Latest innovations and products in the Fire, Security and Safety sections of the construction industry.

Promat SYSTEMGLAS® passes 30-year UK milestone in delivering assured passive fire protection

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first UK installations of SYSTEMGLAS®, the complete fire rated glazing system from Promat UK, and demand is stronger than ever.

The 30-year milestone is proving to be an important factor behind the increasing interest in SYSTEMGLAS® from architects, specifiers, interior designers, clients and contractors who are seeking assured passive fire protection in their glazing, partitioning and building interiors.

The market-leading system, which is supported by Promat UK’s ‘360° Wheel of Assurance’ encompassing full control and traceability through design, manufacture, installation and completion inspection, is suitable for a wide range of applications including offices, residential, retail spaces, public buildings and transport interchanges. Providing integrity and insulation (EI) protection from EI30 to EI120, SYSTEMGLAS® has now been used in a vast number of projects in the UK and Ireland since 1989.

Ian Cowley, Regional Director (UK and Scandinavia) at Promat says: “With three decades behind it, SYSTEMGLAS® has proved itself in the market as a trusted solution for passive fire protection. In an era when supply chain traceability has risen up the agenda in specification decisions, the range is today offering an important differentiator, particularly now that the SYSTEMGLAS® framing options have been expanded to cover steel, timber and PROMATECT® H for concealing, painting or over-cladding.

“When it comes to developing a fire rated glazing specification, all the components must work together to achieve the required performance level, which is what underpins our ‘Specified for a Reason®’ campaign. SYSTEMGLAS® takes away any supply chain ambiguity, specification misinterpretation or risk of product substitution as we have complete oversight from start to finish.”

SYSTEMGLAS® is suitable for all building applications with fire ratings of between 30 and 120 minutes. Promat’s technical experts provide guidance on the right approach at the design and specification stage, and the system is manufactured in-house to ensure all cutting and processing is completed to the correct standard. Promat’s fire protection specialists then inspect SYSTEMGLAS® on completion to ensure it has been installed in accordance with its recommendations and provides a certificate of conformity for installation.

Based at its HQ and manufacturing plant at Heywood near Manchester, Promat UK is a market leader in thermal, fire and acoustic protection solutions. Part of the global Etex Group, the company manufactures high performance insulation for numerous hi-tech, engineering and industrial applications, as well as the building sector. These range from Formula One racing, train rolling stock and aircraft manufacture, to offshore wind turbines, the nuclear industry and white goods.

Find out more at www.promat-glass.co.uk

/0 Comments/by

Residents encouraged to have their say to improve building safety

,

The government is inviting views on a new building safety regime, as it seeks to bring forward new legislation to keep residents safe.

The Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017 resulted in the greatest loss of life in a residential fire in a century. It shattered the lives of many people and shook the trust of countless more in a system that was intended to ensure the most basic human need of having a safe place to live.

Following research into building safety culture across the industry, it became apparent that too many in the building industry were taking short cuts that could endanger residents in the very place they were supposed to feel safest – their own home. That’s why the government commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt, an engineer and former chair of the UK Health and Safety Executive, to review the system and find out how it can be improved.

Dame Judith’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety made it clear that there needs to be a culture change in the industry, underpinned by changing how homes are designed, built, maintained and managed in the future.

Following the review, the government began analysing Dame Judith’s recommendations to understand what needed to be done to overhaul the system. To make sure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes, it became evident that the government needed to take forward all of Dame Judith’s recommendations and go further.

Having your say

In December 2018, the government published its plan to make building regulations stronger and more effective. The plan, Building a Safer Future, committed the government to ensuring that high-rise residential buildings are safe to live in.

The government intends to bring forward new laws to improve building safety. Before doing this, it has launched a consultation (see the quick read) on the details and invites your views over the next 8 weeks.

What the government is doing

The consultation proposes a stronger voice for residents of high-rise buildings to ensure their concerns are never ignored. This includes better information regarding their buildings so that they can participate in decisions about safety, as well as clear and quick routes of escalation for their concerns if things do go wrong.

Clearer accountability for building safety

Dame Judith recommended the creation of a system of ‘dutyholders’, people who will have responsibility for keeping residents of these buildings safe, and making sure building regulations are followed. Dutyholders will be responsible for keeping vital safety information about how the building was designed and built and is managed. This is known as the ‘golden thread’ of information and will be kept electronically for the entire life of a building, from its design to its place as a home for residents. The people responsible for this information will have to make sure it is up to date and that the right people can access it, including residents.

