FIRE SECTOR SUMMIT
2015 3-4 November Fire Service College
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Opening address This year’s Summit takes the theme of blue light collaboration, devolution of regions, construction and the built environment, says Mark Sennett
A
FTER MONTHS of planning and hard work, the Fire Sector Summit is finally upon us and we are delighted to be welcoming more than 250 delegates across the two days. This year we have changed proceedings a little bit by holding an industry meeting day on day one. We are delighted to be playing host to meetings from the Fire Sector Federation (FSF), FPA members, Victaulic, Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers and the National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group. At the centre of those meetings is our FPA members event, which is a fantastic opportunity for our members to network and also gain CPD hours from the IFE for attending the three seminar sessions on offer. If you’re not already a member of the FPA, you can see a full list of member benefits on the inside front cover of this guide. If you want further information, please feel free to email membership@thefpa.co.uk The main conference takes place on day 2 and we are delighted to welcome respected broadcaster and renowned sprinkler campaigner Nick Ross, who will act as chair for this year’s Summit. The keynote sessions will include discussions on blue light collaborations; the launch of the Fire Sector Federation’s roadmap for
the future fire strategy; devolution of regions and the impacts for fire; the future of the building regulations; and a Question Time session with CFOA president Paul Hancock, RISCAuthority chair David Williams, FSF chairman Brian Robinson and Fire Brigades Union national officer John McGhee. The Summit provides an opportunity not only for networking, but also to set the agenda in our industry for the next 12 months. This year it takes on even greater significance with the government’s consultation on bringing the fire service under control of police and crime commissioners. The government’s chief fire advisor Peter Holland is once again one of our keynote speakers and the Question Time session that closes the conference is your opportunity to speak as one voice to get the sector’s views heard in government. We do actively encourage all of you to ask questions and we will make sure it’s all fed back to the government.
Workshop choices Delegates will also be able to attend two of seven workshops, the first three of which take place between 12:00-13:00, and you can choose between sessions on
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2015
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developments in insulation technology, warehouses and sprinklers and timber framed construction. Workshop one is sponsored by Kingspan and will be chaired by FPA technical director Dr Jim Glockling. With the huge growth in demand for greater thermal efficiency, this session will consider new and emerging insulation products and methods, and their resilience to fire. As one of his final talks as secretary general of BAFSA, Stewart Kidd will lead workshop 2 and a debate on the need for more mandating of fire sprinklers in warehousing. This was an area that the FPA focused on in its Safe Futures Campaign last year, where we lobbied for the UK to become more aligned with European standards. Workshop 3 provides an update from the Chief Fire Officers Association structural timber working group and will include a 10-step guide to considering the emerging risks from timber framed constructions. We kick off our afternoon programme with a choice of four workshops. BAFE will lead workshop 4, which will be of particular interest to delegates attending from the fire service. In partnership with the Fire Industry Association and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, BAFE will present the findings of a joint project that has reduced the number of unwanted alarms in Scotland. Our fifth workshop discusses the importance of protecting heritage premises. This is always a popular topic with readers of Fire Risk Management and representatives from National Trust, the Fire Surgery and BAFSA will discuss ways to prevent fires in heritage buildings or to mitigate their impacts.
Arson is the focus of workshop 6 and Arson Control Forum chair Lee Howell will examine the combination of factors that can see anti-social behaviour grow into arson attacks. Meanwhile, Victaulic will host workshop 7, which will demonstrate the advantages of using flexible hose suppression systems. The event is also being supported by more than 20 exhibitors, and delegates over both days will have plenty of opportunity to browse the exhibition. I’d personally like to thank all of you who have supported this event by purchasing tickets, agreeing to be a speaker or sponsoring the Summit. This event could not have happened without your generous support. I look forward to catching up with many of you at the Summit and we will have an extensive review of the event in the next issue of FRM. We will also be providing live coverage on 3-4 November, which will include reports, videos and pictures. You can follow all the action at www.frmjournal.com and join in the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #FSS15 We’re also delighted to confirm that next year the Summit will be returning to London and will be held at the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons. For the first time, the event will also incorporate the popular RISCAuthority conference on day one. So make sure you keep 17-18 October 2016 free in your diaries Mark Sennett is editor of Fire Risk Management Fire Risk Management is the official magazine of the FPA. You can receive FRM by becoming an FPA member
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Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
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Contents
12 1-2
Opening address
Summit organiser Mark Sennett provides an overview of what’s in store at this year’s Fire Sector Summit
6
Conference programme
10
Pick your workshop
12-14 Trail blazer
16 16
In light of the Prime Minister’s recent speech on a ‘smarter State’, Andrew Haldenby thinks the fire and rescue service’s good track record in service integration and resource management puts it in the vanguard of public service reform
Time for reflection
Ruth Oliver provides an insight on the hard work that has gone in to creating a national qualification for sprinkler installation
18-30 Workshop information
We preview what will be discussed in the seven workshop sessions
32-34 Pipe dream
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Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
Simon Ouellette discusses the evolution of flexible metal hoses, their rapid adoption by the fire sprinkler industry and the reliability of their performance
38-42 Exhibitor profiles
A quick overview of the companies and products that will be on show at this year’s exhibition
SPRINKLERS save lives protect firefighters
suppress fires limit fire damage
preserve our heritage
SPRINKLERS are an essential part of any business resilience toolkit protecting property and business safeguarding jobs, families, communities and the environment Talk to BAFSA and its members in the sprinkler village at the Fire Sector Summit
info@bafsa.org.uk • www.bafsa.org.uk
Fire Sector Summit 2015 Conference programme Wednesday 4 November 08:15 Registration and refreshments 08:45 Welcome and introduction by FPA technical director Dr Jim Glockling 09:00 Opening address by conference chair and broadcaster Nick Ross 09:10 Launch of the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) strategy paper FSF chair Brian Robinson will outline the content and outcomes of the FSF’s think tank with the formal launch of its strategy paper and roadmap on future fire strategy in the UK 09:30 Government address Chief fire and rescue advisor for the Department for Communities and Local Government Peter Holland will address delegates and outline the government’s plans for the fire sector. He will then face questions from the floor 09:55 Devolution of the regions – potential impacts for fire Former Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service chief executive Steve McGuirk explains the impact of the government’s decision to devolve powers to the mayor of Manchester 10:20 The government’s strategy for construction and the implications for the fire sector Anthony Burd, head of construction at BSi will outline his view on the new administration’s construction strategy and to explain how resilience and fire feature in their thinking 10:55 The future for building regulations With a review of Approved Document B expected but with the date still unannounced, Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC) chairman Neil Cooper will address the Summit to explain BRAC’s current thinking 11:10 Questions to the panel 11:30 Networking and refreshments 12:00 Workshops Delegates will choose to attend one of the following three sessions: •
Sustainability – developments in insulation technologies (sponsored by Kingspan)
•
Warehouses and sprinklers (in collaboration with BAFSA)
•
Timber framed construction update from the sector working group
13:00 Lunch and networking 14:00 Workshops Delegates will choose to attend one of the following four sessions: •
Unwanted alarm signals – Scottish Fire and Rescue Service project results and implications (sponsored by BAFE)
•
Fire safety in heritage premises – recent case studies
•
Arson – psychological and sociological factors
•
Flexible sprinkler fitting system workshop (by Victaulic)
15:00 Networking and refreshments 15:20 Blue light collaboration/consolidation Andrew Haldenby from think thank Reform will explore the options and opportunities for greater collaborative working between the emergency services 15:35 Question time debate A panel containing CFOA president Paul Hancock, FSF chair Brian Robinson, Reform’s Andrew Haldenby, FBU national officer John McGhee and RISCAuthority chair David Williams will respond to the government address and then take questions 6
Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
16:00 Close *All conference and workshop details were correct at the time of going to print
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About the organisers The FPA is the UK’s national fire safety organisation. Established in 1946, it has an unrivalled reputation for quality of work and expertise in all aspects of fire safety, risk management and loss prevention. Our products and services are designed to assist fire, security and safety professionals to achieve and maintain the very highest standards of fire safety management.
