"fire escape equipment"

A four-storey underground car park needs to meet enormous fire protection requirements. Preventive fire and smoke protection and fully functional escape routes and emergency exits were top of the list when planning the doors and barriers. T90 fire and smoke protection doorsets were used for highly frequented areas with a higher risk of fire and the gallery and escape routes between the individual fire compartments were fitted with single and double-leaf T30 doorsets with round glazing. Access points to the individual levels were equipped with T30 sliding doors and T30 sectional doors.

Project:Surespan manufactured and supplied a series of fire escape hatches at Portugal’s €950 million underground Metro in Porto. The huge double-leaf hatches automatically open if the fire alarm system is activated to allow passengers safe exit to ground level. In addition, they can be manually opened with the touch of a button. This project was undertaken after Surespan successfully carried out similar work at Athens Metro.

Clapham Junction Train Station is one of Europe’s busiest Railway Stations handling up to 50,000 passengers per day. AJ Wells designed, built and installed vitreous enamel cladding for the Grant Road Entrance.Detailed site surveys were carried out to design the appropriate framing system for the cladding panels. There were a number of design requirements to be considered including: provision of a rainwater management system, emergency fire escape, access doors, interfaces with electrical equipment, staircases and uneven flooring.Everything was successfully incorporated, manufactured and installed on-time and within budget in time for the new connection to the Overground to open just before the London Olympics.During installation, careful logistics and passenger safety were our top priority, with much of the works carried out at nights and weekends. Much of our work was carried out alongside other contractors working on floors, ceilings and electrical connections.KEY FEATURES: • Framing system and vitreous enamel cladding • Incorporates rainwater management system • Incorporates emergency fire escapeA.J WELLS SERVICES: • Design, Build & Install Project • Site-Survey, CAD design • Manufacture • Installation of framing system and VE cladding • Provision of project documentation

Compartmentation, Protected Means of Escape and Boundary Protection were all required as part of the fire safety solutions and therefore Coopers FireMaster fire curtains and Coopers FireMaster Plus2 fire curtains were installed to ensure the fire safety requirements were met. In total, 113 fire curtains were installed, 96 with round headboxes and 17 with square headboxes. Round headboxes were engineered for The British Museum as a request from the architects. The headboxes of the fire curtains were going to be seen by the occupants so Coopers engineered a round headbox that looked in keeping with the design of the building.

Building contractor Eversley Building Services Ltd required a roof access ladder for emergency use in the event of a fire. However, the application constraints presented many challenges, in particular the small skylight aperture. As such, a particularly compact loft ladder was needed. Furthermore, because the loft ladder would be used during an emergency, it had to be easy-to-operate and safe for its occupants. Read more about this challenging project and how the Piccolo Premium provided the ideal solution...

Coopers FireMaster Concertina is a great way to offer compartmentation between areas like a kitchen and restaurant and able to divide up these two critical areas in a public building and act as a fire break. By installing the FireMaster Concertina meant it would provide the building with an approved, non-invasive means of fire protection that would satisfy the fire regulations as well as ensuring that the open plan design remained as intended. Compartmentation and Protected Means of Escape were required as part of the fire safety solutions.

This project involves the partners Fremek AB, Totech AB and PCP A/S.Fremek is a workshop company in Dals-Långed that is certified according to EN-1090, EXC1, EXC2 and EXC3. Fremek specializes in welding, cutting, painting and assembly of large projects throughout Sweden.PcP’s solution includes CUBE® gratings and treads for a modern design and ladder systems for worker safety. Fremek and Totech chose PcP’s solution to install a new fuel station for Air BP, one of the world’s largest aviation suppliers.Project criteria - Slip-resistant steel platformFor this project, Air BP required an anti-slip platform due to the use of oil during maintenance.Although the platform is new construction, it was erected on an existing outdoor structure with nothing but a roof and fuel tanks. Thus, there were specific dimensions required.Therefore, PcP provided a more efficient fuel station platform and a safe working environment for personnel carrying out aircraft maintenance.The project had a strict timeline of 10 weeks as the construction had to be finalised before winter.Fremek was responsible for designing the air-plane fuel station and for sourcing the correct materials. Fremek contracted Totech for the works. Totech has more than 25 years of experience managing complex projects for a range of industries and, therefore, extensive knowledge of industrial construction and of which materials to use.PcP has delivered gratings to Fremek in several previous projects. Totech, therefore, approached PcP to showcase gratings with high slip-resistance for the platform. Totech seeked to use standard sizes to meet customer requirements of lead time and budget. At this point, Totech discovered that PCP also could provide handrail and ladder systems.Project solution - CUBE gratingsThe PcP CUBE® gratings, treads and toe-plate were provided for the platform in standard sizes. For easy access to the platform, PcP provided fire escape ladders and safety handrails. PcP CUBE® gratings and treads benefit from outstanding high PTV slip-resistance reducing trip and fall risk, lightweight but strong and fitted perfectly into the existing construction from the ground to roof.Fremek installed the platform, and the workers on-site made cut-outs to suit various plant equipment. Additionally, PcP provided escape ladders to mount on fuel tanks. In case of fire incidents/emergencies, enabling workers to escape rapidly.

