Industry News

It has been nearly five years since the devastating fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower, which saw the loss of 72 lives. Others lost their homes, possessions, and loved ones, which changed the course of their lives forever. Since the tragic event, a public inquiry was conducted into the cause of the fire, leading the construction industry to come under heavy scrutiny. Hackitt’s Independent Review In May 2018, Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire...

Maine State Governor Janet Mills has declared Sunday, April 17, 2022 through Saturday, April 23, 2022 as Wildfire Awareness Week in the US State of Maine and called on all Maine people to do their part, in order to prevent wildfires. Maine averages over 550 wildfires annually, over ninety percent of which are caused by people. Governor Janet Mills said, “Preventing wildfires protects our economy and our environment, safeguards property and the safety of Maine people, and preserves our hea...

35 developers have pledged to pay £5bn towards fire safety remediation, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has announced. Building Safety Levy The government also announced that the Building Safety Levy will cover new residential buildings in England of all sizes, which is expected to raise a total of £5bn over the next ten years – £2bn of which will come from the 35 developers to fix their own buildings, and the remaining £3bn from a...

3M announced an additional investment of 150 million euros to proactively advance remedial actions for the Zwijndrecht community to address legacy manufacturing and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This is in addition to investments and actions the company has taken to further reduce PFAS discharges and emissions, continue running non-PFAS related manufacturing, and re-start previously idled PFAS-related manufacturing processes. Enhance environmental stewardshi...

The biggest UK fire service convoy – made up of 22 vehicles and more than 5,000 items of kit and equipment, donated by UK fire and rescue services, has been deployed to support firefighters in Ukraine, on Saturday, March 19, 2022.  More than 60 volunteers from FIRE AID and fire and rescue services are taking the convoy into Poland. It will then make its way into Ukraine, providing vitally needed equipment to support firefighters, emergency services and volunteers, battling together o...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has announced that the Data Management Fire Standard is now open for consultation, closing 27th April, 2022.  Data Management Fire Standard The Data Management Fire Standard has been developed with expert input from the NFCC Digital and Data Program, NFCC Leads for Data, Apollo Gerolymbos and Andy Hopkinson, Government Digital Services and colleagues, with data expertise from a wide range of fire and rescue services. 

Fire services across the UK are donating thousands of items of kit and equipment to be sent to Ukraine, to support firefighters on the frontline. UK charity, FIRE AID and International Development (FIRE AID), and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) are coordinating donations of more than 5,000 items of fire and rescue equipment and PPE which will be sent in convoy to Ukraine. Eighteen fire engines, thermal imaging cameras for finding victims, generators, lighting, hoses, rescue eq...

On 9 February 2022, Northern Gas Networks Ltd was sentenced for safety breaches after a fire and gas explosion at residential premises in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, resulted in the death of the homeowner. fire and explosion Leeds Crown Court heard that, on 11 February 2019, West Yorkshire Fire Service was called to a fire and explosion in Huddersfield Road, Mirfield. The occupier, Elena Frunza, was discovered during a search of the property, whilst it was still on fire. She was taken to Pinder...

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched a public consultation on draft guidance that puts fire safety at the center of the planning process for new developments. Sadiq Khan’s London Plan sets out guidance for development and building across London, with Khan stating that existing building regulations are ‘not fit for purpose’ and the progress of reform is too slow. London Plan Guidance The London Plan Guidance (LPG) relating to fire safety sets out how applicants seeki...

New guidance on cleaning and maintaining industrial and commercial kitchen extraction and ventilation systems has been published by the National Association of Air Duct Specialists UK. NAAD21 The document – NAAD21 is a collaboration between industry experts and other associations, and covers both grease and air quality. The guidance is embedded throughout the GT0F 04 SCQF Level 5 (NVQ2): Ventilation Hygiene Certificate and forms the core of the qualification, covering the practices and...

Digital technology is transforming the way the house-building industry is doing business, from making day-to-day on-site processes more efficient, to helping manage asset information, in order to ensure compliance. The question now is ‘what next?’ To answer this question, some of the sector’s renowned content providers offer their key insights about the main motivators behind the latest innovations. AI, IoT-backed devices PJ Farr, Managing Director of leading construction co...

Home fires are the most common disaster in this country and sadly, these fires claim seven U.S. lives every day. This year is proving no different. Tragically, since the beginning of 2022, 431 people have lost their lives in home fires. Since January 1, 2022, the American Red Cross has already responded to more than 10,000 home fires, providing help to more than 37,000 people. Home fire safety The American Red Cross highlights the key steps that residents can follow to help them stay safe, sh...

With constant footfall, regular cooking and many employees switching up on irregular shifts, hotels require a dedicated focus on fire safety, in order to keep everyone and the building safe at all times. If a fire breaks out in a hotel, many people will find themselves in danger. Hotel owners, managers and employees must recognize the importance of hotel fire safety, so as to prevent hundreds of people from an emergency. To keep a hotel, its staff and visitors safe, regulations need to be in pl...

