Fire Safety Testing - News

The Building Safety Alliance, an independent industry-led ‘not for profit’ organization, is launched to implement the certification of competent individuals wishing to deliver the role of building safety manager (BSM) and a publicly accessible register of those certified by the scheme. building safety The Grenfell Tower tragedy brought to the fore how the safety of all buildings needs to be ensured. Recognizing the role they play in delivering safe buildings, representatives of bo...

Work-related eye injuries are a very common occurrence at several workplaces, leading to consequences that can range from minor injuries to severe vision impairment. However, 90% of such injuries can be prevented by ensuring the workers are provided and are wearing proper eye protection gear.   eye protective equipment “Grinding and welding are the two most common tasks resulting in an eye injury, according to a 2008 report from Safe Work Australia (SWA). In the case of grindi...

A global road safety barrier group, VRS Solutions Group, has made an ambitious commitment to fighting climate change and reducing its impact on the environment. VRS Solutions Group, which consists of Asset VRS, Varley & Gulliver Parapets, Hardstaff Barriers, and Hill & Smith Barrier, has signed up to the Carbon Footprint Standard and is now on an important journey to reduce its carbon emissions. Carbon Footprint Standard The Midlands-based companies, which manufacture and supply vehic...

With recent regulations mandating more fire safety precautions be put in place around building services, REHAU, a globally renowned polymer specialist, has released a Class B fire-rated pre-insulated pipework solution for quick installation in high-rise buildings. Following previous developments, such as the 2018 Hackitt Review and the Government’s July announcement of legislation appointing a new regulator for safety in buildings, there is even more emphasis on building compliance from d...

The National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) partners, BSI, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and UKAS with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have published the Standards for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, an action plan to unlock the value of standards for innovation. Joint Action Plan This joint Action Plan is intended to enable the NQI’s activities across standards, measurement, and accreditation to support innovation and technological change for the fourth...

California spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year fighting fires, but stopping them before they start is the goal of low-tech solutions like spraying fire retardants in fire-prone areas and high-tech ideas using artificial intelligence. "Anytime we can get the fire at its early start, the better the firefighters have of containing it quickly," said KT McNulty, executive director of REDCOM at American Medical Response. early detection Ravaged by fire over the past four years, Sonoma...

A Sheppey homeowner is helping Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) share life-saving safety advice after a vanity mirror sparked a fire in the bedroom of his home. The blaze developed in the occupant’s bedroom in Belgrave Road on Sheppey, on a sunny afternoon on Friday 16 July, and is believed to have started after sunlight reflected from a vanity mirror onto some bedding. The heat from the mirror's reflection caught the bed alight, which then spread throughout the room within a matter o...

A Knowsley tower block played host to a major training exercise when the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) led an exercise to test their response, in the case of a major high-rise fire incident. MFRS’ fire safety training exercise Around 80 emergency service staff, eight fire engines, two support vehicles, and an aerial platform ladder vehicle descended on the unoccupied Gaywood Green, on Broad Lane, in Kirkby, United Kingdom, on Thursday, July 22, 2021, as part of the fire saf...

The Building Safety Bill is the direct result of recommendations made in the Grenfell inquiry and the Hackitt Review. The framework set out in the draft Bill will impact the entire construction supply chain. safety regime with implications ‘Higher risk’ buildings include all multi-occupancy residential buildings over 18 meters high The provisions target ‘higher risk’ buildings, but the bill will introduce a stricter safety regime with implications for all buildings. &...

Fire detection solutions from GFE have been chosen to protect AVA General, a prestigious new commercial shopping complex in Tehran, Iran’s capital city. Opened in 2020, AVA General is one of the largest and most sophisticated dedicated commercial and office complexes in Tehran. AVA General Spanning 50,000 square meters, it is home to 360 commercial outlets for well-known brands from across the building supplies sector and complementary industries.  It also houses 40 commercial off...