Powers and sanctions

If the people responsible for a building ignore their responsibilities, a new building safety regulator will have the authority to take enforcement action against them. This could include criminal and civil sanctions, like fines or imprisonment.

The building safety regulator will be responsible for overseeing the safety of new and existing buildings. Their strong focus will be on checking that safety is being properly considered and necessary safety measures are put in place when new high rise residential buildings are being designed and built, and that robust safety measures are in place for existing buildings.

The intention is that, as a result, the regulator and people responsible for a building’s safety will be working towards the common goal at the heart of the new regime – the safety of residents.

The government is also consulting on new ways of ensuring that construction products are safe and used properly.

Implementing clearer standards and guidance

For the building safety regulator to work effectively, clearer standards and guidance need to be produced. For construction products and systems standards, the government proposes creating a new standards committee to provide it with impartial advice on the new standards and guidance.

The government has also consulted on a full-scale technical review of the building regulations guidance on fire safety, known as Approved Document B. The intention is to improve accessibility and usability of the guidance by publishing a single, online searchable document of all the approved documents and guide to the building regulations so everyone in the industry is clear on how to use them.

Taking action

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the government committed to reforming the building industry to make sure a tragedy like this does not happen again. The aim is for these building safety reforms to work together to improve safety by creating a culture change in the building industry.

The safety of residents is of the greatest importance and steps are already being taken to strengthen the power residents hold and ensure their views and concerns are listened to by those responsible for managing their buildings. This includes through the Social Housing Green Paper, New Homes Ombudsman and the recent call for evidence on how residents and landlords can work together to keep their building safe, and the Social Landlords Best Practice Group, capturing and sharing effective ways for residents and landlords to work together on building safety.

The government is funding the replacement of unsafe aluminium composite material cladding, like the type used on Grenfell Tower, from high-rise residential homes and has introduced a ban on combustible materials on the external walls of new high-rise buildings.

Residents, building owners, the construction industry and the fire safety sector are all encouraged to make their voices heard by participating in the consultation and helping shape the future of building and fire safety to make sure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes.

The Home Office has also launched a call for evidence on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England. The call for evidence is the first part of a process to ensure that the Fire Safety Order is fit for purpose for all buildings it regulates.

/0 Comments/by

Langley pledges support for the 100% Hackitt campaign

Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd has pledged its support to the 100% Hackitt campaign, an initiative which aims to ensure that all recommendations made in the Hackitt Review of fire safety and building regulations are fully implemented.

The 100% Hackitt campaign was launched by Local Authority Building Control (LABC) and the British Board of Agrément (BBA) to bring together key individuals and organisations from across the sector. Its rationale is to encourage the government to implement all 53 recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt in the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety report

Dean Wincott, Managing Director of Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd, commented: “We are strong advocates of the 100% Hackitt initiative and encouraged to see the rapidly growing levels of support it has received from across the industry.

“The importance of improving fire safety cannot be over stated. Despite the recommendation in the Hackitt review that major changes are required, there is a risk that without pressure and support from the industry, regulations will not go far enough to prevent potential future tragedies and we fully support the recommendation of improved accountability, transparency and record keeping.”

Paul Everall, LABC Chief Executive said: “I welcome Langley’s commitment to 100% Hackitt. Dame Judith is clear the industry should be getting on with changing the way it does things. So we’re delighted so many like-minded organisations are working with us to do just that. The 100% Hackitt initiative is a space for everyone who wants to see systemic change in the construction industry and Langley’s support is a further sign the whole industry is getting behind it.”

Dean concluded: “The new regulatory framework laid out in the final Hackitt review report includes the creation of a new Joint Competent Authority that would monitor the design and construction of buildings to minimise safety risks. It also champions better procurement processes, greater enforcement powers and more rigorous product testing – important messages that resonate with Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd, who responsibly put all products through demanding test processes to ensure that each one is suitably tested as part of a wide range of real-life scenarios.”

