Johnson Controls has added long-distance connectivity between buildings and improved visual alarm safety to its ES Net Life Safety Network. The ES Net Network Bridge facilitates secure data transfer over existing network infrastructure, streamlining monitoring and control across dispersed facilities and campuses. Anna Khanova, Vice President of Global Product Management at Johnson Controls, says, “Large…
fire safety
In the run up to Fire Door Safety Week in the UK from 25th to 29th September, International Timber is stressing the importance of correctly specifying fire retardant wood and panel products backed by independent certification. Specification errors, installation issues and poor maintenance of fire safety products can have devastating consequences. To facilitate change within…
The Wates Group will deliver a Major Works programme across Brent Council’s social housing portfolio under a new £35 million contract. Wates’ Living Space business will carry out the works which include installing new windows, kitchens and bathrooms, and lift refurbishments from in July with completion scheduled within 80 weeks. The contractor will also undertake…
Sue Corrick, EMEA Product Manager at Allegion UK, explains how ‘responsible persons’ can take advantage of the summer break – and overcome budgetary constraints – to extend the service life of fire doors in school buildings. By the time August arrives, it’s official – school is out for summer. For students and staff alike, the…
The Port of Dover has expanded a fire safety framework agreement with DMA Group to include repairs and improvements across its estate of 65 buildings. The original multiyear port-wide mechanical & electrical (M&E) maintenance and projects framework which has been managed by an onsite team included a Framework Charter confirming shared collaborative commitments to work together…
FireMate which operates in the UK, Australia and other key international markets has rebranded and spun-off its fire safety solutions into new company, Nimbus Digital Solutions Ltd. Now offered under the ‘Nimbus’ brand, the product portfolio includes fire protection maintenance solutions that streamline operations for system integrators, fire engineers and building managers. We are thrilled…
Wirless fire systems manufacturer Hyfire Italy (previously Argus Italy) has moved to a modern facility at via Achille Grandi 8 in Cernusco sul Naviglio, Milan. Hyfire managing director, Giorgio Koursaris, says: “The relocation was necessitated by our continuous growth and innovation. “The expanded offices enable us to better reflect its digital and adaptable ethos, a trait…
Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, discusses a massive fire that engulfed an unsprinklered warehouse in Burgess Hill in West Sussex, resulting in the complete destruction of the facility. A fire broke out on the afternoon of June 19th at a warehouse operated by a mail order hair and beauty products business., necessitating…
The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) supported the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) Built Environment Conference Series in Cardiff and Salford in June by raising awareness of the importance of sprinkler systems in buildings. Held under the theme, ‘Performance, Compliance and Safety’, the events attracted expert panels who interacted with a range of construction and…
Iain Cox, Chair of Business Sprinkler Alliance, comments on a massive fire which destroyed a commercial building operated by digital consultancy Paragon in South Wigston, Leicestershire, and will result in staff being redeployed at other locations in the wider group. On 15th June a blaze broke out at the Paragon Building in Saffron Road and required…
One of London’s best-preserved Victorian theatres, the Harold Pinter on Panton Street in Westminster, has received a fire system upgrade which uses the latest wireless technology. Known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011, the Pinter was built in 1881 to designed by Thomas Verity and, despite changes elsewhere in the building, its 796-seater three-level horseshoe…
West End Gate, located on the Edgware Road in Marylebone, London, is a prestigious residential development comprising of eight buildings ranging from eight to 29 storeys. The development boasts modern architecture, efficient transport links, and state-of-the-art facilities. SOCOTEC Fire Engineering and Fire Risk Assessment have been appointed since 2018 to provide comprehensive fire safety support…
Dorset County Hospital, an NHS Foundation Trust hospital in the county town of Dorchester in South West England, has successfully completed a comprehensive fire systems upgrade. Numerous challenges presented by the complex range of buildings on the site and delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic were overcome with the installation of 2,700 Apollo self-monitoring Discovery…
Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA), explains why careful allocation of fire service and water resources is required to protect commercial and industrial facilities from potentially devastating fires. In recent weeks the same pattern has been repeated in the news of industrial and warehouse fires; images of a significant fire, large plume…
Cintec North America provides guidance on safeguarding against the risk of fire when buildings are being retrofitted, restored, or modernized following multiple emergencies in the United States and Europe in recent years. On June 14th, 2017, a fire broke out in the 24 storey Grenfell Tower, widely reported as the worst residential fire to take…
Notts Golf Club, also known as Hollinwell, has enhanced its fire protection with the installation of over 100 wireless fire devices. The Nottinghamshire-based club has been located at its current site since 1901 and is one of the UK’s top 50 golf courses. Its historic buildings once hosted many famous players, including Enid Wilson, a…
Edinburgh Leisure, Scotland’s largest leisure trust, has selected Imtech Group business SPIE UK to deliver fire and security maintenance services under a 3-year contract following a competitive tender process. Edinburgh Leisure is a charity dedicated to making a positive difference by creating opportunities for everyone to get active, stay active and achieve more with over…
Allegion UK has launched a new set of best practice guides on fire door safety for operators of commercial, education and healthcare environments. Written in conjunction with its fire safety hardware business, the three Briton ‘Fire Door Safety in Review’ guides use original research, drawing on key insights from building managers and door hardware specialists.…