Keep your lab safe and the air clean with quality fume extraction equipment Remove hazardous or just unpleasant vapours, gasses and dusts from the work environment with effective extraction arms. BROEN-LAB offers a full range of high quality products for the modern laboratory. Anodized aluminum with polypropylene (PP) joints Chemical resistant polypropylene (PP) Conductive, shatterproof, chemical resistant polypropylene (PP)

LOLER is an acronym, used to abbreviate Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations. LOLER regulations cover the operation and control of lifting equipment, placing responsibility on both the company in ownership of and the employee operating lifting equipment. Lifting equipment, classed as work equipment, is also subject to PUWER, an abbreviation of Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.

Coopers solution was to install over 100 SmokeStop smoke curtain barriers. Concealed within the ceiling voids of each of the 39 floors, the SmokeStop smoke curtain barriers were developed to deploy in the event of fire, channelling smoke away from occupant and out of the building. This effective strategy for containing and channelling smoke would ensure that Gherkin’s 41 floors were protected from filling with smoke and provide occupants with a safe means of escape.

Coopers were commissioned to design and manufacture a bespoke curtain barrier system that, in the event of fire, would guard against smoke penetrating the upper floors of the store. Through regional partner Souchie, Coopers installed a series of Smoke Stop™ vertical smoke curtains above each escalator specifically designed to protect the means of escape for customers, whilst at the same time dramatically reduce the transmission throughout the building of life threatening gases generated by fire.

Care Spaces played a crucial role in enhancing the living conditions of a private client, referred to as Mr B, who had experienced a spinal injury leading to a loss of physical independence. Collaborating with an architect to design a bespoke extension, we focused on the bedroom and bathroom to cater to his specific needs. The centrepiece of the design was an XY ceiling track hoist with a magnetic transition gate system, facilitating safe transfers between the bedroom and bathroom. Care Spaces also recommended bathroom equipment tailored to Mr B's needs, including a washer/dryer toilet, a static-height hand basin, and an Avero care bath with an air spa system for therapeutic benefits. With Mr B's approval, we oversaw the installation of the hoist system and bathroom equipment, provided necessary training, and ensure routine servicing for optimal functionality. Mr B is now delighted with his improved living space, and Care Spaces remains committed to maintaining the excellence of his care equipment.

In conceptualizing Bobrick’s new headquarters in North Hollywood, CA, the design team at Gensler Architects (Los Angeles) set out to create a work environment that celebrated Bobrick’s egalitarian culture and innovative work processes, while facilitating connection and collaboration throughout.

