Amthal Fire & Security - Experts & Thought Leaders

Amthal Group Companies has proudly announced Reece Paprotny as its new Managing Director, highlighting an impressive journey from apprentice to pioneer guided by a company-wide commitment to personal growth and development. Reece joined Amthal as a Finance Apprentice in 2015 and has since demonstrated exceptional skills, dedication, and leadership. He joined the Senior Management team in 2018 and was promoted to Commercial Director in 2023. Reece Paprotny “Reece’s journey from an Apprentice to Managing Director is a testament to his hard work, talent, and the strong culture of growth and development at Amthal,” said Jamie Allam, CEO of Amthal Group Companies. “At a time when there is much discussion of a skills shortage in our sector, what it shows is our commitment to nurturing talent from within and recognizing team members with leadership skills who demonstrate a willingness to embrace our purpose, mission, vision, and values.” New responsibilities His experience and deep understanding of the company’s values and objectives position him as a key figure In his role, Reece will be responsible for driving strategic initiatives, overseeing day-to-day operations, and spearheading innovative projects to enhance Amthal Group’s market presence and commitment to customer service excellence. His experience and deep understanding of the company’s values and objectives position him as a key figure in guiding working toward the company’s future goals and ambitions. Reece's comments Reece adds, “I am excited to embrace the role of Managing Director. It’s a position I have accepted with the potential to drive innovation, foster growth, and lead our team forward. I also hope it can be seen as a pathway to demonstrate the real opportunities available in our sector." “It's a chance to give back to a company and Senior Leadership Team that has been a significant part of my professional journey, one that has profoundly shaped my career growth and development. Contributing to its continued success feels like a meaningful way to honor the support and opportunities I've received along the way.”

As a prestigious apartment development, Britannic Park has entrusted IPL Maintenance Services, an Amthal Group Company, with the critical task of ensuring compliance with their fire safety systems. Based in the heart of Moseley, Birmingham, the apartments are spread over three blocks, with facilities available to all the residents, including an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, and concierge service. IPL scope of work The IPL scope of work includes monthly visual inspections and bi-annual maintenance checks on fire alarms, emergency lights, fire extinguishers, and dry risers. This has to be coordinated with access to each apartment for maintenance checks, ensuring minimal disruption to residents. Anj Asghar, Estates Manager at Britannic Park, said "Compliance with fire safety legislation for both the Britannic Park estate site and our residents is critical. It’s something we have come to rely on IPL to deliver, with total peace of mind that we are in full compliance." fire safety maintenance Anj Asghar adds, "Each visit requires meticulous planning and collaboration, to accommodate the varying schedules and special requirements of our residents. IPL Engineers not only understand this but are always so accommodating, allowing essential fire safety maintenance to be carried out efficiently. We even receive comments on how friendly the team is, for which we are very grateful." inspection and maintenance check IPL works closely with the estate management team to develop a detailed schedule to outline the maintenance activities IPL works closely with the estate management team to develop a detailed schedule to outline the maintenance activities for each block and apartment. This is used to communicate to residents in advance, allowing them to prepare for the visits. As per fire safety legislation, each inspection and maintenance check is documented with attention to detail in a log that is kept and accessible to the authorized estates team to ensure compliance and safety. customer-centric approach Simon Parr, IPL Operations Manager, said, "The continued success here is evident in the long-term working partnership we have built up with Anj and the team to execute the maintenance activities across the apartment blocks. Every maintenance visit, is akin to a military operation, demanding precision, flexibility, and a deep understanding of the residents’ needs." He continues, "Our engineers are always briefed on specific requirements or preferences ensuring we approach each apartment with the necessary sensitivity and care. And often have to cater for last minute changes requested." Simon Parr adds, "All while also maintaining our duty to carry out and record all necessary checks on fire safety equipment. It comes together to highlight our customer-centric approach as a trusted provider of fire safety maintenance services."

Amthal has extended its service to become an internationally trusted provider of fire protection solutions, working closely with key clients in the Oil & Gas, Data Center, Petroleum, Energy, and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) sectors.  The UK-based fire safety and security specialist has recently completed the first of three fire & suppression pump packages for an energy project in the Middle East. The program of works involved the installation and commissioning of fire protection solutions tailored to the specific needs of the client's modular units. Stringent safety requirements  Amthal installed main and reserved water mist systems connected to a detection system Amthal installed both main and reserve water mist systems connected to a detection activation and alarm system. Watermist technology was chosen for its effectiveness in suppressing fires while minimizing water usage and collateral damage. The internal environment of the enclosure was classified as hazardous, requiring specialized equipment to ensure safety. Amthal utilized ATEX-certified equipment, including lighting and control systems, to meet the stringent safety requirements. Local safety regulations Says Dave Pountney, IPL (Amthal Group Company) Business Development Manager: “The scope of works for the project was significant in being a highly hazardous environment, where it was critical to understand the dynamics involved. Designing fire protection solutions that could be seamlessly integrated into the client's modular units while meeting strict space and weight limitations." “We worked closely with the client to address these challenges and deliver tailored fire protection solutions. Our team conducted extensive risk assessments, research and testing to select the most suitable equipment and materials for the project. We also collaborated with regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with local safety regulations.” Reliability of the fire protection systems All control and status panels were manufactured using 316 stainless steel All control and status panels were manufactured using 316 stainless steel, known for its corrosion resistance and durability. This ensured the longevity and reliability of the fire protection systems, even in harsh environmental conditions. Deane Sales, Group Sales Director at Amthal Group Companies added: “The successful completion of the first fire water pumps package demonstrates Amthal's commitment to delivering high-quality fire protection solutions. The client was impressed with the performance and reliability of the installed systems, paving the way for future collaboration on the remaining phases of the project.” Fire protection solutions  Sales added: “Amthal's expertise in designing, supplying, installing, and commissioning fire protection solutions has positioned us as a trusted partner for global clients in the energy sector." "By leveraging innovative technologies and adhering to the highest safety standards for guaranteed compliance, we ensure the total protection of assets, personnel, and the environment in critical industrial environments.”

