Welcome to the IFEDA - Coffee Lounge. We have set up a group for all the administration support left alone and behind at the office (the power behind the throne that actually keeps the business on the road) whilst the extinguishers, alarms and suppression systems are being seen to in the big wide world. Who can you turn to if you have any query you're not sure about e.g. I'm using excel/outlook/word etc etc what do i do if/when? If so why not post it in the coffee lounge and you never know someone else maybe having the same problem or have just worked it out.
The IFEDA - Coffee Lounge http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114835081891371
See you there - mine's black with one sugar and if you insist a digestive too.
Friday, 21 May 2010
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Fire Hose Reel Courses - Stockport
Due to extra demand there will be two more fire hose reel courses (run to BS671-3 : 2009) in Stockport on the following dates:-
Friday 21st May and Friday 25th June.
The syllabus and other details for this course can be found at www.ifeda.org/training.htm
Please contact info@ifeda.org should you wish to book of for more information.
The cost of the course includes; comprehensive training manual, certificate and refreshments.
Friday 21st May and Friday 25th June.
The syllabus and other details for this course can be found at www.ifeda.org/training.htm
Please contact info@ifeda.org should you wish to book of for more information.
The cost of the course includes; comprehensive training manual, certificate and refreshments.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Extinguisher Refresher Course - Glasgow
There will be a one day extinguisher refresher course in Glasgow on Tuesday 15th June.
This will include notes from the recent IFEDA workshops highlighting the changes to BS5306-3: 2009
The cost of this course will be IFEDA members £140 + vat
Non- IFEDA members £160 + vat
Please note the IFEDA extinguisher training courses are recognised by BAFE as per BS5306-3 : 2009 annex A. The cost of the course includes; comprehensive training manual, certificate and refreshments.
To check any details re the syllabus please see www.ifeda.org/training.htm
If you are interested in this course, in the first instance, please reply by email to grahamferris@ifeda.org
This will include notes from the recent IFEDA workshops highlighting the changes to BS5306-3: 2009
The cost of this course will be IFEDA members £140 + vat
Non- IFEDA members £160 + vat
Please note the IFEDA extinguisher training courses are recognised by BAFE as per BS5306-3 : 2009 annex A. The cost of the course includes; comprehensive training manual, certificate and refreshments.
To check any details re the syllabus please see www.ifeda.org/training.htm
If you are interested in this course, in the first instance, please reply by email to grahamferris@ifeda.org
Friday, 26 February 2010
New Training Facilities Scotland & Midlands
Training facilities Scotland
With our members in Scotland and the far North of England in mind we are delighted to announce that thanks to the good offices of Rapid Fire Services Ltd of Glasgow, IFEDA now has dedicated training facilities North of the Border. To begin with we will run extinguisher refresher courses adding at later dates the initial (3 day) extinguisher technician training courses.
Training facilities Midlands
Later this year IFEDA will also begin refresher training at Spectrum Fire Protection Ltd, Walsall, with special thanks to Paul Kerman. Adding this location means our Midlands based members will no longer have to trek North to Stockport or South to Fareham.
Both of our new locations are situated near to major routes/motorways·
N.B. IFEDA extinguisher courses are BAFE recognised as per SP101/ST104
With our members in Scotland and the far North of England in mind we are delighted to announce that thanks to the good offices of Rapid Fire Services Ltd of Glasgow, IFEDA now has dedicated training facilities North of the Border. To begin with we will run extinguisher refresher courses adding at later dates the initial (3 day) extinguisher technician training courses.
Training facilities Midlands
Later this year IFEDA will also begin refresher training at Spectrum Fire Protection Ltd, Walsall, with special thanks to Paul Kerman. Adding this location means our Midlands based members will no longer have to trek North to Stockport or South to Fareham.