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Pick your workshops Please Please select select one one workshop workshop for for Session Session A A and and one one for for Session Session BB SESSION SESSION A: A:
SESSION SESSION B: B:
Workshop Workshop 1: 1:
Workshop Workshop 4: 4:
Sustainability Sustainability––developments developmentsin ininsulation insulationtechnologies technologies (in (inassociation associationwith withKingspan) Kingspan) Mostyn MostynBullock Bullock,,principal principalengineer engineerand anddirector, director,Tenos; Tenos;Dr DrJim Jim Glockling, Glockling,technical technicaldirector, director,Fire FireProtection ProtectionAssociation Association
Unwanted Unwanted alarm alarm signals signals –– Scottish Scottish FRS FRS project project results results and and implications implications (in (in association association with with BAFE) BAFE) Douglas DouglasBarnett, Barnett,chairman, chairman,BAFE; BAFE;Martin MartinHarvey, Harvey,chairman, chairman,Fire Fire Industry IndustryAssociation; Association;David DavidMcGowan, McGowan,deputy deputyassistant assistantchief chieffire fire officer officer,,Scottish ScottishFire Fireand andRescue RescueService Service
With Withthe thehuge hugegrowth growthin indemand demandand andgreater greaterthermal thermal efficiency, efficiency,this thisworkshop workshopwill willconsider considernew newand andemerging emerging insulation insulation products products and and methods, methods, and and their their resilience resilience to tofire. fire.(See (Seep18) p18)
Workshop Workshop 2: 2: Warehousing Warehousingand andsprinklers sprinklers(in (incollaboration collaborationwith withBAFSA) BAFSA) Stewart StewartKidd, Kidd,secretary secretarygeneral, general,British BritishAutomatic AutomaticFire FireSprinkler Sprinkler Association; Association;Andy AndyJones, Jones,station stationcommander commanderBuckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Fire Fireand andRescue RescueService; Service;Nick NickRoss, Ross,broadcaster broadcaster(chair) (chair) BAFSA BAFSAwill willlead leadthis thissession, session,which whichwill willdebate debatethe theneed needfor for the the mandation mandation of of sprinklers sprinklers in in warehousing warehousing in in the the UK UK to to become becomemore morealigned alignedwith withEuropean Europeanstandards. standards.This Thissession session will willfocus focuson onthree threekey keythemes: themes:fire firesafety safetymanagement managementof of large largesingle singlestorey storeybuildings, buildings,an aninsurer’s insurer’sview viewon onwarehouse warehouse protection; protection;and andbusiness businessresilience resiliencewith withsprinklers. sprinklers.(See (Seep20) p20)
Workshop Workshop 3: 3: Timber Timberframed framedconstruction constructionupdate updatefrom fromthe theChief ChiefFire Fire Officers OfficersAssociation Associationworking workinggroup group Neil NeilGibbons, Gibbons,chief chiefexecutive, executive,Institution Institutionof ofFire FireEngineers; Engineers; Martin MartinMiller, Miller,technical technicalconsultant, consultant,UK UKTimber TimberFrame FrameAssociation Association This This workshop workshop will will see see CFOA CFOA provide provide an an update update on on the the progress progressof ofits itsstructural structuraltimber timberworking workinggroup. group.Included Includedin in the thepresentation presentationwill willbe beaa10 10step stepguide guideon onhow howthe thegroup group isisconsidering consideringemerging emergingrisks. risks.(See (Seep22) p22)
BAFE, BAFE,the theFire FireIndustry IndustryAssociation Associationand andthe theScottish ScottishFire Fireand and Rescue RescueService Servicewill willpresent presentthe theresults resultsof ofaajoint jointproject projectthat that has hassuccessfully successfullyreduced reducedthe thenumber numberof ofunwanted unwantedfire firealarms alarms in inScotland. Scotland.(See (Seep24) p24)
Workshop Workshop 5: 5: Fire Fire safety safety in in heritage heritage premises premises –– recent recent case case studies studies Bob BobBantock, Bantock,operational operationalrisk riskbusiness businesspartner, partner,National NationalTrust; Trust; Andrew AndrewNicholson, Nicholson,director, director,The TheFire FireSurgery; Surgery;Stewart StewartKidd, Kidd, secretary secretarygeneral, general,British BritishAutomatic AutomaticFire FireSprinkler SprinklerAssociation Association This Thisworkshop workshopwill willexamine examinerecent recentmajor majorfires firesin inheritage heritage premises premises(including (includingClandon ClandonHouse), House),and andways waysto toprevent prevent these theseincidents incidentsor ormitigate mitigatetheir theirimpacts. impacts.(See (Seep26) p26)
Workshop Workshop 6: 6: Arson Arson –– psychological psychological and and sociological sociological factors factors Lee Lee Howell, Howell, chair, chair, Arson Arson Control Control Forum; Forum; Zoë Zoë Bond, Bond, sales sales director, director, Gerda Gerda Security Security Products Products Arson Arsonisisaamajor majorconcern concernfor forbusinesses businessesand andfire fireand andrescue rescue services. services.In Inthis thissession, session,the theArson ArsonControl ControlForum Forumwill willlook lookat at the thecombination combinationof offactors factorsthat thatcan cansee seeanti-social anti-socialbehaviour behaviour grow growinto intoarson arsonattacks. attacks.Zoë ZoëBond Bondwill willexplain explainhow howfire firerisk risk assessments assessmentscan canmitigate mitigateagainst againstthe therisk riskof ofarson arson(See (Seep28) p28)
Workshop Workshop 7: 7: Flexible Flexible sprinkler sprinkler fitting fitting systems systems (in (in association association with withVictaulic) Victaulic) Jack JackCarbone, Carbone,senior seniorengineer, engineer,Victaulic Victaulic Victaulic Victaulic will will provide provide aa demonstration demonstration to to show show the the advantages advantages of of using using flexible flexible sprinkler sprinkler hoses. hoses. (See (Seep30) p30) **Programme Programmecorrect correctat atthe thetime timeof ofgoing goingto toprint print
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Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2013
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Trail blazer In light of the Prime Minister’s recent speech on a ‘smarter State’, Andrew Haldenby thinks the fire service’s track record in service integration and resource management puts it in the vanguard of public service reform
I
N HIS major speech on a ‘smarter State’ in September, David Cameron’s most important announcements came in relation to blue light: to enable police, fire and ambulance to ‘work more closely together’, and to enable police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to ‘take on control’ of fire and rescue services1. On the same day, the Home Office launched a consultation on various options to ‘enable closer working’2. Blue light is in the lead, but the wider context is a new energy and commitment to public service reform across the piece. Much of this is of course driven by the ongoing problems with the public finances. The Treasury can’t forget for a second that the national debt is still rising, even after all of its austerity measures. The annual deficit on the public finances is not expected to disappear until the end of the decade. It would take a big and entirely unexpected rise in tax revenues to ease the spending pressure on public services. Noone in Westminster is expecting that any time soon. Under the coalition government, some public services felt relatively protected from the need for change, notably the NHS. That is no longer the case. The majority Conservative government has increased the pressure for health reform, which partly explains the current contretemps with junior doctors.
