’s household and industrial markets since its founding in 1959. With 800 employees and production facilities in Lagos, Benin and Kaduna, Mouka is now Nigeria’s foremost supplier of branded mattresses and foam-based products for sleep solutions. Products such as foam blocks, beddings and duvets, and polyurethane blocks are widely available throughout retail and wholesale channels in Nigeria. Due to the highly flammable nature of foam and polyurethane materials, fire safety at manufacturing facilities is a prime concern. However, when Mouka Limited was looking for a solution that detects fire and smoke in less than 30 seconds – before fire can spread and potentially harm employees – the market had nothing to offer. The reason: Common point-type detectors, detecting smoke particles in the air, rely on smoke particles to rise, which can take several minutes – especially when detectors are mounted on high warehouse ceilings. Visual fire monitoring and detection Fortunately, Bosch offers an innovative product sensitive enough: AVIOTEC, a VdS-certified solution for visual fire monitoring detecting smoke and flames at the source, which is much faster than common point-type detectors. Software inside each device analyses the video images for visual patterns associated with fires like specific motion and shape characteristics or colour changes. When connected to IP-based video management solutions the video images provide additional information e.g. for alarm verification or localization of the fire. AVIOTEC significantly raises the safety of hundreds of employees and shortens alarm response times, thereby minimising the risk of potential damage AVIOTEC was much closer to the insurance’s requirements than any other solution on the market. Working closely with the teams at the three Mouka Limited factories in Lagos, Benin and Kaduna, Bosch provided 34 AVIOTEC devices for video-based fire detection, alarm sounders, strobes and a third-party sprinkler system, all connected to a Bosch addressable Fire Panel 1200 Series. Providing employee safety and minimising damage With its ability to detect flame and smoke at a very early stage, the Bosch video-based fire detection system is a real asset at all three facilities. First, it significantly raises the safety of hundreds of employees at Mouka Limited factories. Second, it shortens alarm response times and thereby minimises the risk of potential damage to equipment and product inventories. And third, analysis of video images of a fire allows for root cause analysis after an incident. In addition, the fact that the system offers fire detection at industry-leading speeds has been appreciated by the insurance provider responsible for setting the insurance premium for Mouka Limited’s facilities. Meanwhile, word about the new state of the art in early fire detection at industrial manufacturing sites is spreading throughout Nigeria – and beyond.

Securiton's local partner EEC Entegre Bina Kontrol Sistemleri has protected the BAT Factory in Samsun with 11 SecuriRAS ASD 535 aspirating smoke detectors Founded in October 2002, British American Tobacco Turkey is a subsidiary of British American Tobacco in London. The British American Tobacco Group has more than 200 brands and over 100 years of operation and is a leader in more than 55 of the 200 markets worldwide. The Group, which operates in 44 factories in 41 countries, provides a total of 57 thousand jobs. British American Tobacco p.l.c. is among the biggest buyers of oriental tobacco grown in Turkey. Expanding fire detection and alarm systems In 2010, BAT Turkey started manufacturing cigarettes at the factory in Samsun and made it its production base. The Samsun factory is the second largest factory in the BAT group. Recently, the Securiton's local partner EEC Entegre Bina Kontrol Sistemleri has protected the British American Tobacco Factory in Samsun with 11 SecuriRAS ASD 535 aspirating smoke detectors as part of the expansion of their fire detection and alarm systems. Further SecuriRAS ASD installations are expected in the future.

