Fire Doors news

Envirograf has announced testing its latest solution, Envirowall, a fire-resistant eco panel that offers effective passive fire protection, thermal performance, as well as sound absorption. Envirowall eco panels Over 50 experimental tests have been carried out for Envirowall eco panels, achieving 133 minutes of fire integrity, insulation, and load-bearing. Acoustic performance has been tested, in accordance with BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010:45 (-2;-7) dB, achieving a thermal U-value of 0.40 W/sq. m...

A London Fire Brigade investigation into a residential high-rise fire in Poplar revealed that the building’s ventilation systems failed to clear toxic smoke from escape routes putting the lives of residents at risk. In a report published on 1 June, fire investigators found that smoke detectors on the floor of the fire failed to operate the Automatic Opening Vent (AOV) and the cross-corridor fire doors. This meant that the smoke collected in the hallways and prevented the safe escape...

A court has quashed an appeal brought by a restaurant owner against a hefty fine after a fire revealed major fire safety breaches in the premises. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service originally brought a prosecution against Beta UK Ltd who owns Malik’s Restaurant in Cookham, Berkshire. The case was heard by Reading Magistrate’s Court in October 2020. Fire at Malik’s Restaurant in Cookham, Berkshire Police have said they think the attack was an attempt to endanger lives"...

Hammersmith and Fulham Council have appointed Kier Places to carry out remedial fire safety works across its 17,000 housing stock over the next five years. The list of capital works includes upgrades to firefighting equipment in housing blocks as well as work on sprinklers. With continuing concerns across the country about the state of external walls on high-rise residential buildings, the contract includes external façade remediation along with new window installations. deliver a quali...

A court in Preston fined the former owner of the Plaza Beach Hotel in Blackpool £15,000 for multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order that saw it treated as an unofficial HMO. Findings Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service first visited the hotel in September 2017 and prohibited its use after finding: Several members of staff sleeping in the basement with inadequate fire detection, Fire separation throughout the hotel was inadequate, Fire doors would not close, Combustible materials...

Portsmouth City Council is investing £9.5 million over the next five years in retrofitting sprinklers in high-rise blocks as part of a £22 million package of fire safety measures. The announcement comes at the start of the NFCC’s Sprinkler Safety Week and is supported by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service working in partnership with the city. retrofit program The retrofit program was due to start but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The council carr...

The new Be Certain, Be Certified awareness campaign offers free guidance and resources to highlight the importance of third-party certification of fire doors in improving fire safety standards across the UK. third-party certification Third-party certification of fire doors provides independent evidence of the performance of a fire door and ensures that its performance data was not a one-off result. The campaign also gives expert insight into the third-party certification of fire doo...

The decision by Southampton City Council to fit sprinklers in all its high-rise residential blocks proves right with yet another fire quickly extinguished.   importance of sprinklers Firefighters from the newly combined Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire in a flat on the 21st floor of a tower block in Southampton this week. The first crew was on the scene within three minutes and found that a cooker fire in the kitchen was already out on arriva...

A fire investigation has concluded at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, which was undertaken following a fire at the premises on Tuesday evening, April 13, 2021. The investigation determined that the cause of the fire was accidental. The significant fire was brought under control and extinguished by firefighters and rescue personnel belonging to the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. However, effective fire safety measures already placed at the hotel helped contain the fire to th...

Building on the themes explored in its ‘Managing Fire Risk in the Fifth Façade’ session, ROCKWOOL is set to present a panel discussion on ‘Designing Compliance in the Fifth Façade’ at London Build Online (15th – 24th March 2021), the UK’s largest virtual event for the construction industry. The session, which will take place on 18th March 2021 (9:30 am), brings together experts from across the industry for a detailed discussion of compliance cri...

Roadmap to ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions should prompt reviews on building fire safety. Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined the Government roadmap “to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions”. Step two of this roadmap, to occur no earlier than 12th April, notes the return of mass non-essential businesses opening for customers. BAFE must stress once again that fire safety obligations continue as normal. What is important about this roadmap is that buildings opening soon contin...

European-based fire detection manufacturer, Global Fire Equipment (GFE), has appointed Sudeep Dalvi as Technical Support Engineer to cater to the company’s growing customer base in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, South East Asia, and the Middle East. Sudeep will be responsible for providing advanced technical support for GFE’s partners’ installation and service teams, developing and delivering technical training, as well as writing technical specifications for GFE’s...

Incorrectly, or non-installed, passive fire protection is often described as a building’s “hidden” risk. A hidden risk that doesn’t always present itself visually to building users, occupiers, and owners.  Indicators of these issues often only present themselves at the fire risk assessment stage, and even then, it is habitually the case that a more extensive compartmentation inspection or fire door inspection becomes necessary to fully understand the extent of the p...

A home from home, 3,500 miles from Airport Road, Waterford, the USA to Airport Business Park, Waterford, Ireland; Safety Technology International announces the acquisition of a new European Distribution Hub. Sharing striking similarities with the address of the US Headquarters, the new European Distribution Hub in Waterford, Ireland boasts circa 100 square meters of modern office space, together with 420 square meters of warehouse and storage – providing almost 230 pallet spaces. Strateg...

Envirograf is continuing business as normal throughout the lockdown period. The safety of the staff and clients are the highest priority, and they have swiftly adapted to creating safer office operations ensuring safe distances are adhered to. Any orders placed online or by telephone are being handled as quickly as possible. For any business enquiries, please contact Envirograf online or call.

