The UAE based company have been bringing out VELOX products since 2012, and the Touch and Cloud sends them further down an innovative path. By 2020, there will be more connected devices than we have ever expected, everything is becoming connected or needing to be connected. There are big arguments about how feasible it is to connect life safety equipment such as fire alarms, voice alarms, and many other devices. However, whether we like it or not, the new era of cloud and connected devices is knocking on our doorsteps, and it is indeed emerging a new era of technology. ATEIS believe “connected” is the way forward for life safety. Based in the ‘home of innovation’ otherwise known as the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, ATEIS started their smart connectivity initiatives early in 2012 with VELOX, with a desire to establish connectivity from its core – all the way down to the cover the complete stack of IOT. Their journey initially began with the manufacturing of fire detection and alarm systems, and now, VELOX has grown into one of the leading brands in their region, striving to become synonymous with innovation on the table of leading fire detection brands. In the UAE, VELOX is especially strong, as ATEIS’ spawn became the first fire detection manufacturer in the UAE, which is something they’re immensely proud of. With more than 65 specialised engineers, researchers & developers in-house, the VELOX team are determined to shape the future of life safety worldwide. In 2017, ATEIS took an innovative leap by introducing the VELOX Touch fire detection panel, with touch capability, and nine loops fitted in a 40cm x 40cm enclose to be one of the smallest fire alarm control panels in the market, compared to its capacity. Each fire detection panel can accommodate 2,160 devices on its nine loops. As well as that, ATEIS connected all these panels on a new era of smart mesh technology, and named it the VELOX Cloud. This new mesh connectivity, allows the VELOX Touch and VELOX fire panels to be a smart device, connected with each other over an 868MHz mesh technology. The entire echo system is built around IIOT – ‘Industrial Internet of Things – putting the fire alarm detection on a new era of innovation altogether. The VELOX Cloud can accommodate more than 10,000 panels on a couple of nodes, allowing the transfer of all the vital data on the network, which are not only limited to the fire and fault signals that conventional systems can provide. With the VELOX Cloud app, the user can access each device and detector on the fire alarm panel virtually and allows the user to perform the maintenance needs remotely, and in full compliance with the EN54 and Civil Defence requirements. All the reports and data are archived virtually, while the system allows the user as well to explore satisfaction reports that can record how well the maintenance company is serving the installed system. ATEIS feel that the VELOX Cloud will be the next way forward for advanced fire detection and alarm systems, and with ATEIS also believing that the future of smart connected devices will be the essence of the new life safety situations, the VELOX and ATEIS journey has just begun within the smart connected fire detection side of the business. VELOX’s first patent in micro power technology was their loop-powered sounders, which consume as low as 0.8mA of current. This little energy enabled VELOX’s new Sounders to connect more than 200 Sounders on the fire detection loops essential requirements for the future connected devices. The revolution in MPT – Micro Power Technology – continued to evolve to the point the company could release a fire detection flasher. For the first time, VELOX’s new flashers consume as little as 2mA at the same time covering a room of 10mx10m, and are fully compliant with EN54 regulations. You can follow ATEIS on Twitter at @ateis_me and visit their website at www.velox.ae

Visual warning devices on fire detection and alarm systems are becoming more and more frequent, so C-Tec’s marketing manager Andy Green informs us where, why and when such devices should be implemented. Beacons, strobes, ‘VIDs’ and ‘VADs’ – what on earth is the difference? Beacons and strobes have been used in fire alarm systems to warn the hearing impaired of a potential fire for many years. However, four years ago the code of practice for the design and installation of fire systems (BS 5839 part 1, published in 2013) introduced a new type of device – an EN54 part 23 certified ‘VAD’ or, to give it its full title, a Visual Alarm Device. So what is a Visual Alarm Device (VAD)? A VAD is a warning device intended for use on a fire alarm system that has been independently certified as meeting the requirements of the EN 54 part 23 product standard. This standard was introduced to ensure such devices are fit for purpose. Prior to its introduction, there was no industry standard that specified the durability, light