A major fire safety industry body has endorsed the message from specialist AEI Cables about the importance of using only approved cabling in signal and control equipment following the announcement of a revised version of the Code of Practice. AEI Cables has been highlighting the importance of the systems powered
In a letter to industry last week, the Fire Protection Association announced a new change within the LPC Rules for Automatic Sprinkler Installations 2015 incorporating BS EN 12845, clause 12.4.2. due to be issued very soon. A recent trend from within the industry has highlighted a practice that leads to inconsistencies
The confidential reporting system for the building industry now includes fire safety and has relaunched as CROSS, Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK. CROSS-UK welcomes reports about fire safety and structural safety issues related to buildings and other structures in the built environment. Reports include information that will help others
Kingspan’s founder, Eugene Murtagh’s fortune has gone up nearly a billion dollars in a year, but investors are moving away from the Grenfell Tower insulation supplier. Forbes published its annual list of billionaires earlier this week with Kingspan founder and Chairman, Eugene Murtagh is on the list with a $2.4 billion fortune,
FireArrest surveyed experts to shine a light on the biggest fire risks Prominent fire stopping business, FireArrest, recently performed a study with a range of fire professionals to understand what, in their experience, are the most common fire risks. As we all know the management of fire risks within a
As we approach the thought of a release from lockdown it’s important to consider what may have changed in the dormant buildings whilst we have been away. Whilst the Alpine Service Team have remained 100% operational across the UK some businesses may have taken the decision to pause their planned
A leading UK manufacturer of fire-resistant mineral insulated cables has called for unidentified fire safety hazards to be put under the spotlight, or else, it says, more lives could be put at risk. Last month, the UK government set out a five-point plan to address unsafe cladding issues including an
New research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, has found that 75% of people believe the government could either have done more (17 percent) or has not done enough (58%) to ensure the removal of flammable cladding from residential buildings since the Grenfell Tower tragedy
A British engineering firm that has created an innovative, life-saving system to improve fire safety in homes has scooped a top national award. Plumis, whose clients include a range of local authorities and housing associations, took gold in the ‘Innovation of the Year’ category at the national finals of the
Specialist AEI Cables has sent out a message to the supply chain highlighting the need to use only approved cabling in critical signal and control equipment following the announcement of a revised version of the Code of Practice covering these areas of performance. In an open letter to many customers,
A major fire safety industry body has endorsed the message from specialist AEI Cables about the importance of using only approved cabling in signal and control equipment following the announcement of a revised version of the Code of Practice. AEI Cables has been highlighting the importance of the systems powered by these cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – in assisting fire services in the case of firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. Now the professional fire safety membership body the Institution of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO) is supporting the initiative. Martin Dunne of the IFPO said: “In terms of fire safety compliance, we support the message to the fire safety community to follow the detail of the new Code of Practice under BS8519. Anything which constructively helps to improve fire safety in our buildings is welcomed.” As the only supplier in the UK with independent approval from LPCB for BS8519 Category 3 Control fire performance cables with a fire survival time of up to 120 minutes, AEI Cables is warning of the dangers of using any other type of cable. Stuart Dover of AEI Cables, said: “AEI Cables would encourage installers to check with their suppliers that they are using only approved compliant cable for these installations. “We’re receiving a very positive response to our campaign to make the industry aware of the implications of the new Code of Practice. “We must emphasise that any inferior types of cable being used for these applications is dangerous and presents a risk. The standard clearly references and clarifies the products and levels of performance relevant for all parts of the supply chain from specifiers to contractors and installers.” The applications of Category 3 Control fire performance cables also applies to evacuation alarms for the disabled in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems in relevant buildings including tall buildings, office spaces, hospitals, care homes, shopping malls and stadia. AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes. All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world.