ImageTrend, Inc. announced the winners of the 2021 Hooley™ Awards at the 13th annual ImageTrend Connect Conference. The Hooley Awards celebrate innovative ideas and programs in the EMS, fire and healthcare industries. Nominees were narrowed down to a field of nine finalists – three in each of the three categories – from which the winners were selected by a panel of third-party judges. Judges cast votes via secret ballot for each category. ImageTrend extends congratulations to...

Verint Systems (Verint), the globally renowned customer engagement company, has that it has won an AI Breakthrough Award for excellence and innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Verint Intelligent Virtual Assistant Professional (IVA Pro) Package is the winner of the ‘Best Virtual Agent Solution’ award. Earning its fourth consecutive AI Breakthrough Award, the company previously won ‘Best AI-based Solution for Customer Service’ award in 2020, ‘Best Chatbot Sol...

Arlington County, VA Local 2800 is formally requesting that Arlington County Manager, Mark Schwartz allow Local 2800 to be recognized as the exclusive bargaining unit for the county’s fire and EMS personnel. “This is an historic time for Arlington,” said Arlington County, VA Local 2800 President, Brian Lynch, adding “Until the new collective bargaining law was passed, Virginia firefighters were denied a seat at the table, on critical safety issues for firefighters and th...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is urging smokers to light up outside to reduce the risk of fire in homes across the county. Despite the number of people smoking in the UK falling, Kent is seeing a continuous trend in the number of property fires linked to smoking – with fire crews tackling the equivalent of one smoking-related fire every single week. 'Smoke Outside, Feel Safer Inside' campaign Most often these types of fires start when smokers light up and then fall asleep or get d...

When TFT introduced the Extend-A-Gun telescoping waterway series, it revolutionized the way monitors could be utilized on fire apparatus. Extend-A-Guns allow deck mounted monitors to easily raise from a stowed position to operate above apparatus obstructions like cab roofs, lighting, hose reels, or generators. The manual and RC version of Extend-A-Gun can be found on fire trucks around the globe. TFT is adding to the series with the new Extend-A-Gun VP. The VP’s deploy and stow operations...

Houston, TX Local 341 (Houston Fire Department) President, Marty Lancton is back on the job, after an independent arbitrator ruled the city had violated his rights and had no cause or authority to indefinitely suspend him in January. Houston Fire's President re-instated The independent arbitrator went even further and ordered the immediate reinstatement to his special assignment, working full time as the Local 341 President and ruled he must be welcomed back with full back pay and benefits. &...

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) is warning of the dangers of open water, following the tragic death of a young man in Crosby. Fire crews were called to Crosby beach, at around 7.24 pm, on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, following reports that five people were in difficulty in the water. Two fire engines, the search and rescue team and the rescue boat, Marine Fire One, were sent to the scene. Crosby beach rescue operation Crews assisted the RNLI and Coastguard with recovering the people fr...

Wiltrading STACE will expand the offerings of the ARA Fire, increasing ARA capabilities across Australia.  Effective as of the 1st of May 2021, Mr. Edward Federman, ARA Executive Chair and Managing Director, announced the acquisition of Wiltrading STACE, “I am pleased to announce the acquisition of Wiltrading STACE, a service provider for life safety systems with branches in Perth, Karratha, Darwin, Cairns and Sydney. Wiltrading STACE will become an important part of the ARA Fire and...

JBM Power will expand the offerings of the ARA Electrical division, increasing ARA capabilities across Australia. As at 1 April 2021, the ARA Group acquired JBM Power, designer and manufacturer of switch boards and switch rooms. Mr Edward Federman, ARA Executive Chairman and Managing Director stated: “The acquisition of JBM Power completes our turnkey offering and truly does make ARA Electrical a one stop shop in the market. The switch room business will also provide opportuniti...

UKAS is delighted to announce that Lorraine Turner, UKAS Accreditation Director, has been appointed as a Member of the newly formed Interim Industry Competence Committee (IICC). The formation of the IICC coincides with the recent announcement of the Building Safety Bill in Parliament by Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing. The Bill outlines a program of actions aimed at preventing a recurrence of the problems that contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire. Foremost amongst these meas...

