Category Archives: Fire Safety

Caerphilly, Fire Safety

UK Weather & Fire Risk: A Growing Threat

The weather in the UK is getting more and more extreme — from heatwaves in the summer to flooding and storms in the winter months. But what does this mean for fires?

Using official government data, we can see that the UK’s annual mean temperature has increased by over 20%, from 7.77 degrees in 1884 (when records began) to 9.42 in 2022.

Met Office Scientist, Matthew Perry, recently published a study examining fire weather trends in the UK, deeming fire spread and wildfire to be “an emergent risk for the UK”. Perry went on to state,

“the UK could see overall more sustained severe fire danger throughout the year. This is likely to require considerable adaptation planning and policy measures, such as increased resources for fire and rescue services, and management of land to reduce the risk of ignitions and to reduce fuel availability in high-risk areas.”

Perry’s predictions correspond to recent figures too — with Fire and Rescue services attending over 360,000 wildfire incidents in England between 2009/10 to 2020/21 (averaging 30,000 incidents per year) – and in one weekend alone in 2021, Welsh emergency services handled over 500 calls about grass fires.

So, what needs to be done?

Perry’s report called for greater attention to be given to fire resources and planning — at a national, local, and individual level. It is also important that all fire types are placed higher on the priorities list, as hotter weather and heat waves increase the risk of fires in buildings. This can involve better fire risk assessment planning and investing in passive fire protection products to mitigate the damage caused by fires should they start.

Want more fire safety trends and insights? Keep up with the Fire Seals Direct advice centre.

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Fire Seals Direct is a fire safety business with family beginnings and over 40 years of fire safety experience, selling a vast portfolio of fire door hardware and passive fire protection products from well-known and trusted brands to the trade.

Fire Safety

How to keep your employees safe from fire

If you own an office or a commercial building, then you’ll likely understand how important it is to have the correct fire safety measures in place. After all, if you fail to plan for a fire and your employees and/or customers aren’t prepared, someone may end up trapped inside.

Remember, even if you’re fully prepared, it only takes one faulty appliance or one piece of carelessness for a fire to start… and the consequences can be disastrous.

Thankfully, if you invest in the right commercial fire safety equipment and put the correct plans in place, you can make sure that everybody stays protected and safe, no matter what happens.

The basics of fire safety

In order to protect lives, you need both a strategy for dealing with a fire and an evacuation plan.

To start with, you need to consider your emergency exit routes. This way, if a problem arises, you can get everybody out before they suffer from either smoke inhalation or burns caused by scorching flames.

As part of this, you’ll need to plan an exit route that specifically caters for people with mobility issues, such as people who use a wheelchair, a crutches or a walker.

Once you’ve planned your routes, you then need to tell your staff about them and then run a few practice drills. Then, if anyone is ever faced with any danger, they’ll know exactly what to do.

After this, you’ll need to kit out your office or commercial building with the correct equipment. The exact pieces of equipment you’ll need will vary based on the business you’re running, but common examples include:

  • Fire extinguishers that are strategically placed throughout the building
  • Fire doors
  • Smoke detectors
  • Exit signs and marked paths for people who struggle to see in low-lit areas
  • Sprinkler systems
  • Fire alarms and way for a member of staff to manually raise the alarm

Added to this, you’ll also need an emergency plan that’s prepared well ahead of time. This should detail things such as:

  • Who should evacuate first if there’s trouble
  • Who evacuates the building via each route
  • Where people go when they’ve evacuated the building
  • Specialist plans for people who will need help evacuating the building
  • Who is responsible for briefing the emergency services
  • Who will make sure everyone has left the building

All of this may sound rather extreme and a lot of work, but you’re much better off being safe than sorry. Everyone hopes a fire will never occur and that there’ll never be an accident, but the reality remains that fires do happen. As a result, you need to take these steps to make sure that everyone has the best chance of surviving in case the very worst happens.

Next steps…

Once all of this is done, there’s no time to rest easy. Having a plan in place is great, but you need to make sure it’s continually reviewed, kept up-to-date and reflects any changes. Crucially, you also need to report these changes to staff members, so they know what to do when an alarm sounds or if there’s any sort of danger nearby.

Research has shown that staff members who are comfortable in their working environment and fully understand the procedures in place are less likely to panic if there’s a fire, so taking these steps can make sure that you stand the best chances of success in case a fire does break out.

Fire Safety, News

New research shows 90% of false alarms are down to faulty apparatus

The research from the Home Office, which was collated from Fire and Rescue services across the country from the last financial year, shows that just 2% of the incidents from automatic fire alarms were a result of an actual fire. Most of the false alarms could easily be avoided with proper maintenance and by ensuring the correct type of life safety product is installed for the environment in the first place.

