Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - News

Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association’s (CVVFA) Candice McDonald is featured in a new e-Book authored by CVVFA’s good friend, Chief Dennis Compton. Candice McDonald and 30 other exceptional women have been featured in the new e-Book for their vital roles in the fire service. Candice McDonald featured in new e-book Chief Dennis Compton chose to include Candice MacDonald in his e-book, describing her as a leader who balances her professional, family and volunteer respons...

When entering, exiting, or passing through a building, door hardware is always the first point of contact. Whether users are met with a mechanical system such as a lever handle, an exit device, or an access control solution, all architectural hardware must be fit for its role - operating as intended the first time, every time. Aside from being an integral piece of a building’s navigational network, door hardware inherently plays a vital role in critical safety scenarios too. Fire doors an...

Over 70 colleagues from the fire sector gathered at the Oriental Club in Stratford Place, London to celebrate the FPA's platinum jubilee. Guests included current and former government ministers, and staff from the NFCC, IFE, and the London Fire Brigade, among many others. More than merely a victory lap or a gathering of old friends, the event was also a poignant reminder of what can be achieved within the sector with a collective and unified voice, and a singular message.  FPA C...

The adoption and implementation of hazard-resistant building codes is the most effective community mitigation measure against hazard risk. According to FEMA's Building Code Save Study, 65% of counties, cities, and towns across the United States of America (USA) currently have not adopted modern building codes. Getting community ready FEMA's new Building Science Resource Library, launched in October 2021, contains materials focused on creating disaster-resistant communities, including detailed...

The application period is now open for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. These grants help fire and EMS departments obtain needed resources such as gear, equipment, vehicles, and training. Important updates to the program have been made that departments need to be aware of when applying. About AFG Program The AFG program is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing th...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection has announced the shortlist for its 2021 Passive Fire Protection Awards, with the winners due to be announced on 26 November at the Association’s Awards Lunch at the Edwardian Hotel in Manchester. The awards will be presented by broadcaster, naturalist, and marine biologist Monty Hall. The 2021 event will see awards presented in six categories, each recognizing excellence within the passive fire protection industry, at a company and...

The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), the research affiliate of NFPA, has received four direct grants that will advance safety in a variety of areas. The FPRF will also serve in an advisory service capacity for several other grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grants (FEMA AFG), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and National Science Foundation (NSF). This support for FPRF projects in 2022 coordinates with the Foundatio...

Six fire engines and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) have started their journey across Europe to Ukraine.  The de-commissioned fire engines have been donated to Fire Aid by Kent Fire Rescue Service (KFRS), together with a vast array of equipment, including PPE donated by fire and rescue services from across the country. KFRS Supports Fire Aid Mission In Ukraine KFRS Station Manager, Mike Pitney, said: “Last year, hundreds of Ukrainian firefighters worked for weeks...

As a direct result of the findings of the Hackitt Report and subsequent government focus on the recommendations for the wider fire safety environment, FIREX International, the UK’s fire industry tradeshow, has taken the decision to fully commit to supporting and promoting third-party approvals, independent accreditation, and competency for construction products and services. This will mean all exhibiting companies with relevant fire protection or prevention systems and materials will need...

UK Building Regulations regularly update the importance of fire safety compliance for building structures and require all buildings to have adequate fire protection measures in place, in order to protect both property and lives. Regular fire risk assessments Regular fire risk assessments and monitoring of the quality of buildings ensure that no corner of a building remains unprotected. Most types of buildings are well-equipped with fire extinguishers, alarms and other fire safety measures, so...

Decontamination used to be a word used after a hazmat incident when everyone was moving slowly around in brightly-colored encapsulated suits. Suits that, if broken down into their chemical parts, would likely be as dangerous as the chemicals they were protecting the wearer from. House Insulation Then came the inexpensive furniture made of chipboard glued together with one chemical compound and laminated in a second.  Then houses were insulated in chemical compounds and dry walled in oth...

Every single task at the industrial site, or for that matter, anywhere else is done with hands. One small mistake of not paying attention to hand protection could lead to a lifetime regret. Every industry takes basic safety precautions for its workers. But sometimes, the workforce needs more than just the basics. Protective gloves are an essential part of the personal protective kit. The type of gloves may differ depending on the type of industry you are operating, but not wearing any gloves sh...

Safety for industrial workers is one thing that cannot be ignored or taken lightly. It is not just about the right workforce policy that every industry should adopt, but also about the rights of every worker. Hand injuries at the workplace can be due to many reasons, including working with chemicals, sharp objects, flammable articles, etc. Therefore, it is important to choose the right gloves for complete hand protection.  The first and foremost point to...

For the workforce, working at industrial sites or work that involves risks of major or minor hand injuries, protective gloves are the most basic and necessary equipment to be included in their PPE kit. Hand protective gloves can be of different types, suitable for different work. Some are best for work that involves exposure to harmful chemicals and sharp surfaces, while others resist punctures and make it suitable to work in extreme temperatures.  While every workforce requirement ma...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and CHEMTREC are excited to announce that in honor of CHEMTREC’s 50th anniversary, five NVFC members have been awarded US$ 10,000 for their volunteer fire departments, through the 2021 CHEMTREC HELP (Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness) Awards. Funding is provided to strengthen the fire department's hazardous materials incident response capabilities and increase local readiness for hazmat events. 2021 CHEMTREC HELP Awards winners: Gilsum Fi...

Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced the groundbreaking of a 90,000 square foot expansion, to the company’s 360,000 square foot main facility, located at 2600 American Drive, in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. Additional production space An additional 60,000 square feet of production space will also be added to Pierce Manufacturing’s Neenah, Wisconsin facility. Along with facility expansions, recruitment efforts have begun for the hiring of more than 200 jo...

NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry recently recognized Marion Body Works once again for completing a rigorous qualification process, demonstrating successful implementation of defined business standards and conformity to applicable government regulations. Reapplication to the MVP member status is conducted every three years and Marion Body Works is honored to have once again proven our commitment to excellence for another term. Achieving MVP status validates the efforts to...

Notices were recently posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Personal Protective Technology Library (NPPTL) concerning the safety and quality of 2 types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used frequently by emergency medical services personnel: medical gloves and N95 particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Medical gloves notice Medical gloves notice is issued by the FDA on Oct. 29, 2021. Thi...

MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA Safety), the globally renowned company in the development, manufacture and supply of sophisticated safety solutions that protect people and facility infrastructures, is exhibiting at the ADIPEC 2021 event, which is taking place from November 15 to November 18, 2021, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), ADIPEC is the world’s most influential meeting place where oil, gas, and energy companies and profess...

While most U.S. emergency communications centers (ECCs) use a CAD system to dispatch 911 calls and facilitate records management, few CAD system components are uniform across vendors. This can create problems transferring emergency calls and associated data, such as caller location information. It can also create problems with the transfer of call information to first responders in the field via public safety broadband networks. These transfer functions are important capabilities for enhancing...

With 20 exhibitors and 180 delegates, FIM Expo offered an excellent opportunity for networking and conversations with individuals from all sectors of the fire industry. This event's exhibitors were: Advanced - Emergency Lighting, Advanced, Aico, Apollo, C-Tech, Drax360, Eurotech Fire Sytems, FFE Group, Everlux, Fireco, Firepro, Global Fire Equipment, Hochiki, Honeywell Morely, Hyfire, Kentec, Nittan UK, Tio Fire Safety, Vimpex, Wagner. Meeting influential people In addition to this, it was fa...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service announced that the fire service has issued three top safety tricks, in order to help prevent unnecessary Halloween hazards during the festive period. Working with West Yorkshire Police and other partners, the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is campaigning for people to be mindful about keeping themselves and others safe, in the build up to Halloween, Sunday, October 31, 2021. Safety tips to prevent Halloween hazards The West Yorkshire Fire and Res...

National Housing Federation research shows that one in ten new affordable homes to rent or buy in England can no longer be built because of the costs of fixing fire safety defects.   The NHF surveyed 106 housing associations, with 61 reporting that they have discovered dangerous materials on their buildings since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. This is despite those buildings having been signed off as meeting building requirements at the time they were built. Author's quote The NHF est...

Halloween is a peak time of the year for spooky celebrations and activities, but it also presents some truly scary fire safety hazards. As the holiday nears, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is encouraging everyone to take simple precautions that can help ensure the holiday remains festively fun. “It is exciting to be able to trick or treat, wear costumes and celebrate Halloween, particularly after last year, when most events and activities were canceled due to th...

The Brigade currently has just 24 fire safety advisers and nearly 200 Inspecting Officers, but with the pressure to inspect high-rise buildings, it must increase its workforce. The Brigade will use part of the £9.4 million it received from the Home Office to improve its fire protection activities. It has already used some of this funding to create a Building Risk Review team to review the 8,000 high-rise residential blocks in London. This work is due to be completed by December this year....

One alarming aspect of the opioid crisis is the frequency first responders encounter synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Fentanyl and related compounds present a safety hazard for first responders — including emergency medical and law enforcement personnel at all levels — if they are not adequately prepared with proper protective equipment and reliable detection. In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) funded and provided s...

The event organizers for A+A Congress 2021 (A+A Dusseldorf 2021) have announced that this year’s trade fair, scheduled to take place in Dusseldorf, Germany (from October 26-29, 2021), will take place in-person. A+A Congress 2021 In typical circumstances, MSA Safety Incorporated is a regular attendee and exhibitor at the event, as A + A has proven to be one of the world’s foremost safety events. After careful consideration, however, MSA Safety Incorporated has decided not to exhibit...

The Business Model workstream of the Construction Leadership Council publishes a refreshed suite of guidance on managing COVID-19 within construction contracts. The updated documents now include revised information on future-proofing JCT / NEC amendments for new contracts to ensure that if circumstances change parties take a collaborative approach. The suite also provides templates to allow parties to formally record how they can avoid disputes. Provides additional templates The COVID-19 pand...

In front of hun­dreds of indus­try lead­ers, the win­ners of the Con­struc­tion News Spe­cial­ists Awards were revealed at The Brew­ery, in Lon­don, United Kingdom, in Octo­ber 2021. Site secu­ri­ty spe­cial­ist, VPS Site Security Ltd. (VPS) tri­umphed dur­ing a rig­or­ous judg­ing process in front of an expert pan­el of judges, to win ‘Equip­ment Spe­cial­ist of the Ye...

Dräger, an international pioneer in the fields of medical and safety technology, has launched its new multi-purpose HPS® SafeGuard helmet, providing the highest levels of usability, safety, serviceability, and connectivity.  Tested to the highest international standards, the helmet delivers excellent levels of safety, with its integrated, high optical visor for face and eye protection. The additional multi-coating feature prevents it from fogging and scratching, while a gold coati...