For information on Langley Waterproofing Systems and its products and services visit www.langley.co.uk.
To find out more about the campaign visit www.100-hackitt.co.uk.
/0 Comments/by

Wexham Park Hospital Selects Advanced to Protect New £49million Emergency Assessment Centre

Industry-leading MxPro 5 fire panels from global systems leader, Advanced, have been installed at Wexham Park Hospital as part of a major upgrade to the hospital’s fire system.

Wexham Park Hospital is a large acute NHS hospital situated near Slough in Berkshire. The 588-bed hospital is one of three managed by Frimley Health NHS Foundation trust, one of the top performing NHS trusts in the UK. As well as the main hospital building, the site has a large post graduate building, ambulance station, staff accommodation and a new £49million, state-of-the-art, four-storey Emergency Assessment Centre.

Responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system was Advanced’s partner, Static Systems Group, who install Advanced under their brand name Evo2. Static Systems completed the site-wide upgrade with 20 networked, MxPro 5 panels, 18 MxPro 5 repeater panels and 2000 Apollo field devices throughout a number of hospital buildings and departments including Intensive Care, Sterile Services, Radiology and its new 9,300 sq-metre Emergency Assessment Centre.

Alex Southall, Proposals Manager at Static Systems, said: “We pride ourselves on our skills and expertise in working in challenging, live healthcare settings – it’s where we excel. We specified Advanced on this project thanks to the MxPro’s second-to-none networking capabilities, flexible multiprotocol platform and user-friendly interface. This enabled Static Systems to deliver a seamless installation with minimal disruption to the everyday workings of the clinical teams.”

MxPro 5 is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire system solution and was recently certified by FM Approvals to the EN 54 standard. It offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, multi-loop panels in 200 node networks covering huge areas. MxPro’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Phil Calvey, Sales Manager for the South West, said: “We are proud to be specified in countless hospitals and care facilities across the World. As one of the latest NHS hospitals to be protected by Advanced panels it was a pleasure to be able to meet Static Systems’ needs on the fire system upgrade at Wexham Park Hospital.”

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 PLC, Halma, has an impressive pedigree for protecting hospitals throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland including; the world-renowned Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, London, the World’s largest blood processing centre in Bristol and St James’ Hospital, the largest university teaching hospital in Dublin.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com
/0 Comments/by

Kee Safety Guards Oslo Congress Centre

A combination of safety products from Kee Safety have been installed on the roof of the Oslo Kongressenter building in Norway to provide a first-class edge protection solution for maintenance and inspection teams accessing the rooftop.

Located in the heart of Oslo in Norway, Oslo Kongressenter is a state-of-the-art conference centre consisting of more than 20 event rooms. The Congress Centre hosts nearly 1,000 events every year, ranging from smaller meetings and major conferences to banquets, Christmas dinners and concerts. The history of the “People’s House” dates back to the end of the 19th century, however today’s building was completed in 1989.

With maintenance teams regularly accessing the roof to carry out work on the building services equipment, the client required a complete roof edge protection and safe access solution. Kee Safety partnered with long-standing distributor, Unisystemer to provide technical assistance by carrying out a full site survey, as well as making layout plans and detailed technical drawings, which were used in the presentation to the end user.

Due to the client specifying that no holes should penetrate the watertight membrane on the roof of this iconic building, KeeGuard® free-standing roof edge protection and Kee Walk® Step-Overs were the chosen Kee Safety solutions. 380 linear meters of KeeGuard® Standard and Premium systems were installed along all sides and roof levels, while Kee Walk® Step-over platforms were fitted to provide a safe means of access over pipework and other equipment.

Compatible with a range of roof membranes, including concrete, asphalt, PVC membrane, metal and felt, KeeGuard® offers a free-standing roof edge protection system capable of keeping workers on the roof safe without endangering the roof membrane itself. It does not penetrate the roof surface and can be used on flat roofs up to 10° slope. Employing a proven counterweight system, KeeGuard® combines a non-slip secure base with galvanised fittings and tube arranged in a modular configuration. Fully modular and versatile enough to adapt to most roof edge profiles and level changes, sections can be easily taken down and re-erected as necessary.

Designed for optimum safety, the complete KeeGuard® system complies fully with all legislative requirements and even allows for an integral kickboard fixing to further save time and cost on site. The recycled PVC base weights used with KeeGuard® bring a number of advantages, particularly making installation quicker and easier, thus saving time and money. Made from 100% recycled material, they provide an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional weights.

