Fire Sprinklers news

The safety of a building is something that simply mustn’t be overlooked. Ensuring that everyone within the facility is safe at all times should be a top priority for all organizations. Fire poses a real threat to buildings of all shapes and sizes. Data from the UK government shows that more than 167,000 fires in England were attended to by the fire and rescue services in 2017/18, 74,000 of which were primary fires. This resulted in 334 fire-related fatalities. It’s therefore absolu...

Whether it is a new business starting out or one that’s been established for a while, if there is a need of a quick recap on fire risk assessment responsibilities, One may read on. The article will be covering: who is responsible for fire risk assessments? the responsibilities associated with ensuring fire risk assessments are carried out, the importance of carrying out fire risk assessments, the consequences of failing to carry out a fire risk assessment, and who is responsible for ensur...

For many employers, a fire breaking out on their premises is a nightmare scenario. Unfortunately for some, it can become a reality. The best way to prevent this from happening and to keep your property safe is to understand the most common fire risks for your workplace. This article will outline how common certain types of fire are in the workplace, and how one can prevent them from occurring.   Electrical equipment According to Fireward, electrical fires account for 25% of workplace bl...

Every business needs working fire alarms to draw people’s attention to a possible emergency situation, together with a comprehensive and well-understood evacuation procedure so that its staff and any visitors know exactly what they need to do in the event of a fire on the premises. The primary function of any fire safety procedure is, of course, to give everyone the very best chance of exiting the building safely in the event of a fire. However, it can be just as important to have a desi...

Electrical fires are among the most common types of domestic fire, with approximately 20,000 happening in UK homes every year. Of these, most are caused by electrical items (89%), with the rest being as a result of faults in electrical installations (i.e. the wiring, fusebox, lighting circuit, etc.) or through misuse of those installations. Among the most common electrical fires are those caused by cooking appliances, laundry appliances, lighting, portable heaters, and televisions. Knowing how...

No sprinklers were fitted at Grenfell, partly because at the time there was no legal requirement for them – for residential buildings, sprinkler systems were only a necessity for those at least 30 meters high and built after 2007. Although over twice that height, Grenfell Tower was constructed between 1972 and 1974. The law was updated in November 2020, so that all blocks of flats that are new or have undergone significant conversions, and are at least 11 meters high, now need to be fitte...

Cavities are found throughout buildings of all types. They are created by the way the structural elements of a building fit together, leaving often hidden gaps that serve no function. Common places to find cavities are in external walls and ceiling voids. When a cavity exists in an external wall, it can act in the same way as a chimney – in the event of a fire at ground floor level, that means it can draw the flames and heat up to the higher floors. That in turn allows a fire to spread th...

When it comes to fire safety in a commercial organization, every business has a duty of care to its staff and any others on the company premises, as specified in The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005. That includes ensuring that appropriate training is provided to keep everyone safe in the event of a fire in the workplace. However, fire safety in the office is a complex matter, and it’s vital that whoever takes on the responsibility is fully aware of all the issues involved. This...

Fires come in a number of different types, and depending exactly what it is that is on fire, one needs to use different kinds of extinguishers to put them out. That’s because some extinguishers are more effective at putting out certain fires, while others can be positively dangerous when used at the wrong time, such as using a water-based extinguisher on an electrical or kitchen fire. One common fire extinguisher that one likely to come across in many work environments directs carbon diox...

There are a number of tools at the disposal of those tasked with preventing fires from wreaking damage on their commercial premises. Some are there to reduce the chances of a fire happening in the first place, some are there to prevent a fire from spreading and some are there to put out a fire. Among the tools that can be used to put out a fire are what are called ‘fire suppression systems’. This article will examine what they are, how they work, the different types of fire suppress...

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, has expanded the Tyco® RM-2 Riser Manifold product offering with the launch of two versatile, economically focused RM-2 Base models that complement the fully-integrated RM-2 Riser Manifold. The riser manifolds support fire safety by supplying, monitoring, and regulating water flow to a building’s fire suppression piping system. The new base models are a cost-effective and easy transition arrangement to...

Purpose built to compartmentalize fire and smoke, fire doors are recognized as a critical element of passive fire protection and exist in practically every building where we work, sleep, and live. Such is their importance; they are acknowledged by several professional bodies and are a legal requirement in non-domestic premises and houses in multiple occupations (HMOs). Day to day we use them without a thought, yet fire doors consist of much more than a simple piece of furniture. A fire door is...

On the premises of the Magna Powertrain Engineering Center in St. Valentin, perfect test conditions are currently being created especially for automated driving. Digitrans is expanding the existing test track into a test center for automated driving. A special highlight is the outdoor sprinkler system, unique in Europe, which was developed together with the spray technology expert AQUASYS and is already attracting international interest. Outdoor sprinkler system The dedicated expansion of the...

Cummins Inc. announced that, effective November 2, Steve Pinkston is being named the Rocky Mount Engine Plant (RMEP) Plant Manager. Pinkston will replace John Judd, who, also effective November 2, is being named the North America Operations Leader for Cummins-Meritor. Pinkston will be the 13th plant manager since the plant opened in Whitakers, North Carolina in 1981. The midrange diesel and natural gas engine plant has manufactured nearly 5 million engines and produces engines for more than 500...

The National EMS Education Standards (the Standards) PDF have been updated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Standards are a core element of a nationwide integrated system approach to developing emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians who are competent in the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for their licensure level. They define the competencies, clinical behaviors, and judgments required of EMS personnel to perform their roles. 1996 EMS Agend...

