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Recurring False Alarms: A Global Concern

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False fire alarms continue to present an issue globally, and repeated false alarms can result in disastrous incidents when people are unresponsive to the sounding of fire alarms – causing potentially fatal effects. Alarm fatigue is inevitable when there are frequent false alarms because of reluctancy to comply, leaving people vulnerable to risks of fires. Recurring alarms fail to attract attention to emergencies, which leads to loss in revenue, waste of resources and even sometimes fatalities. There are approximately 9000 fire alarm activations responded to each year in South Australia alone, and only a very small percentage are due to genuine fires. This waste of resources can result in fines where there are persistent false call outs. False alarms have been costly to the police and fire departments in New Zealand, attending over 20,000 annually. At a COVID-19 managed isolation facility in Auckland, a man knowingly triggered a false fire alarm, meaning over 200 people were evacuated and emergency vehicles attended the scene where there was no fire. BS 5839-1: 2017 is the British Standard that extends across the ocean to many countries in the Asia Pacific, being used on high profile construction projects from New Delhi to Hong Kong. It recommends that all manual call points be fitted with a protective cover to reduce the amount of false fire alarms, whether they be accidentally or maliciously activated. At schools in the USA, there have been a flood of prank alarms and incidents of accidental activations, conditioning students and staff to believe that pulled alarms are not a big deal. While no one has been injured by these misleading alarms, they can cause major distress for certain students which is also a safety concern. Safety Technology International’s Call Point Protectors are specifically designed to help deter false fire alarms or accidental activation of manual call points. The range, known as the Stopper® Series, are highly effective in protecting call points without restricting legitimate operation. The strong, durable construction of our polycarbonate call point protectors means they can withstand the toughest knocks. There are options for sizing to protect different devices, colour options, UL listed models and custom text available on certain models making our protective covers suitable in all applications. To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Social Housing Fire Door whitepaper released

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Seven in ten (70%) social housing tenants lack confidence in the fire safety of their home and two thirds (68%) do not feel the Government has done enough to improve fire safety over the past five years. Ahead of the imminent Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, JELD-WEN explores the critical role of fire door safety, what’s due to change and what should happen to better protect tenants in its new white paper, ‘Fire Safety: Time to Shut the Door on Risk.’ Prepared by fire door specialists at JELD-WEN, the thought-provoking document sets out the purpose and effectiveness of fire doors, fire doors regulations, manufacturing, installation and maintenance, before exploring research which looks at confidence amongst the social housing community and wider factors, such as the trade skills gap and housing crisis. It sets a benchmark for perceived progress in the industry, noting that just 30% of people living in social housing feel assured that their home is sufficiently protected against the threat of a fire. Crucially, ahead of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations on 23 January 2023, it also highlights some of the additional measures that can help deliver that progress, with a strong focus on enabling a much more rigorous and transparent approach through stages in the fire door safety chain. Amongst additional proposed measures, the white paper calls for: A legal requirement for all fire door installations and maintenance work to be conducted by qualified installers, validated through a UKAS-accredited certification scheme.  A mandatory standard which outlines how fire door information should be stored, updated and shared. To include manufacturer data and third-party certification, installation details, maintenance records, and blueprints all stored in an easily accessible digital format. A legal requirement to mark every fire door in the UK with its performance and the name of the manufacturer.  Writing on the white paper, Glyn Hauser, R&D Senior Group Manager at JELD-WEN, comments: “Our home is intended to be a safe haven so it’s concerning that millions of social housing tenants still don’t feel that theirs would be adequately protected in the event of fire. While it is our hope that new regulation will help to refocus fire safety standards and build reassurance for tenants, it is our belief that there is still scope to do much more. “A fire door, for example, can save lives but only when installed and maintained correctly. However, there is still no legal requirement for this critical safety product to be installed or maintained by a person with any specific formal qualification. We also believe the opportunity to apply a standardised or regulated ‘Golden Thread’ approach to the manufacture, installation and maintenance of fire doors could help build better traceability, accountability and trust.” The launch comes at a pivotal time for the social housing sector, as it prepares to introduce many of the key changes brought in by new regulation – to include quarterly fire door checks and the better provision of fire door safety information. Indicative of the pressing need for some of these critical measures in respect of fire door safety, JELD-WEN’s research also found: Just a quarter (25%) of social housing tenants state they have a good understanding of fire doors and how they work One in five (17%) admit that they couldn’t tell the difference between a fire door and a standard door Only a third (32%) feel that fire doors have been adequately maintained in their property   Glyn adds: “Clearly, there is still a huge task ahead when it comes to enabling improved fire safety, particularly in respect to fire doors. This whitepaper provides information about fire door safety, what is due to change and what we believe should change to elevate standards across the UK. It is our hope that it may prove a valuable resource for those operating in the industry as we work towards a future where every tenant is able to feel safe at home.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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FSRI releases video series on fire spread