In a letter to industry last week, the Fire Protection Association announced a new change within the LPC Rules for Automatic Sprinkler Installations 2015 incorporating BS EN 12845, clause 12.4.2. due to be issued very soon. A recent trend from within the industry has highlighted a practice that leads to inconsistencies in design and installation of sprinkler systems that exponentially compromises the effectiveness and speed of sprinkler head activation. Details of the changes are outlined in the letter to industry, issued by the Fire Protection Association’s Principal Consultant and RISCAuthority Active Sprinkler Rules Working Group convenor, Dale Kinnersley. The update is expected to be released at the end of June. All customers who have a copy of the Sprinkler Rules, either print or digital, will be provided with the updates. Read the full letter to industry here. To purchase a copy of the LPC Sprinkler rules, please visit their website.
The confidential reporting system for the building industry now includes fire safety and has relaunched as CROSS, Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK. CROSS-UK welcomes reports about fire safety and structural safety issues related to buildings and other structures in the built environment. Reports include information that will help others to learn from safety issues and typically look at concerns, near misses or incidents. Established originally in 1976 by the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety’s main function was to identify in advance, trends and developments that might contribute to an increased risk to structural safety. The move to this new organisation is a response to the findings of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety published in May 2018. Neil Gibbins from the Institution of Fire Engineers has been involved with the evolution of CROSS to include fire safety. He said: “The fire safety sector has nothing similar to CROSS. The UK approach to fire safety over the last forty years has changed quite dramatically. It has gone from being almost totally owned and managed in a prescriptive manner by the fire brigades to a much more diverse, goal based, self-compliant and complex process.” He continued: “The expansion of CROSS is a key step that will support fire sector learning, providing a route for professionals to safely share lessons that need to be learned and to provide some oversight of the health of the fire safety system.” The provision of a confidential reporting system that includes fire safety is a major step forward and Neil Gibbins said that the IFE welcomed the chance to be involved. Commenting on the creation of expert panels to comment on the reports received by CROSS, Neil explained: “The formation of a CROSS-UK Fire Safety Expert Panel and regular planned events that bring them together with the CROSS-UK Structural Safety Expert Panel provides the opportunity to feed informed opinion into the building safety system.” CROSS is seeking new ways to collaborate and welcomes approaches from those who would like to be involved. More information is available from www.cross-safety.org
Kingspan’s founder, Eugene Murtagh’s fortune has gone up nearly a billion dollars in a year, but investors are moving away from the Grenfell Tower insulation supplier. Forbes published its annual list of billionaires earlier this week with Kingspan founder and Chairman, Eugene Murtagh is on the list with a $2.4 billion fortune, up from $1.4 billion in 2020. He owns 16% of the shares in Kingspan, which he founded in Ireland in 1965. Kingspan is the manufacturer of insulation materials used on Grenfell Tower. Kingspan executives appeared in front of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry through November and December 2020 and gave further evidence at the end of March 2021. WHEB, a financial investor specialising in sustainable investing, published the minutes of its Investment Advisory Committee and revealed why it no longer invests in Kingspan. “Our overriding concern is that there was, in our view, a culture within the UK operations that saw regulation as an impediment to doing business. There is clear evidence that senior leaders sought to manipulate tests to provide positive results. There is also evidence of management seeking to bully and threaten employees and put pressure on external consultants and clients who raised concerns. “This core issue of culture remains, in our view, largely unaddressed by the company. Compounding this concern was the decision by the company to appoint the CEO’s brother to the Board. This appointment was announced with the annual results in late February. In our view, this was a missed opportunity to make board appointments which present the clearest possible signal of independent governance.” Concluding its analysis, WHEB said that the cultural problems in Kingspan were “tacitly endorsed by group management” and that they did not believe that proposed remedies would go far enough to deal with these concerns. As a result, WHEB sold all its financial interests in Kingspan by 26 February 2021, 0.11% of Kingspan’s outstanding equity. WHEB is not the first investing firm to respond to the evidence provided at the Inquiry. In January, The Irish Times reported that Liontrust Asset Management had also cut its investment in Kingspan by about 400,000 shares. The Mail on Sunday published its survey of ethical investment firms on 23 January and found many still held Kingspan shares but were reconsidering their positions. “Until late last year, the £2 billion Baillie Gifford Positive Change fund had Kingspan as a top ten holding, with 3.9 per cent of its assets in the company. But last month, it reduced this stake.” The Grenfell Inquiry reconvenes on 19 April.
