Competency criteria for fire risk assessors released

A document setting out criteria against which the competence of a fire risk assessor can be assessed is now available.
Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors, published by the cross-industry Fire Risk Assessment Council, sets out the criteria that could be used by professional bodies and third party certification bodies to register or certificate fire risk assessors, and by organisations providing fire risk assessment services.
The document sets out broad criteria for fire risk assessors of both “simple buildings” – where the fire risk assessor might, for example, be an employee of the occupier – and “complex buildings”, which will require higher levels of knowledge understanding and preferably experience on the part of the fire risk assessor.
Under the criteria and other than in the case of simple, low risk premises, fire risk assessors would need to show “evidence of specialist training and experience, or membership of a professional body, or certification by a third party certification body.” They would need an appropriate knowledge of:

• The assessment of risk from fire (appendix A)
• Applicable legislation (appendix B)
• Appropriate guidance (appendix C)
• Behaviour of fire in premises (appendix D)
• Effects of fire on people and behaviour of people in fire situations (appendix E)
• Means of escape (appendix F)
• Fire prevention (appendix G)
• Fire protection (appendix H – includes passive and active)
• Management of fire safety (appendix I)

Such knowledge, the document says, can be obtained by academic study, training, working alongside others, short courses, continuing professional development or any combination of these.
“Some members of the business community have suggested that it would be helpful for those who want to use the services of a commercial fire risk assessor to be able to access information on those with an appropriate level of competency in fire risk assessment, to help them comply with the legislation,” says the foreword to the document.
“There has also been growing concern regarding the competence of those who provide these fire risk assessments on a commercial basis (i.e. for a fee). Data from the English fire and rescue service suggests that the main compliance failure leading to enforcement action is a failure by duty holders to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. This is coupled with the emergence of inadequate fire risk assessments for premises that have suffered multiple fatality fires.”
A companion document to help duty holders assess whether they can undertake fire risk assessments in-house or whether they should appoint an external specialist will be available shortly.

Low cost sprinkler initiative ‘scuppered’ by localism agenda

A low-cost and potentially life saving domestic sprinkler programme is under threat after the government has seemingly washed its hands of it.
The 'ultra-low cost' sprinkler initiative, launched in 2004 after BBC presenter and safety campaigner, Nick Ross, challenged the industry to come up with a low cost system based on one in use in New Zealand. The system uses domestic plumbing and does not meet the specification of more expensive systems installed to BS 9251, the code of practice for residential and domestic sprinkler systems.
The original programme envisaged the installation of pilot schemes in five or six fire authorities, which could then be used to provide a cost-benefit analysis comparing them to BS 9251 compliant installations.
Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service has installed 30 domestic sprinkler systems during 2011 with more planned. But the initiative looks like being stymied by lack of government support and water industry failure to accept the ultra low cost FPA design guide. The water industry’s objection is based on the claim that the guide does not satisfy Water Regulations Advisory Scheme criteria over the potential contamination of the mains by stagnant water in short piping ‘deadlegs’, variable mains pressure, and flow choke caused by water metres.
Critics of ultra-low cost systems say they are less reliable than pumped systems installed to recognised standards. But in response Nick Ross said:
“The system would not have been entirely reliable but the price point would have made up for the technical limitations. It is better to save 90% of fire victims with imperfect equipment which is almost universally applied than to save virtually none with 100% dependable automated fire suppression which is rarely installed.
“There have been other advances on sprinklers meanwhile, of course, not least the legislative progress in Wales and Scotland; but I remain deeply frustrated at how the sub-£600 project has been scuppered.”
In February this year, the government said it could not take the project any further as the pilot schemes had not been installed long enough in occupied homes to provide meaningful data. In an email seen by info4fire.com, an official at the Department for Communities and Local Government went on to say that if the fire safety sector wished to undertake more work on low cost sprinklers, they would have to do so themselves, as the government was “committed to localism...and overseeing a fundamental shift of power away from Westminster to those best placed to deliver outcomes”.
Meanwhile, there is a growing campaign aimed at persuading MPs to follow the lead of Wales and pass similar legislation to mandate sprinklers in all new English homes. The Building Regulations (Review) Bill would oblige the secretary of state to conduct a review and impact assessment of a requirement to install automatic fire suppression systems in new residential premises.
The bill, introduced in the Lords by Lord Harrison of Chester, is due for its second reading in the Commons this week. The bill is also backed by former Welsh Secretary Alun Michael MP, who has tabled an Early Day Motion on the subject in parliament.

An e-petition calling for the compulsory installation of sprinklers in all new dwellings has also been set up.