Both of our new locations are situated near to major routes/motorways·
N.B. IFEDA extinguisher courses are BAFE recognised as per SP101/ST104
Friday, 29 January 2010
IFEDA SURVEY: FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS
A recent IFEDA Survey of North Buckinghamshire businesses with regards to Fire Risk Assessments and the role of the Responsible Person confirmed and supported an earlier statement from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) that, rather worryingly, over 40% businesses are still failing to comply with fire regulations some three years after the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order by not carrying out Fire Risk Assessments. Introduced in October 2006 the Fire Safety Order (2005), states that all business owners are obliged to conduct regular risk assessments and maintain a fire management plan that identifies possible fire hazards and advises on safety measures. Businesses are obliged to tell their staff about the plan and train them accordingly.
Business stake holders should be aware that fire authorities are increasingly clamping down on businesses who won’t comply with the law with more than 3,000 enforcement notices issued nationwide in the past year by the fire services. This resulted in some 60 firms being prosecuted - a 40 per cent increase in just twelve months.
Further research by IFEDA revealed typical breaches of fire safety law as blocking fire exits, propping open fire doors (especially with fire extinguishers), failure to keep adequate records, failure to make a written risk assessment with more than 5 employees, failure to test fire safety equipment, failure to have their fire extinguishers serviced annually, failure to nominate a Responsible Person, inadequate signage, fire exit routes compromised with combustible items, inadequate means of escape from sleeping accommodation and a failure to train staff in evacuation procedures.
The IFEDA newsletter, FireTalk, regularly carries examples of enforcement actions and prosecutions by the Fire Service so proving that this problem is not going unnoticed and, as in the recent case of High Street store, New Look can lead to a large and potentially business breaking fine. FireTalk can be found at www.ifeda.org/newsletter.htm
Many IFEDA members offer a Fire Risk Assessment survey and can advise on all aspects of portable fire extinguishers, alarms emergency lighting and educating staff in fire prevention. A list of 3rd party accredited members in your area can be found at www.ifeda.org/regions.htm
Business stake holders should be aware that fire authorities are increasingly clamping down on businesses who won’t comply with the law with more than 3,000 enforcement notices issued nationwide in the past year by the fire services. This resulted in some 60 firms being prosecuted - a 40 per cent increase in just twelve months.
Further research by IFEDA revealed typical breaches of fire safety law as blocking fire exits, propping open fire doors (especially with fire extinguishers), failure to keep adequate records, failure to make a written risk assessment with more than 5 employees, failure to test fire safety equipment, failure to have their fire extinguishers serviced annually, failure to nominate a Responsible Person, inadequate signage, fire exit routes compromised with combustible items, inadequate means of escape from sleeping accommodation and a failure to train staff in evacuation procedures.
The IFEDA newsletter, FireTalk, regularly carries examples of enforcement actions and prosecutions by the Fire Service so proving that this problem is not going unnoticed and, as in the recent case of High Street store, New Look can lead to a large and potentially business breaking fine. FireTalk can be found at www.ifeda.org/newsletter.htm
Many IFEDA members offer a Fire Risk Assessment survey and can advise on all aspects of portable fire extinguishers, alarms emergency lighting and educating staff in fire prevention. A list of 3rd party accredited members in your area can be found at www.ifeda.org/regions.htm
Monday, 18 January 2010
Extinguisher Refresher Course - Cornwall
There will be a one day (BAFE recognized) extinguisher refresher course on Thursday 13th May and also on Friday 14th May at Fire Crest, Pool in Cornwall. Please contact IFEDA for these or any of the other training courses advertised.
Please note that with today's bookings the Refresher course at Buckingham is now full.
Please note that with today's bookings the Refresher course at Buckingham is now full.
Lakanal House: “Fire risk training was 'inadequate"
Sam Masters of the South London Press reported today (Monday, 18 January) that Fire Risk Assessment Training for council staff to check for fire risks in tower blocks was inadequate for “complex” buildings, it has emerged.