FireArrest surveyed experts to shine a light on the biggest fire risks Prominent fire stopping business, FireArrest, recently performed a study with a range of fire professionals to understand what, in their experience, are the most common fire risks. As we all know the management of fire risks within a property is the single most important factor when it comes to saving lives, protecting properties and the contents within them. The survey looked at three key areas of fire safety: Buildings. Liabilities. Hidden risks. When FireArrest asked what kind of building was at most risk of fire, seven out of ten said that the most fire risks were present within private homes. FireArrest then asked what the biggest fire risks were in terms of materials, 39% said combustible materials, 35% said electrical materials and 23% said vulnerable infrastructure. Finally, they asked the experts about the most common hidden risks, 31% of the responses agreed that walls and ceilings present the biggest dangers since they aren’t immediately visible. 23% said that entranceways were the biggest hidden fire risk within a property. Managing and mitigating the risk of fire within a building is key in not only saving lives but preventing severe damage to the structure of the building and the contents within. For our latest research project, we surveyed a range of active and passive fire industry professionals to shine a light on some of the most common, and often hidden, risks they see on a daily basis. In our survey, we based our questions around three core areas of fire safety… Risky Buildings When we asked fire professionals what kind of buildings presented the biggest fire risk, 7 out of 10 stated that most fire risks are present within residential properties. Conversely, the safest kinds of buildings appear to be restaurants with only 1 in 10 choosing this kind of building as high-risk. Biggest Fire Liabilities The skills of fire professionals are used to inspect properties and assess their vulnerabilities and the risk of fire. In our survey, we asked what the most common outcomes of these inspections are: 39% said combustible materials. 35% said electrical materials. 23% said vulnerable infrastructure. Other liabilities included kitchen exhaust systems and grease-laden vapours. Hidden Fire Risks When asked about hidden fire risks in a building, walls and ceilings were the most common answer, with 31% of our survey audience concurring that hidden risks are usually in these areas as they aren’t immediately visible. Secondly, 23% of our survey said that entrance ways were the biggest hidden fire risk within a premises.
As we approach the thought of a release from lockdown it’s important to consider what may have changed in the dormant buildings whilst we have been away. Whilst the Alpine Service Team have remained 100% operational across the UK some businesses may have taken the decision to pause their planned maintenance schedules whilst the facilities are empty. We have gathered the thoughts of our in house technical experts for advice on some considerations to be given where sites have not been fully maintained, tested or checked. Here are 5 issues that may arise from a pause in the regular tests and checks advised by LPS 1048 and could potentially compromise the operation of a fire sprinkler system. Seized Pressure switches – unless regularly exercised pressure switches can stick causing a number of issues with the sprinkler system. Pressure switches installed on the pump initiation lines would not detect a drop in system pressure and would therefore not start the fire pump(s) preventing the sprinkler system from operating. The pressure switches on the alarm line of the control valves would not send a signal to the main fire alarm, impairing the detection of any issues, either accidental damage or fire related. Water Motor Alarms could be seized – although seen by some as outdated technology the mechanical aspect of a water pressure driven alarm cannot be overlooked as this should still give an audible signal if there was ever a problem with the building fire alarm system. It also enables a hard check on the alarm valves operational effectiveness during regular checks, this would not be possible with an inoperable alarm motor and gong due to failed or seized components. System valves could be stiffer to operate or seized – water flow control valves that are seized or at least stiff would be much more difficult to close in the event of an accidental discharge, potentially leading to excessive water damage if the flow of water cannot be stopped. Individual test valves seized will prevent the normal testing procedure being carried out. However the worst case is that the alarm valves may not open correctly preventing water from flowing into the main sprinkler system in the event of a fire situation. Fire pumps could be seized – As above, if the fire pump is not able to deliver water to the sprinkler system then the effectiveness of that system is eliminated. The ability to provide a continuous flow of water at required pressure based on the design parameters is paramount in the operation of the overall fire suppression system. Undetected frost damage – we have endured some of the coldest days on record in the UK during lockdown. There is a risk within closed sites that there may be frost damage to parts of the system, which could lead to impaired components that could fail on returning to standard operation. These components may not operate as designed and impair their ability to control a fire or at the minimum could cause water damage within a facility in the event of failure. So, as we all look to Spring for a return to something more like the life we remember, we recommend that your fire sprinkler systems are checked for impairments and correct operation by a competent engineer before reoccupation of buildings takes place. For more information on our design, project management and aftercare solutions please contact Louise Plant on 0161 791 4500, or l.plant@alpinefire.co.uk or visit www.alpinefire.co.uk