Karen Trigg, business development manager, South East at Allegion UK, explains the mandatory fire door (‘regulation 10’) checks introduced for multi-occupied residential buildings by The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. In recent years, both high-rise and high-risk building environments have been the subject of much industry focus. Where Grenfell was a catalyst for change, the…
Honeywell Building Technologies on why Advanced Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems (ERCES) eliminate potential dead zones in commercial buildings to help first responders remain connected. First responders such as fire, EMS and police depend on reliable two-way radio communication when lives and property are at risk. That’s not always an easy task in many buildings.…
Iwona Hovenko, Real Estate Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, says the UK’s largest homebuilders will be impacted disproportionately by new taxes to fix safety issues in apartment buildings following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Large UK homebuilders (Persimmon, Barratt, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway and Berkeley) are likely to be disproportionately hit by hefty taxes (80% of the industry…
A state of the art fire system has protected visitors and artwork during The Art of Banksy exhibition at a temporary venue in Media City, Manchester. Installed by Fire Queen and combining an Advanced Go fire panel with cutting edge wireless devices from Hyfire, the BS5839-1-2017-compliant fire system was installed at very short notice because…
A new infographic from Abloy to mark Fire Door Safety Week in the UK shows a correlation between rising reports of serious fires and fatalities, and failed fire door inspections. Pat Jefferies, Commercial Director at Abloy UK, explains: “Abloy is a big Fire Door Safety Week supporter, and we promote the crucial importance of fire…
Wireless fire technology from Hyfire is protecting The House of the Binns, a historic house in West Lothian that is under care of the National Trust for Scotland. The House of the Binns, or simply The Binns, has been the seat of the Dalyell family since it was first built. Despite being donated to the…
In anticipation of Fire Door Safety Week (31st Oct – 4th Nov) Kirk Smith, Business Development Manager for Allegion UK, explains how neglecting fire doors can compromise fire safety procedures. Purpose built to compartmentalise fire and smoke, fire doors are recognised as a critical element of passive fire protection and exist in practically every building…
Evolution has launched a new dedicated Life Safety Systems division that builds on almost three decades of fire safety systems’ expertise in the UK. Services to be provided by the new division include the design, installation and maintenance of critical safety systems including sprinklers, fire hydrants, automatic opening vents (AOVs) and gas suppression systems, as…
The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) will be at the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) Annual Conference and Exhibition from 13-14th October at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. Attracting expert panels interacting with a wide range of construction professionals, this year’s event will focus on the theme of Embedding Sustainability and how building…
Johnson Controls is offering an alternative approach to fire detection with its FireClass range of open-protocol fire detection products which challenges a widely held perception that only managed and closed-protocol systems are available from the marketplace. FireClass consists of a comprehensive range of industry-approved products for use in commercial, residential, corporate, retail, leisure, care home,…
Clear Safety has achieved BAFE SP205 certification as a third-party provider of Life Safety Fire Risk Assessments. The consultancy offers a range of fire safety services, spanning dedicated fire risk assessments and oversight of the completion of remedial works to satisfactory standards. The business is now approved to join the ranks of the elite by…
As educational facilities revel in a summertime of empty hallways and classrooms, Sue Corrick, EMEA Product Manager at Allegion UK, explains why it’s the perfect time to assess fire door hardware. The great British summertime has arrived, known for its quintessential rainy days, packed out beach fronts and extended educational term breaks. By the time…
Global life safety solutions provider Hochiki has elevated Shinsuke Kubo, manaaging director of its operations in the Middle East who is based in Dubai, to the new role of Commercial Director for Hochiki Europe, Middle East, Africa (MEA) and India. Kubo will relocate to the company’s UK head office in Gillingham, Kent and undertaking regular…
Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) revisits a fire in a commercial laundry facility in the United Kingdom to argue building operators must look beyond current safety regulations. Recent years have highlighted the impact of design decisions on fire safety during the construction of buildings and the ensuing need for remediation. It…
Ekho, the newest hybrid wireless fire detection solution from Hochiki, has been installed in six blocks of apartment buildings operated by a North London borough. EN54-25 approved and RED compliant, the solution uses the latest in radio networking technology and provides a robust ‘always on’ network of devices which automatically adapt to changing environmental conditions.…
Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, comments on calls from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for the government to halt building demolition in favour of refurbishment and repurposing as the UK transitions to a more sustainable built environment. With the built environment accounting for 38% of total energy-related global CO2 emissions,…
Jack O’Toole, co-founder and president of FreshAir Sensor, discusses a research finding that estimates the cost of unauthorized smoking for American hoteliers at US $5.4 billion annually. Tobacco and marijuana have been smoked in non-smoking hotel guest rooms for as long as non-smoking rooms have existed. The task of calculating the costs associated with unauthorized…
Karen Trigg explains why ongoing assessments and maintenance periods in schools are essential requirements of the UK’s fire safety regulations. The UK Fire Service is called out to extinguish fires in approximately 1,500 UK schools per year. Each year, these incidents – regardless of magnitude – disrupt the education of around 90,000 students, cause economic…
With new fire safety legislations demanding a renewed focus on safety in all residential settings, Karen Trigg, business development manager, Allegion UK, explains why care home and sheltered housing associations must prioritise fire door maintenance. The regulations and standards associated with fire safety and sheltered, assisted and social housing are, by necessity, robust. Yet, the…