Fire Safety Testing - News

For property owners looking to further protect their home or business or for anyone with an intruder alarm system, one of the easiest and quickest things that they can do is to upgrade the existing system. They may decide to upgrade the system by replacing the old system completely or by adding different elements to the existing system, in order to update it. The need to upgrade the security system There are many reasons why someone may want to upgrade their current fire or security system. F...

Assurance Services International (ASI) and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the intention of bringing together UKAS accreditation and ASI assurance for future collaboration in the field of sustainability. ASI formalized an agreement with the German National Accreditation Body (NAB), Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (DAkkS) earlier this year. UKAS and ASI partnership UKAS has established a framework for cooperation between ASI a...

Portsmouth City Council is investing £9.5 million over the next five years in retrofitting sprinklers in high-rise blocks as part of a £22 million package of fire safety measures. The announcement comes at the start of the NFCC’s Sprinkler Safety Week and is supported by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service working in partnership with the city. retrofit program The retrofit program was due to start but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The council carr...

Manchester Fire Chief sets out priorities for the next four years with a pledge to improve and regulate the built environment, in order to protect people, property, and the economy. This is the first Fire Plan for Greater Manchester since responsibility for the fire and rescue service moved to the Mayor, Andy Burnham. The Plan addresses the impact of major incidents such as the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 and the 2019 Cube fire in Bolton. Fire Plan Commenting on the launch of the Plan, Ch...

Mayflex has become a strategic partner to Zitko Talent: the new industry training initiative designed to fast-track entry-level field engineers into Fire & Security. The 12-month program offers trainees paid employment from day one, combined with around 300 hours of certified product training and theoretical study towards a level 3 industry qualification. The product training is tailored to the trainee’s workplace. Full range of courses Zitko Talent and working with fellow partners...

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, unveils new 8-inch (20-cm) color touchscreen displays for the company’s Autocall 4100ES and 4010ES fire alarm control units. The new color ES Touch Screen Display (ES TSD) improves fire panel performance by giving users more information, more intuitive functionality, easier multi-language accessibility, and improved esthetics. new color ES Touch Screen Display (ES TSD) Each ES TSD can display eight color-...

The UK Government has published draft legislation that will see planners include fire safety information and consult on it with the Health and Safety Executive, as part of a new gateway-based approach to building safety. This development is in response to Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Safety, where she identified a lack of fire safety considerations at the planning stage for high-rise residential buildings. Gateway review points The government consulted on propose...

During the National Sprinkler Week, Fire Chiefs will be highlighting how different approaches to sprinklers across the United Kingdom (UK) means that not all new schools will be protected. The FPA is supporting the campaign that runs from Monday, 17th - 23rd May. It will raise awareness of the benefits of sprinkler systems in keeping people and buildings safe from fire. sprinklers installation One area the NFCC is concerned about is new build schools. In Scotland and Wales, sprinklers are req...

The new Be Certain, Be Certified awareness campaign offers free guidance and resources to highlight the importance of third-party certification of fire doors in improving fire safety standards across the UK. third-party certification Third-party certification of fire doors provides independent evidence of the performance of a fire door and ensures that its performance data was not a one-off result. The campaign also gives expert insight into the third-party certification of fire doo...

“Farrow & Ball is an iconic, luxury, decorative paint and wallpaper company. It is used by consumers, designers, and cultural institutions around the world – all of who have a passion for rich colors in eco-friendly paint. I am very proud to welcome our new colleagues to the Hempel family. Together we will ensure that Farrow & Ball continues its strong growth journey,” says Hempel Group President & CEO Lars Petersson.  Hempel is taking the next, large step to...

National Safe Boating Week runs from 24 to 30 May. At the Fire Protection Association, they thought this would be a great opportunity to share knowledge, information, and testing standards when it comes to preventing boat fires. Watermist systems are an effective way to protect ships from fire. These systems have an important job and therefore must be properly maintained and tested and can help with that. Royal Navy Defence standards Receiving an accreditation underpins the importance of expe...

The demand for warehouse space is up due to online shopping, but insurer - Zurich says that warehouse sprinkler laws are outdated and should be changed. Recent research by Zurich reveals that the number of warehouses gutted by fire increased by 42 percent. Using Home Office statistics, Zurich found that in 2019/20 the number of warehouse fires stayed steady but the number gutted by fire rose considerably. insurance claims The cost of insurance claims has increased across the market. Zurich cl...

A fire broke out at New Providence Wharf, a high-rise residential building in East London, where cladding was due to be removed. London Fire Brigade firefighters tackled a blaze in a 19-story building where parts of the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors were alight. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus carried out multiple rescues and two men were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. cladding remediation The London Ambulance Service said they had treated a number of people ...

A new guide provides assistance and recommendations on how to best specify cable containment systems to improve electrical safety in buildings in the event of a fire. Free to download, the new guide explains how to create a cable pathway through a building, while navigating the current standards landscape. electrical installation standards Creating Cable Pathways is published by Legrand UK & Ireland and takes on board changes to IET Wiring Regulations. It is in line with Dame Judith Hacki...

One of the most crucial responsibilities of a rental landlord is to follow the fire safety requirements, ensurithe ng safety of the tenants and property. Users may have to show evidence of fitting the correct alarms and that any furniture that is provided is safe. In this guide APE will outline the things users must do, as a landlord, to provide fire safety to the tenants.  It is illegal to not have a smoke alarm? The smoke and carbon monoxide alarm (England) regulations act 2015 require...