Kee Walk® Step-overs are modular systems that can accommodate changes in roof levels and can fit over pipework or equipment to offer a safe, anti-slip, level walking surface onto and across roofs. With adjustable step sections, and non-penetrative fixing options, the step-overs have the inherent flexibility to not only protect those accessing the roof, but to also protect the roof sheet from unnecessary foot traffic and potential damage by providing a clearly defined access path. There is the ability to meet virtually any design requirement, with the end result always being a safe, secure and compliant access platform.

Kee Walk® Step-overs are constructed using Kee Klamp® tubular fittings. Each fitting incorporates an internal set screw to lock the respective fitting safely and securely onto the tube to create a strong, stable and safe structure. This method eliminates the need for time-consuming welding or specialist skills or tools, saving contractors both time and money on site. The Kee Walk® Step-over range has been designed in accordance to EN 14122-2/3:2016 for assured safe operation with the Kee Walk® being compliant to EN 516 Class 1-C.

Watch the case study video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARFgPkmJno

For further information please visit www.keesafety.co.uk
/0 Comments/by

New study shows architects’ fire protection knowledge lacking

,
  • Two years after Grenfell 92% of UK architects unable to define key building fire protection terms
  • A third of architects say their current employer doesn’t spend enough on fire protection training
  • Overall, architects believe they are lacking in fully comprehensive fire protection training

Zeroignition, the fire retardant ingredient technology firm, announced findings from its latest study of architects and specifiers. Architects were asked about their understanding of four common terms relating to buildings and fire. Only 8% were able to correctly define these four basic fire protection terms.

The terms were active fire protection (systems which protect structures and people including sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms), passive fire protection (whereby the spread of fire is slowed or contained through the use of fire-resistant walls, floors and doors, amongst others), fire resistance (a set of products that prevent fire spreading to other parts of the structure), and reaction to fire (methods designed to help people escape from fire).

While one in three architects (35%) were unable to correctly define the concept of active fire protection, when asked about fire protection options they’d considered in projects, smoke alarms were named by 38% and sprinklers by 33%.

Just over half (52%) of all architects couldn’t give an accurate definition of passive fire protection, where fire protection is ‘built in’. However, 54% did cite fire doors as a consideration, which is part of the passive approach. Passive technologies such as flame retardant treated materials (e.g. firewall) were considered by over a quarter (29%), plasterboard by 21%, and plywood/OSB by 8%.

58% of architects were unable to explain what ‘reaction to fire’ is and almost three quarters (71%) were unable to define fire resistance.

Fire safety

None of the architects interviewed said they’d had comprehensive fire protection training, most had some training and 8% say they’ve had none.

Ian King, chief operating officer, Zeroignition, says ‘Architects are responsible for designing safe buildings. There’s clearly a lack of understanding as to the fire basics which is worrying to say the least. Architects, their employers and the professional bodies need to invest in ensuring this knowledge is bedded in.’

Architects and interior design firm gpad london has looked at fire safety, commenting on their procedures. Jeremy Wiggins, director from the firm says, ‘Fire kills. It’s part of our duty to make sure we design safe buildings. We had a look at the RIBA fire safety consultation and tweaked our processes. We make it part of our design thinking from day one, involving end users and fire consultants as soon as practical. Beyond this we make sure that each project has a named person for fire safety responsibility.

‘We won’t take chances on this, it’s easy for knowledge to become half remembered if you don’t call on it every day and so we refer to checklists when designing as well as running ongoing CPD sessions focusing on it and new innovations.’

/0 Comments/by

Can gathering data really save lives? The modern emergency lighting scheme is becoming intelligent

Rene Joppi, Commercial Director at Mackwell discusses the challenges we face and opportunities that lie ahead.

Since the tragic events of June 2017, which saw 72 people lose their lives in the fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower in West London, the area surrounding building safety and compliance is now, more than ever before, at the forefront of people’s minds.

Although not defined as a public or commercial premise, the 24 storey residential tower block contained many communal areas such as escape routes, assembly points and walkways which would have required a building risk assessment to help ensure the safety of the occupants and minimize the risk of fire. Amongst other things, the risk assessment would have defined the need for evacuation aids such as the provision of a fire prevention system, sprinkler system and emergency lighting.