Equally, the government may have protected the defence budget, but it is demanding big increases in productivity in order to afford significant new investments, especially cyber security. At the same time, the schools budget is being cut in real terms, having been protected under the coalition. Police, justice, local government and other services face more cuts. As a result, the quest for ‘more for less’ continues – but it is not more of the same. The pressure for greater productivity and new thinking is now being applied more consistently across the public sector, compared to during David Cameron’s first term.
Joint working This leads straight to the idea of joint working. Tight finances are bringing a new awareness of costs and value for money in public services. Government is now well aware that the performance of some services can drive costs (or savings) for others. An absolutely top priority for ministers, for example, is improving care for elderly people in residential care homes or in people’s own homes (in the jargon, ‘social care’) to prevent those people placing an unnecessary burden on the NHS, especially by visiting accident and emergency wards.
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2015
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In the mini review of public spending in 2013, the Treasury set aside over £3 billion to fund joint working in various public service areas (health and social care, local government, and policing). There will be much more of the same in November’s full scale Spending Review. It is easy to see how the wish to join up blue light services fits in with this. The Reform think tank proposed closer joint working of blue light in 2012, including the idea of placing fire services under PCCs 3. We drew attention to the sharing of ‘back office’ services between police, fire and ambulance, and indeed other public services such as local government. We pointed to the co-location of services, whether in the same stations or using the same control centres. We did receive some opposition from within the various services. Some ambulance voices said that there was little correspondence between emergency calls to the various services, so that there would be little point in having a joint response. Some fire officers worried that they would be swallowed within the larger police forces. Some felt that it might be better to amalgamate police forces into (say) 12 regional forces, and the same with fire and rescue, and only then move on to integrating across the boundaries.
Police and fire integration As time has gone on, however, my impression is that those fears have eased and that people have got on with finding innovative ways to work together. The Northants police and crime commissioner, Adam Simmonds, has been a high profile advocate for police and fire integration. Perhaps most importantly, the outgoing chief of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, Steve McGuirk, has shown the potential scale of the benefits of greater joint working. His partnership with North West Ambulance is enabling fire officers to
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Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
conduct health and security checks in the home as well as those for fire. His staff are responding to non-emergency calls – typically falls by elderly people in their own home. They are making DIYtype improvements to those homes, for example fitting grab rails to reduce the risk of unnecessary hospital admission. This is powerful stuff because it directly addresses the problem of unnecessary NHS demand. It has influenced Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England (the main national NHS governing body). The specific ideas in the government consultation show that ministers are more concerned with police and fire at this stage than with ambulance. The consultation imagines creating a single employer for police and fire (while maintaining the operational differences between the police and fire workforces – the power of arrest would remain limited to the police, for example). For ambulance, all the consultation envisages is that PCCs could be represented on ambulance trusts’ board of governors. The Greater Manchester example, however, shows the true potential of joint working with the NHS. The consultation is important, but I would expect local initiatives to find ways to go beyond its ideas, and ministers would welcome that.
Public service parallels The consultation refers to the government’s plans to increase devolution in English local government, meaning a transfer of powers away from Whitehall. Reform’s work on this idea so far suggests that devolution can play a useful role if it acts as a catalyst to the changes that need to happen in local services. It isn’t however the answer in itself. Just devolving power does not mean that councils will challenge existing ways of working. Equally, local areas can get on with change without any alterations to their governance. It can also be argued that devolution is all very well, but we will really know when things are changing if the structure of Whitehall itself starts to reflect a more joined up approach. Changing the names and responsibilities of government departments is clearly not a silver bullet either. Still, the traditional separations between departments don’t help joint working, and in particular they hinder joint budgeting. The Cabinet Office has shown that it understands this by setting up ten ‘implementation task forces’, ie a new kind of Cabinet committee that brings together different department to solve problems. I expect the forthcoming Spending Review to establish new types of delivery organisations which can act across government on particular issues. Blue light integration is a leading example of a policy trend across government. Ministers are
learning on the job, driven partly by experience and partly by the inescapable public finance problem. In 2010, David Cameron spoke in general terms of a ‘big society’ that would counterbalance big modern governments. In 2015, the Prime Minister has a much more specific and accurate analysis. In his ‘smarter State’, good public services are those that solve deep social problems and save a lot of public money as a happy by-product. They do so by working together and if that needs new organisational forms and structures, so be it. Fire and rescue services have a superb record in innovation and wise use of resources, including prevention. Ministers’ recent words are, as much as anything, recognition of the excellent changes that are already happening. Fire and rescue services should be as active as possible in helping public services through this historic period of change Andrew Haldenby is director of the independent think tank Reform References 2. 1.
David Cameron, speech, 11 September 2015: ‘We’ve reduced the size of the civil service, made better use of government property, bought
3.
smarter and spread the use of technology. The next five years will be about going further. Take our emergency services. Right now we have a situation where in most towns, the police, fire and ambulance services all have different premises, back offices, IT policies and systems, and procurement policies – despite all their work being closely related. Places like Hampshire have shown the way forward, where the emergency services have brought functions together to save millions of pounds a year. We need to see that sort of thinking in other places. So I can announce today that we will introduce reforms that will enable the police, fire and ambulance services to work more closely together to save money and improve their effectiveness. And in areas with local support we will enable Police and Crime Commissioners to take on control of the fire and rescue services, including in London where that power will be vested in the Mayor. This will improve accountability, raise effectiveness and deliver savings for taxpayers – that’s what efficiency can do.’ HM Government (2015), Consultation: Enabling closer working between the Emergency Services, 11 September. Reform (2012), Doing it justice, www.reform.uk
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 22015 015
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Time for reflection
Ruth Oliver provides an overview of the hard work that has gone into creating a national qualification for sprinkler installation THE IQ Level 2 Certificate in Fire Sprinkler Installation (QCF) qualification covers health and safety, sprinkler industry knowledge, relationship building and communication, management of resources, maintaining compliance, dealing with non-compliance, installation and final handover procedures. Intended for those employed in the mechanical fire protection sector installing fire sprinklers, the course is designed to develop the knowledge and competences necessary to meet the industry standards for the installation role. The framework of the qualification should provide sufficient flexibility for variations in different jobs and locations. Following approval of the qualification, the all-important choice of training providers was considered, with an established BAFSA member – Neath Port Talbot College – being BAFSA’s primary choice for Wales. For the remainder of the UK, agreement for delivery of the new qualification was reached with the Manchester College, with whom BAFSA members worked to donate the resources to equip a bespoke training room. In September, the qualification was formally launched at the Manchester College with the first students commencing their studies. Then in October, a further launch event took place at Neath Port Talbot College, again with the first students already being accepted. The first course is fully subscribed and on the way to establishing the all-important competent workforce needed to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. The journey of education that BAFSA has embarked on requires continued input from members to ensure that 12 6
Fire Sector Sector Summ Summiitt 2015 2014 Fire
BAFSA and the members’ vision remains at the heart of future developments. Looking forward to 2016, the next developments will include firstly a skills card evidencing identity, qualifications and training – similar to the one currently used in the construction sector. Secondly, a clear career pathway will be established, making it easier for potential recruits and those working in the sector to understand the relevance of courses and select them more wisely. Thirdly, there will be recognition of prior learning for those with significant experience of working in the installation sector and encouragement of formal education. In addition, a Level 3 qualification of much wider scope and depth of knowledge will be developed, appealing to those with the level 2 qualification and those experienced in installation skills who have an element of supervisory experience or team leadership. There is no quick fix when addressing workplace competency or recruitment requirements. If BAFSA is to ensure that these project developments are meaningful and of value to the sector, it is important that time is taken to have the necessary discussions with industry representatives. Following a successful 2015, a busy 2016 now beckons Ruth Oliver is BAFSA skills and qualifications advisor BAFSA is chairing a workshop at the Fire Sector Summit on warehouses and sprinklers. For more information, view page 20
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Workshop 1
Sustainability – developments in insulation technologies Dr Jim Glockling and Mostyn Bullock will discuss how emerging insulation products and methods need to meet the requirement for greater thermal efficiency, while still being resilient to fire INSURERS HAVE had a turbulent history insuring buildings of sandwich panel construction. Typically used in large, high value commercial applications, inappropriate product choice is known to be associated with high financial loss.