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The Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), which part of the nonprofit safety science organisation UL Research Institutes, has released new videos combining more than 10 years of data with custom 3D modeling and real-world footage from the organisation’s full-scale fire experiments. The first video in the series shows how a home fire grows and spreads, underscores the dangers of smoke, and encourages everyone to have and practice a fire escape plan – including what to do if they cannot escape. FSRI’s annual consumer fire safety survey of 3,001 individuals aged 18 and above found that 1 out of 3 Americans (32%) do not have a fire escape plan for their home. Of those who have a fire escape plan, 21% say they have never reviewed or practiced it. Respondents who do not have a fire escape plan most commonly said it was because they had simply never thought about it (51%). “The fire service responds to a fire every 23 seconds in the U.S and the number of home fire deaths is going up,” said Steve Kerber, vice president and executive director of FSRI. “In just three minutes or less, a room could be more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and filled with deadly levels of toxic gas from the smoke. Knowing your escape route and having multiple routes for escape can mean the difference between life and death.” Other highlights from the fire safety survey included that despite half of Americans believing it’s safer to sleep with their door closed in the event of a fire (50%), an equal amount indicate that they still sleep with their door open at least some of the time (50%). Meanwhile, 41% of Americans believed that they would not have enough time to gather what’s important to them and safely exit their home in the event of a fire, and Gen Z and millennials are less likely to think smoke inhalation is the most common cause of death in a home fire, with only 53% choosing this response (vs. 71% of their older counterparts). To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Secured by Design support Fire Door Safety Week

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Secured by Design will once again be supporting Fire Door Safety Week, a national safety awareness campaign first launched in 2013 in response to a legacy of fire door neglect. The campaign aims to increase public understanding of the vital role that fire doors play in protecting life and property.  Taking place from 31st October – 4th November, Fire Door Safety Week is managed by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and is supported by a number of partners, including the Home Office’s National Fire Safety campaign, the National Fire Chief’s Council and London Fire Brigade. This year’s Fire Door Safety Week campaign comes just weeks following the June announcement of new fire safety legislation and guidance, that cladding of the type used on Grenfell Tower is to be banned from use on any building in England.  The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 will come into effect on 23rd January 2023 and will ensure that flat entrance fire doors are subject to annual checks and those in the common parts of High-Risk Residential Buildings (HRRB), receive quarterly checks. Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, has been a staunch campaigner for improved security in buildings for over 30 years. As a consequence of the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, SBD announced that as part of its membership it was requiring doors that are either described as fire doors, or where fire performance is declared or implied, to have third-party certification for both security and fire performance. SBD have subsequently revisited the possible life-threatening characteristics of fire rated doorsets, as asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation is the most common cause of deaths in flats when a fire occurs. Therefore SBD will require all member companies with doorsets listed on their SBD schedule that are fire rated and that are required by UK Building Regulations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to have smoke control properties for the intended installation – e.g. flat entrance doorsets to be certificated for the following attributes – Security, Fire and Smoke Control. SBD are adamant that any doorset that carries SBD accreditation should be fit for purpose in all declared characteristics, but especially those that are life critical such as fire, security and smoke control. To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Abloy UK reveal worrying fire door statistics

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To mark the start of Fire Door Safety Week 2022, Abloy UK has highlighted alarming statistics in an infographic, showing an increase in the number of fires and fatalities and a significant number of failed fire door inspections. Pat Jefferies, Commercial Director at Abloy UK, said: “Abloy is a big Fire Door Safety Week supporter, and we promote the crucial importance of fire doors in saving lives and protecting property – not just during the initiative but all year round. “After a steady decline in previous years, the latest fire statistics showed an increase in fires in the UK, with 152,608 fires attended to in the year ending March 2022 – a one per cent increase compared with the previous year. “Of these, 63,482 were primary fires – which are generally more serious and harm people or cause damage to property – a three per cent increase compared with the previous year. “Sadly, fatalities increased by almost 15%, with 272 fire-related deaths compared with 237 in the previous year. These included 99 during the final three months of 2021, which was the highest quarterly figure recorded since spring 2017, and prior to that the largest since winter 2008. “Fire Door Safety is the ideal time to highlight the importance of this pertinent topic. When it comes to access control in public and commercial buildings, there is no greater responsibility than specifying the correct locking solution on emergency escape and fire doors. As the figures above show, it can mean the difference between life and death for the occupants. “Our infographic features some worrying figures, and here at Abloy we champion the crucial role of fire door standards. We truly believe education of life safety standards is vital for any business involved with access control specification, and with this in mind we offer a number of free courses at our Academy.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Warringtonfire certifies 3 passive products