In our first in a series of case studies, we’ve invited FireDNA Alliance Partner, Steve Neilson to share his experiences using the FireDNA system to inspect and catalogue 9422 fire doors in three months, on behalf of Mitie, for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service is the fourth largest in the world and ensures the safety and wellbeing of the people in Scotland. Operating out of 547 buildings across 357 sites, these centres are managed by the UK’s largest ‘Facilities Management’ provider Mitie.Following several months of discussion between Mitie and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service regarding the status of the fire doors across their property portfolio, a tender was issued for an extensive fire door inspection and evaluation programme to be undertaken.Having secured the works through competitive tender, we further engaged with Mitie and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service team. Working through their property asset registers in detail we gained a full understanding of the scope and requirements of the project.Following weeks of detailed project planning and final agreement on the timeline, it was evident that we had just over 3 months to inspect and report our findings on 9422 fire doors across the 357 site locations, and this all had to be done during the winter months of late 2021 and early 2022.In order to deliver on such a tight timescale, absolute dedication and collaboration was required from all parties…the project managers, admin staff and fire inspectors as well as the teams at Mitie and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service. To support this challenging task we armed our resources with a new cloud based system called ‘FireDNA’.We had been approached by FireDNA a couple of years earlier to see if we would be interested in helping to beta test their new ‘Fire Door Inspection and Monitoring Software’, to which we agreed, little did we know at the time that this software would prove invaluable to us further down the line!Deploying teams of up to 10 Fire Inspectors at a time, armed with the new and now completed FireDNA Inspection and Monitoring App, we set about working through the phased inspection schedule.Having been involved in the development testing of the FireDNA software, we had no doubt this system would, increase the speed in which the surveys were carried out, and dramatically reduce the time and effort in reporting the findings. Working closely with the FireDNA software support team, who assisted us in the initial software training, our Fire Inspectors were able to work efficiently and effectively ‘at pace’ through the challenge. The FireDNA App also has ‘LiveChat’ built in so any questions or queries by our operatives in the field were easily and quickly dealt with by the FireDNA team, which meant there was very little downtime during the inspection process.One of the great benefits of using the FireDNA App is that everything is ‘real-time’ so our office-based project managers could immediately see how the inspections were progressing. Once the inspection data and supporting photography was in the system report generation was largely automated and nicely formatted into MS Word and Excel documents.These reports could then be initially shared internally with our remedial work/replacement estimators for accurate cost estimates, who in turn could then produce accurate cost estimates and quotes for the works required as each buildings inspection was completed. This created a very fast, efficient and accessible workflow process for the whole team.FireDNA is not only a fantastic fire inspection and reporting tool, but also initiates the ‘golden thread’ of information, allowing building owners and managers like the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and Mitie to take ownership of the ‘live data’ in the system, which can easily be updated and shared as each fire door asset is inspected, monitored and maintained year-on-year, which will soon become the minimum legal requirement.FireDNA also enables building owners and facility managers to create status reports for O&M compliance, which can be shared with insurers and the like, as well as appointing contractors and maintenance teams to carry out and catalogue remedial works and new installations, which are all date-stamped and locked into the system.In our view, anyone involved in fire inspections, installations, planned preventative maintenance and asset recording of passive fire products, such as fire doors, doorsets and fire screens should be using the FireDNA system. For duty holders such as building owners, facility managers, landlords and surveyors to make sure the assets they are responsible for are safe and compliant and the data unambiguous and accessible by all that need it, including residents.We believe FireDNA is the best system on the market and anyone who uses it will appreciate not only the time and money savings but importantly how this centralised system improves work standards across the full lifecycle of passive fire products. Steve Neilson – FireDNA Alliance Partner – Scotland

When you design a building that will be used by lots of people, like a tower block, you need to make sure that the building has the correct level of fire prevention and fire protection equipment. In instances where this isn’t the case, tragedies like the Grenfell Fire can happen. The importance of passive and active fire protection methods are vital for the safety of the intended occupants, but how can you ensure they’re going to be safe?

DRU gas fires and a Spartherm wood fire were specified by Ethos Construction and DRU dealer Grate Expectations for Harford Manor, a country house in Holyport, Windsor. They selected the fires for their ‘A’ energy ratings. This included the DRU PowerVent extended flue system for flexibility of location. In addition, the gas fires can be operated using the DRU Eco Wave app for tablets and smartphones. Ethos project manager Niten Mistry said: ‘The fires were selected for their impressive performance and ease of installation. They also contribute to the high quality of the property.’ www.harfordmanor.com, www.grateexpectations.com,

When you design a building that will be used by lots of people, like a tower block, you need to make sure that the building has the correct level of fire prevention and fire protection equipment. In instances where this isn’t the case, tragedies like the Grenfell Fire can happen. The importance of passive and active fire protection methods are vital for the safety of the intended occupants, but how can you ensure they’re going to be safe?

The existing ornate and decorative features of the hotel, meant that the fire curtains needed to integrate with the existing parts of the building that were remaining. This included a four sided, marble clad atrium in one of the main entrance halls, which covers two floors. There were four fire curtains installed around the first floor of the atrium therefore reinstating fire separation between floors. Fire curtains offering up to 3 hours fire resistance were also installed in the new hotel kitchens, preventing fire from spreading from kitchen areas to the public dining rooms and bar.