Test regimes To assist with product selection, insurers developed many years ago a large-scale test regime (LPS1181) to allow improved alignment of product fire-resisting capability with application, which has certainly improved matters. New challenges linked to the removal of local acts for sprinkler provision; the already loose requirements of our building regulations for sprinkler protection; building practices and throughlife modification; changes to fire and rescue service response; changes to industry practices; and the transfer of commercial building methods to the domestic estate, mean that more may be asked of sandwich panels in the future to protect the businesses they house.
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control on insulation used in the external envelope of commercial buildings, building insurers now regularly require foamed plastic cored sandwich panels to meet insurance industry certification standards involving large scale fire testing. Mostyn will explain that the industry has responded to these insurer requirements by developing foam plastic cores that are capable of passing these tests. Kingspan has taken the additional step of analysing the performance of its PIR core product in real fires involving operational buildings in the field. When fires of note occur, Kingspan has instructed Tenos to attend the fire site and provide an independent report. The presentation by Tenos will explain their work in this regard Dr Jim Glockling is technical director of the FPA and director of RISCAuthority (left) Mostyn Bullock is principal engineer and director of Tenos (right)
Sandwich panels
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While Building Regulations guidance for the external envelope of buildings places little
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Fire Sector Summ i t 2015
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Workshop 2
Warehousing and sprinklers – aligning European standards This session, which will be led by BAFSA and chaired by Nick Ross, will discuss the need for the mandation of sprinklers in warehousing in the UK to become more aligned with European standards ALL NEWLY built warehouses in the UK comply with the current Building Regulations, but this only means that they are compliant with the current fire safety standards for means of escape and compartmentation. Therefore, all employees and members of the public should be able to escape from a fire incident in the building; however, it does not ensure the resilience of the building when a fire occurs. The fitting of automatic fire sprinkler systems does ensure the resilience of the building and allows the occupier to resume business as usual, very quickly after a fire incident. This workshop will focus on three key themes: the fire safety management of large single storey buildings; an insurer’s view on warehouse protection; and business resilience with sprinklers. Over the past nine months, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) is aware of 23 commercial buildings where fire sprinklers have prevented major losses following a fire by turning what could be a potential disaster into a minor inconvenience; and they do so time and again with irrefutable reliability. The fact that sprinklers were fitted, combined to stop fires from spreading further, and saved buildings and thousands of pounds worth of stock inside, thus also protected jobs and saved businesses. In 2014, two important reports were published on fires in warehouses. One, produced by the Centre
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for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), quantifies the financial and economic value of the damage and disruption caused by fires in commercial warehouse premises that are not fitted with automatic fire sprinkler systems (AFSS). The second, conducted by BRE Global, an environmental impact and cost benefit analysis for fire sprinklers in three ranges of warehouse building sizes, identifies the clear benefits associated with the sprinkler systems. There is ample evidence to show that modern logistics practice, while providing significant cost and time savings for retail and b2b distribution, has created significant risks by virtue of the concentration of assets represented by very large warehouses and distribution depots. Commercial buildings fitted with functioning sprinkler systems do not face total destruction of contents, building and business. Fire sprinklers prevent major losses by turning what could be a potential disaster into a minor inconvenience – and they do so repeatedly with irrefutable reliability Nick Ross (left) is a broadcaster and a proactive sprinkler campaigner Stewart Kidd (right) is the outgoing secretary general of BAFSA Andy Jones is station commander at Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Workshop 3
Timber framed construction
Neil Gibbins and Martin Milner provide an update on the CFOA structural timber working group and its guide for considering emerging risks
BUILDINGS USING timber as the means of structural strength and robustness is nothing new; in fact, timber is our most traditional and longest serving building material. The word ‘timber’ is interchangeable with wood and, as we all know, fortunately wood burns. With the right conditions, a fire can spread rapidly across exposed wood and therefore buildings using this as a structural medium need appropriate detailing and design to safeguard persons from a fire both during the construction and use of the building. Since 2010, the lead timber frame working group of the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) has worked to ensure that gaps in the knowledge and guidance on fire robustness in structural timber construction can be debated and that actions are taken by the Structural Timber Association to investigate and produce guidance as required. The group includes representatives from CFOA, the Health and Safety Executive Construction Division, National House Building Corporation, Building Control Alliance, Fire Brigades Union, Fire Protection Association, London Fire Brigade, Association of British Insurers, and the governments of the UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With its initial focus on the construction phase, the group analysed the life cycle of a timber frame structure, identifying key steps and developing a work programme. Subsequently, through the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA), the industry invested significantly in research testing different approaches to protecting timber frame systems from fire, from the construction stage onwards. Large scale tests were carried out with the primary objective of measuring the rate of fire development in the different timber frame systems and the subsequent radiated heat outputs. 22
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Other activity being carried out in parallel to the tests included a UKTFA document giving guidance to contractors during the construction phase – 16 steps to fire safety and Construction Escape Routes – which was further developed in collaboration with the working group. One of the 16 steps recommended that the local fire service be informed about the location and size of timber frame construction sites. CFOA guidance was produced, advocating that receiving fire services should risk assess the proposed site and consider carrying out a visit under section 7(2)d of the Fire and Rescue Services Act, gathering operational intelligence and observing risk management in practice. The group has now become a work stream of the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) so all FSF members have access to the meetings and information generated. This has brought into the fold another key partner with the skills to help manage fire risk - the Building Research Establishment. There are many reasons why structural timber is being selected by building clients, architects, engineers, developers and contractors, and its growth in use is predicted to continue to rise. Therefore, the work the Structural Timber Working Group undertakes is an important factor in the approval of the method of build by the wider industry stakeholder groups such as insurance, health and safety and policy deciders. This workshop is designed to explore FSF member’s views and identify action plans for the working group in 2016 Neil Gibbins is chief executive of the Institution of Fire Engineers (pictured) Martin Milner is director of Milner and Associates F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Workshop 4
Unwanted alarm signals Scottish FRS project results BAFE chairman Douglas Barnett, Martin Harvey and David McGown will examine a study carried out to assist in the reduction of wanted fire alarms THIS WORKSHOP will take a detailed look at a joint project between BAFE, the Fire Industry Association (FIA), and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) that has successfully reduced the number of unwanted alalrms in Scotland. In his recent article published in The Courier, Michael Alexander said: ‘recent figures from Audit Scotland revealed that false alarms caused by faulty equipment cost Scotland’s single fire and rescue service close to £20 million in its first year up and running. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended almost 50,000 false alarms in 2013-14 – almost 60% of emergency incidents firefighters across the country responded to.’