The fire industry has made it absolutely clear, led by authorized bodies including the BAFE Fire Safety Register, that the current pandemic does not remove the need to comply with any fire safety requirements under the Building Regulations. As we now look beyond the lockdown period, John Allam, Operations Director at Amthal Fire and Security reviews the raft of new proposals demonstrating the Government and industry’s commitment to compliant fire safety and new immediate demands placed on responsible persons. Multi-Occupancy residential buildings Whilst the second phase of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has been put on hold until July at the earliest over coronavirus restrictions, the government has continued its quest to effect change and bring the Fire Safety Bill and Building Safety Bill into legislation. While the Building Safety Bill will ‘place new and enhanced regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products’, both bills aim to strengthen the ‘whole regulatory system’ for both building and fire safety. The Fire Safety Bill will apply to England and Wales, to amend the Fire Safety Order 2005 and seeks to clarify responsibility for reducing fire risk in multi-occupancy residential buildings. The details of the Fire Safety Bill, which has now had its second reading in the House of Commons, includes recommendations of regular inspections of lifts and sprinkler systems for buildings over 11m tall. Quarterly fire door inspections Building owners will now face ‘enforcement action’ from emergency services if they do not manage fire risk Significantly, it also introduces compulsory quarterly fire door inspections, which is a hugely significant development in its own right, to influence an industry where this is no specific legislation that requires fire doors to be checked. The Fire Safety Bill intends to ensure evacuation plans are reviewed, regularly updated and communicated to residents in a ‘form that they can be reasonably be expected to understand.’ And it highlights the importance of individual flat entrance doors, where the external walls of the building have unsafe cladding, comply with current standards. This will play a key part in increasing residents’ fire safety, whereby building owners will now face ‘enforcement action’ from emergency services if they do not manage fire risk in a building’s structure. Improving the fire safety of buildings In addition, the government is consulting with the National Fire Chiefs Council to begin testing evacuation alert systems for high-rise blocks of flats, which could support fire and rescue services’ operational response by alerting residents if they need to escape. The National Fire Chiefs Council to begin testing evacuation alert systems for high-rise blocks of flats The new program will be governed by a Building Safety Regulator (BSR) that will initially be led by Dame Judith Hackitt during the set up phase, who will be tasked with improving the fire safety of buildings. Launched by The RT Hon Robert Jenrick MP Secretary Of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, he cited the new program as taking, “Ambitious steps to further reform the building safety system with the biggest changes in a generation to ensure residents are safe in their homes.” He added: “This new regime will put residents’ safety at its heart, and follows the announcement of the unprecedented £1 billion fund for removing unsafe cladding from high-rise buildings in the budget.” Major regulatory decisions The BSR will be responsible for all major regulatory decisions made at key points during design, construction, occupation and refurbishment of buildings. And such decisions and obligations must be upheld and maintained throughout a development’s life. The new safety case regime will apply not only to new buildings, but also to buildings that are already in use" In Dame Judith’s own words: “When introduced by the new regulator, the new safety case regime will apply not only to new buildings, but also to buildings that are already in use and occupied. If those buildings were built to poor standards in the past, it will not be the case that you can simply say ‘well it complied with building regulations at the time’. The test will be different. The test will be ‘is this building safe to be occupied?’ and, if not, what are you going to do to improve it?’ … People will be asked to think about what they can do, what is reasonable and what is practicable to do in order to improve the safety of a given building.” Regulating the fire safety industry Both Hackitt and the Government want the BSR to be set up in shadow form before the Building Safety Bill becomes law. The plan is to put the bill before Parliament by the autumn, despite the challenges thrown by the Pandemic. The new legislation proposed by Government will undoubtedly ensure that buildings and those that live and work in them are maintained to be fire safe. In the words of BAFE CEO Stephen Adams: “The time is right to help better regulate the fire safety industry to change end user behavior and create a UK that's safer from the devastating effects of fire.” As BAFE further attests, as lockdown measures begin to be lifted, there will be a need for the competent maintenance of fire safety systems/provisions and fire risk assessment work. Fire doors and risk assessments Amthal is working closely with building owners and managers across the UK to deliver the benefits of safer environment This means for those who own or manage residential buildings, will soon be ‘held into account’ if they do not ensure fire safety in their buildings, and the requirements will impact further on costs and resource allocation, for investigating buildings and ensuring compliance. There is a definite sense to be proactive in acceptance of the new impending legislation. But the concern cited amongst building owners is the industry’s ability to undertake the volume of assessments required, given the lack of current lack of specific legislation on specific elements such as fire doors and risk assessments, together with the steep expectations for fire strategy and evacuation plans. Amthal is working closely with building owners and managers across the UK to deliver the benefits of safer environment within a holistic fire safety approach. Working in partnership, means taking the time to understand the implications of the Government’s Fire Safety Bill, alongside the implications of the Building Safety Bill and BSR program. This way, we can ensure responsible persons confidently achieve all operational requirements for the ultimate benefit of residents’ peace of mind.