Arguably the most famous department store in the world, Harrods of Knightsbridge is a huge retail concern with over 5000 staff members working in over 70,000 square meters of retail space split into 300 plus departments over seven floors.When Harrods decided to redesign their staff food court they required double action doors that were aesthetically pleasing, had a high hygienic rating and were easy to use and they also needed a double action door with a 120 minute Fire Rating.SolutionDortek Installed Polyethylene doors that could be used as personnel doors. They also allow easy movement of trolleys and kitchen equipment between the three distinctive kitchen areas. Dortek also installed double-action 2-hour fire rated GRP doors into a 2530mm wide structural opening to enable staff to bring in large pieces of kitchen equipment when necessary.

Zoo Animal Enclosure Heating SolutionIn partnership with HEVAC Services Ltd of Kings Langley, Powrmatic was approached to develop a heating solution for the White Rhino’s House at Whipsnade Zoo, which saw the installation of an overhead gas-fired (LPG) continuous radiant heating system, as the previous electric heating system inside their indoor habitat was not efficient enough and heat was escaping through the timber structureProject BackgroundThe White Rhino house at Whipsnade Zoo is the home to a herd (also known as a “crash”) of seven southern white rhinos, Sizzle being the only male – the six females are; Mikumi, Bertha, Tuli, Jaseera, Fahari, and Nandi. Sizzle and Tuli are the parents of the latest baby rhino Nandi born in August 2021.The heating inside their indoor habitat at Whipsnade was not efficient enough. Localised electric heaters were spread around the large space to create coverage, but the heat was escaping through the timber structure. It was decided to upgrade the structure by foam insulation to the internals of the asbestos roof and to provide a new continuous gas-fired overhead radiant heating system providing blanket heat coverage to the complete floor area of the house.  Project SolutionHEVAC Services Ltd of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, who undertake servicing of HVAC equipment at Whipsnade Zoo on behalf of Pareto FM for the end client ZSL (Zoological Society of London), approached Powrmatic to develop a heating solution for the rhino’s house. The brief was to provide an overhead gas-fired (LPG) radiant heating system to blanket cover the complete floor area of the rhino house, but also design it so that it could be zone controlled, should one of the herd have a need to be in an area of a higher or lower temperature.The LPG propane tanks for the heating system needed to be sunk into the earth at the edge of the rhino house to avoid having to remove any trees, thus maintaining the conservation ethos of ZSL. For a structure such as the rhino house, being the size of a large sports hall, a Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ continuous gas-fired radiant tube system comprising; 4 x 73kW burners was the proposed solution, arranged in 4 temperature zones, with the new MC400/C controller and just the one flue discharge to atmosphere.Project ResultThe installation of the new PCV+ continuous overhead radiant heating system was skilfully undertaken by HEVAC Services Ltd, with the contract programme being driven by the daily habits of the rhino herd! Whether they wanted to be in their house or out on the field. Thus, the logistics of undertaking the heating installation were unique compared to working in a standard commercial/industrial environment.The White Rhinos now have a refurbished home and a heating system that delivers radiant heat in exactly the same way that we (and the rhinos) receive energy in the form of heat from the sun. Radiant heating systems efficiently radiate infrared radiation, which is the transfer of energy in waveform from a hot surface to a relatively cooler surface without heating the medium between. Thus, the rhinos can bask under the radiant heat, whether indoors or outside under the sun.The ZSL Whipsnade Zoo White Rhino Enclosure now benefits from a highly energy-efficient Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ system, listed on the Carbon Trust Energy Technology List (ETL), endorsing the Seasonal Space Heating Energy Efficiency of; 92.1%, and thus delivering low; energy usage, fuel bills and carbon emissions minimising their impact on the environment.

The Coopers FireMaster®, closed rectangular Concertina fire curtain is a perfect solution when requiring fire compartmentation around a staircase as it offers a virtual firewall creating a lobby once the curtain has been deployed with more than 2 hours integrity. The innovative Concertina fire curtain installed at Aldgate Tower fully encapsulates the staircase from the 11th to the 12th floor in the event of a fire. The curtain is triggered by either the fire alarm system or a local heat or smoke sensor and is automatically deployed from the ceiling to the floor.

Coopers installed and commissioned two FireMaster® Plus fire curtains, the first to protect the property from fire and smoke migrating from the kitchen whilst the second to protect the internal balcony from smoke and fire travelling between floors. Both fire curtains provide 2 hours fire and insulation zone protection and were installed into the ceiling to remain hidden from view until deployed by a fire alarm.