SFRS deployment In September, BAFE held a fire safety reception, which was hosted by Michael McMahon MSP – it was in his constituency that the Rosepark Nursing Home suffered a tragic fire more than 10 years ago. At this event, SFRS assistant chief officer Lewis Ramsay clearly stated: ‘there would never be a situation in Scotland where the fire and rescue service would not deploy on receiving a fire alarm call, especially where there are at risk people present.’
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Third party certification BAFE has set up and operates multiple third party certificated schemes that would aid the reduction of unwanted fire alarm signals in both Scotland and all over the UK. If the duty holder (or responsible person) were to specify a third party certified BAFE registered company, this would go a long way towards providing the assurance that quality fire safety systems have been implemented by competent people. This session – which is sponsored by BAFE – will review the study and explore how its findings could go along way to reducing unwanted fire alarms across the UK Douglas Barnett is chair of BAFE (left) Martin Harvey is chair of the Fire Industry Association (centre) David McGown is assistant deputy assistant chief fire officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (right) For more information on BAFE, please visit www.bafe.org.uk
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Workshop 5
Fire safety in heritage premises – recent case studies Bob Bantock, Andy Nicholson and Stewart Kidd will focus on the importance of protecting heritage premises THE PANEL for this workshop will examine major fires that have occurred in recent times in heritage premises, including the devastating fire at Clandon House, and will look at ways to prevent these incidents or mitigate their impacts. Bob will talk briefly about the National Trust and some of the difficulties associated with fire safety in heritage properties. He will provide an update on the serious fire that broke out on 29 April at Clandon Park House in Surrey, owned by the Trust, sharing the actions of staff and interaction with the fire and rescue service including during firefighting and salvage operations, and the ongoing investigation.
Clandon House Clandon Park House was built by a Venetian architect for Lord Onslow in the 1720s and was one of the country’s most complete examples of a Palladian mansion. It featured original stucco ceilings and marble fireplaces, the most impressive of which were situated in the marble hall. The house was refurbished during the 1960s to house a collection of 18th century furniture and porcelain and was also occupied by the Surrey Infantry Museum, which contained medals, souvenirs, clothing and flags.
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Protecting culture Andrew Nicholson will argue that just because a building is old, it does not mean that it can’t meet the functional requirements of the Building Regulations or the requirements of insurers. Upgrading 400-year-old doors on escape routes, providing green emergency exit signage to a Tudor house or limiting the number of people in a large hall because of one exit is not desirable. Fire engineering principles can be used to show that people can escape safely, that firefighters have appropriate facilities and that additional protection is provided to the building and its contents. The presentation will highlight fire engineering design in heritage buildings with appropriate case studies Bob Bantock is operational risk business partner at National Trust (left) Andy Nicholson is director at the Fire Surgery (centre) Stewart Kidd is outgoing secretary general of the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (right)
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Fire-rated Safety Storage Cabinets Time is of the essence in case of a fire – extend your evacuation time to save lives and protect investments. Safety Storage cabinets with a maximum fire resistance for environments with high risk. All models are approved and certified according to EN 14470-1, EN 14727, GS & FM and meet the requirements of the NFPA Code 30, NFPA 1 Fire Code, OSHA.
Safety storage cabinets according to EN are perfect for remote locations without quick access to fire-fighting emergency services, for sites with high-occupancy and for high-value/high-asset settings such as: • • • • • •
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Robust construction in a modern design Triple hinged door and scratch-and impact resistant surface.
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Wing doors which stop in any position and are self-closing in the event of fire.
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Different interior equipment options available makes it possible to choose for each individual application the suitable cabinet.
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Protecting seals avoid the exposure of vapors and protect contents from ignition sources.
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Advanced ventilation system ensures complete, uniform ventilation of the cabinet interior.
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Secure cylinder lock with a locking state indicator prevents unauthorized use.
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Adjustable leveling feets for stability on uneven surfaces.
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Workshop 6
Arson – psychological and sociological factors Lee Howell will chair this workshop, which looks at the combination of factors that can see anti-social behaviour grow into arson attacks, while Zoë Bond will explain how fire risk assessments can mitigate against the risk of arson WITH 70,000 deliberate fires occurring each year, which equates to 45% of all fires attended by the fire and rescue service, and the total cost of fire insurance claims standing at £1 billion per year, the issue of arson has never been greater. Lee will explain that much has been achieved since the Arson Prevention Forum’s call to action ‘State of the Nation’ report, which was issued last year; but that more still needs to be done by all those public services who deal with the consequences and insurers who are picking up unnecessary costs. He will call for a relentless focus on driving down arson, which puts individuals at risk, and the costs of which are borne by public services, as well as insurance policy holders. Lee will explain the need to coordinate activity better, evaluate and share good practice, and develop solutions that save money and reduce risk. The Arson Prevention Forum acts as an enabling and coordinating body, though each and every organisation with an interest in or responsibility for arson needs to take stock and review whether they are doing all that they can to reduce the cost and consequences of arson.
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Mitigating arson risks Arson control may sound quite intangible and wide reaching, but there are aspects that link into an organisation’s ongoing fire safety process, without being overtly onerous. Zoë Bond will explore how, through fire risk assessment, steps can be taken to mitigate against the effects of arson. She will explain that to know how to tackle arson – a crime that impacts on all walks of life – and deal with it effectively, it is essential to understand why and how it occurs. Zoë ’s presentation will cover arson risks; potential losses, direct and indirect; changing attitudes, shaped by catastrophic events, affecting the emergency services and the need for building information; fire safety law; practical issues facing the firefighter and what the responsible person/s can do in the event of an arson incident
Lee Howell is chief fire officer of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (left) Zoë Bond is sales director at Gerda Security Products Ltd (right)
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Workshop 7
Flexible sprinkler fitting systems Victaulic’s Jack Carbone will discuss in detail the advantages of using flexible sprinkler hoses INVENTED BEFORE the turn of the 20th century, flexible metal drops have been utilised in a wide range of industries and applications, but only recently have they experienced significant growth within the fire sprinkler industry. While the reasons for the fast increase in popularity have focused on the labour savings and markedly improved project completion rates, there are also several critical safety and performance benefits that flexible drops provide over traditional hard pipe. A properly installed sprinkler head needs unobstructed airflow access from the space being protected. If a sprinkler head is not properly aligned with the ceiling plane, the sprinkler will not be exposed to heat and airflow, leaving the ceiling to act as a heat deflector that potentially delays or prevents the sprinkler from activating in time to check the growth of a fire. Additionally, over time, suspended ceilings may settle or move due to normal building settlement or seismic events. Fixed rigid piping does not move with the ceiling plane, creating the possible danger of a sprinkler sitting too high in the ceiling and being isolated from airflow in the room.
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Not all flexible drops are created equal. Design and construction affect the performance of a flexible drop and the requirements for installation. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the differences between various designs and the impact that the technical data of flexible drops – including equivalent length, number of bends, bend radius etc – has on the performance of a fire protection system. This workshop will look at how flexible drops keep the sprinkler properly positioned and alleviate many of the risks involved with hard pipe installations; while also being easier to install around existing material and delivering 100% kink-resistance. In addition, it will identify the various designs of flexible drop and the important differences in how they perform. The workshop will teach you how to understand their hydraulic performance and will discuss proper installation, inspection and commissioning Jack Carbone is senior engineer at Victaulic (pictured) For more information about Victaulic, please visit www.victaulic.com
F i r e S e c t o r S um m i t 2014
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Wireless and hybrid fire detection solutions for ALL systems.
