Fire Safety Policies - News

The Government has confirmed that verification bodies for the UK ETS scheme do not need to be registered as a UK legal entity or have an office in the UK, but they shall need to hold the appropriate accreditation (ISO 14065) from the UK’s National Accreditation Body, i.e. UKAS. The UKAS assessment will take into account any relevant accreditation where this has been granted by a National Accreditation Body that is a signatory to the EA Multilateral Agreement (MLA) and, where such accredit...

As a direct result of the findings of the Hackitt Report and subsequent government focus on the recommendations for the wider fire safety environment, FIREX International, the UK’s fire industry tradeshow, has taken the decision to fully commit to supporting and promoting third-party approvals, independent accreditation, and competency for construction products and services. This will mean all exhibiting companies with relevant fire protection or prevention systems and materials will need...

UK Building Regulations regularly update the importance of fire safety compliance for building structures and require all buildings to have adequate fire protection measures in place, in order to protect both property and lives. Regular fire risk assessments Regular fire risk assessments and monitoring of the quality of buildings ensure that no corner of a building remains unprotected. Most types of buildings are well-equipped with fire extinguishers, alarms and other fire safety measures, so...

Fire protection solutions manufacturer, Advanced, has published a free e-book that explores fire safety in high-rise residential buildings and how it can be improved. ‘Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings: BS 8629 and Beyond’ is a resource for fire industry professionals who are facing changing regulations, ever-evolving technologies, and an array of competing options for protecting high-rise residents from fire. Features of the e-book The e-book examines the impact of Grenfell...

Following the success of the virtual roundtable discussion last November at London Build Online, have arranged another one this November – this time in person – at the London Build Expo 2021, taking place at Olympia, London, UK, between 17 November and 18 November 2021. While the first discussion looked at the importance of early engagement in fire stopping mostly from the design point of view, are planning to build the forthcoming discussion around the coordination and management o...

Shortly before 2.30 pm, the Computer Aided Dispatch and telephony systems experienced a failure. The national contingency plan was enacted and 999 calls were rerouted to neighboring ambulance services while the fault was traced and fixed. The systems are up and running. East of England Ambulance Services also liaised with other blue-light services to ensure they were aware and could contact by other means. They would like to thank the staff who have worked incredibly hard to support patients an...

Events such as the Grenfell Tower disaster have had a profound impact on the way the construction industry reviews its building standards. Matt Ryan, the UK Country Manager at PlanRadar, explains how digital tools are providing the next step in fire safety inspection and compliance. The revelations uncovered by the ongoing Grenfell Inquiry show that, worryingly, UK housing is still falling short of the mark, when it comes to fire safety protocols. Recently, the London Fire Commissioner called f...

As Americans prepare for much-anticipated travel in the coming months, the safety of transportation and roadways is a concern for most travelers, according to a new survey facilitated by 3M. Nearly half—or 47 percent—of U.S. respondents plan to travel for a vacation or trip, within the next six months, and more than 3 out of 4 plan to travel by car. At the same time, 53 percent are concerned about the safety of transportation and roadways, when traveling outside their community. 3M...

The new UKAS publication GEN 6 - Reference to accreditation and multilateral recognition signatory status by UKAS accredited bodies, was issued on 1st November 2021. This applies to all types of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) and sets out UKAS policy on references to accreditation and MLA signatory status, in line with European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) mandatory document EA-3/01 M. UKAS publication LAB 1 Reference to Accreditation for Laboratories has been withdrawn as requirem...

Most of the weekend’s fireworks festivities went off without incident, with the public attending many of the organized displays across West Yorkshire. Bonfire week Bonfire week is always one of the busiest of the year for fire crews and this year was no exception, with the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service control room receiving 1672 calls from 17.00 Thursday 4th November to 00.00 Sunday 7th November. The crews attended 374 incidents across the region. emergency response People f...

Every single task at the industrial site, or for that matter, anywhere else is done with hands. One small mistake of not paying attention to hand protection could lead to a lifetime regret. Every industry takes basic safety precautions for its workers. But sometimes, the workforce needs more than just the basics. Protective gloves are an essential part of the personal protective kit. The type of gloves may differ depending on the type of industry you are operating, but not wearing any gloves sh...

Safety for industrial workers is one thing that cannot be ignored or taken lightly. It is not just about the right workforce policy that every industry should adopt, but also about the rights of every worker. Hand injuries at the workplace can be due to many reasons, including working with chemicals, sharp objects, flammable articles, etc. Therefore, it is important to choose the right gloves for complete hand protection.  The first and foremost point to...

For the workforce, working at industrial sites or work that involves risks of major or minor hand injuries, protective gloves are the most basic and necessary equipment to be included in their PPE kit. Hand protective gloves can be of different types, suitable for different work. Some are best for work that involves exposure to harmful chemicals and sharp surfaces, while others resist punctures and make it suitable to work in extreme temperatures.  While every workforce requirement ma...

MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA Safety), the globally renowned company in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures, has announced that Nish Vartanian, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Kenneth Krause, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer will present virtually at Baird’s Global Industrial Conference - 2021 on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 from 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. E.T. Global Industri...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and CHEMTREC are excited to announce that in honor of CHEMTREC’s 50th anniversary, five NVFC members have been awarded US$ 10,000 for their volunteer fire departments, through the 2021 CHEMTREC HELP (Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness) Awards. Funding is provided to strengthen the fire department's hazardous materials incident response capabilities and increase local readiness for hazmat events. 2021 CHEMTREC HELP Awards winners: Gilsum Fi...

Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has announced the groundbreaking of a 90,000 square foot expansion, to the company’s 360,000 square foot main facility, located at 2600 American Drive, in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. Additional production space An additional 60,000 square feet of production space will also be added to Pierce Manufacturing’s Neenah, Wisconsin facility. Along with facility expansions, recruitment efforts have begun for the hiring of more than 200 jo...

Decontamination used to be a word used after a hazmat incident when everyone was moving slowly around in brightly-colored encapsulated suits. Suits that, if broken down into their chemical parts, would likely be as dangerous as the chemicals they were protecting the wearer from. house insulation Then came the inexpensive furniture made of chipboard glued together with one chemical compound and laminated in a second.  Then houses were insulated in chemical compounds and drywalled in othe...

NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry recently recognized Marion Body Works once again for completing a rigorous qualification process, demonstrating successful implementation of defined business standards and conformity to applicable government regulations. Reapplication to the MVP member status is conducted every three years and Marion Body Works is honored to have once again proven our commitment to excellence for another term. Achieving MVP status validates the efforts to...

Notices were recently posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Personal Protective Technology Library (NPPTL) concerning the safety and quality of 2 types of personal protective equipment (PPE) used frequently by emergency medical services personnel: medical gloves and N95 particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Medical gloves notice Medical gloves notice is issued by the FDA on Oct. 29, 2021. Thi...

The public is being urged to enjoy Bonfire Night safely on Friday, 5th November, 2021. Every year, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) is called to people who have injuries related to bonfires or fireworks, the majority of which could have been avoided. EEAST strongly advises that people attend a professionally organized firework display, but, if they are planning on organizing their own event, here are the top tips: Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one a...

NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry has recently recognized Marion Body Works once again for completing a rigorous qualification process, demonstrating successful implementation of defined business standards and conformity to applicable government regulations. Re-application to the MVP member status is conducted every three years and Marion Body Works is honored to have once again proven their commitment to excellence for another term. MVP member status for Marion Body Wor...

The growth and development of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) continue apace; having recently gone through a rebranding initiative one of the final steps was to install new signage at the Association’s registered office. In 2020, the ASFP moved its secretariat and management services to be under the provision of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) at their Coventry-based facility, Spectra House. This move has seen the ASFP’s professionalism and resources grow...

On the 1st of October 2021, ARA Fire Protection Services (ARA Fire) purchased the Fire Suppression Services (FSS) business from Steve Howard. FSS designs, installs, and services vehicle suppression systems. Located in Perth, FSS principally services vehicles used in the mines in Western Australia. Founded 25 years ago by Steve Howard, FSS has a strong reputation in the vehicle suppression market in Western Australia. With the expertise of Steve Howard and FSS, ARA Fire is in a good position to...

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has reported strong support from members for its strict membership requirements, which were introduced at the start of 2021. The new requirements make it mandatory for member companies to demonstrate that a proportion of their employees have been suitably trained and/or have achieved appropriate qualifications in passive fire protection. The move is intended to enable ASFP members to clearly demonstrate their skills, competence, and profess...

3M will highlight the unique challenges and opportunities manufacturers face in combatting climate change in a candid conversation with global peers at the Conference of the Parties (COP26) on Nov. 10, 2021, from 2:00-3:30 pm GMT. strategic partnership The event will take place within the United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC) pavilion as part of its new strategic partnership with 3M. In addition to featuring insights from international sustainability leaders, the conversation...

PlanRadar has announced a new partnership with Geoffrey Robinson Ltd, one of the largest mechanical, electrical, and construction building services contractors in the North East. quality assurance, snagging, and document control From October 2021, Geoffrey Robinson will utilize PlanRadar across existing and new projects for quality assurance, snagging, and document control in their construction division, which was launched three years ago to complement their existing M&E expertis...

UKAS is pleased to announce that Technical Manager, Kevin Belson, has taken the position of Chair of the Technical Committee for the International Accreditation Forum. As well as congratulating Kevin on his appointment, they would like to extend good wishes to JAS-ANZ’s General Manager of Accreditation, Steve Keeling, who precedes Kevin in this role. Along with UKAS’ Accreditation Director, Lorraine Turner, who currently chairs the Inspection Committee of the International Labo...

UK Fire Safety legislation requires that the responsible person must ensure that the premises and protective measures are subject to a suitable system of maintenance. Maintenance is essential for any equipment, but particularly for safety critical uses such as fire safety equipment.  Maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment The maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment, systems and facilities The maintenance system should cover all fire safety equipment,...

MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA Safety), the globally renowned company in the development, manufacture and supply of sophisticated safety solutions that protect people and facility infrastructures, is exhibiting at the ADIPEC 2021 event, which is taking place from November 15 to November 18, 2021, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), ADIPEC is the world’s most influential meeting place where oil, gas, and energy companies and profess...

UKAS is pleased to publish the Annual Report for the financial year of 2020/2021.  In line with the new logo, symbols of accreditation and website, that were unveiled at the start of 2021, the Annual Report has also been updated to reflect the refreshed branding. Importance of accreditation The content of the report has also been expanded, containing a range of articles that highlight the importance of accreditation in its role of delivering confidence in the products and services t...