How to incorporate a fire or stove installation into a self-build project.By Niall Deiraniya, UK general manager, DRU FiresAlways ask for the fireplace specification at the design stage. Modern gas fires and wood stoves require careful planning in order to work as part of the general home heating system.Gas, wood or other fuels?Decide which fuel type best suits your home. Modern gas fires have realistic flame pictures and are much more energy efficient than older models.Wood stoves and fires also have greatly improved energy efficiency due to Ecodesign regulations. The only downside is that there is much more work involved with buying and storing the wood and cleaning the stove after use.Both gas and wood have room sealed options. This means that no air from inside the home is used for combustion and all waste emissions are expelled outside, resulting in clean burning and high efficiency.Finally, sustainable fuels such as Bioethanol produce a very attractive flame picture, burn cleanly with no smell or emissions and are available in a large selection of design formats. Built-in or freestandingIf you are converting a house with an existing chimney, you may wish to retain the chimney, to incorporate a more modern fire. Conventional flue gas fires are designed to fit seamlessly into standard chimneys and require minimal building work. The chimney will almost certainly need sweeping before installation and the fire may require a chimney liner for essential safety.Most wood fires are also designed for chimney installation and make full use of the air circulation properties to provide visually attractive and energy efficient fires. You can either elect for a basic ‘insert’ fire, which matches the dimensions of a Class 1 chimney or a widescreen model, which will require some structural changes.Freestanding stoves are very popular, as they offer greater flexibility of location and provide dramatic room features. They are available in gas, wood or bioethanol and generally need a flue connection to an outside wall or through the roof. No chimney optionsContemporary balanced flue gas fires are designed to be installed without a chimney, so you can incorporate them almost anywhere in a self-build project. However, they still need to be specified at the earliest possible stage. A typical installation will require the fire to be flued through an outside wall, with the flue concealed behind a false chimneybreast. Fires can be located in room-dividing walls and other architectural features so they can be seen from both sides. You can also enjoy fires in kitchens, bedrooms, loft conversions and many other places. These types of installations are made possible by extended, fan-assisted balanced flue systems. They allow for multiple fires to be placed in larger properties, with the flues hidden in crawl spaces and other discreet areas, terminating on the roof.In conclusion, the secret to having attractive and energy efficient fires and stoves in any self-build project is design, plan, cost and implement. And always consult a fully qualified Gas Safe or HETAS engineer.For further information visit www.drufire.com

Coopers innovative FireMaster Plus2 fire curtains was also used to create tenable zones as the product offers both integrity and radiance performance. The use of all the fire curtains allowed the open plan design of the museum to be realised by offering fire compartmentation and boundary protection. A total of 20 Simplex and Duplex FireMaster Horizontal fire curtains and 110 FireMaster and FireMaster Plus fire curtains have been installed in the museum by Coopers Fire UAE partners, Dosteen Doors.

Bioethanol fires require no chimney or flue, give off no harmful emissions and are 95% energy efficient. They are available in a large selection of designs for living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and gardens. A good example is the home of Bury resident Anthony Norman, who chose an Italian kitchen and a British made bedroom from local dealer Icon, both featuring table-top bioethanol fires. Anthony and his family were convinced that they would make exciting additions to their new kitchen and master bedroom. Ebios bioethanol fires are made in Germany and distributed by DRU in the UK.

As the leading manufacturer of fire and smoke curtains, Coopers were appointed to develop a smoke curtain system to provide an unintrusive method capable of controlling smoke migrating from the lower floors. It was also necessary to protect the un-insulated glazing installed above the atrium’s reception area with an approved fire curtain barrier system approved to provide a one hour insulating zone. Coopers manufactured, installed and commissioned two SmokeStop smoke curtains developed to control smoke generated in the event of fire and effectively channel it away from occupants during evacuation.

The recently renovated 'schloss Colditz' in Saxony, Germany is a great example of how to reconcile the often conflicting demands of historic preservation and fire-protection. The renovation has not just fulfilled fire-protection requirements but the planners have used extremely discreet solutions that fit with historic preservation requirements. Many of the passageways have been fitted with Teckentrup T30 all-glass doors, which combine functionality with aesthetics and maximum transparency.