Commenting on this latest report from the home office, Mr Shinsuke Kubo, Commercial Director for Hochiki Europe, Middle East, Africa and India said “False alarms are a major problem across multiple industries, they have a significant impact on production and ultimately the economy. Building owners who choose to work with installers and manufacturers who understand that no two environments are the same will reap the benefits because the products recommended will be both fit for purpose and properly maintained”

The London Fire Brigade advise that if you are responsible for managing a property, it is important to make sure the fire alarm system installed is carefully considered for the type of premises and of course the occupancy.

Having said that, technology alone cannot eliminate false alarms. Other key factors must be considered to increase the overall “alarm reliability” of fire detection and fire alarm systems. These are design, commissioning, and maintenance. If these are overlooked, then the reliability of a device will drop. It’s also important to remember that over time, the use of a building may change or be adapted, any changes must be reflected in the design and maintenance of the fire detection apparatus installed.

“Multi-sensors could be the answer” continues Mr Kubo, “For complex life safety installation projects which have multiple usage scenarios, or are adapted over time, using intelligent devices can really help reduce false alarms. Modern devices which detect heat, smoke and in some cases, CO, can learn from their environments from the moment of installation. Our ACD multi-sensor which uses the S.M.A.R.T. algorithm to continuously monitor its surroundings, is used by our customers across multiple sectors from university accommodation, housing associations, theatres, and schools – all of which have seen a reduction in false alarms”.

Fire Safety, Food & Drink, Health & Safety, International News, News

Hochiki Italia products chosen for prestigious winery fire safety update

In the heart of Franciacorta, at the top of the hill overlooking Bornato, sits the historic headquarters of the Società Agricola Monte Rossa srl. Owned by the Rabotti family since 1972, the Winery is famous for its fine wines that can satisfy even the most demanding palates.

Producing 500,000 bottles per year and with 70 hectares of managed vineyards, Monte Rossa is considered a leader for the quality level of the Franciacorta wines it produces.

Last May, the new Winery by Monte Rossa was inaugurated – just a few kilometres from the historical headquarters. This was an ambitious project, using the latest in wine making technology, that also included an innovative fire detection system designed with the support of the installation company Eurodue srl of Brescia, a leading distributor of fire-fighting equipment and Hochiki dealer.

Just like many other wineries in Italy, and indeed around the world, Monte Rossa is made up of different buildings for processing, storage, and packaging, which are mostly made of reinforced concrete and masonry. In terms of fire, the room that is the most at risk is the storage and packaging areas, since copious quantities of combustible materials are often stored in this room. In the wine industry, substances (such as nitrogen) contained in pressure vessels (cylinders) are commonly used, so particular care must be taken when using them, and the produces must ensure the room can be sealed in an emergency, to avoid explosions and fires.

The new fire detection system was to cover an area of 20,000Sqm, divided across four levels with indoor and outdoor areas. The automatic and manual fire detection systems were installed in offices, laboratory, vinification areas, the Barrique cellar, the “sur lattes” bottle ageing rooms and the disgorging and bottling areas. The new Hochiki fire detection system also controls the fire doors of the compartmentalised processing and production areas of the building.

Products chosen to protect the building, contents, staff and visitors include Hochiki’s SCI Sensors which are part of the ESP (Intelligent Range) which are trusted worldwide to reduce false alarms and allow systems to be tailored to achieve optimum performance.

Ezio Danese, Project Manager at Hochiki Italia explained: ‘The UNI 9795 standard requires the installation of a short-circuit isolator for each zone in a building. SCI detectors with integrated isolator and various installed devices such as call points and I/O modules with double isolator ensure that the system complies with the regulatory requirements, without having to install additional isolators. This is definitely an advantage for the installer.”

Visual Alarm Devices (VADs) were also installed. These were a key component to the install because they provide a visual indication of an alarm condition, essential for areas where the public might be visiting, or in areas where staff might be wearing ear defenders.

Filippo Piubeni, co-owner of Eurodue srl, commented: “It is always a pleasure to be able to complete such an important fire detection system project. We are proud to have made secure a site such as the Monte Rossa Winery, which is not only technologically advanced but equally linked to the winemaking tradition of the Franciacorta region. This top-quality system will provide the best possible protection for staff and the facility’s many visitors. The system was installed by the company Bignetti Salvato and carefully programmed by FYS srl di Gregorelli Francesco, Hochiki’s Technical Assistance Centre, which was able to optimise the various operational requirements in accordance with the project and current regulations.

The Hochiki fire detection system installed at Monte Rossa is a feather in our company’s cap for the foreseeable future.”