Tall Building Fire Safety - News

A team of fire safety inspectors is embarking on an ambitious project to inspect all high-rise residential buildings across South Yorkshire, over 18 meters or with six or more storeys, by the end of next year. This comes as part of a Government-driven ‘Building Risk Review’ program that seeks to ‘significantly increase’ the pace of high-rise residential inspection activity across the country. Made up of staff from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s (SYFR) bus...

It will all be over by Christmas, at least that’s what everyone thought (and hoped) when COVID-19 first hit back in the spring season. However, adapting to life and work in a COVID-19 world has proved a longer and harder road than many ever anticipated. For many unlucky COVID-19 sufferers too, the effects of the virus have been long-term. Whether symptoms are very mild, or more problematic, for most people, COVID-19 infection is a brief, acute illness. However, it is now medically recogni...

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has promised tougher regulations will improve building safety, after expressing his shock at last week’s revelations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Construction News has reported. According to the industry specialist, last week former Celotex Product Manager Jonathan Roper admitted that the firm’s sale of its insulation product alongside sales material that failed to mention it had only passed safety tests when placed alongside non-combustible magn...

Unused office space after coronavirus could cost London-based businesses almost £13bn, according to a new report by SpaceThreeTwo, a new office timeshare marketplace born out of lockdown. According to a survey of London office workers, employees want to spend an average of 2.7 days back in the office once all COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, assuming they have the resources to work from home comfortably (e.g. the right equipment, home office set-up, etc). One in ten workers (11%) s...

Global safety equipment manufacturer, MSA Safety Incorporated has announced that its next-generation Advantage 290 LS Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) is the first of its kind, designed without an exhalation valve, to receive approval from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Advantage 290 LS APR An elastomeric half-mask device, the Advantage 290 LS Respirator covers a wearer’s nose and mouth and utilizes twin filters to provide respiratory protection. The U....

The Government must improve on the details if it is to demonstrate that its new building safety proposals will drive much-needed reform in the sector. The findings come in a report published by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee following pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Building Safety Bill. The proposed legislation sets out the framework the Government intends to adopt to implement a new building safety regime and to remedy the flaws in the existing system ident...

Ground-breaking research has revealed the serious health risks to UK firefighters following exposure to toxic fire effluents, the chemicals emitted during a fire, in an independent University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) report commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The work is the UK's first and the latest in a growing body of international evidence suggesting an increased risk of firefighters developing cancer and other diseases. Fires produce a cocktail of toxic, irritant, and carci...

A Sheffield building owner has been fined after obstructing the work of fire safety inspectors. Mr. Gunes Ata, trading as Noble Design & Build, was found guilty by Sheffield Magistrates Court of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with requirements imposed by an inspector from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue. Mr. Ata did not attend the hearing on Wednesday (18 November) and did not enter a plea, but the court heard the case in his absence. Fire safety laws Court ordered M...

What is considered one of any fire department's greatest challenges, when it comes to equipment carried on its apparatus? If anyone answers - how to get the most out of the available storage space, then theirs is the case with most fire departments. Fire departments have to make sure that all their fire apparatus is stored safely and is easily accessible at the same time. Ziamatic Corporation (Zico) has the right storage device for any equipment needed to carry aboard the fire apparatus. The na...

Asolvi, Europe’s provider of field service and contract management software, announces that it has agreed to acquire TIVAPP, the German field service solution for the fire protection and security sector. TIVAPP is a specialist service, inventory, test documentation and billing software solution, developed by fire prevention professionals. Founded in Germany, the company has over 20 years of experience in the sector. During that time, TIVAPP has built up a customer base and established its...

CU First Responders Finance (CUFR) is excited to welcome Firefighters First Credit Union as a lead lender to their business lending network. Firefighters First Credit Union will be originating commercial and business loans generated by the CUFR network of first responder credit unions. CUFR’s business lending solutions CUFR’s business lending solutions provide an online platform for member credit unions to refer their members’ business loan requests to a trusted lender. They...

Having the ability to effectively inspect, diagnose, and document trouble spots are crucial for property managers, facilities maintenance staff, building inspectors, contractors, electricians, service technicians, plumbers, and even homeowners. It requires the aid of effective tools, including thermal imaging, to quickly recognize and resolve those trouble spots. That’s why FLIR has introduced its latest entry-level Cx-Series camera, the FLIR C3-X™, a compact thermal camera packed w...

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is researching the impact of COVID-19 on first responder organizations and asking for your help. The START project hopes to measure the impact of COVID-19, identify and share best practices, and identify ways to strengthen first responder organizations for future pandemics. Research This research is part of a larger study funded by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorat...

At the Fire 2020 event, Jonathan O’Neill, Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association, stated (concerning the Hackitt Review). “As many people explained to Dame Judith [Hackitt] at the very start of these investigations, it is not just the system that is broken, the guidance and regulations themselves are ambiguous, outdated, and subject to abuse.” life safety and property protection He questioned, “Are we setting the bar too low from the start?”. ...

Victaulic, the globally renowned manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining systems, has announced various launches and upgrades for its suite of Autodesk MEP software offerings. These include: Now Available – Victaulic Tools for AutoCAD (VTFA): VTFA is an all-new, free tool that provides AutoCAD users the same classic routing features and drawing productivity gains that were previously only available in the Victaulic Tools for Revit platform. This add-on provides toolsets engineered for...