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Pipe dream
Simon Ouellette discusses the evolution of flexible metal hoses, their rapid adoption by the fire sprinkler industry and the reliability of their performance
T
HE PIONEERING inspiration behind the original concept of a metal hose – providing flexible, leak-tight, reliable, corrosion-resistant conveyance of fluid – is as relevant today as it was more than 100 years ago. This is particularly relevant when considering the life safety and property protection that modern fire sprinkler systems are expected to provide. In the 1980s, the first flexible sprinkler hoses were introduced in Japan. In order to accommodate seismic movement and absorb the damaging stresses at joints and other system components induced by large and rapid displacements, flexible hoses were used to connect fire sprinklers to their supply lines in lieu of traditional threaded steel pipe. During the early 2000s, their inherent mechanical benefits and ease and speed of installation drove a significant surge in their popularity and use, resulting in the adoption, specification and installation of flexible sprinkler hoses in fire sprinkler systems worldwide.
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Seismic shift DUE TO their inherent properties and required installation designs, flexible sprinkler hoses provide a greater level of performance in seismic events than hard pipe. In a 2011 report by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA E-74: Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage – A Practical Guide, it was noted that fire sprinklers, attached to hard piping, can often be damaged during a seismic event. Because of the de-coupling of the hard pipe and ceiling structure, the seismic forces on these systems exert differing accelerations, result in collisions and ultimately induce severe damage, compromising the fire sprinkler system’s post-seismic performance capability. In the FEMA report, one of the recommendations to bolster seismic performance is to use flexible sprinkler hoses, because they help reduce the likelihood of damage to fire sprinklers and ceilings. Further supporting this recommendation, several recent revisions to the National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, recognise the seismic capability of flexible sprinkler hoses, allowing their use in lieu of providing large clearances around sprinkler ceiling penetrations
Anchored attachments Over recent years, the adoption rate of flexible sprinkler hoses in preference to traditional hard pipe arm-overs has steadily increased and will probably continue to accelerate as installation and performance benefits continue to be fully realised. While the reasons for this rapid increase in popularity have focused on labour savings and markedly improved project completion rates, there are several critical performance and safety benefits that flexible sprinkler hoses provide over traditional hard pipe. Foundations settle and ceilings can shift and sag over time, which presents a problem to the threaded hard pipe arm-over, specifically with respect to the sprinkler position in relation to the ceiling surface. By code, hard piping is required to be anchored to the building structure separate from the ceiling structure. Because of this de-coupling between the pipe and ceiling, the sprinkler elevation relative to the finished ceiling surface cannot always be guaranteed to remain constant. Under an extreme ‘sagging’ condition of the ceiling surface, over time a sprinkler can become excessively recessed above the ceiling surface and potentially to an installed condition considered to be outside its agency listing or approval. What this really means is that, in the event of a fire, the sprinkler’s operational response time and spray pattern characteristics would be severely impacted, thereby allowing the fire to grow unchecked in the affected area. In contrast, a flexible sprinkler hose is required (by code, and its listings and installation instructions) to be securely attached with an anchoring bracket to the ceiling’s structural elements, such as suspended ‘T-grid’ ceiling channels or wood/metal joists or studs. This positive bracket attachment to the ceiling structure ensures that the elevation of the sprinkler in relation to the ceiling surface remains consistent over time. The inherent adjustability of the flexible hose accommodates the expansion, contraction and settlement of the ceiling structure, preserving the designed operational response and water distribution characteristics of the sprinkler.
Hose types Flexible sprinkler hoses currently on the market today have vastly different design constructions from their predecessors. Most are manufactured from an austenitic grade of stainless steel; however some designs are braided hoses, while others are nonbraided (corrugated). Additionally, subsets of each of these may have wide pitch or narrow pitch convolutions, each having some very important tradeoffs affecting key performance
characteristics of a hose – including minimum bend radius, flexibility and pressure resistance. Braided sprinkler hoses are designed with an external stainless steel wire woven sleeve providing the necessary strength to withstand internal forces from system pressures, while the corrugated tubing underneath is able to remain relatively unaffected and flexible. In contrast, non-braided hoses rely on tube wall alone to provide both strength and flexibility. The non-braided hose’s convolutions are farther apart (wide pitch), thereby reducing flexibility and increasing stiffness. Because this type of hose must simultaneously maintain pressure resistance while attempting to provide flexibility – albeit significantly diminished – the non-braided type falls short of fully reconciling these two critical features. Comparatively, braided hoses can withstand higher pressures than non-braided hoses without permanent elongation or deformation. Braided hoses typically are also capable of achieving a smaller bend radius, permitting a greater number of bends that result in the ability to accommodate installations in tighter, lower clearance locations. The external braiding also provides vibration attenuation properties in a high flow condition and an added level of external abrasion protection. However, the convolution (or wave) profile, geometry and number of convolutions per unit length, regardless of whether an external braid sleeve is present or not, have the greatest influence on flexibility. Wide pitch hose, either braided or non-braided, is more difficult to bend due to its inherently stiff cross-section and is more susceptible to kinking upon installation. Kinking, defined as a reduction in cross-sectional area due to inducing a bend beyond its limits, can occur during installation. This results in a deleterious effect on hydraulic friction-loss and corrosion resistance. If a hose is kinked, water delivery to the sprinkler head could be diminished and the stresses induced in the kinked tube wall can also contribute to a decrease in corrosion resistance over time. In contrast, narrow pitch hose provides greater flexibility due to the increased number of convolutions per unit length, resulting in less effort to bend and in many cases eliminating the possibility of kinking. While non-braided hose types continue to be used and are accepted in many jurisdictions, the clear answer is that narrow pitch braided hose types provide a higher level of performance and reliability. Because of their superior flexibility, higher pressure ratings, vibration attenuation properties and safer net-installedcondition, narrow pitch braided hose types have quickly become the standard within the fire sprinkler industry.
Testing and approvals Over the past decade, industry-leading independent approval agencies worldwide have developed standards governing the performance and
www. fr m . croSmum X XmXiXt 2015 2015 F ijo r eur S enal cto
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manufacturing requirements of flexible sprinkler hoses and their anchoring brackets. While all of these standards vary in test methodologies, flexible sprinkler hoses with UL, FM, VdS, LPCB and CCCf 1 Listings and Approvals, have met some of the most rigorous testing protocols required of a fire sprinkler system product. With an average of 16 distinct performance tests between them, the requirements in these standards2 include accelerated corrosion tests; high pressure activation and flow tests; long-term heat ageing tests; hydrostatic pressure tests including water hammer; fatigue flexibility tests; low temperature tests; and an extensive series of vibration tests, among others. During initial type-testing of a design being evaluated for agency approval, each model of flexible sprinkler hose and its anchoring bracket is subjected to a series of controlled vibrations at varying frequencies and displacements. Connected to a branch-pipe and anchored to simulated ceiling grid structures, the flexible sprinkler hose assembly is subjected to 90 hours of vibration cycles in each three-dimensional axis from 18 to 37Hz and at a maximum displacement of about 1/8in.