output, performance criteria or installation requirements of a visual warning device. Di erent manufacturers therefore rated their beacons and strobes in di erent ways – usually by their power consumption rather than by their light output. This increased the risk of inappropriate devices being used and potentially jeopardised the lives of the people they were intended to protect – the hearing impaired or people wearing ear defenders. The concept of VADs was great in theory but when BS 5839 part 1 2013 was introduced, very few certified VADs existed. In the absence of such devices, many installers continued to use the same uncertified beacons and strobes they always had. These uncertified devices became known as VIDs (Visual Indicating Devices) to di erentiate them from VADs and many felt it was acceptable to continue using them moving forwards. Clearly it was not! In order to address the issue, The Fire Industry Association (FIA) has recently published a document entitled: “Guidance on the application of primary visual alarm devices (VADs) and supplementary visual indication devices (VIDs)”. Put simply, this guidance makes it clear that where a visual indicator is used as a primary alarm, it must be a VAD certified to EN 54-23 unless the building’s risk assessment SPECIFICALLY states that it does not need to be. So where should VADs be used? The FIA’s guidance states to comply with the Equality Act, Building Regulations and the recommendations of codes of practice such as BS 5839-1 and BS 8300, EN 54-23 certified VADs must be installed in all sanitary accommodation (not just accessible WCs), all hotel bedrooms, student accommodation and similar properties, plus anywhere where people with impaired hearing are likely to be alone, such as isolated offices. It goes on to say uncertified VIDs must NOT be used to warn building occupants of a fire condition. They can, however, be used as supplementary indicators, for example, as remote indicators for a hidden fire detector. It’s important to note there are instances where a risk assessment may call for alternative methods of alerting the hearing impaired, such as vibrating pillow devices, pagers or ‘buddy’ systems, all of which rely on some form of management process. However, the FIA guidance is clear: if a risk assessment doesn’t specifically state otherwise, VADs should be used in all mandated situations. EN54-23 specifies the requirements, test methods and performance criteria for visual alarm devices (VADs) used in fire alarm systems. It defines a VAD as a light that flashes at 30-120 times a minute. To comply with the standard, a VAD must generate a minimum illumination level of 0.4 lux in specific test conditions. These tests are conducted in a complex manner that requires the VAD to emit light at several hundred lumens. On completion of the tests, the VAD is given a ‘W’ (wall-mounted), ‘C’ (Ceiling mounted) or ‘O’ (Open) class rating. This rating can then be used to determine the VAD’s actual coverage in real-life situations, depending on ambient light, mounting position and viewing angle. The following guide shows you how to calculate VAD coverage in six easy steps using two of C-TEC’s EN54-23 certified VADs as examples (please note that C-TEC’s VADs are fully compatible with its XFP and ZFP range of XP95/Discovery addressable fire panels): STEP 1: EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE RATED COVERAGE OF C-TEC’S C-3-8 BASE VAD Certified as a C-3-8 device where: C = ceiling; 3 = up to 3m height and 8 = up to 8m diameter. Light output is cylindrical so width must be divided by 1.414 to determine square area coverage (i.e. 8m/1.414 = 5.65m). STEP 2: EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE RATED COVERAGE OF C-TEC’S W-2.4-8.2 HI-OUTPUT WALL VAD Certified as W-2.4-8.2 devices where: W = wall, 2.4 = 2.4m height and 8.2 = 8.2m width. Light output is cuboid so no additional width calculation is required. STEP 3: DETERMINE THE AMBIENT LIGHT LEVEL Ambient light can significantly increase or decrease a VAD’s coverage. Use a BS667 compliant lux meter in the area to be covered or refer to the architect’s drawings. STEP 4: DECIDE WHETHER THE VIEWING ANGLE IS DIRECT OR INDIRECT Consider how the room will be occupied and used. Direct viewing (line of sight) is preferable but not always possible. For example, in a room where someone is looking down at a workstation or desk, the required viewing angle is likely to be indirect. STEP 5: APPLY MULTIPLICATION FACTORS BASED ON AMBIENT LIGHT, VIEWING ANGLE AND MOUNTING POSITION Example: if ambient light is 250 lux and the viewing angle is direct, the coverage of a C-3-8 ceiling VAD can be multiplied by 1.9, increasing its cylindrical coverage from 8m to 15.2m (or 10.7m square). STEP 6: POSITION THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VADS IN THE AREA REQUIRING COVERAGE For more information about C-TEC’s range of VADs visit: www.c-tec.com.