A new version of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Program Planning Toolkit has been designed to aid alerting authorities and alert originators at federal, state, local, tribal and territorial levels in developing an alerting program plan using best practices. The new interactive, web-based toolkit walks the user through an alerting plan template in 5 steps, resulting in a downloadable, formatted draft of a comprehensive alerting plan tailored to their agency's operational...

Queensland has its first Crisis Stabilization Unit at Robina Hospital. Gold Coast Health is one of the first health services in Australia to introduce this new model of care. The main reason for the new unit was to divert patients in acute mental health crises away from emergency departments and into a comfortable, therapeutic, and home-like environment to ease their crisis. Designed by clinicians and people with lived experience, the unit provides a less clinical, more home-like and therapeuti...

Evolution, the integrated international fire and security systems business, has launched a new dedicated Life Safety Systems division to provide a range of specialist services and solutions to new and existing clients. The new division will build on the company’s 26 years of experience, expertise, and success of its fire safety systems team, to deliver a range of new services and technologies to accommodate a broader portfolio of environments and risks. Service and solutions  It wi...

The Department for Education (DfE) has been criticized for failing to outline "crucial" advice about fire safety in new school buildings across England. On 24 September 2022, a Schools Week exclusive highlighted growing concerns over the continued delay of the DfE in publishing its final report on fire safety advice for new schools in England. This is despite having already received feedback from its most recent consultation in 2021. Fire Safety Design for Schools  The consultation,...

The LPC Sprinkler Rules for Automatic Sprinkler Installations is the UK's most significant sprinkler installation standard which incorporates the full BS EN 12845:2015+A1:2019 standard and related Technical Bulletins. Published by the FPA, this document has recently been updated to incorporate new Technical Bulletins and update existing ones to provide a specification designed to ensure the highest reasonably practical levels of property protection, life safety, and resilience to fire can be ac...

Ramtech’s Content Marketing Manager Jon Bennett looks at how safety protection has evolved over time. In this series, Jon looks back 41 years to an infamous fire in Las Vegas. Would or could this disaster still happen now? Background It’s a Friday morning in November 1980 at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas. No doubt it was a busy time, especially heading into the weekend. In fact, there were around 5,000 people on site that morning, across the casino, entertainment, and...

Fire risk is one of the biggest threats to Construction sites. John Harrison, Sales Director at Ramtech, explains the dynamic security needs of construction sites, including how fire during construction, alteration, or demolition operations can be eliminated or controlled through early planning, scheduling, rapid communication, and on-site security. It is no secret that construction sites are full of potential hazards, and without the right protection, it is generally accepted that a constructi...

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs) released a joint statement PDF warning firefighters that synthetic chemicals in their protective gear are associated with various health risks, including an increased risk of liver and kidney cancer. The chemicals responsible are a group of fluorinated compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances commonly referred to as PFAS. They are used in firefighter turnout gear to incr...

Water mist systems use finely dispersed water to fight fires, thus displacing oxygen and absorbing heat – combining the effects of gas extinguishing and traditional sprinkler systems. The small droplet sizes (≤1 mm diameter) significantly enhance the effect of the water used, also minimizing water damage. VdS now backs up manufacturers, as well as users with a basic product standard, systematically testing effectiveness and reliability. New regulations for Water mist systems Until no...

Community members and business owners must understand the importance of protecting their structures from ember and fire exposures (radiant, conductive, and convective heat). Preparing for all fire exposures, not picking and choosing only one, is vital for improving home and building survival chances. Information for the community Wildfires spread primarily by: Ember generation and deposition: Burning or smoldering pieces of material generated during a wildfire event can land on combustible...

Get a 2-page Checklist for Communications Technology in Training and Exercises PDF that provides planning and evaluation considerations for statewide interoperability coordinators and other emergency preparedness personnel when incorporating new communications technology into a training or exercise. The checklist Offered by the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators' Planning, Training and Exercise committee, the checklist, developed directly from emergency communications...

Landing a medical helicopter is a delicate operation that requires skilled flight crews and trained personnel on the ground following well-rehearsed, pre-planned procedures for the safety of all involved. Fire and emergency medical services agencies can access free resources to review their procedures for establishing a safe air medical transport landing zone: A June 2022 FirefighterCloseCalls.com article provides tips and links to training videos on landing zone safety. Responder Safety Le...

Integrations will enable alerting authorities to disseminate wireless emergency alerts to the public in near real-time through vehicle navigation and entertainment systems. The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate concluded a proof-of-concept demonstration of the wildland urban interface (WUI) integration model that integrates next-generation technologies with FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and GPS navigation applications and cutting-ed...

Amthal has worked in partnership with Abels Moving Services Ltd to deliver an all-encompassing takeover and upgrade of the fire safety and security solution at its central site. Based in London, Abels Moving Services is one of the UK’s pioneer specialist international moving companies.  Recognized for its high commitment to quality, since 1988 and renewed in 2016, it has held a royal warrant to Her Majesty the Queen for removals and storage services. With specialist teams also renow...

To use the fluorine-free foams currently on the market safely and effectively, fire departments will need to adopt different tactics and new training on how to select, use and dispose of these new foams. Fire Service Roadmap outlines the transition from the fluorinated aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) currently used to extinguish flammable liquid (Class B) fires to fluorine-free foams (FFFs). AFFFs going away AFFFs use of a class of chemicals containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances,...