Fire Industry News for May 2023

The British Standards Institution has published three new standards which set out competence requirements for building safety management, sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC). new standards  The new standards support industry reform in line with the new Building Safety Act and are intended to minimize safety risks and improve protection for consumers and occupants, including residents, in and about buildings. They also cover requirements for Prin...

The most significant fires seen in the county so far this summer ignited in Dartford when two simultaneous wildfires resulted in more than 150 firefighters being deployed to tackle flames in record-breaking temperatures. Now, with a second heatwave set to begin, the Met Office has issued a Heat Health Alert for Kent and Medway, and the fire service is again urging the public to do all they can to stay safe and help reduce preventable grass, crop, and woodland fires. Author's quote KFRS A...

One Housing began an investigation after residents of the block, which still has non-aluminum composite cladding installed, raised concerns about the waking watch’s response to a fire that occurred on 19 July. It concluded that “overall, it appears that the response was appropriate and timely”, but Residents have referred to the findings as “gaslighting” and a “joke”. flammable cladding The fire is believed to have started after a cigarette was thrown...

As those first on the scene to respond to disasters and emergency events, first responders prioritize the safety and well-being of the communities they serve. This often means first responders are facing dangerous and challenging situations, leading to high-stress levels and possible development of burnout, compassion fatigue, or unhealthy coping mechanisms. The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently featured 2 behavioral health resources for first responders....

This revision follows extensive consultation by NFCC, in partnership with a wealth of fire sector stakeholders, and saw over 500 comments on the guidance and accompanying Equality Impact Assessment from across the industry, including leaseholder groups. The document replaces the third edition, which was published in October 2020. The consultation and subsequent revision are the product of a review commissioned by the government following the withdrawal of the Consolidated Advice Note and the pu...

An outpatient diagnostic and rehabilitation unit at an Isle of Wight hospital has been deemed unfit for purpose due to fire safety failings. The Laidlaw unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport was found to have disconnected alarms in the roof space of the ward and ‘inadequately sized and positioned’ fire exits, as detailed in a report produced for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust. Fire safety failings This will mean that safe evacuation will be compromised, as there will be minimal w...

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published the third edition of their fire safety in construction (HSG168) guidance. HSG168 is aimed at everyone who procures, designs, develops, and manages construction sites, including clients and designers. HSG168 The document explains how everyone involved in construction projects can comply with their legal duties relating to fire risks and is relevant to all construction projects. The main changes to this edition are related to the elimination...

Since NFCC’s launch of the Person Centred Framework, fire and rescue services across the UK have been adopting the framework’s standards and methodologies. Following this success, a standardized data collection system to support Home Fire Safety Visits has been launched on their website. Standard Data Requirement The Standard Data Requirement for the Person Centred Framework is intended as best practice guidance, giving each service something to work towards. Standardized data...

The FPA’s Assembly Point podcast continues its second series with a deep dive into sprinkler and water-mist standards. In the latest episode of Assembly Point, the FPA’s suppression systems expert and Principal Consultant, Dale Kinnersley facilitate a technical discussion on sprinkler and water mist standards.  existing and new standards He is joined by Adrian Kay, Head of Technical Compliance and Quality Fire Suppression at Johnson Controls; Alan Crichton, Design Course Trai...

Consultations on implementing the new building control regime for higher-risk buildings and wider changes to the building regulations for all buildings have been announced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC). The consultations opened on 20 July, and are due to close on 12 October 2022, with relevant experts including fire safety professionals, bodies, and associations invited to participate. Consultation on implementing the new building control regime and wider...

Major incidents were declared on Tuesday 19 July 2022 by fire services in London, Leicestershire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, following a devastating outbreak of fires on the hottest recorded day in the UK. nine fires In London, over 400 firefighters were tackling at least nine fires through the night that began on Tuesday. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has detailed where their resources were sent as the day went on: 30 fire engines and 175 firefighters att...

A fire broke out in the Abbey View tower block in Watford on Tuesday 12 July 2022, caused by arson in the block’s bin storage area. The emergency services were called to the incident on Garsmouth Way, Watford at around 4:50 am, as the fire was spreading to flats on the lower floors of the 17-story block. Residents were evacuated from 94 of the tower’s flats.  Cause of fire The East of England ambulance service has confirmed that “other than one person treated on-scene f...

One in four buildings (28%) in London that have had ‘stay put’ advice suspended have been flagged up by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) for fire safety defects other than the unsafe cladding. fire safety issues These new figures, obtained by Labour’s London Assembly Fire and Resilience Spokesperson, Anne Clarke AM, reveal that as of June, 305 out of the 1099 buildings in London placed under a simultaneous evacuation policy were categorized as having ‘other fire safety i...

Building Safety and Fire Minister, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh has resigned from his position in the wake of Boris Johnson’s own resignation. During his tenure as Minister of State for Building Safety and Fire, Lord Greenhalgh was responsible for overseeing the building safety program, improving leasehold and freehold conditions for tenants, the Grenfell Tower recovery process, as well as the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Regulatory system failures Lord Greenhalgh resigned...