​Teijin Limited announced that it has developed a smart uniform for firefighters incorporating a sophisticated wearable device that monitors body heat. The company also revealed it succeeded in predicting the risk of firefighters’ heatstroke—the first time in the world this has been achieved—during tests in the development of its new smart protective system (SPS). The predictions were based on estimates of deep body temperature derived from an analysis of data provided by the new smart uniforms. Developed following experiments by its co-research partner Osaka City University in collaboration with Osaka Municipal Fire Department, the SPS will be able to warn on-site firefighters and their headquarters when body data collected and transmitted by the smart uniforms indicates there is a risk of heatstroke. Teijin will present the smart firefighters’ uniform and the SPS at RISCON Tokyo, the largest exhibition of risk management solutions in Japan, which will take place at Tokyo Big Site during October 11-13 (Booth No. 4A23). Teijin will demonstrate various firefighting scenarios using the new smart firefighters’ uniform and SPS, and aims to have the new solutions adopted for use as early as 2019. Leveraging the know-how of the entire Teijin Group, the company will further develop the functionality of the SPS, aiming to position it as part of a total solution for firefighters’ safety that will include processes such as firefighter positioning management. The Teijin Group also plans to further develop algorithms that utilize deep body temperature measurements to help manage high temperature working environments more safely and efficiently. The smart firefighters’ uniform incorporates a card case-sized sensing device, which was in turn developed by Teijin in conjunction with Infocom Corporation, the IT business of the Teijin Group. The device monitors the temperature and precise position of firefighters and transmits the resulting data in real time to management systems at the scenes of fires and to firefighting headquarters, where it can be analyzed to accurately estimate deep body temperature and thereby ensure firefighters’ safety. The uniform uses Teijin’s heat-resistant, flame-retardant meta-aramid fiber Teijinconex® and high-tenacity para-aramid fibers such as Technora®. The outer layers are made of Teijin’s flame and impact-resistant polycarbonate resin Panlite®.

The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) has today released the first in a series of independent reports, produced by WSP, which aims to provide those involved in the design and construction supply chain with useful and helpful information on the design implications of automatic sprinklers. This comprehensive report, The Impact of Automatic Sprinklers on Building Design – Commercial Sector, Offices, will enable contractors, developers, architects and consultants to gain an awareness of the beneficial impact that incorporating sprinklers can have and how they can add value to building design. The first in a series produced by leading engineering consultancy WSP, this report will give the reader an appreciation of whether the inclusion of automatic sprinklers for a particular scheme is worthy of further consideration. Through robust research and by looking at different building types and design options, the report identifies the capital and lifecycle costs, design benefits and flexibility, as well as the potential to reduce the construction programme. Commenting on the report, Iain Cox, Chairman of the BSA, said: “The report is different from other references because it focuses on the commercial and design impacts of automatic sprinklers rather than fire safety. It also supports the view that automatic sprinklers should be considered early in the design process and dispels many myths about cost and design freedom.” In building design, attaining an adequate level of fire safety is a statutory requirement. However, it is up to the designer to decide which design features and fire safety services are required to achieve this. Standard fire safety guidance offers concessions for a variety of building types, if automatic sprinklers are incorporated, whilst fire engineering techniques can derive further value. The first section of the report discusses these concessions generally whilst Section 6 onwards provides a review and a guide to office building types. It is intended that the reader will be able to use this to refer to the specific building type and key objectives relevant to them. The BSA is calling for better education on the substantial benefits that fire sprinklers can deliver to the business community and wider economy, and calling for government to review existing building standards to bring policy on fire sprinklers in in line with competitor economies. A copy of the full report is available to download by clicking here. For more information about the BSA visit the www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

Military vehicles worth millions of rands went up in flames following a blaze at a vehicle depot at Wallmannstal, north of Pretoria, South Africa, last week, after safety fires ‘went wrong’ happened to coincide with a military fire truck breaking down. An internal investigation into the strange incident is being conducted at time of writing (19th September 2017), and the fire managed to break out despite repeated warnings that the grass surrounding the area – which had more than 2000 vehicles in – was far too long and genuinely posed a fire danger. Back in 2015, 104 vehicles were destroyed following a fire caused by long grass being situated near a parked vehicle behind the Kgosi Mapuru II prison in Pretoria. Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi, a spokesperson for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirmed that 83 vehicles, the majority of which were truckles, were damaged, while one was completely destroyed. So far, it’s still not possible to determine the full extent of the damage, but this will be confirmed once the investigation has been completed. However, it’s possible to work out rough estimates – given that an average market value of an old Samil truck works out at R80,000 (£4,500/$6000), the total damage could amount to around R6.7m (£372,962/$502814). Worryingly, the vehicle park and a nearby shed was storing bombs, which were allegedly both very old and potentially highly unstable when exposed to extreme temperatures, meaning that the fire could have been a lot more disastrous than it already was. Supposedly, the bombs have been kept under a canvas in the shed for years, but no-one’s gone to check that the bombs have been disarmed or even destroyed in that time frame. Without any decent fire trucks at their disposal, the fire on the 13th September had spread at an alarmingly quick rate, to the point that help had to be called in from Hammanskraal. By the 14th September, the scene had began to smoulder again.