Before the fatal blaze at Lakanal House in Camberwell on July 3, a change in legislation shifted responsibility from London Fire Brigade to the town halls to check buildings were safe.
Many town halls paid specialist surveyors to carry out the fire risk assessments (FRAs) on high-rises after 2006 – including Labour-run Lewisham and Lambeth councils.
But Lib Dem/Tory-run Southwark council kept the inspections in-house, sending staff on fire brigade training courses in 2008.
This week, a leaked email from Steve Turek, the London Fire Brigade’s assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, threw the training received by council staff into doubt.
He said those on the one-day course were given “basic” knowledge of the importance and methods of risk assessments.
He said: “Our course information clearly states that the course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and understanding to undertake FRAs in simple premises such as offices, small retail and similar premises.
“The course is not designed to equip attendees to carry out FRAs in complex structures where a clear level of expertise is required.”
The South London Press revealed last week how a town hall officer had failed to spot fire risks in a block that shared a similar layout to Lakanal House.
The FRA for Perronet House at Elephant & Castle – conducted on April 27, five weeks before the Lakanal tragedy – found only “low” and “medium” fire risks.
But a later FRA, compiled by specialists Turner & Townsend on July 17, discovered “extreme” risks and demanded a raft of safety improvements.
Councillor Ian Wingfield, Southwark Labour opposition spokesman for housing, said: “In sending out undertrained staff to carry out the vital checks to make sure our tenants and leaseholders are safe, the administration has shown a callous lack of concern for their well-being.”
A Southwark spokesman said: “These intrusive inspections [by outside contractors] go beyond what is required in a fire risk assessment.
“After the Lakanal Fire we decided to review our approach to high-rise blocks.
“We carried out, on a risk assessed basis, more detailed intrusive and technical inspections carried out by independent experts, which involve looking at the fabric of the building, under ceilings and behind walls if necessary.”
Southwark has now pledged to carry out “intrusive” checks on its 175 high-rises this year.
Before the fatal blaze at Lakanal House in Camberwell on July 3, a change in legislation shifted responsibility from London Fire Brigade to the town halls to check buildings were safe.
Many town halls paid specialist surveyors to carry out the fire risk assessments (FRAs) on high-rises after 2006 – including Labour-run Lewisham and Lambeth councils.
But Lib Dem/Tory-run Southwark council kept the inspections in-house, sending staff on fire brigade training courses in 2008.
This week, a leaked email from Steve Turek, the London Fire Brigade’s assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, threw the training received by council staff into doubt.
He said those on the one-day course were given “basic” knowledge of the importance and methods of risk assessments.
He said: “Our course information clearly states that the course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and understanding to undertake FRAs in simple premises such as offices, small retail and similar premises.
“The course is not designed to equip attendees to carry out FRAs in complex structures where a clear level of expertise is required.”
The South London Press revealed last week how a town hall officer had failed to spot fire risks in a block that shared a similar layout to Lakanal House.
The FRA for Perronet House at Elephant & Castle – conducted on April 27, five weeks before the Lakanal tragedy – found only “low” and “medium” fire risks.
But a later FRA, compiled by specialists Turner & Townsend on July 17, discovered “extreme” risks and demanded a raft of safety improvements.
Councillor Ian Wingfield, Southwark Labour opposition spokesman for housing, said: “In sending out undertrained staff to carry out the vital checks to make sure our tenants and leaseholders are safe, the administration has shown a callous lack of concern for their well-being.”
A Southwark spokesman said: “These intrusive inspections [by outside contractors] go beyond what is required in a fire risk assessment.
“After the Lakanal Fire we decided to review our approach to high-rise blocks.
“We carried out, on a risk assessed basis, more detailed intrusive and technical inspections carried out by independent experts, which involve looking at the fabric of the building, under ceilings and behind walls if necessary.”
Southwark has now pledged to carry out “intrusive” checks on its 175 high-rises this year.
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