D-Tec - part of NetVu - announced that its partner in the Middle East region, BSS-ME, has supplied, tested, and commissioned seven advanced IP-based, NetVu Connected, FireVu units to provide a state-of-the-art CCTV-based VSD (Video Smoke Detection) solution for the main tunnel at the famous Palm Jumeirah man-made island in Dubai. The creation of the Palm Jumeirah, which has been dubbed the 'eighth wonder of the world', has dramatically changed the Dubai area, doubling the Emirate’s beach front real estate and playing host to an impressive array of world-class residences, hotels, retail, entertainment and leisure facilities. Around-the-clock Monitoring Now monitored around the clock by BSS-ME’s supplied FireVu based solution, which has the ability to deliver a fast track response to potential fire, detecting smoke in a matter of seconds, unlike conventional solutions which struggle in the confines of a tunnel. The operators of the 1.4km long, 40 metres wide, undersea link can be assured of the fire safety of this vital connection between Palm Jumeirah’s spine and the main crescent part of the island. The box-like Palm Jumeirah tunnel is undoubtedly a major engineering feat – having required 185,000 m3 of concrete and 30,000 tons of reinforcing steel - and has been designed and constructed to hold three individual tubes with the outer two tubes carrying three lanes of traffic and pedestrian walkways in each direction. The inner tube is used as a service tunnel and also in the event of an incident for emergency evacuation. The FireVu units adopted for the iconic Palm Jumeirah are the latest and most capable incarnation of NetVu's FM-approved VSD technology. For the Dubai tunnel solution, the FireVu units installed by BSS-ME are connected to 28 fixed CCTV cameras positioned strategically throughout the tunnel’s two outer tubes -14 in each. Crucially, the cameras used for Video Smoke Detection are the same as those for security and other surveillance tasks – such as traffic management – in the tunnel, thus maximising the return on investment. Detecting Smoke Patterns Looking in more detail at the VSD utilised by FireVu at Palm Jumeirah, this approach works by using CCTV images, in real time, from a number of cameras simultaneously that are then analysed by specialised image processing software. VSD seeks out the particular pattern that smoke produces through the application of extensive detection and known false alarm algorithms. By programming the software to look for anticipated motion patterns of smoke over a specified area within the camera image, an analysing pixel changes, VSD has the potential to react to an incident in a matter of seconds. Alarm and associated video images can be relayed back to a central control room and can be reviewed using NetVu's Enterprise ObserVer video management software to offer a fast response to an event. Because multiple cameras are being used, there is also the potential to provide all important situational awareness. This means that drivers and their passengers in a tunnel such as at Palm Jumeirah can be directed safely away from danger – this is especially beneficial in tunnels with a gradient whereas smoke rises it will tend to gather more on one side of the fire. As all alarm events are recorded on the system’s NetVu Connected Digital Video Recorder (DVR) these can be readily accessed for pre-event and post-event analysis, allowing the operator to view what, or who, caused the incident. Tunnel Fire Safety Requirements Commented Malcolm Gatenby, Sales Director, BSS-ME: “It has been a real privilege to be involved in this internationally recognised project and to be given the opportunity to demonstrate the capacity of FireVu to meet the Palm Jumeirah’s subsea tunnel's exacting fire safety requirements. “Working closely with D-Tec throughout the whole tendering, testing and commissioning process, we were able to have the solution up and running well within the agreed timescales, ensuring that the seven FireVu units were successfully integrated with the tunnel's CCTV cameras and control centre. “The all important commissioning process allowed the fine tuning of the advanced VSD to ensure the set-up took account of lighting and other local conditions. Looking ahead I believe that Video Smoke Detection is ideally suited to the challenges of today's road tunnels, with their small cross-sectional area and higher heat release rate should a fire develop, and hope that success at the Palm Jumeirah will lead to additional project wins in the fast growing Middle East market.” IP Video Smoke Detection A key advantage of adopting FireVu for Palm Jumeirah tunnel is that it takes FM-approved VSD to the next level by combining VSD with video over IP (Internet Protocol). This means that in additional to being supplied to a central control room, there is the flexibility for distribution of alarms and associated images to an unlimited number of locations for review. Also, as FireVu shares a common NetVu Connected technology base with other NetVu systems - such as Dedicated Micros, TransVu and NetVu Enterprise ObserVer video management software, there is the potential to integrate the system with a broad range of facilities management and security systems. System management is also enhanced with FireVu as faults can be reported via IP, and alarm information sent by SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multi Media Service) to mobile telephones, hand-held devices and by email. In addition, reconfiguring a FireVu system – when alterations have been made to the tunnel being protected – can be carried out remotely, removing the cost and delay associated with travelling to site. Testing and diagnosis can also be supported in this way Said Ian Moore, Managing Director of D-Tec: “It is gratifying to see FireVu, and our Video Smoke Detection technology, being applied to best effect at the visionary Palm Jumeirah in Dubai thanks to the efforts of Malcolm Gatenby and his team at BSS-ME who have been effective advocates for our technology in the region for more than five years. “The Palm Jumeirah adds to D-Tec’s already proven track record in the tunnel environment across the globe with successful projects such as the Sydney Harbour tunnel and road tunnels in Italy, and in a wide range of testing fire scenarios in the Middle East, through our partner BSS-ME, including the massive 600 metre wide Royal Airwing Hangar complex at the Dubai International Airport - the world’s largest privately-owned aircraft hangar.”