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Following four months of testing and auditing, Warringtonfire Australia has certified three passive fire protection (PFP) products from Promat Australia to its Certifire third-party certification scheme. Promat, a leading manufacturer of fire safety products and systems, partnered with Warringtonfire to have its PROMASTOP® UniCollar and PROMASEAL® FCS and FC fire collars tested and audited between October 2021 and February 2022, and certified in June 2022. The partnership comes as Warringtonfire celebrates the 30th anniversary of Certifire in 2022. The certification is now recognised by regulatory authorities worldwide as an international mark of fire safety across a diverse range of passive fire products. All three products underwent a rigorous process to prove their performance, quality, reliability and traceability. This included reviewing all existing test evidence, taking samples of the fire collars for audited witness testing, and performing a factory production control (FPC) audit at Promat’s site in Adelaide, South Australia. After an extensive analysis of all the evidence, Promat’s fire collars were deemed to have met all the requirements of the Certifire scheme. Promat’s decision to work with Warringtonfire comes as more companies across Australia seek third-party certification to prove the quality of their products. Driving this change in attitudes is the incoming NCC 2022, which is bringing tighter regulations for building and fire safety and comes into force on 1 May 2023. Chad McLean, Certification Manager at Warringtonfire Australia, said: “We are delighted that Promat decided to certify its range of fire collars with us. It is further evidence of a tangible attitude shift towards third-party certification, with manufacturers and site owners focusing on building products that are of a good quality and standard, boosting confidence across the built environment. “Not only does achieving Certifire certification give Promat’s products a distinctive point of difference, but it also shows Promat is committed to protecting people and buildings. Failure of these products could have very serious consequences. Regulators, specifiers, developers and end users can be safe knowing that at the very least, if Promat’s fire collars are used on a development, the products have undergone a strict process to ensure they will work as they are meant to.” Peter Butler, Head of Technical Services at Promat, said: “Warringtonfire has been a close partner of ours for many years and their experts have worked on several our products’ approvals and testing over the years. “Our most recent certification was particularly challenging given a number of global factors, however Warringtonfire worked tirelessly despite obstacles such as COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions. The company’s flexibility undoubtedly kept the certification process on track, and we look forward to working closely with Warringtonfire again in the future.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Canadian firefighters receive long-term healthcare support

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Firefighters in Newfoundland and Labrador are now better protected in case of cancer or cardiac injury after the provincial government passed amendments to the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act. The amendments call for the expansion of presumed cancers from 11 to 19 and create a presumption for heart injury occurring 24 hours after an emergency response call. The newly added cancers include prostate, multiple myeloma, cervical, ovarian, penile, pancreatic, thyroid and skin. Only two other provinces – Manitoba and Nova Scotia – and the Yukon Territory protect fire fighters against 19 cancers. Fire fighters diagnosed with one of the 19 cancers or cardiac injury (under the conditions specified in the amendments) will receive wage-loss benefits, medical aids, and certain other benefits through WorkplaceNL, while health care costs associated with fire fighters’ cancer treatment will be paid through the Medical Care Plan. 15th District Vice President David Burry said: “On behalf of all of our members in Newfoundland and Labrador, we are very pleased with the Liberal government’s decision to add these cancers and cardiac injury. “I also want to thank St. John’s Local 1075 President Craig Smith, Local 1075 Secretary Jim O’Toole, and everyone else who helped us advocate for the passage of these amendments. With these protections in place, our members and their families can have peace of mind should they get sick on the job.” In 2016, the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government passed an amendment to create a presumption for fire fighters should they contract one of 11 types of cancer including brain, breast, bladder, colorectal, esophageal, kidney, lung, testicular, ureter, leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. IAFF leaders – including Burry, Smith, and O’Toole – have since been educating the provincial government in the years since on the need to improve presumptions. Smith continued: “Our brothers and sisters are affected by cancer and cardiac injuries at a rate much higher than the general public due to on-the-job exposures. Because we risk exposure every day, we remained steadfast with our advocacy efforts until these amendments passed. “I would like to extend my gratitude to Provincial Premier Andrew Furey, Minister for Responsible WorkplaceNL Bernard Davis, and WorkplaceNL CEO Dennis Hogan. Without their support, this would not be possible.” Jim O’Toole commented: “With the passage of these amendments, this provincial government is recognizing the danger fire fighters put themselves in every day. We are thankful for the added protections we now have in case of cancer and cardiac injury. “On behalf of Newfoundland and Labrador fire fighters and their families, I would like to extend my utmost gratitude to our provincial government for doing the right thing and passing these amendments.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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FDNY appoints first female Fire Commissioner in 157 years