Performance under pressure
Following the vibrational fatigue condition, the hose assembly must pass hydrostatic pressure tests to multiple times the rated working pressure without leakage. Additionally, approved flexible sprinkler hoses are subjected to cyclical fatigue tests and to u-bending at minimum allowable bend radius upwards of 50,000 times, and again they must pass hydrostatic pressure tests without leakage at several times their rated working pressure. To meet additional requirements established by the regulatory agencies, all manufacturers are required to conduct factory pressure tests on 100% of their flexible sprinkler hose production. These tests are intended to ensure leak-tight performance at a pressure of up to twice the hose’s rating. Also, random samples are required to be taken at periodic intervals to perform additional required quality checks, such as hydrostatic burst testing, elongation under hydrostatic pressure and dimensional checks. At the manufacturer’s discretion, this may also include random testing of chemistry and microhardness of the tube and braiding to ensure material
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quality and process consistency and that the product remains in specification. As with any listed or approved fire protection product, the regulatory agencies conduct periodic audits at the manufacturer’s points of production. Agency auditors will check records of the mandatory production testing, compare product drawings with actual production parts, verify that the listing or approval mark is applied correctly and conduct an overall survey of the manufacturing process. All of this activity is designed to ensure that flexible sprinkler hoses and anchoring brackets are consistently produced to the manufacturer’s specifications and continuously meet the performance levels defined by the agency’s standards.
Benefits for sprinklers Today, there are a wide range of flexible sprinkler hose models, coupled with an equally large selection of brackets, fittings and other accessories, available for a broad range of building and construction types, system designs and water delivery requirements. Flexible sprinkler hoses not only install faster than hard pipe, but more importantly they are able to accommodate ceiling shifts and sagging over time, ensuring that sprinklers remain at their original installed elevation, in addition to providing superior performance over hard piping in a seismic event. ‘Narrow-pitch’ braided hoses permit a smaller bend radius allowing for installation in tight spaces and significantly reduce or eliminate the potential for kinking. When manufactured under robust quality systems, subjected to periodic audits and carrying global product approvals, flexible sprinkler hoses are able to help ensure sprinkler systems remain reliably in service and ready to provide their rated fire suppression capability in any critical event. As building owners, insurance underwriters, regulatory agencies and authorities-having-jurisdiction all require an increasingly high level of performance, safety and reliability from a fire sprinkler system throughout its life, these products have become an easy choice in meeting all of these requirements Simon Ouellette is engineering services supervisor at Victaulic References 1. Underwriters Laboratories, Factory Mutual, Vertrauen durch Sicherheit [Germany], Loss Prevention Certification Board [UK] and China Certification Center for Fire Products. 2. UL 2443: Flexible Sprinkler Hose with Fittings for Fire Protection Service; FM CL-1637: Approval Standard for Flexible Sprinkler Hose With Threaded End Fittings; LPS 1261: Requirements for Testing Flexible Hoses for Sprinkler Systems; and GB 5136-16: Flexible Sprinkler Hose with Fittings.
As a BAFE SP205 certied company, Ridge has an expert team providing quality Fire Risk Assessments, Training and Fire Engineering advice for a number of clients across all market sectors nationwide. Among others, Ridge currently provides re safety services to Home Group and Metropolitan, two major national Registered Providers of social housing. Specialist services include: • Producing Fire Strategies/ Management Plans • Fire Safety Policies and Procedures • Emergency Planning
Ridge core disciplines: • Cost Management • Project Management • Building Surveying • Building Services Engineering • Building Services Maintenance Management • Property Consultancy • Architecture • Civil Engineering • Structural Engineering • Health & Safety • Sustainability • Legal Support Services • Trafc & Transportation • Infrastructure Commercial Management • Geo-environmental
Ridge is a top 25, award winning multi-discipline property and construction consultancy employing over 450 people in 10 ofces across the UK. We also deliver projects worldwide with our international ofce in Shanghai.
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Follow Fire Risk Management’s LIVE coverage from the Fire Sector Summit If you can’t attend in person this is the best way to keep up-to-date with all the news coming out of the sector’s flagship annual conference. Our online coverage will include: • Reports and analysis from seminar sessions • Video interviews • Photo galleries • Twitter coverage (@frmjournal) • Join the conversation by using #FSS15
You can view our live coverage at www.frmjournal.com
Complies with EN50615 standard for cooker fire prevention.
THE END. We can prevent false alarms and kitchen fires. Stove Guard analyses the temperature on the surface of a hob and automatically switches off the power if the temperature from a pan is too high or is rising too quickly. No false alarm. No chance of a fire developing. No call out. We started off installing Stove Guard in student halls so that distraction or intoxication couldn’t lead to a kitchen fire. But it’s equally useful for the elderly, people in assisted living... in fact anyone who might have issues with memory or cognitive function. By ensuring that people are cooking safely (without posing a fire risk) they can maintain their independence or even stay in their own homes for longer.
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Exhibitors profiles
Fire Service College www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk sales@fireservicecollege.ac.uk
A leading organisation specialising in providing firefighters and emergency responders worldwide with the best possible skills and multi-service training. A new customer engagement model offers modularised and distributed delivery, while strategic-level engagement and an expanded service portfolio provide cost-effective, value driven bespoke solutions.
FSI Ltd www.fsiltd.com sales@fsiltd.com FSi Ltd manufactures and develops a wide range of compartmentation systems for the world’s construction industry, utilising an extensive library of worldwide test and certification data and helping customers install products competently. FSi and its customers value highly the combined 50 years of industry and technical knowledge collected by the FSi team.
Gerda www.gerdasecurity.co.uk enquiries@gerdasecurity.co.uk Gerda offers unrivalled products in fire doorsets for compartmentation, front entrance doorsets and premises information box systems. We recognise that the design and management of buildings, from new build to heritage, is not straightforward with changes in legislation and building regulations, so we work with customers to provide compliant solutions.
Global Group
3480
In-Map www.in-map.com hayden.vdk@in-map.com In-map is a software company established since 1995. Its team of developers and commercial staff has experience in a number of sectors, bringing this together to produce class leading software. Its cloud-based platform is a one stop tool for asset/ hazard mapping and collaborative reporting.
Kingspan www.kingspan.com info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk Kingspan Insulation is a market leading manufacturer of premium and high performance rigid insulation products and insulated systems for building fabric and building services applications. Kingspan Insulation has a vast product range including optimum performance OPTIM-R vacuum insulation; premium performance rigid Kooltherm insulation; high performance rigid Therma insulation; and high performance rigid extruded polystyrene insulation.
National Security Inspectorate www.nsi.org.uk nsi@nsi.org.uk NSI is the first choice certification body for 1,800 security and fire safety organisations wishing to demonstrate professionalism and competence to clients. NSI approved companies commit to rigorous audits against industry standards and/or BAFE scheme requirements. We offer many fire related options including fire detection and alarms, fixed gaseous fire suppression systems, emergency lighting and life safety fire risk assessments.
Primetech
www.globalhsegroup.com info@globalhsegroup.com
www.primetech.co.uk lesley@primetech.co.uk
Global Group designs, installs, commissions and maintains fire alarms, emergency lighting, Ansul and Amerax fire suppression, passive fire protection, fire barriers and fire walls, and security systems. It also serves and maintains portable extinguishers, offers fire engineering support, including fire risk assessment, fire strategies, fire survey and fire investigation, and delivers fire training.
Primetech is proud to be supporting the fire sector with cutting edge communications solutions and firefighting technologies. These include the MultiNet Comms portable, battery-powered incident ground communications system featuring Ka-band mobile satellite broadband and COFDM Mesh WiFi; the resilient Communications Trailer; and the Rapid Response Tactical Vehicle.