Jactone is delighted to announce the recent appointment of the company’s Managing Director, Craig Halford to the position of Chair of the Fire Industry Association Extinguishing Council. In turn, the organization is also delighted that as a result of the appointment, Craig Halford assumes his position on the Fire Industry Association’s Board of Directors. Jactone is committed to the work of the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and is particularly interested in contributing to the dev...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors have introduced the latest video interview in their six-part campaign series, Faces of Fire/Electrical hazard awareness campaign, which features personal stories of people impacted by electrical incidents, demonstrating the need for continued education and awareness about electrical hazards in the workplace and at home. Firefighter safety Awareness Luis Nevarez, Fire Chief in the City of Tulare Fire Depa...

E-ONE, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. and a foremost manufacturer of fire apparatus, announce the delivery of an E-ONE HR 100 ladder truck to the Auburn Fire Department in Auburn, NY. To allow for ample equipment storage space, Auburn Fire Department chose a tandem axle, no-pump, no-tank design. Features and Design The body features full-height, full-depth compartments, and a large forward transverse compartment. A well-thought-out assortment of roll-out trays, shelving, and tool boards pro...

The committee welcomed the International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles: “Safe Buildings Save Lives” Following Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Global Building Standards Director (Fire Safety Lead) Gary Strong’s presentation in October, there has now been confirmation from the UN that the IFSS document will be published as a UN ECE standard. UN sustainable goals The document: International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles: “Safe Buildin...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is seeking U.S.-based fire departments for the second phase of their Community Risk Assessment (CRA) dashboard project. Much like Phase I, participating departments in Phase II will receive free access to a personalized NFPA CRA Digital Dashboard for three months, in addition to professional networking and development opportunities surrounding Community Risk Reduction (CRR), in return for feedback about the tool. NFPA CRA Digital Dashboard With...

Envirograf® hosts regular CPD training at the office based in Dover, Kent to provide knowledge as well as practical installation and use of passive fire products. Envirograf covers the basics across all of the 200+ products, including videos of products in action and case studies. The in-house fire specialist will also demonstrate how the products work when attacked with flames. For more information on the CPD training, contact Envirograf online or by telephone to make a booking.

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned provider for smart and sustainable building solutions, is reimagining fire safety with the launch of its Smart Connected Fire Sprinkler Monitoring solution. As part of Johnson Controls’ OpenBlue suite of digital solutions, this industry-first solution delivers real-time insights into fire sprinkler system health to enable swift preventative action. The solution empowers building managers to transform their maintenance strategies from reactive to pro...

Code 3 is dedicated to protecting the public and those who serve our communities with industry-leading emergency warning and lighting devices. Through a partnership with Vyv (formerly Vital Vio), Code 3 introduced the Antimicrobial Light for emergency service vehicles, which provides useful white lighting while reducing harmful bacteria and microbes on high-touch surfaces. Recently, other innovative public service organizations began installing Antimicrobial Lights throughout their fleets. As a...

Effective November 1, 2020, Robert (Bob) Caputo became the new President of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Bob is a sprinkler industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, ranging from owning a fire sprinkler installation company in San Diego, California to teaching technical seminars for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Fire sprinkler industry veteran Bob most recently served as Vice President for training and technical support for Fire & Life Sa...

The latest two winners have been announced in MSA Safety Incorporated’s and DuPont’s 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway. Douglas City (CA) Volunteer Fire Department and Cooper Landing (AK) Emergency Services will each receive four sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear and four helmets to increase the safety of their members. Providing turnout gear MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) team up each year to help volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear. With the...

Data released by the Fire Protection Association (FPA) has revealed the significant financial impact on businesses and key services caused by fires. The analysis of 4,782 major UK fires between January 2009 and December 2019 where the financial loss was £100,000 or more revealed a mean average loss of £657,074 per incident. The analysis focuses on fires in buildings used by private and public sector organizations and residential and mixed multiple occupancy shared ownership building...

The launch of Smarter Homes, Safer Communities powered by Aico. This virtual conference marks the beginning of Aico’s advance into facilitating and holding events within the housing sector. Smarter Homes, Safer Communities powered by Aico is a two-part virtual conference covering the current challenges the housing sector is facing, the advancements in technology, and the future of the Internet of Things (IoT) in housing. Spanning over two days, part one will take place on Thursday, Novem...

Carbon monoxide (CO), also known as the ‘silent killer’, is especially dangerous because it is not visible and cannot be smelt or tasted. The only way to protect against this potentially deadly threat is with a CO alarm. In honor of CO Awareness Month in November, First Alert and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have partnered to create an online CO awareness and CO alarm training course for volunteer fire departments nationwide, supplemented by an alarm donation program f...

A residential structure fire was reported on Maple Lane between Eucalyptus Lane and Manzanita Lane in Sugarloaf at approximately 6:43 pm, on Monday, November 9, 2020. Upon arrival, fire crews observed a residential structure with heavy smoke and flames showing. Crews immediately went into defensive attack mode to the fully involved structure to provide protection to the adjacent structures. No occupants were in the home at the time of the incident. Big Bear Fire Crew carry out fire suppression...

Vestas rewards Hempel with the Sustainability Award 2020 for supporting them on their journey to become CO2 neutral by 2030. innovative solutions After a long‑term collaboration, Vestas and Hempel have recently extended their relationship to a strategic partnership focusing on developing innovative solutions for the surface protection of wind turbines.  As a part of the partnership, Hempel has identified multiple initiatives that can reduce both CO2 and waste at the Vestas site in Pueblo...