Building Fire Safety - News

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection announced the winners for its 2023 Passive Fire Protection (PFP) Awards on 23 November at the Association’s Awards Dinner at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London. ASFP Managing Director Mike Ward was joined by guest speaker, and comedian Hal Cruttenden, to present the awards to each worthy winner. The winners are:  ASFP Installation of the Year: Coopers Fire for its work in the Great Mosque of Mecca, Mataf Tunnels, installing a series of...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has launched its Competence Framework, a free library of information, which defines activities specific to passive fire protection (PFP) across the building lifecycle, providing a benchmark for competence for all PFP activities. The Competence Framework forms the first step on the ASFP’s Competency Pathway, which aims to support the industry in adopting a unified approach to building, evidencing and promoting competence across the PFP...

Luton Airport suffered a huge fire in its Terminal 2 multi-story car park. The fire tore through the recently modernized car park, causing a significant structural collapse, severe damage to more than 1,200 cars, and serious disruption to flights.   The car park was part of a significant £160m redevelopment project in December 2018. Despite this modernization, the fire and rescue service revealed the car park was not equipped with fire sprinklers.   A 12-hour blaze The blaze s...

The fire industry faces an exciting journey ahead, as it aligns with the vision of a sustainable, net-zero world. Paving the Way to Sustainability While the fire safety industry remains indispensable in safeguarding lives, buildings, and essential infrastructure crucial for the green transition, it’s evident that the industry faces an exciting journey ahead as it aligns with the vision of a sustainable, net-zero world. Unlike some other sectors, the fire safety industry is just beginnin...

Concerned Fire Chiefs are calling on the public’s support, as they re-launch a lifesaving campaign to protect Tyne and Wear’s most vulnerable. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s (TWFRS) Lifesaver campaign is aimed at encouraging the public to reach out and help save someone’s life. A simple telephone call, email or social media message could be the deciding factor that helps to change a friend or family member’s life forever. As part of National Safeguarding A...

A ground-breaking cancer research project has returned to the North East with more than 100 firefighters from Tyneside set to take part. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) are this week hosting a testing program commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). Back in February, the first 15 firefighters volunteered to take part in testing carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). More than 1,000 firefighters across the United Kingdom (UK) have participated by providi...

If users are well accustomed to the firefighting industry, then the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is nothing new. For decades, the NFPA has set codes and standards for all aspects of safety regarding the firefighting community. No matter what line of fire duty users are in, these guidelines have impacted users in some way. Oshkosh Airport Products explains why these NFPA guidelines matter and how users can contribute to improving the safety of the fire industry. NFPA Standar...

According to official government guidance, minor penalties for businesses that fail to follow fire safety regulations can cost up to £5,000. If the fire safety measures are deemed inadequate, fire safety officers can take action. ‘Inadequacy’ can look like plenty of things; however, the presence and condition of fire safety equipment is one of the most important factors in this assessment. Passive fire protection products With that said, compare the cost of a fire regulation...

Marking the 35th anniversary of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), they reflect on the remarkable journey of CIC and look into its future. It all began in 1988 with the establishment of the organization as the Building Industry Council (BIC) under the visionary leadership of Professor Sir Edmund (Ted) Happold, who, along with five founder members - CIBSE, CIOB, IStructE, RIBA, and RICS - laid the foundation for what was to become the Construction Industry Council. CIC now stands as a unif...

CIC, the foremost membership body representing professionals within the built environment sector, is thrilled on Wednesday, 1 November 2023 to celebrate their 35th anniversary. Since its establishment in 1988, CIC has played a pivotal role in advancing the construction industry by promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing, and excellence among professionals. visionary idea CIC was born from a visionary idea: to unite professional bodies across the diverse built environment sector. In the p...

FieldEquip, a powerful and customizable Field Service Management Software platform, takes immense pride and satisfaction in announcing that following the successful completion of the Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type 1 audit in August 2023, it has now successfully completed its Service Organization Control (SOC) 2® Type II certification. This recent accomplishment illustrates FieldEquip’s continuous commitment to creating and maintaining a secure operating environment for its...

A supermarket belonging to Russia’s Lenta food retailer chain caught fire in central St. Petersburg on Saturday, and its roof was completely destroyed, but there were no casualties, Lenta and Russian news agencies reported. Rescue services evacuated people from a shopping mall that housed the supermarket after the fire was reported at 08:30 local time, (05:30 GMT), the head office of St. Petersburg emergencies ministry said. It quickly became a huge blaze, not being brought under control...

Honeywell Gent one of the pioneering brands in fire and life safety, has launched the first fire alarm system with EN-approved self-testing smoke and heat detectors that can be tested automatically, changing the way life safety systems are commissioned, tested, and maintained. The Gent Vigilon panel with Self-Test provides scalable, reliable protection, efficient monitoring, and flexible reporting enhancing the fire engineers’ efficiency. efficient and reliable systems &ld...

Fire safety is important in any building, but in the aftermath of Grenfell Tower, additional scrutiny has been placed on tower blocks, high-rise buildings, and social housing. Given the number of occupants in these buildings and the speed at which fire can spread, the passage of flames and smoke must be inhibited through a fully compliant compartmentation strategy. passive fire protection measures Compartmentation incorporates passive fire protection measures such as fire-resistant cavity bar...

Fire poses a significant risk to the hospitality sector. Apart from causing costly damage and bringing operations to a halt, it can seriously undermine the organization’s brand. The evidence suggests fire is fairly commonplace in the industry; according to the government’s latest figures, hotels are one of the most vulnerable types of buildings, with 263 out of every 1,000 experiencing a fire in the period September 2012–September 2019. Pubs, restaurants, and takeaways fared s...

Construction projects are a community process, not just in terms of immediate impact but also in the long-term benefits they offer local areas. This concept is particularly resonant in the case of local authority construction projects, as they are partially funded by taxpayers and designed for community benefit and use. Resident Liaison Officers (RLOs) are central to the relationship between local authorities, construction companies and community members. Not only is it essential that residents...

Amthal has appointed Deane Sales to the position of Group Sales Director, following the company’s strategic shift to its senior management team and approach to fire safety and security. As one of the nation’s trusted commercial fire protection and security partners, Amthal welcomes Deane to lead the Group in its new direction, introducing his extensive insight into compliance to forge key partnerships and identify opportunities for business development. life safety solutions Deane...

Complete the Charging Your EV Future survey to help shape the future of sustainable transportation in Victoria.  effectiveness of EV fast-charging This survey is part of a collaborative research initiative, led by researchers from UVic and Royal Roads, to better understand the effectiveness of EV fast-charging infrastructure in supporting the transition to climate-friendly transportation options. These results will help inform the City’s approach to developing EV infrastructure and...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection has announced the shortlist for its 2023 Passive Fire Protection Awards, with the winners due to be announced on 23 November at the Association’s Awards Dinner at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London. As well as showcasing the award winners, the event will feature a special guest speaker, comedian Hal Crutten.  Each award recognizes excellence within the passive fire protection industry, at the company and individual levels. Shortlisted co...

The Deputy Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Stuart Stevens has released a statement on the response to Storm Babet.  Stuart Stevens, Deputy Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said, “We currently have several resources committed to support evacuations and rescues in the areas most severely impacted by Storm Babet, which primarily includes Brechin and also other areas across Tayside and Grampian." follow safety ad...

In the realm of passive fire protection, longevity and commitment to excellence are key indicators of a company's reliability and expertise. innovation, and commitment Nullifire, a renowned manufacturer of passive fire protection solutions, has recently been nominated for the prestigious Long Serving Member Award, 40 Year Gold by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).  With an impressive 40 years as a serving and proud member, Nullifire stands as a true industry pioneer,...

The Extinguishing Section of Euralarm has published a guidance document that focuses on the maintenance of condensed aerosol fire extinguishing systems/equipment controlled by electronic detection systems. This document is now available in the English, French, and German languages. Typical applications of this type of equipment include electric power generating and distribution facilities, electrical panels, machinery spaces, storage rooms, battery energy storage systems, and mobile and transpo...

Imagine the field technicians commuting more than 1000 miles for servicing and maintenance of field equipment at the customer’s site only to find that a couple of inventory parts are missing in the service truck. Now, the mere thought of driving back and forth, covering such a huge distance, to get back those missing service parts can be highly frustrating for anyone including the customers. That’s where efficient service truck inventory management comes in, which is not possible w...

Technical Guidance Document 21 clearly identifies the limited applications when BS EN 16034 can be used in the United Kingdom (UK), but goes on to state that the ASFP also recommends that in these limited occasions, where the use of a CE Marked fire curtain product is mandated, this should still be augmented with certification to BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2. There is a lot of misinformation being shared in the market about BS 8524 and the CE Marking of fire curtains, principally from resellers of p...

The devastating Luton Airport carpark terminal fire is a “Regrettable reminder of why BAFSA continues to call for sprinklers to be fitted in all modern, multi-storey carparks,” BAFSA’s chief executive, Ali Perry has said. “Almost all modern cars are significantly larger, more massive and contain much greater amounts of plastic than ever before. They produce fires which are larger and propagate much faster than was previously possible. When electric vehicles catch fire, f...

Around 4,000 visitors are expected to attend the VdS-FireSafety Cologne 2023 on 6 and 7 December 2023. Thanks to its growing success, the international trade fair will be held for the first time in the larger Hall 10.1 at Koelnmesse, which offers more space for stands and live demonstrations.  Around 140 exhibitors will present their latest fire protection solutions there, while a varied specialist program will be offered in parallel on the trade fair stage. In addition, seven VdS-exp...

The fire protection industry is amid some exciting technological developments. While the core tenets of fire protection remain the same, new products allow for solutions that are more efficient and sustainable, not to mention safer. In this article, CLM will highlight some of the most recent advances in fire protection technology, and how they can transform the industry. SCot in fire protection The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to revolutionize everyday objects. In essence, the t...

The Victoria Fire Department is partnering with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote Fire Prevention Week (October 8 to 14, 2023). This year’s theme is Cooking Safety Starts With YOU!TM. The annual public safety campaign raises awareness on how to plan ahead to keep people and their families safe in the event of a fire. Fire Prevention Week “In British Columbia, injuries, deaths and losses from household fires continue to rise at an unacceptable level. Cooki...

Firefighter Ryan Witkowski, who is part of the White Watch at Perth Community Fire Station, received a Brave@Heart award as well as the St. Andrew’s Award Medal for his part in rescuing eight people from a fire while he was off-duty. The event was held at Edinburgh Castle on Tuesday, 3 October, 2023. role as a firefighter After receiving the award, Firefighter Ryan Witkowski, said “It just felt normal to respond because of my role as a firefighter, but it was difficult for my...

In honor of fire prevention month, First Alert, the most trusted brand in fire safety, is reminding consumers about the simple precautions they can take to help protect what matters most from a fire or carbon monoxide (CO) emergency. Marking its 65th anniversary, First Alert and the fire service industry are coming together to educate communities about the importance of being prepared before an emergency strikes. Fire-safety protection “Helping families protect their homes and the momen...