As the festivities commence, a lot of us will be spending more time at home rather than outdoors, which hugely increases the risk of causing fires, which some may not be aware of. There are numerous fire hazards to be aware of, and Coopers Fire has listed some of the most common to ensure you practice Christmas fire safety as well as possible. Dry Christmas trees Real authentic Christmas trees are a beautiful addition to your home and really encourage everyone to get into the spirit of the ho...

Within just 48 hours of the government announcing the acceleration of the national vaccination program, fire and rescue services are already supporting the effort and have vaccinated hundreds of people.   Almost half a million vaccinations have been given by fire and rescue service staff this year – and this figure is set to rocket in the coming days as more services will be administering the boosters. Up to 2,500 fire and rescue services, staff could assi...

The National Weather Service is warning that critical wildfire conditions are likely in the central and southern Plains through Wednesday, one of the most significant wildfire predictions in recent history for this time of year. The wildfire threat is fueled by strong winds, lots of dry fuel, low humidity, and temperatures above normal. The American Red Cross is preparing to respond if necessary and urges everyone to follow these safety steps. Wildfire safety Be prepared to evacuate at a mo...

Many hallmarks of the holiday season, including Christmas trees, holiday decorations, cooking, and baking, present potential fire hazards that contribute to an annual increase in U.S. home fires during the winter months.  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are among the leading days of the year for home fires (topped only by Thanksgiving Day). Attention and planning "December is a leading month for home fires, in large part bec...

Firefighting is a tough job, both physically and mentally. As reported, unemployment rates are the lowest they’ve been in decades, meaning there are fewer people looking for new jobs. Those who are left in the department can be doing jobs meant for two or even three people, working days on end without a break; this added workload means additional stress and strain on the firefighters. While fewer people are seeking it out as a full-time profession, volunteering as a firefighter isn’t...

The Minister of Transportation, Dr. Ángela María Orozco Gómez, adopted the Manual for the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Road Tunnels for Colombia through Resolution 20213040058015 of December 2, 2021. Scope of the manual The manual includes the general and necessary requirements for the management of planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of tunnels, which covers the general guidelines and guidelines to be implemented by public entit...

During the festive season, fire safety is not something to overlook, particularly in an office environment. Christmas celebrations bring with them a multitude of potential fire hazards such as lights, Christmas trees, and decorations. Within minutes, a Christmas tree fire can cause a whole room to be ablaze with fire and smoke. Fire-Safe Christmas Lights While Christmas lights help to bring festive cheer, they also pose a real fire risk if they have not had Portable Appliance Testing ...

There is hardly any work that is more important than that of the fire service: rescuing, recovering, extinguishing, and protecting. The safety of people is always the top priority. The most important virtue for this mission is certainly readiness.   Fire departments place the highest requirements and expectations on themselves, but above all also on the vehicles and equipment. In operation, only 100% complete functionality and reliability count. As a basis for this, a preventive ser...

Users are all only too familiar with the “Hands, Face, Space” mantra intended to help control the spread and risk of Covid-19. Obviously, this means it has never been more important to ensure that surfaces are kept clean. This includes items such as Nittan fire alarm control panels, which have controls and touch screens used by engineers and end-users when operating them. But as with all electronic equipment, the materials used to clean them need to be chosen very carefully. Tech...

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...

Checking and inspecting fire doors is an integral part of Chubb’s portfolio of fire solutions designed to prevent, detect, and contain fires while enabling people time to safely evacuate.  Everyday use of fire doors can result in damage to the door and its surroundings, which can affect the performance of the door in the event of a fire. Chubb offers a comprehensive audit of fire doors for businesses and landlords in the UK, helping them maintain safe environments and conform to...

As Thanksgiving fast approaches, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is urging everyone to use added caution when celebrating the holiday, as Thanksgiving Day represents the leading day for home cooking fires. More than three times as many cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day as a typical day of the year. "Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday that involves lots of cooking and distractions, which can make it easy to lose sight of what’s on the stove and in the oven,” said...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released a new fact sheet highlighting some of the key takeaways in Fire in the United States Since 1980, Through the Lens of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem, a seminal research report that was released earlier this year. The new at-a-glance resource conveys key insights from the 63-page report so that fire and life safety professionals can quickly see the progress that has been made over the decades since the America Burning repo...

Regardless of where the elevator is located, one of the biggest risks when being inside one is during the event of a fire, as the elevator shaft will act as a chimney and will absorb smoke at an incredibly quick pace. According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke inhalation is more likely to be the cause of death rather than the fire itself. In commercial properties especially, many people will come and go, which creates additional risk and danger when those people are looking...

It comes as a surprise that many people would not know what to do in the event of a fire or emergency. Less than 50% of building occupants feel confident of knowing what action to take and where to evacuate to during an emergency. So, ensuring that one has a clear and simple evacuation plan in place will make all the difference if a fire were to occur – giving one and others a grasp of control should the situation arise. Creating a fire evacuation plan is also necessary in order to compl...

The legal obligations to keep a building protected and safe are still the same for a property without people or furniture inside. The duty lies with the current owner until the new owner takes possession. While an empty building can cause stress due to loss of rent, having strong safety and security procedures ensures that structures remain in good condition, personal assets are protected and one keeps the building in good shape as one begin the selling process. Who might enter an empty buildi...

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...