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Laura Kavanagh was sworn in as New York City’s first ever female fire commissioner, becoming the first woman to lead the FDNY in its 157-year history. Mayor Eric Adams led the swearing in ceremony at Engine 33, Ladder 9 in Noho, a historic building where John J. Scannell, the city’s first fire commissioner, had his office. Kavanagh has been serving as acting FDNY commissioner since February, having stood at the helm of the nation’s largest fire department since Daniel Nigro stepped down as commissioner. Nigro appointed Kavanagh as his second-in-command in 2017. Kavanagh joined the agency in an external affairs role in 2014, quickly moving up through leadership positions. She became the acting commissioner in February, following the retirement of long-time chief Daniel Nigro. Before joining the department, she worked on election campaigns for Mayor Bill de Blasio and President Barack Obama, among other management and consulting roles. She will become the first female leader of the nation’s largest municipal fire department. Currently, more than three-quarters of firefighters are white men, and less than 1% are women, according to city data. Local 2507, the union representing the FDNY’s EMTS, paramedics and fire inspectors, issued a statement about Kavanagh’s appointment saying, “We congratulate her. She’s a great candidate. She’s a champion who fought for EMS and will continue fighting for us.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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BESA to grow skilled installer workforce

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The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has announced it is spearheading an urgent exercise to develop occupational standards that underpin the technical qualifications needed to increase the number of workers able to install, maintain and repair fire dampers and smoke control dampers. The shortage of skilled workers with knowledge of the critical safety product has been flagged as a “worrying issue” by the industry. BESA also said it is updating its industry guidance for the ‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers’ (DW145) following its warning earlier this year that annual maintenance inspections were uncovering a significant number of incorrectly installed dampers that did not comply with manufacturers’ instructions. It called for remedial action “without delay”. The guidance covers statutory requirements for the installation, testing and maintenance of fire dampers and smoke control dampers including clients’ legal obligations to ensure their fire safety systems comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. It also explains the vital role played by the penetration seal in ensuring the overall fire stopping integrity of an installation, the importance of maintenance teams being able to find and access dampers for testing and repair, and the need for designers and installers to seek expert advice from damper manufacturers. “While this is clearly a very worrying situation, we can take some reassurance from the fact that this problem is being brought to our attention by the increasing frequency of fire damper inspections and tests as awareness grows of this extremely important issue,” said BESA’s technical director Graeme Fox. BESA is part of Building Services Engineering (BSE) Skills – the not-for-profit body charged with managing and developing qualifications and apprenticeships for the sector, which is working on the new National Occupational Standards (NOS) for dampers. BSE Skills, which represents 43,000 businesses and almost 342,000 operatives across the UK sector, has produced a provisional suite of technical NOS to help employers deliver fire damper and smoke control damper installation, commissioning, testing and repair. It is now running a public consultation until November 18th to gather feedback on the suitability of the new standards from anyone involved in this important area of building engineering. The draft NOS were developed by a team of UK industry experts, including employers, trade associations, unions, and other stakeholders, to capture the relevant technical competences. It is now encouraging anyone involved with this work to respond to the consultation to ensure the new standards meet the requirements of the industry and its clients. To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Firefighters receive payout after pensions kerfuffle

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Nearly 9,000 firefighters are set to receive a pay out of £3,750 after a government pensions debacle caused them “total uncertainty with regards to their financial futures”, the Fire Brigades Union has confirmed. The money is said to be compensation for anxiety, distress and related feelings in relation to a pensions case which has involved firefighters receiving, or being set to receive, less money in their pensions than they should. Claimants with “additional reasons for being aggrieved” will receive £7,250 in total. Further to this ruling, pensions are in the process of being adjusted accordingly, with further legal disputes ongoing. This compensation is separate from the pensions themselves and is compensation for the distress caused by the government’s actions in 2015. The situation arose after the government attempted to bring in public sector pension reforms in 2015 and included provisions that protected only older firefighters. The Fire Brigades Union argued that this amounted to age discrimination, with the eventual result ruled that the pre-2015 pension scheme applies to time served between 2015 and 31 March this year. The government agreed to settle the compensation case for firefighters with the Fire Brigades Union, which has represented firefighters throughout the process. Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “We are pleased to have been able to win this for our members. Today’s agreement on starting the process for making those payments to our members underlines the amount of distress our members have been under. Some had significant uncertainty with regards to their financial futures. “Our members work long careers saving the lives of others and risking their own in what is often a very stressful job. They do not deserve to be treated like this and be caused unnecessary distress. This is a significant step on the road to putting the situation with regards to firefighters’ pensions right but there is still further to go. This is a mess of the government’s making.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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