A leading UK manufacturer of fire-resistant mineral insulated cables has called for unidentified fire safety hazards to be put under the spotlight, or else, it says, more lives could be put at risk. Last month, the UK government set out a five-point plan to address unsafe cladding issues including an additional £3.5 billion in funding for the removal and replacement of cladding on buildings over 18 metres in height. This was welcomed by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP); however, the ASFP did not believe it went far enough and should be made available to cover all identified defects. Wrexham Mineral Cables is adding weight to the ASFP’s arguments. The company believes it is the identified issues – such as the installation of inferior fire-resistant cables – which need to be put under the spotlight and addressed in order to make tall buildings safe. For many years, Wrexham Mineral Cables has been calling for more stringent testing standards as it believes too many cables – which have been installed in buildings across the country – are classified as fire resistant and yet are not fit for purpose in real-life fire scenarios. Steve Williams, Commercial Manager at Wrexham Mineral Cables, commented: “Whilst we welcome calls to look at all identified fire safety hazards, we believe the call for change needs to go much further. Sadly, there are simply too many cables classed as fire resistant but that would not be adequate in the event of a fire, as the tests do not represent real-world conditions. All over the UK, this is putting lives at risk. Higher classification needed “We strongly believe there should be a higher classification of cables introduced to identify those which can survive, rather than simply resist fire. There should be no compromise, and as an industry we can no longer aim for minimum compliance to get the job done. Whilst legislation such as the Building Safety Bill will make everybody in the supply chain more accountable throughout the various stages of the building’s existence, we can only truly make buildings safe by identifying all possible hazards, and ensuring that the tests which construction products are subjected to are relevant and can be relied upon.” Wrexham Mineral Cables contributed to the call for evidence by the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt, and has lobbied the UK Government for their support in calling for more stringent tests.
New research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, has found that 75% of people believe the government could either have done more (17 percent) or has not done enough (58%) to ensure the removal of flammable cladding from residential buildings since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017. Almost two thirds (64 percent) of people, including 56 percent of Conservative voters, back further Government support for funding to carry out works on any residential building, privately or publicly owned, to bring them in line with current fire safety regulations. This includes the removal of unsafe cladding on buildings under 18 meters, with 63 percent of people believing that the height-based allocation of funding thus far has been unfair. The research also reveals that 62 percent of Londoners think that the cladding scandal has affected public confidence in new build housing, compared to just 40 percent of people in the North of England and 37 percent in the Midlands and Wales. Jennifer Riddell Carpenter, Director of the Building Safety Unit at BECG, commented: “These results demonstrate the scale of the challenge for Government as it addresses the systemic failings in the building control system over multiple decades. The Government’s latest package of support, announced on 10th February, extended the funding to remove cladding from buildings over 18 metres to £5bln, but did not cover buildings beneath this height. “This polling, conducted after the extension of funding was announced, demonstrates that the public remain concerned about the fairness of a scheme that does not cover lower rise buildings whilst supporting further Government funding being made available.” The research has been led by BECG’s new Building Safety Unit, which brings together an award-winning multi-disciplined team, dedicated to providing strategic counsel to clients affected by the fire and building safety agenda across the UK. The Building Safety Unit will provide strategic counsel and leadership to integrated support across crisis communications, specialist resident and community engagement, media relations, communications and government relations. Talking of new Building Safety Unit, BECG CEO Stephen Pomeroy said: “Building safety is one of the most prominent issues facing our clients and the sector. Our dedicated team are expertly placed to help organisations navigate this difficult landscape, providing expert counsel and award-winning communications support.”