The owner of the Main Top Hotel on Mersey Road in West Bank, Widnes, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on 28 April, after pleading guilty to nine breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. William Scott Anthony Hanson, of Cooper Street, Widnes, was brought charges after being served a Prohibition Notice, following an inspection in June 2019, which Hanson did not comply with. Fire safety breach When Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) officers undertook the initial in...

At least one person has died and three others have been taken to hospital as a result of a fire and explosion at a block of flats on Redwood Grove, Bedford, just after 9 am on Monday 4 July. Of those affected, two people were seriously injured, and a firefighter was hospitalized for smoke inhalation after the fire. East of England Ambulance Service airlifted one person to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with leg injuries. cause of the explosion Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed...

The FPA’s expert surveyors have been conducting comprehensive, non-destructive fire compartmentation surveys and delivering detailed reports for several years.  It are delighted to announce that they have recently developed new technology to significantly improve the outputs for customers. New technology benefits Using a tablet device, FPA's software application enables their surveyors to upload building floor plans, which are used to describe the compartmentation strategy and iden...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) has posted 2 user notices that may impact certain respirators used by fire and emergency medical services providers. The NPPTL issued a May 2022 notice PDF for 3M Scott SCBA Air-Pak models manufactured between Nov. 1, 2019 and April 12, 2022. 3M Scott has received reports on the Air-Pak X3, Air-Pak X3 Pro and X3-21 Pro models referencing the primary and/or secon...

An Ofcom investigation report, released on 20 June, found Channel 4 to be in breach of its broadcasting license as some programs went almost two months without subtitles, sign language, or audio description. fire-suppressant gas system On 25 September 2021, the fire-suppressant gas system was triggered at Red Bee Media, a broadcast center that provides services such as subtitling for Channel 4, as well as the BBC and Channel 5, destroying hard disks and affecting hundreds of hours of programmi...

Improving the quality of the built environment is one of the core objectives of the Fire Protection Association, and to support this it has created one of the most versatile and comprehensive fire testing and research facilities in the UK. FPA has recently expanded our testing capabilities at its laboratory in Gloucestershire by investing in a new material identification testing service to help identify the type of insulation material used on a building. How are samples tested? A total of thr...

In incidents involving electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, responders face safety risks related to: Electric shock. Thermal runaway. Battery ignition and reignition. Stranded energy. Electric vehicle design is different for various makes and models. For safe and effective vehicle extrication, rescue, and fire suppression, responders need practical and accurate emergency response guidance specific to the unique features of each electric vehicle. Standardization ERGs that...

London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent around 60 firefighters, in eight appliances to a tower block on Queensdale Crescent, less than a mile away from Grenfell Tower, where a flat on the 12th floor was ablaze on 21 June, 2022. The LFB arrived at the scene at Stebbing House at around 9:20 am, with the fire under control by 10:55 am. The fire is believed to have been caused by a charging electric scooter. Fire risk assessment According to a report by Construction News, a recent fire risk assessment by...

Barbour has published a round-up of recent fire safety legislation changes, following a busy year for parliament. The round-up aims to provide a short, digestible precis of the many updates seen in recent months, notably following recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report. key points in fire safety legislation changes Highlighting the key points from each, users can quickly catch up on the measures to improve fire safety, which aim to drive forward reform of the Fire and...

The offenses included the failure to maintain working fire alarms and emergency lighting systems, failure to keep escape routes clear, and a lack of measures to stop fire and smoke from spreading. The charges were brought against Mr. Marshall following inspections by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who also discovered that there had not been a suitable fire risk assessment undertaken for the properties. During the inspections, conditions in one of the properties were found to be so da...

Local fire and rescue services were called to the scene on Bolton Road on Monday 6 June, where two cars were found on fire in the car park. West Yorkshire Fire Authority condemned the John Green Building on the night of the fire after discovering a swathe of fire safety defects, resulting in the property being evacuated of residents who were placed in temporary accommodation by Bradford Council. They cannot return to their homes until the landlord of the high-rise addresses the discovered fire...

Over 100 firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service were called to the Smurfit Kappa recycling plant in Nechells, Birmingham on Sunday 12 June 2022. major blaze West Midlands Fire Service sent over 30 appliances to the scene of a major blaze where “there was around 8,000 tons of compressed cardboard on fire," according to Area Commander, Sam Burton. Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the next two days. The fire was declared a major incident and saw the A47 Heartlands...

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Fire safety checks will need to be redone on more than 1,600 council homes, because of concerns previous inspections may have been conducted by unqualified officials. The revelation is the latest twist in a long-running saga, which emerged last year when Norwich City Council admitted hundreds of people in its properties were potentially put in danger because crucial safety inspections of fire, water, and electrics had not been done. Overdue gas checks Since then, £1.2 million has been s...

Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to. The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) EMS Safety Practices manual provides information to enhance the health and safety of the emergency medical services (EMS) practitioner and support the reduction of occupational illness and on-duty injuries and fatalities. 146-page manual This 146-page manual outlines how to develop a safety program that covers all aspects of EMS operations to prepare for, prevent, mitigate, and respond to all hazards. It covers safety regulations and guidelines while a...