In the dry heat of the high desert, the California and Nevada Air National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and multiple other fire-fighting agencies across the United States are performing their annual certification training for the aerial fire-fighting mission with MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System), from May 4 – May 7, 2021. The success of this training is built on the trusted partnerships between the fire-fighting agencies, having forged their tactical expertise su...

Gunning London, the Chartered Building Company that specializes in internal and external refurbishments, has launched a new division, Gunning Fire, to meet the increasing need for professionally installed fire door and fire stopping solutions. Gunning Fire division Having achieved independent UKAS accredited certification from Bluesky in April 2021, the division will offer fire door installation, fire door maintenance, fire stopping (compartmentalization), and cladding refurbishment, delivered...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings and architect of OpenBlue connected solutions, has unveiled its new ANSUL LVS Non-Fluorinated Liquid Suppression Agent. The new agent is manufactured without the use of per-fluorinated chemicals and is performance tested to ensure maximum effectiveness. It is now available worldwide. LVS Non-Fluorinated Agent LVS Non-Fluorinated Agent works by rapidly knocking down flames, then blanketing the fuel and...

Firefighters across South Yorkshire are asking the public to help them crack down on deliberate fires across the county, by reporting incident details to a dedicated new fire line. In response to the 3900 deliberate fire incidents they were called to in last year, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has joined up with an arm of the national charity, Crimestoppers. Report information on Deliberate fire-setting Once reported, the details will be anonymized and used as part of fire and police inve...

A hybrid event tackling future challenges facing the fire sector and beyond. Building on the success of last year, which saw more than 400 delegates attend virtually, this year’s FIRE Conference returns on the 9 November at the Queen Elizabeth II Center, London and will allow delegates to attend face to face or online.  The joint initiative between the IFE, NFCC, and FPA is heralded as the center point for sector leaders and stakeholders to come together in a collaborative...

Following a competitive recruitment process, the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) has appointed Tom Abell as its new permanent Chief Executive. Tom Abell, who was earlier serving as the Deputy Chief Executive at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, will formally take up his new role as Chief Executive at EEAST in the autumn. Announcing the appointment, East of England Ambulance Service’s Chair Nicola Scrivings, said “Tom brings significant experience in the NHS and jus...

After an intense campaign, Austin, TX Local 975 has won the ability to call on an impartial arbiter to settle future disputes that may arise while negotiating with the city, after the passage of Proposition A. Proposition A, which passed by an impressive 81% to 19% margin on May 1, sends a clear message from Austin voters to city leaders. “Our community showed up and voted in support of their firefighters,” says Local 975 President Bob Nicks. Fairer resolution process “We ar...

Oshkosh Airport Products, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that the company has secured its first order for the new Striker ARFF vehicle, which was introduced in January 2021. The newly upgraded Striker ARFF will be delivered to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) Fire Department in late summer 2021. New Striker 6x6 ARFF vehicle MSP’s new Striker 6x6 ARFF vehicle will be an addition to an entirely Oshkosh fleet MSP’s new Striker 6x6 ARFF veh...

Throughout a hazmat response, portable gas detectors and area monitors give first responders and command centers the data and visibility they need to make time-sensitive decisions in the moment. In addition, when each team member wears a personal gas monitoring device that also tracks their location in real-time, it creates a completely connected safety ecosystem. During the incident, these personal monitoring devices can help locate, position, and mobilize resources on the map....

The number of Police Fire and Crime Commissioners could rise after the PCC elections on 6 May, as the UK Government indicates strong support for this type of governance. Currently, there are four Police Fire and Crime Commissioners in England: Staffordshire Essex Northamptonshire North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan is stepping down in North Yorkshire and Mathew Ellis is likewise in Staffordshire. PCC elections Other PCCs have shown interest in taking on governance in the fire but have bee...

Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event hosted by the UK Council on Deafness (UKCoD) to raise awareness of deafness and hearing loss. The theme ‘Coming Through it Together’ will focus on the added challenges presented by the pandemic such as remote working and mask-wearing. The campaign also aims to highlight the need for improvements within the quality of services available in education and care, raise the profile of the importance of equality and accessibility and inform the G...

Verint Systems (Verint), the globally renowned customer engagement company, announced that global wellness brand, GNC is leveraging Verint Experience Management, as an investment in its omni-channel strategy, in order to provide consumers with the ultimate shopping experience. Spike in health products demand With more than 3,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, GNC prides itself on meeting the growing and fast-changing needs of its customers. The company experienced a spike in demand for heal...

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently launched its Small Organisations Newsletter - SME Newsletter. The NCSC notes “SMEs cover a huge range of businesses and makeup 99% of all business in the UK." cyber-related issues The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) adds, "Often SMEs do not have the budget of large organizations to spend on cyber security. This Newsletter aims to break down cyber-related issues into bitesize pieces which can be read in a coffee break." The NC...

Owners of a hotel in Leamington Spa have been ordered to pay £350,000 plus costs after a judge at Warwick Crown Court found them guilty of multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order. 38 breaches of fire safety laws Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service inspectors visited the Falstaff Hotel on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2019, finding smoke alarms covered in plastic bags, fire escapes blocked with laundry, locked fire exits, and faulty alarms. The owners of Talash Ltd and parent f...

Employing over 100 people and with sales to over 140 countries, Detector Testers solutions (including products from the Solo and Testifire ranges) receive global use by fire professionals carrying out functional testing and maintenance of fire detection systems. In the last six years, the company’s unique product offering and investment in personnel has supported International sales growth of 121%, which today’s award announcement recognises. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise...