IFEDA concerned at neglect of fire safety

An article in the Sunday Independent reveals that fire safety is being neglected.

Firms charged with the upkeep of blocks of flats – known as managing agents – could be putting occupants at risk, according to a leading property management company.
By law, any block of flats with common areas should undertake health and safety and fire risk assessments, typically on an annual basis, and have electrical installations assessed every five years. The property must also be surveyed for asbestos and, if found, monitored regularly.
However, property firm Urban Owners has found that 56 per cent of flats in the UK do not undergo a fire risk assessment, and up to 93 per cent do not have their electrics tested. More than 80 per cent of properties had never been inspected for asbestos.
“The lax attitude of many managing agents towards safety is unacceptable,” said Steve Wylie, director of property firm Urban Owners. “Unprofessional firms are routinely neglecting their legal responsibilities.”
There are an estimated 1.8 million flats and properties in the UK which are owned on a leasehold basis and are overseen by managing agents.
IFEDA wonders if, as well as having to have the correct and adequate insurance cover in place managing agents shouldn't also have to prove competency in H & S issues (including fire risk assessments) too?

IFEDA - Extinguisher Technician Refresher Course - Glasgow

There will be a one day extinguisher refresher course in at the Holiday Inn Express, West Nile Street, Glasgow on Tuesday 20th September 2011.

The cost of the course for Non- IFEDA members £162 + 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 click here.
If you are interested in this course, in the first instance, please reply by email to grahamferris@ifeda.org

Cut-backs compromising safety?

The on-line newspaper 'this is Devon' reports:-

Government to cut funding for special fire alert sea teams

Funding to fight fires and tackle chemical spills off the coast of South Devon has been axed by the Government sparking warnings 'vital' at-sea emergency cover will end.
Whitehall officials have confirmed cash for specialist firefighting teams trained to deal with 999 maritime incidents has been slashed as part of a wide-ranging cost-cutting drive.
Fire chiefs have told MPs they expect crews will no longer be able to respond to emergencies aboard vessels, leaving significant areas of the UK coast without coverage.
Ministers have justified the funding cut by saying the teams have not been involved in any major incidents since being formed five years ago.
It comes at the same time as the Government plans to slash the number of coastguard stations and downgrade others. It is also proposed to scrap the provision of emergency tugs.
The raft of cutbacks is currently the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.
The Maritime Incident Response Group has teams drawn from 15 fire and rescue services including Cornwall, which covers the South West coastline.
They respond to incidents 'where there is risk to life or high environmental risk for which fire fighting, chemical hazard and/or rescue teams may be required'.
In written evidence to the Transport Select Committee, the Chief Fire Officers Association stated: "It is anticipated that individual MIRG FRSs will not be able to provide a response to these incidents if funding is withdrawn.
"On that basis there may be no provision for FRS deployment to vessels at sea within significant areas of the United Kingdom Search and Rescue Region."
Even if services decided to maintain provision, the association said there would be no 'integrated response' as currently exists.
In its submission, the group said: "The Fire Service provides a professional application to the role of firefighting at sea and has the pre-eminent capability to fulfil this role. This has been demonstrated at various incidents over the years."
It said of the response group: "The uniqueness of this project, the first of its kind in the world, culminated in the provision of an integrated, interagency national strategy for dealing with incidents in the maritime environment."
The association said: "This is a vital and much valued element of UK search and rescue providing an additional resource to UK maritime resilience."
An independent review was carried out into the work of the response group last year.
While it concluded there was no legal duty for the coastguard or rescue service to provide a response to fires onboard vessels 'at sea', it added: "The risk assessment has confirmed that a response is needed around most of the UK, to attend and contain vessel fires with the purpose of preventing loss of life."
It added that 'eliminating the provision is not considered an option' in the context of the identified risk.
Shipping minister Mike Penning has defended cutting cash to provide at sea fire cover.
He said: "Since the Maritime Incident Response Group teams began operating in 2006 they have not been involved in any significant incidents, which is why we announced during the Comprehensive Spending Review that we would be reviewing this funding stream."

IFEDA notes that in an era of cut-backs and budget restrictions, now more than ever (and irrespective of whether your propety is situated on land or at sea) it is the time to ensure that appropriate fire extinguishers are installed and maintained by a competent person, your fire risk assessment is up-to-date and fire alarms are functioning as required. IFEDA has third party accreditied members across the UK who can help - some also offering a marine facility.

IFEDA IS RIDING HIGH AS TRAINING INITIATIVE IS SHORTLISTED

The Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association (IFEDA) is delighted to have been shortlisted in the Best Training Initiative category of the renowned Fire Excellence Awards 2011.

Committed to raising standards within the fire industry, IFEDA was shortlisted for this prestigious award, in recognition of their new, ground breaking dry riser training course. Having identified a clear gap in the marketplace for an approved dry riser maintenance course that not only tested the theory of dry risers, but also the practical elements of servicing them, they successfully brought to market a suitable course that could be measured against BS9990: 2006. A purpose-build dry riser stack was commissioned and built by IFEDA member Giles Payne. Payne come up with a stack that comprised all the necessary components, enabling it to be charged with water to the required pressure, allowing technicians to be assessed on the practical servicing of dry risers as required in the British Standards six monthly and annual checks.

The purpose built dry riser stack (right), designed to provide practical hands on experience and assessment of dry riser technicians.

Graham Ferris, General Manager at IFEDA, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for an award that has a huge amount of competition. The dry riser course has proved so popular that we’ve had to triple the number of times we were due to run it this year.

The introduction of this course is part of the continuing commitment of IFEDA to raising standards within the fire industry.” The two day course which includes theory, one-to-one practical tuition, together with an examination, is available to both IFEDA members and non-members.

Further details of the course can be found at http://www.ifeda.org/ or by emailing info@ifeda.org.

Care Home Manager Fined: Breach of FSO

Following the successful prosecution of a fire alarm technician (see this blog 24th December 2010) there have been further developments i.e:- A CARE home manager who was in charge when a fire alarm was silenced during a blaze has been convicted of a safety breach. Karen Sykes, 41, of Brooklands Road, Sale, appeared before Manchester Crown Court under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 following the fire at Oldfield Bank Residential Care Home in Highgate Road, Altrincham. The court heard how fire broke out in May 2009 when Sykes was duty manager. The fire alarm went off at about 6pm, the alarm was silenced but Sykes failed to ensure that a proper search of the premises was carried out. A fire was later discovered in room 25 and a 999 call was made at about 7.15pm. The alarm was discovered in 'silence' mode when crew from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service arrived to tackle the blaze. Elderly resident Beryl West died following the fire and an inquest into her death is scheduled to be heard by Stockport Coroner in April. In sentencing Sykes, who was fined £500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15, Judge Justice Lakin said: "My duty is clear. I have to apply the law. As the manager of the care home it was Sykes responsibility for the fire alarm and evacuation." Previously fire alarm engineer Christopher Morris, 56, of Llandudno, North Wales, has already been sentenced in relation to the same incident and was ordered to pay £5000, with £6000 being awarded to the Authority. Assistant County Fire Officer from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Peter O'Reilly said: "This case clearly highlights and enforces the message that employees have a duty to ensure the safety of the people they are looking after. This type of behaviour simply isn't acceptable and we should not forget that an elderly resident in Sykes care died that night."This is the first time an employee has been prosecuted under this legislation, as opposed to the employer, and I am proud of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue for bringing this about." IFEDA fully supports Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and all other fire authorities in their efforts to enforce all aspects of the FSO.

Nitrogen Regulators and CP23

Readers may like to be aware of the following from Nick Jones of Express Fire in Manchester and the attached leaflet.

“Many service engineers may not be aware of The British Compressed Gases Association’s Code of Practice (CP23) ‘Application of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 to Industrial and Medical Pressure Systems’ which includes a requirement to replace regulators every five years with a new or refurbished unit or to refurbish the regulator with approved spare parts.

Express Fire has recently been working with one of their suppliers to develop a new nitrogen regulator and they are of the opinion that it would be more cost effective to replace the regulators with new every five years for engineers.

As you will see from the information below, the TITAN regulator (pictured left) has a maximum pressure of 20 bar which means that it offers increased safety for operators as it reduces the risk of accidental over pressuring of extinguishers. Whilst available to all customers, as a member of IFEDA, Express Fire would be pleased to offer an introductory 10% discount to all other IFEDA members who wish to purchase the regulator meaning that they can purchase for only £117.00 each plus VAT (plus any applicable carriage charge as detailed in our Terms and Conditions) rather than the standard list price of £130.00.”