“Having joined the company just five weeks before lockdown last year, it’s been one of the more unusual starts to a new role! But just over 12 months in, and I can honestly say that ROCKWOOL has been extremely supportive in helping me to realise my ambitions for developing my team,” explains Annemarie Shotton, National Sales Manager – Merchants & DIY. Despite the challenges of navigating a sales landscape that is traditionally driven by networking and industry events...

A successful prosecution was brought by Royal Berkshire Fire Authority against a business owner following several serious fire safety breaches. The then business owner - Mr. Sharhan Safie of Paya Restaurant, London Street in Reading, pleaded guilty to nine charges all relating to breaches of the Fire Safety Order at Reading Magistrates Court on 8 November 2019. Nature of breaches Mr. Safie failed to undertake a fire risk assessment and to take adequate fire safety arrangements Following a fi...

In relation to the Government’s latest announcement regarding coronavirus, Envirograf will be continuing business as usual. Any customer inquiries or orders by phone or online will be processed accordingly with delivery times scheduled as normal. Envirograf has taken appropriate measures on-site to ensure the safety of the staff and visitors. Sanitizer is available throughout the building, with a temperature checker in reception, including guide markings on the grounds to allow for a...

Passive fire protection systems are built into all construction parts of a building such as the walls, floors, ceilings, and doors, etc. The purpose of passive fire protection systems is not to extinguish a fire but instead to help contain a fire to its origin. The way this is done is by compartmentalizing the building, so if a fire starts in one room or section of the building it doesn’t spread to other parts of the building. If the fire wasn’t compartmentalized then the structure...

The UK Home Office released a detailed analysis on the latest UK Fire Statistics. The documents call attention to the numerous dangers of fires within dwellings and other properties. These dangers included misuse of appliances, cooking appliances, accidental and malicious fires, and smokers’ materials. The document also covered fire-rescue response times and fire fatalities recorded during the course of April 2018 to March 2019. The documents serve as a reminder to property owners, occupi...

Safety Technology International welcomes Esther Cottrell back to the company after more than seven years of absence. Having worked for the company almost 13 years before leaving, Esther brings a wealth of industry experience and product knowledge with her. The family owners in the USA have welcomed Esther’s return and Managing Director Steve Hunt said, “It is unfortunate Esther left STI when I arrived in 2013, as I am sure her career would have developed with the growth of the compa...

From the structural situation to the hazards to possible reactions for care management and staff: the Joint Committee on Fire Prevention Education and Fire Safety Education of the German Fire Brigades Association (DFV) and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has worked up the topic of 'Behavior in case of fire in care facilities' with a technical recommendation. "Offered is an easy-to-read guide that provides the necessary background information to be able to make...

A fire door is much more than ‘just a door’; forming a crucial cog in the life safety wheel, a fire door is pivotal in providing the passive fire protection that is often the difference between life and death. However, it is worryingly common for fire doors to be dangerously held ajar risking the safety of occupants with fire and smoke-free to spread unhindered. 64% of premises visited by the Fire Service had their fire doors wedged open – universities halls of residence, hote...

The launch of the Government’s ‘Back to School Safely’ campaign following the announcement that all educational facilities will reopen from the beginning of the autumn term. Following the opening of nurseries, schools, and colleges, the government has advised schools to implement a range of protective measures in order to mitigate the risk of the virus being spread. six preventative actions The six preventative actions which have been outlined by Gov.UK and Public Healt...

To prepare for its reopening, Scarth Memorial Hall in County Durham has chosen the Agrippa door holder to support their COVID prevention strategy and reduce door handle contact. Agrippa door holder Built in 1875, the Scarth Memorial Hall is a Victorian building that has served its community for over a century, such as providing facilities to soldiers during the Second World War. Ensuring that the property’s character remained intact when implementing COVID prevention measures was of high...

When a CO2 extinguisher is used in a confined space there is a danger that the user may become overwhelmed by the sudden increase in carbon dioxide emissions. This occurs as CO2 is an asphyxiant, and the confined space means oxygen will be replaced by CO2 much faster. Using powder extinguishers Similarly, care must also be taken when using powder extinguishers. When the powder is discharged it can impair visibility and impact the breathing of the user, possibly jeopardizing their escape. The...

With recent developments in the approach out of lockdown, Fire and Rescue Services nationwide have been publishing useful advice and guidance for commercial/non-domestic buildings. A recent news item published by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) for example, announced a new fire safety leaflet “Returning to Work after COVID-19 Lockdowns” noting important fire safety measures that should continue to be followed to adhere to legislation. new safety measures BAFE has...

Reducing the spread of germs and bacteria has never been more essential. Holding open internal doors provides an easy and effective method of infection control within your workplace or business. The Agrippa door holder provides a hygienic and legally compliant solution to hold open internal fire doors, supporting infection control as well as building fire safety. Reducing door handle contact A study by the New England Medical Journal, which researched the survival of coronavirus on several su...

WYFRS recommends reviewing the fire assessment as soon as possible after returning from lockdown and systems and provisions are maintained to check they are working correctly. Stephen Adams, Chief Executive–BAFE, commented: “We are pleased to see Fire and Rescue Service information mirrors what BAFE has been advising as we begin the process of returning to a ‘new normal’. Many business premises will have changed the way they operate due to new coronavirus safety measures...

Instead of the Fire Safety Event, which was meant to take place in late April 2020 (postponed until September 2020), Nineteen Group hosted an online webinar event (15/05/2020) to discuss current fire topics. Several notable fire safety specialists discussed different topics, but the overarching topic was how the coronavirus pandemic will affect fire safety and any additional changes it will require. COVID-19 safety measures Niall Rowan, CEO - ASFP, noted Dame Judith Hackitt’s comments t...