The Coopers FireMaster, closed and open Concertina fire curtain is a perfect solution when requiring fire compartmentation around a staircase as it offers a virtual firewall creating a lobby, once the curtain has been deployed, with more than 3 hours integrity. A total of five FireMaster Concertinas were installed between floors 11 and 15 in this large office space. These curtains allow for the open plan flow of the building to remain as intended and prevent the spread of fire through the building whilst providing compartmentation.

Protecting detection systems is vital to fire safety with only a functioning smoke alarm able to protect you in an emergency.Landlord regulations and Government policesLandlords have responsibilities to keep tenants safe in their properties by providing functioning life safety equipment.Regulations introduced in 2015 require private sector landlords to ensure they ‘have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties’ as a legal requirement.There is also a proposed change to this regulation, coming into effect later this year, which will mean social housing is also included, making it mandatory that all rented accommodation must have working smoke alarms fitted. It will also be compulsory for landlords to repair or replace any faulty alarms as soon as they are made aware of defects.Fines up to £5000To protect their tenant, it is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure detectors are fitted and working at the start of every new tenancy agreement. Failure to comply with The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations introduced in 2015 can result in a hefty fine of up to £5000.One exasperated landlord wrote online that in one of his properties “Two of the detector heads have been tampered with, presumably so that the tenants can smoke in their rooms”. Consequently, this had been causing false fire alarms and it is up to the landlord to repair or replace the alarm.In some extreme cases, landlords have discovered that smoke alarms have been removed all together from properties, due to disturbances when cooking, smoking, etc. It is then up to the landlord to replace the alarm, and so it is advisable to invest in measures to prevent the alarms removal; some recommendations have been made in government legislations such as BS 5839-6:2019.Ultimately, landlords should feel obligated to ensure regular testing of smoke alarms and the replacement of batteries in their properties to reduce the risk of void insurance or a remedial notice. Simply testing smoke alarms can also help to prevent any danger to tenants and damage to properties should a fire occur.BS 5839-6:2019The latest recommendations in BS 5839-6:2019 are primarily concerned with saving lives and reducing injuries caused by fire, but also covers reducing property damage, which can be extremely costly to landlords in the case of fires.The guidance in BS 5839-6:2019 suggests that in environments such as HMOs, where multiple occupants can be disturbed by false alarms, landlords could alter their smoke alarms systems to have delays before the signal is sent to all tenants for the occupier to investigate the cause. This can help to reduce complacency during false fire alarms or the temptation to dangerously compromise smoke alarms.The recommendation also states that landlords should seek alternative smoke alarms that can alert to intervention or disablement of the alarm in the event of tenants continually tampering.Tenants’ responsibilityAlthough it is the landlords legal duty to provide working smoke alarms in all properties, tenants must not tamper with smoke alarm, remove them, cover them up or in any other way damage or prevent them from operating in their intended manner. Failure to comply with this could result in the tenant facing a substantial fine, or termination of their tenancy agreement.It falls to the tenants to take their own safety into consideration and should contact landlords if there are any issues with smoke alarms, such as false fire alarms, so their landlord can test and replace the batteries, or alarms themselves if necessary. Preventing alarms from effectively detecting fires can result in fatal incidents and also fines for misconduct falling to the tenants.One student at Edinburgh University covered the smoke alarm in his room with bubble wrap whilst living in student accommodation. Preventing the smoke detector from working effectively proved a dangerous mistake when a fire started in his room and he had to be pulled to safety after being found struggling to escape the flames while the building was being evacuated. As a consequence for this reckless behaviour, he was fined and ordered to pay £1000 in compensation after being arrested and pleading guilty.Steel Web Stoppers®  Safety Technology International is a specialist manufacturer of a range of fire, safety and security products; their wire cages help to prevent tampering with essential life safety equipment, such as smoke alarms.STI’s Steel Web Stoppers®  are designed to protect against vandalism, misuse and damage to smoke and fire detectors. Constructed from plastic coated, heavy-duty galvanised steel rod, the Steel Web Stoppers can withstand the severest of abuse from vandalism or accidental damage. It also prevents tampering with the alarm, without hindering legitimate use, therefore still allowing the landlord to service the device and replace batteries when appropriate.

Product constituents: To meet UK fire standards the Access Panels manufactured have been tested by Warrington Fire and hold a 120-minute fire rating certificate.

Coopers Fire installed a large, multi-faceted FireMaster Concertina Closed fire curtain on floor 12. The client utilising floors 12 and 13 wanted to keep an open plan feel between floors to allow a more free flowing environment for the staff. To achieve this, a bespoke staircase was designed connecting the floors. The spiral staircase was a major feature on floor 12 and meant that staff were able to move freely between floors 12 and 13 without using the lifts.

Barry Fire Station / Altro case study

Coopers installed FireMaster fire curtains with smoke control over the lift door openings on each of the ground and upper seven floors and two on the basement so a total of forty eight curtains. An important part of the design of the building on the ground and first floor was to subtly integrate the fire curtain headbox and side guides into the lift opening.

There are a total of 30 active SmokeStop smoke curtain barriers, 5 vertical FireMaster fire curtains and 2 FireMaster Concertina multi-faceted fire curtains installed within the university building offering protection from fire and smoke. With a large central atrium in the centre of the building, smoke control was a huge necessity on this project and therefore various bespoke engineered solutions were required to help solve the smoke and fire requirements.

The events industry is worth around £11bn to the UK economy*. With just over half a million employees, success in the industry relies almost entirely on the shoulders of its people. Effects of the pandemic are still being felt in a sector undergoing dramatic transformation. The events industry now faces a choice of embrace change or face decline.A large part of the industry’s response is a shift in culture, realising and accepting that the events industry is nothing without people. Never before has it been more important to protect and nurture employees. In this guide to lifting and handling equipment, we focus on how events hire companies can provide a safe working environment for employees.

Every false fire alarm is costly, but in a post-COVID world, there is now even more pressure on the leisure, retail, and hospitality industries to prevent false alarms in their premises.The leisure, retail, and hospitality industries were hit hard by COVID-19; as we begin to emerge from the pandemic businesses will be keen to make up for lost time, avoiding the loss in revenue caused by false fire alarms.Home Office figuresDespite two years of restrictions and lockdowns, false fire alarms continue to cost the UK, Home Office figures reveal that there were a total of 2,497 false fire alarms caused by the “malicious activation of [a] fire call point/alarm” in England for the year ending September 2021 – surpassing challenged hoax calls as the largest reason for malicious fire alarms.Accidental activations too remained a significant cause of false alarms; 12,732 false fire alarms were recorded due to the accidental and careless activation of fire alarm and fire-fighting equipment, including manual call points.With the restrictions, closures, and reduced footfall faced by businesses, we might have expected to see the number of false fire alarms fall significantly during the pandemic. This serves as a timely reminder of the persistence of unwanted fire alarm signals, and the need for leisure, retail, and hospitality premises to seek a solution to avoid further disruptions post-COVID.Although necessary once a fire alarm sounds, a preventable evacuation ultimately means unhappy customers, disruption for businesses, and unnecessary strain for our stretched emergency services.At a time where it is prudent to avoid the crowded corridors and large gatherings at assembly points that follow a needless false alarm evacuation, it has become even more important to prevent false alarms.Continuing to be the largest incident type, false fire alarms accounted for 41 per cent of the incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England for the period – fires accounted for just 27 per cent.Over £1 billionWith similar figures reflected across the UK, over £1 billion is lost every year due to false alarms. To recoup this cost the London Fire Brigade became the first fire service in the country to recover costs from buildings including leisure, retail, and hospitality premises, with a poor false alarm record.A false alarm is defined as a fire alarm signal caused by means other than a genuine fire, which has activated a fire detection and alarm system, these can include: equipment false alarm, environmental influences, accidental damage, and inappropriate human action, including the malicious activation of a manual call point.Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Act 2005, it is the responsibility of the building owner or the ‘responsible person’ to ensure effective fire precautions are in place to protect staff, customers, or visitors.Several precautionary steps can be implemented to prevent false fire alarms before they occur; routine testing and maintenance to call points is a must to assure proper operation, but it is not the only proactive approach.BS 5839-1:2017As recommended in BS 5839-1:2017 manual call points should be fitted with a protective cover to prevent false fire alarms. The British Standard Institute recommends in section 20.2b, that: “All MCPs should be fitted with a protective cover, which is moved to gain access to the frangible element.