A British engineering firm that has created an innovative, life-saving system to improve fire safety in homes has scooped a top national award. Plumis, whose clients include a range of local authorities and housing associations, took gold in the ‘Innovation of the Year’ category at the national finals of the Make UK Manufacturing Awards. The annual awards recognise the creativity, dedication and resilience of manufacturers that have done exceptional work to provide better solutions to problems. Judges praised the London-based company for its reinvention of the traditional fire sprinkler and the organisation’s growth through developing solutions to meet the needs of new markets. Since its formation in 2008, Plumis has developed the fire suppression misting technology Automist as an effective alternative to sprinklers. Its products are easier and more cost-effective to retrofit, and use less water so are less damaging than conventional sprinkler systems. The company has grown its business rapidly over the last few years and now has 41 employees. Make UK judges said: “Plumis is an innovative British engineering company that has shown impressive revenue growth from its life-saving product, and their customer base looks set to expand. They deserve the greatest of praise for the progress they’re making.” William Makant, CEO and Co-Founder of Plumis, said: “Winning this national award is a testament to our team’s hard work and commitment to taking a fresh approach to addressing the challenges of keeping people safe from fire in their homes. “We formed Plumis with the aim of creating a more effective alternative to traditional fire sprinkler systems and we will continue to innovate as we evolve our products further.” Jim Davison, Region Director for Make UK in the South, said: “I must congratulate Plumis on winning this award for the significant, innovative steps that they’ve made. It’s clear they’ve prioritised research and development, and they are now seeing the benefits. Organisations like Plumis really are trailblazers for the sector and I hope other manufacturers take a leaf out of their book.” The Make UK award was sponsored by High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a group of UK manufacturing research centres. Dick Elsy CBE, the sponsor’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are proud to sponsor these awards, to recognise the achievements of extraordinary innovators such as Plumis. “Companies that grasp the innovation opportunity are among the most competitive and productive in global markets. That’s why innovation is the lifeblood of the UK economy, with HVM Catapult driving growth and success in the manufacturing sector.” Plumis has previously won numerous awards, including the Red Dot Design Award and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation.
Specialist AEI Cables has sent out a message to the supply chain highlighting the need to use only approved cabling in critical signal and control equipment following the announcement of a revised version of the Code of Practice covering these areas of performance. In an open letter to many customers, industry bodies and organisations, the supplier is underlining how the systems powered by these cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – are so critical in assisting fire services in the case of firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. As the only supplier in the UK with independent approval from LPCB for BS8519 Category 3 Control fire performance cables with a fire survival time of up to 120 minutes, AEI Cables is warning of the dangers of using any other type of cable. Graham Turner of AEI Cables, said: “We feel strongly about this issue as a matter of safety and compliance. Using inferior types of cable for these applications is dangerous and posing a major risk. We’re getting a very positive response from customers who appreciate the information on an issue of such importance. “Some of these systems will simply not survive in a fire if a sub-standard cable is installed. Category 3 Control fire performance cables reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a real fire. “Indeed, these cables also help fire and rescue services fighting a fire and evacuating people so we shouldn’t underestimate their importance.” The standard clearly references and clarifies the products and levels of performance that should be used for all parts of the supply chain from specifiers to contractors and installers. The applications of Category 3 Control fire performance cables also applies to evacuation alarms for the disabled in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems in relevant buildings including tall buildings, office spaces, hospitals, care homes, shopping malls and stadia. AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control. The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes.