Please contact Nick and his team at Express Fire directly for more information or to make a purchase – details below.

Nick Jones Express Fire Equipment Ltd.

Units 3-4 Mersey Road Industrial Estate, Mersey Road North, Failsworth,

Manchester, M35 9LU.

Tel: 0161 688 5050 Fax: 0161 688 5151

Website address: http://www.expressfire.com/

Email address: nick@expressfire.com

Express Fire Equipment Ltd. Is registered in England and Wales No. 4183211.

Are your Nitrogen Regulators and delivery hoses in Date?

The British Compressed Gases Association states within Code of Practice CP23 titled “Application of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 to Industrial and Medical Pressure Systems Installed at User Premises” that all of the following equipment shall be subject to the following inspection and replacement schedule.

Written Scheme of Examination for Pressure Systems Attached to Transportable Pressure Vessels:-

Plant/Equipment - Examination Period - Guidelines for written scheme of examination.

Hoses (Non-metallic Lined for High Pressure Gas Cylinders) 5 Years (a) Replace with new item. (b) Record replacement

Hoses – Stainless Steel (For High Pressure Cylinders) 5 Year (a) Replace with new item. (b) Record replacement

Process Relief Valves 6 Year (a) Visual, external examination (reference Appendix 6). (b) Replace valve with new or refurbished unit. (c) Record all details of examination.

Flame Arrestors 5 Year or suppliers’ recommendation (a) Replace with new or refurbished unit. (b) Record all details of examination

Regulators and their inter-stage/outlet integral Protective devices 5 Year (a) Replace with new or refurbished unit, or (b) Refurbish with approved spare parts kit and functionally check.

The new Titan High Pressure single stage regulators offer a compact option for applications with high outlet pressure requirements of up to 20bar. Used in a wide range of applications from high pressure testing and purging to charging fire extinguishers this regulator is a versatile option for many process gas applications. In addition the regulator features a ball control valve at the delivery outlet port. The regulators cannot deliver more than 20bar, which is high enough to safely pressurise all portable fire extinguishers whilst greatly reducing the risk of accidental over pressurising the extinguisher. Date stamped 2016 Available now from Express Fire Equipment Ltd. Special 10% discount for IFEDA members. Prices are valid until 31st December 2011 - Unit just £130* + vat

*Any prices quoted exclude any applicable carriage charges as detailed in Express Fires terms & conditions to be found on the Express Fire website - prices valid till 31st December 2011

Flexitec from Flameskill

Detailed below is one of the products/services provided by IFEDA member Flameskill, based over in Great Yarmouth, for more information please contact them on 01493-440464

Automatic Fire Extinguishing Equipment

What is Flexitec? Flexitec is a self seeking automatic fire extinguishing

system that requires no electrical power to operate. In the event of

a fire the tube will rupture at the hot spot and discharge the

extinguisher contents directly on to the source of the fire.

How it works Flexitec Systems uses a specialised polymer detection tube which is pressurised. The tube is routed through the compartment that needs protecting, secured in place with fixings, thus being right at the source of any fire. When a fire occurs and either touches the tubing or the heat is sufficiently high enough, the Flexitec tube wall softens and bursts at the hottest point allowing the extinguishing medium to extinguish the fire at source.

Advantages of Flexitec * Flexitec is simple and inexpensive to fit. * Flexitec does not rely on any electrical or moving parts * Extinguishes a fire at the source via the Flexitec tubing * Offers 24/7 protection. * Pressure switches can be fitted to automatically shut-down any machinery, systems or sound alarm. * Flexitec Systems are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 1kg to 6kg. * Different extinguishing mediums are available to suit the application.

Applications Flexitec systems can be used to protect many mirco-environments,

Electrical cabinets, Controls & CNC Machines Server cabinets, computers, welding machines, food industry

Vehicles/Boats Buses, trucks, emergency vehicles, marine craft, trains

Industrial Equipment Plant machinery, farming machinery, forklifts

Letter boxes Bins, safes, vending machines