“It is now recommended that a protective cover is fitted to a Type A manual call point to help prevent false alarms.”Following the introduction of the new recommendations in 2017 malicious false fire alarms have fallen by 18%, an indication of the effectiveness of protective covers, however, every false alarm is still costly.Firefighters respond to fire signals as if they are real, this exposes the public and fire crew to unnecessary risk in their swift response to false alarms, directing them away from real emergencies.LeisureLeisure premises are particularly susceptible to false fire alarms, whether it be wayward sports equipment in sports hall and gymnasiums, or high-traffic areas in music venues, cinemas, and theatres.Concerts, football matches, and even pantomimes have all been interrupted mid-performance in the UK, and in some cases even cut short by false fire alarms – resulting in disgruntled fans and calls for refunds.Government fire safety guidance for theatres, cinemas, and similar premises, highlights the need for protective covers to combat both accidental and malicious activations: “To reduce the risk of malicious or accidental operation which may promote panic you should consider as part of your management plan alternative arrangements such as the guarding of manual call points (e.g. with a simple, easily removed, cover).”A hinged cover around a call point is also likely to solve the problem of accidental activation or damage in storage areas where there is a continual movement of equipment.Whilst guidance for open air events and venues draws attention to the high risk of malicious activations in certain public areas, such as large beer tents – in this instance, alarmed call point covers might be more effective.RetailFor retail premises, trollies and shopping bags threaten the accidental activation of manual call points and the evacuations that follow threaten both a loss of customers and profit. However, robust polycarbonate covers can be fitted to protect sensitive break glass units and deflect heavy blows.This is reinforced by the Government’s fire safety risk assessment for shops: “False alarms from electrical fire warning systems are a major problem (e.g. malicious activation of manual call points) and result in many unwanted calls to the fire and rescue service every year.”Shopping centres and supermarkets are regularly forced to evacuate hundreds of shoppers due to unwanted fire alarm signals; abandoning their shopping on conveyor belts, baskets, and trollies. Owing to the disruption many choose not to return to complete their purchases.HospitalityThis phenomenon can be particularly detrimental for the hospitality industry, where evacuations following false fire alarms leave restaurants and bars vulnerable to incidents of “dine and dash.” Some hospitality premises have lost out on upwards of £1,000 when customers walked off without paying after a false alarm.Fire safety guidance for licensed premises reinforces the need to put a stop to false fire alarms within the industry: “Fire alarm systems should normally conform to the current edition of BS 5839, with consideration made for prevention of false alarms.”Alarm fatigueRepeated false alarms reduce the public’s confidence in fire alarms, contributing to alarm fatigue and a complacent attitude towards evacuations. Alarm fatigue occurs when a person becomes desensitised to an alarm due to repeated false alarms and as a result, fails to react appropriately in an emergency – having potentially fatal effects.The Manchester Woolworths fire in 1979 is a devastating example of alarm fatigue, as the fire alarm sounded customers were reluctant to leave the store. By the time they realised they were in danger, it was too late, ten people died in the blaze.Alarm fatigue also poses a serious threat to the hospitality industry, with Government fire safety guidance for sleeping accommodation, such as hotels, stating: “If there are excessive false alarms in your premises, people may become complacent and not respond correctly to a warning of a real fire. In such circumstances, you may be failing to comply with fire safety law. All false alarms should be investigated to identify the cause of the problem and remedial action taken.”In some areas of hospitality premises, such as function rooms in a hotel, call points can be vulnerable to malicious and accidental activations – to reduce this risk, protection for manual call points is advised.Some hotel guests react casually to fire alarms, often wrongfully believing them to be a “hoax” or “prank”, reducing response time and delaying evacuation. As recommended in BS 5839-1:2017 manual call points can be fitted with a protective cover preventing false alarms whether accidental or malicious, halting alarm fatigue.Call point protectorsSafety Technology International manufacture a range of protective covers, specifically designed to prevent false alarms whether accidental or malicious.The STI story began in 1980 with a challenge by a school headteacher who wanted to stop their false fire alarms. Founder, Jack Taylor, used his expertise in security systems to invent the first and original Stopper® polycarbonate protective cover. From integral covers to outdoor and sounder models; there are now variations to suit all applications.The tamper-proof polycarbonate covers ensure call points are protected without restricting legitimate use in a real emergency, a combination of optional warning alarm, flashing beacon, and break seal acts as a deterrent against malicious activation.As we enter transition to the “new normal” it is imperative the leisure, retail, and hospitality industries prevent false fire alarms in their premises. Conforming to BS 5839-1:2017 to protect manual call points from false activation, whether accidental or malicious. Not only to aid economic recovery post-pandemic but to keep fire safety at the forefront of customers’ minds. Failure to address false fire alarms allows alarm fatigue to manifest, and this can prove to be costly – in every sense of the word.