Installers urged to support Chimney Fire Safety Week Published:  24 August, 2016 As part of Chimney Fire Safety Week 2016, which takes place from 5 to 11 September, Schiedel Chimney Systems is reminding installers of the important role they have to play in keeping their customers safe from chimney fires, a problem that still causes 382 deaths a year on average, despite reducing by 30% in the last decade. From competent installation and tailored advice from the installer, through to ongoing maintenance, an integrated approach to chimney safety will help stop preventable accidents, the company says. David Wright, residential sales and marketing manager for Schiedel Chimney Systems, said: “The popularity of wood burning stoves is on the up, so the need for skilful installation together with increased customer awareness is paramount in making sure chimney fire fatalities continue their downward trend.” The company has issued a checklist that it recommends installers follow to ensure chimney safety: HETAS-approved training – undertaking the HETAS approved training courses is highly recommended to ensure installers have the correct skills and understand best practice for safe chimney and stove installation Linings and flues – there are many different chimney lining and flue products to suit various situations, but as the chimney is the main channel to contain and vent the products of combustion, making the correct choice is essential for both safety and efficiency Recess safety – always make sure the chimney recess is clear of combustible materials. Particular care must to be taken in timber frame buildings Fume detection – however thick and intact you think the chimney breast is, there may be cracks that could cause smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) leaks into a room. A CO detector is a crucial piece of kit which should always be fitted alongside a wood burning stove, and ideally on every floor encompassing the chimney Customer advice – installers should advise customers to have their chimneys swept at least twice a year by a qualified professional. Homeowners should ensure that any items stored in their loft space are kept away from the chimney, ensuring a safe distance to combustibles in line with building regulations. Homeowners should also ensure that they are burning the current fuels and use and maintain appliances in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions. Between April 2014 and March 2015, fire and rescue services were called to over 5,000 chimney fires. Chimney Fire Safety Week calls for homeowners to prepare for burning season by having their chimneys swept by a HETAS-approved sweep, and to maintain their chimneys throughout the year to avoid a build-up of ash and soot which can present a serious fire hazard. “HETAS-approved solid fuel heating installers are equipped with the technical knowledge and experience to deliver practical and professional advice to their customers about chimney safety, and should play their part in raising awareness – an act that could save lives and win them more business,” said Mr Wright. Source link

“SSL certificate”: you probably know the word but might not even understand the sheer importance of it. Global cybercrime is expected to hit a staggering $2 trillion by 2019, so if there was ever a moment to comprehend the vital role of the SSL certificate in keeping the web safe, then now is the time. Not having a functioning SSL certificate is serious stuff, as CBS reports that “In 2014, 47% of American adults had their personal information stolen by hackers — primarily through data breaches at large companies.” If you didn’t recognize that a site wasn’t safe to use before, then you will now, as Google Chrome provides a report in the address bar as to whether the site should be used to pass on personal data, such as credit card information. Even with SSL checkers available to use, a huge number of sites still don’t have an effective SSL certificate, and whilst many of these are small businesses who may not know any better, a worrying amount of large-scale websites are in the same boat. Keeping up with new technology is clearly important in the construction industry, but this is definitely one area where you can’t afford to lose track, even for a second, as these companies found out. LinkedIn For one day in December, 2017, millions couldn’t access the UK, US, and CA version of the site due to an expired SSL certificate issue. What’s worse is that somehow, many users were able to access the site, but were doing so deprived of a secure connection – and there’s a lot of personal data at risk on a LinkedIn profile. Kaspersky For a cybersecurity company and provider of antivirus software, it remains to be seen how its own SSL certificates could contain bugs, but that’s just what happened to Kaspersky early in 2017. The bug, which disabled certificates for around 400 million users, was actually discovered by Google’s Tavis Ormandy, who described the certificates as far too weak to be up against today’s hackers. The UK’s Conservative Party In January, 2018, the Conservative Party’s very own website went down for several hours when it was discovered that they had failed to renew the SSL certificate. This is perhaps the most common problem which faces websites in terms of online security, as many site owners believe that once an SSL is purchased, it’s there for life. SSL certificates must be updated at specific times, and even though reminders will be sent by the provider, many fail to notice or may well even ignore such prompts. When these security gaps occur, this is the perfect time for hackers to infiltrate and potentially steal private information. Fox-IT Finally, much like Kaspersky, Fox-IT is one of the world leaders in providing IT security, but even it couldn’t escape an SSL problem in 2017. Granted, the way in which the hacker gained access to information belonging to clients of Fox-IT is incredibly sophisticated, it still goes to show how vulnerable online security can be. A detailed timeline of how the attack took place is a fascinating read, and despite Fox-IT becoming aware of the issue about 10 hours after it took place, the company obviously has ways to go to compete against hackers in this day and age.

New home building in the United States increased by 5.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.178 million units in February, according to newly released data. The figures from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department show that single family production increased 7.2% to 822,000 units, its highest level since November 2007while multifamily starts remained virtually unchanged, inching up 0.8% to 356,000 units. ‘This month’s report is consistent with positive builder sentiment and other economic indicators showing that the housing market continues to recover at a gradual pace,’ said Ed Brady, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). ‘February’s single family gains indicate that this sector is strengthening in line with our forecast. As the US economy firms, job creation continues and mortgage interest rates remain low, we should see further growth in housing production moving forward,’ said NAHB chief economist David Crowe. Combined single and multifamily starts rose in three of the four regions in February, with the West, Midwest and South posting respective gains of 26.1%, 19.9% and 7..1% The Northeast registered a 51.3% loss. A decline in the volatile multifamily sector pushed overall permit issuance down 3.1% in February. Multifamily permits fell 8.4% to a rate of 436,000 while single family permits were up 0.4% to 731,000. Regionally, permits increased in the Northeast by 40.4%. The Midwest, West and South registered respective permit losses of 11.4%, 7.2% and 4.4%.  BOOKMARK THIS PAGE (What is this?)      Source link

24 June 2016 | Martin Read New BIFM chief executive Ray Perry has ended his first week in post by calling on government to “lead us through the short-term volatility” caused by the referendum decision to leave the European Union. Calling the decision “an historic one”, Perry said that “we will not know the full impact or meaning of this for years to come.” However, continued Perry, “ It does immediately create a period of uncertainty for the UK economy and the facilities management services that supply it.” “The government and supporting organisations must get to grips with the task swiftly, putting partisan politics aside to lead us through any short-term volatility towards a stronger and more stable position. We need to focus on market confidence and stability.” “The negotiation period, when Article 50 is invoked, provides an opportunity for our members to understand, adjust to and make the most of the new environment that this decision will create.” “Our immediate priority is to canvas the views of our members and the profession in order to understand their position. Doing so will provide us with clear and valid data to be able to respond and support those operating within the sector.” Source link

16 August 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal Imtech Inviron has been awarded a major three-year deal with London law firm Mishcon de Reya.   As part of the deal, Imtech Inviron will undertake planned and reactive maintenance services at Mishcon de Reya’s head office in Central London.    The company, which also has offices in New York, provides legal services to high-profile people and companies.     Responsible for two properties, the on-site team will carry out mechanical and electrical services across Africa House, a 120,000 square feet grade II listed building, and three floors at Mishcon de Reya’s second building in London with a combined floor space of 37,313 square feet.    Imtech Inviron is part of Imtech, a technical service provider in the UK and Ireland.    Source link