Fire Brigade hosts community safety event

London Fire Brigade has hosted a fire safety event helping teach schoolchildren about the hazards that can be found in the home.
The brigade hosted the nation’s biggest national competition, the UK Rescue Challenge London 2011, at the capital’s ExCel arena. In addition, it also ran a Community Safety Village to showcase the work the UK’s biggest fire service carries out in local communities.
On the first day of the two-day event, nearly a thousand schoolchildren from local primary schools across Newham visited the village. They were shown a number of demonstrations, including a schools’ team workshop, a ‘sniffer’ demonstration by the brigade’s fire investigation dogs and a hot fat fire exercise.
A state of the art Hazard House, outfitted by IKEA, was created to help children learn about potential fire hazards in the home.
During the second day, firefighter families and friends from across the UK as well as the general public came along to learn about fire safety and various community initiatives run by the brigade.
London Fire Brigade’s community safety partnerships manager, Kathryn Bloomfield said: “The Community Safety Village was a huge success. We were very pleased with the feedback from both, members of the public and the visiting schools, and are now looking forward to starting Community Safety preparations for next year’s World Rescue Competition, to be hosted by the brigade in 2012.”
Residential fire sprinklers are a great option for home fire safety.

Draft risk assessors' guidance on passive fire protection

Draft guidance on passive fire protection for fire risk assessors has been launched for consultation by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection.
The consultation document is aimed at supporting the passive fire protection elements of fire risk assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and its national equivalents in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
According to the association, fire risk assessors have been asking for information in one simple guidance document that uses a common sense approach when evaluating passive fire protection for means of escape.
The consultation closes on 31 October.

Tighter criteria leads to halving of fire risk assessment members

Fire risk assessment membership of the Fire Industry Association has more than halved following the introduction of tougher membership criteria in April.
There are now around 40 member organisations providing fire risk assessment services, compared with the 85 companies listed before the new criteria came into force. Evidence of quality control, insurance and individuals’ competence in now required for membership.
“The change moves the membership closer towards full third party certification, and is a major step forward from the previous declaration to abide by a simple code of practice,” said the FIA.
“The exercise has certainly highlighted that many companies will need to establish quality procedures within their businesses, if they are ever going to be ready for full third party certification. Whilst we have lost 20 or more companies from the list on a permanent basis, we continue to work with another 25 to help them get through the process.”

Fire Sprinklers Cost

The cost of residential fire sprinklers has become affordable to most. According to present estimates, installing a fire sprinkler in residences will cost between $1 and $1.5 per square feet of built-up area for a new house. For an already built house the costs may be higher. The cost of installation is expected to drop as the sprinklers get accepted by more customers and with the reduction in the production costs. The use of PVC pipelines which are common in residences are cost effective and can bring down the cost further. Unlike metal pipes they are rust free too. If the fire sprinkler is installed while constructing a new house or while renovating an existing one, only minimal amount of labor and piping is required as the ceilings, attics and walls can be easily accessed at these stages.

               

Home fire sprinklers are smaller when compared to the conventional industrial and commercial versions and they can be installed without being easily noticed and matched with the interior color scheme. The water required by residential fire sprinklers is much lesser than commercial and industrial fire sprinkler systems. You need not lay separate pipelines for residential fire sprinklers as it can be connected to the existing pipelines.

By installing sprinklers at various points in residences such as kitchen, living room, attic and other places, the activation of the system in case of fire can be localized to the area where the fire occurs. This ensures ease of control, saves water and also reduces the damages caused by water. There is also a saving in home insurance premium offered by insurance companies for homes with fire sprinkler systems to the extent of 10% to 15%. Maintenance cost of home fire sprinkler system is also relatively less.

How do fire sprinklers work?

People often ask how fire sprinklers work, usually their only education has been what they have seen in the movies so i thought i would write this short article to help educate those who wish to know.

Firstly, when a fire has started the heat and smoke rise upwards. When this heat and smoke hit the ceiling it spreads across the ceiling causing what is commonly known as a ceiling jet.
Fire sprinkler heads are positioned either on the ceiling or high up on the walls of a room . They act as plugs for the water in the pipe work, the pipe work connects all the heads to the water supply. Fire sprinkler heads have either a glass vile filled with gases and liquid that expands under a specific heat or a fusible link that melts upon contact with a specific heat, the heat required varies depending on which type of head is used but generally around 70c.
When the heat around an individual sprinkler head reaches 70c it will actuate releasing the water over the area consumed by the fire, not every sprinkler head will start. Smoke cannot start fire sprinklers releasing water either.
Depending on what water supply is used it will either keep running ( system attached to the water main) or run until the tank runs dry (pump and tank system).
After the fire has been put out and the building is considered safe the used sprinkler head/s can be easily replaced and the system re-commissioned by a qualified installer.



Check out the video at the bottom of the page for a graphic explanation.