Yorkshire Firefighters, a new BBC Two series commissioned by BBC England, will light up viewers’ television screens in summer. This unique four-part series takes viewers onto the frontline with the men and women keeping their communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a rare chance to go behind the scenes with this inspirational band of West Yorkshire firefighters. real-life emergencies Filmed using the latest technology, viewers will be brought closer than ever before to...

Anglia Fire Protection is looking at electrical fires and how to reduce the risk of them occurring in homes. One of the most common causes of fire in the home is electrical goods. From white goods to faulty chargers, electrical items are the number 4 risk of fire in the home. Here are some top tips to help reduce that risk. Anglia Fire Protection offers key pointers on how to avoid electrical fires at homes: Residents should make sure that all electrical appliances have a British or Europea...

Homes and buildings require the installation of ventilation systems to improve air quality, reduce smoke levels, and moderate internal temperatures. Stale air is removed to allow fresh air to enter, while also removing excessive moisture to reduce condensation dampness. Passive fire products offer effective protection against ventilation systems at high risk of causing fires. Values of ventilation protection Multi-storey buildings are at particular risk of fire damage due to complex ventilati...

Shoes are a necessity. They have a very important purpose to serve in daily life: provide comfort to feet, while protecting them from outside elements, especially while working amidst hazardous working conditions. And those flashy sports shoes or the casual pair of short or long boots can’t offer the required features.  Safety shoes Safety shoes are specially designed to protect the wearer’s feet from all kinds of workplace hazards '25% of disability applications worldwide a...

Online supermarket - Ocado has suffered another robot fire at one of its fulfilment centers, impacting deliveries across south east England. The fire on 16 July was caused by three robots colliding on the grid that controls the fulfilment of shopping orders at the technology firm. Fifteen fire engines The fulfilment centre processes over 150,000 orders a week for the joint venture between Ocado and Marks and Spencer. More than 1,000 robots move around the grid, collecting food from crates and...

As much as Hollywood makes out how dangerous working on an oil rig can be, it’s surprisingly true. Major Hollywood films, such as Deepwater Horizon, tell the events of the dangers that can happen while working on oil rigs, which are situated in the middle of the ocean. Furthermore, without the correct training provided or the workwear, many oil rig workers’ lives can be at risk, when carrying out their tasks. In this article, Granite Workwear looks at the type of workwear that is re...

The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Annual Municipal Fire school has been happening for 92 years. Ninety-two years of training firefighters across the state on the largest live-burn fire props in the world. But why would students want to come to this facility in the heat of Texas in the middle of July? And why come not just to this one week but also to an Industrial Fire School that has taken place for 59 years? Fire service knowledge Donny Boggs, a 30-year veteran instruct...

Fire and rescue services received money from the Housing Ministry to pay for work to review risks on residential buildings higher than 18 meters. The £6 million grant helped services like South Yorkshire to employ specialist staff to identify and review buildings in their area. South Yorkshire received £126,000 from the grant as part of the Building Risk Review program. Initially, fire and rescue services focused on identifying buildings with ACM cladding. The current phase of work...

After a few years of painstaking R&D, Jo Bird announces the launch of the first IP66 rated cabinet. The Firebird range was already setting the standard with the excellent IP56 rating but following the principles of Kaizen, the R&D team was not prepared to rest on their laurels. The prototype cabinets have gone through extensive testing for both dust and water ingress which was carried out by the TUV Sud testing house. JB80 fire hose cabinet The JB80 fire hose cabinet is designed to co...

High-rise buildings on an inspection list are not inherently unsafe say fire officers, as they report good progress in their mission to visit every high-rise residential block in South Yorkshire. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) has published the list of high-rise residential buildings forming part of its ‘Building Risk Review’ project.  The list includes buildings identified by the central government plus extra buildings identified by the SYFR- which made the deci...