Fire Sector Sector Summ Summiitt 2015 2015 Fire
Specialist Utility Vehicle The all-new Specialist Utility Vehicle 600 (SUV 600) has taken a production standard Land Rover Discovery 4x4 and adapted it for use in the Emergency Services and wider utility sectors. The additional third axle increases the payload capacity and the physical space on offer to allow heavier and larger systems to be fitted in order to broaden the usability of the vehicle. The SC Innovation SUV 600 offers an up to date, capable, efficient and cost-effective solution to operators of specialist and utility vehicle fleets who have a specific requirement that cannot be met by existing off-the-shelf utility vehicles.
scinnovation-global.com
Exhibitors profiles
Fire Service College www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk sales@fireservicecollege.ac.uk
A leading organisation specialising in providing firefighters and emergency responders worldwide with the best possible skills and multi-service training. A new customer engagement model offers modularised and distributed delivery, while strategic-level engagement and an expanded service portfolio provide cost-effective, value driven bespoke solutions.
FSI Ltd www.fsiltd.com sales@fsiltd.com FSi Ltd manufactures and develops a wide range of compartmentation systems for the world’s construction industry, utilising an extensive library of worldwide test and certification data and helping customers install products competently. FSi and its customers value highly the combined 50 years of industry and technical knowledge collected by the FSi team.
Gerda www.gerdasecurity.co.uk enquiries@gerdasecurity.co.uk Gerda offers unrivalled products in fire doorsets for compartmentation, front entrance doorsets and premises information box systems. We recognise that the design and management of buildings, from new build to heritage, is not straightforward with changes in legislation and building regulations, so we work with customers to provide compliant solutions.
Global Group
4400
In-Map www.in-map.com hayden.vdk@in-map.com In-map is a software company established since 1995. Its team of developers and commercial staff has experience in a number of sectors, bringing this together to produce class leading software. Its cloud-based platform is a one stop tool for asset/ hazard mapping and collaborative reporting.
Kingspan www.kingspan.com info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk Kingspan Insulation is a market leading manufacturer of premium and high performance rigid insulation products and insulated systems for building fabric and building services applications. Kingspan Insulation has a vast product range including optimum performance OPTIM-R vacuum insulation; premium performance rigid Kooltherm insulation; high performance rigid Therma insulation; and high performance rigid extruded polystyrene insulation.
National Security Inspectorate www.nsi.org.uk nsi@nsi.org.uk NSI is the first choice certification body for 1,800 security and fire safety organisations wishing to demonstrate professionalism and competence to clients. NSI approved companies commit to rigorous audits against industry standards and/or BAFE scheme requirements. We offer many fire related options including fire detection and alarms, fixed gaseous fire suppression systems, emergency lighting and life safety fire risk assessments.
Primetech
www.globalhsegroup.com info@globalhsegroup.com
www.primetech.co.uk lesley@primetech.co.uk
Global Group designs, installs, commissions and maintains fire alarms, emergency lighting, Ansul and Amerax fire suppression, passive fire protection, fire barriers and fire walls, and security systems. It also serves and maintains portable extinguishers, offers fire engineering support, including fire risk assessment, fire strategies, fire survey and fire investigation, and delivers fire training.
Primetech is proud to be supporting the fire sector with cutting edge communications solutions and firefighting technologies. These include the MultiNet Comms portable, battery-powered incident ground communications system featuring Ka-band mobile satellite broadband and COFDM Mesh WiFi; the resilient Communications Trailer; and the Rapid Response Tactical Vehicle.
Fire Sector Sector Summ Summiitt 2015 2015 Fire
since 1895
Riser FireSeal Designed and manufactured to your specification Fitted over the front of the riser to form a vertical barrier and isolate the riser from the rest of the building. Installed using side rail sections which are fixed to the wall on either side, working up the riser opening from floor to ceiling. Filler panels which can incorporate louvers and doors are quickly fixed between the rails with the top one trimmed to fit. The Riser FireSeal provides >60 minutes fire protection - both front and rear-facing.
FireSeal
FireSeal Vented
R5 Fire Rated Meter Box
Call: 0800 1387410 www.ritherdon.co.uk
www.ridge.co.uk enquiries@ridge.co.uk
www.unicook.eu enquiries@unicook.eu
As a BAFE SP205 certified company, Ridge has an expert team providing quality fire risk assessments, training and fire engineering advice for a number of clients across all market sectors nationwide. Among others, Ridge currently provides fire safety services to Home Group and Metropolitan, two major national registered housing providers.
Stove Guard was recently described as taking fire prevention to a ‘new level’. It’s unlike other technologies: Stove Guard prevents a stove/hob fire from starting! Unicook is the United Kingdom’s number one supplier and installer of Stove Guard, providing a complete service for institutional, corporate and private customers.
Ritherdon
Victaulic
www.ritherdon.co.uk info@ritherdon.co.uk
www.victaulicfire.com viceuro@victaulic.com
British manufacturer Ritherdon has been established since 1895, designing and manufacturing its passive fire protection ranges, which are tested front and rear facing and provide >60 minutes’ protection. The FireSeal covers any aperture where the integrity has been compromised, while the Riser FireSeal is designed to cover service risers within buildings.
Victaulic, the world leader in mechanical pipe-joining systems, will be displaying a range of products designed to give fast and cost-effective fire protection installations at the Fire Sector Summit. The solutions on show include the VicFlex stainless steel sprinkler fitting range, Victaulic FireLock NXT alarm valves and FireLock EZ Style 009N rigid couplings.
SSAIB www.ssaib.org ssaib@ssaib.co.uk SSAIB is a leading certification body for organisations providing third party certification under licence from BAFE for fire detection and alarm systems (SP203), life safety fire risk assessment (SP205) and portable fire extinguishers (SP101). Our approach is inclusive of small and larger providers. SSAIB certification is the mark of excellence.
Supacat www.supacat.com info-UK@supacat.com SC Innovation is a part of the SC Group, recently formed upon the re-brand of Supacat. SC Innovation is an innovative engineering and design company that provides global, cross-sector products and services with offices in the UK and Australia. Products include the RNLI’s new Launcher and the SUV 600 6x6 Discovery.
4422
Uni Cook
Fire Fire Sector Sector Summ Summiitt 2015 2015
Media partners
Exhibitors profiles
Ridge and Partners LLP
Fire Risk Management Journal www.frmjournal.com frm@thefpa.co.uk FRM is the leading monthly publication focusing on fire safety and loss prevention, which goes out to members of the FPA. Written by fire professionals for fire professionals, FRM’s print and online editions contain the latest industry news and views, technical features and case studies.
FIRE magazine www.fire-magazine.com Andrew.lynch@pavpub.com FIRE magazine brings you the latest news and policy developments for the Fire and Rescue Service, while ourUK Police Directory – ACPO’s official UK listings – gives you comprehensive policing contacts and resources. Meanwhile, check out our emergency services websites covering fire, policing and the ambulance service. It’s all at the stand, so please drop by.
W:www.fsiltd.com E: sales@fsiltd.com
Save the date! FIRE SECTOR SUMMIT
2016 17-18 November 2016 Royal College of Surgeons, London
A QUANTUM LEAP IN FIRE PROTECTION IPN-QuadCore was invented by asking specifiers and building owners what they demand of tomorrow’s buildings. We responded with innovation that delivers significant improvements in fire protection, together with 20% more thermal efficiency, an unrivalled 40 year thermal and structural performance guarantee and higher environmental credentials. Discover a breakthrough in insulated panel core technology:
ipn-quadcore.co.uk