In 2005, engineering consultancy, Capita Symonds compiled a report into the tower which contained a number of health and safety concerns regarding the emergency lighting system installed throughout the building. The report stated that the emergency lighting had fallen below standard and that the system was not being properly managed by the appointed responsible person, and that there was a perceived unwillingness to acknowledge the need for urgent maintenance and repair.

The report went on to specifically highlight the essential requirement for adequate emergency lighting to ensure the safe and immediate evacuation of occupants in an emergency situation, due to a lack of natural daylight in the building’s stairwells. Furthermore, the report stated that the building’s occupants were constantly at risk because of the ‘non-functioning emergency lighting’.

Grenfell Tower is just one example of a residential building where the emergency lighting of communal areas was deemed as inadequate, yet in this area, it is unfortunately not alone, and this continues to be the case. As recently as 2018, a survey revealed that more than 40% of residential housing estates have the same issue of sub-standard and inadequate emergency lighting systems. This 40% figure however, is only representative from actual buildings surveyed and found to have to have non-compliances. In reality the figure is much higher and is estimated to be closer to 80%.

Compliance and emergency lighting

There are a number of health and safety and construction directives together with legislative material which is published to ensure the health and safety of building occupants. In the area of fire safety, the government’s fire regulatory reform order applies, and it is this order that specifies the need for the initial risk assessment.

The risk assessment

Before embarking on the design, a full risk assessment must be undertaken to determine the areas in the building which have a requirement for emergency lighting. This will include escape routes, open areas, points of emphasis such as locations of essential fire safety equipment and any areas deemed as high-risk task. Communal areas within residential properties may only form perhaps 10% of the core area but must still be covered by a full risk assessment, carried out by a qualified, responsible person.

Lux levels and signage

An accurate and compliant emergency lighting scheme design, undertaken in line with the initial risk assessment, and the emergency lighting code of practice, BS 5266-1 and its accompanying standards; BS EN 50172 and EN 1838, will ensure that the areas covered are illuminated correctly and adequately. In many cases however, the risk assessment is not adhered to correctly, partly due to budgetary constraints and unhelpful timescales etc. As a result, the lighting levels can be compromised as lower quality, inferior fixtures are used and the number of fixtures as specified is reduced. This can lead to poor uniformity and ‘dark spots. Similarly, a poorly designed escape route with poor quality or incorrect exit signage can lead to confusion and ambiguity in an emergency escape period.

Component abuse and end of life failure

A scheme designed and installed in line with the risk assessment and the relevant emergency lighting standards will ensure initial compliance. This, however, is just the start. For the emergency lighting to remain compliant throughout its designed lifetime, there are many factors to be considered. The performance of its associated components is heavily dependent on how they are operated and maintained. The rechargeable battery for instance is a critical component but it can be highly susceptible to abuse through neglect, exposure to high temperatures and over-cycling etc. For self-contained emergency lighting applications, the battery must satisfy a four-year design life in line with BS EN 60598-2-22. It is often the case though that the battery has seen many full cycles in a very short period of time due to mains interruptions and power outages associated with ‘pre-handover’ installation periods. In many cases, the battery is connected and installed sometimes weeks or months before the mains power is applied. In these critical periods the battery may discharge to dangerous levels from which it cannot recover. Some control gears use remote software commands such as inhibition mode and rest mode to prevent unnecessary battery discharge, but this is generally in conjunction with a control system. The battery has a maximum ambient temperature rating of 50⁰C but often this figure is exceeded as the battery is placed in thermally unsuitable luminaires during the re-engineering process. Exposure to temperatures above the battery’s maximum rating can impact greatly on the lifetime.

Another consideration is the maintenance of the emergency lighting fixture. For instance, if placed in a dirty environment, the light source may not be delivering its declared luminous flux, resulting in lower levels of illumination.

Intelligent diagnostics and compliance

Taking into account the requirements and challenges mentioned above, it is easy to see how difficult it can become for the appointed ‘responsible person’ to maintain the compliance of the emergency lighting scheme. Upkeep of the logbook, including logging any changes to building layout, structure and the internal fabric. Reparations, changes to the décor, colour schemes, all have an impact on the on-going compliance of the scheme. Monitoring the health of the battery and control gear manually, without an automatic test system renders the task almost a full-time role.

To take the battery as an example, it is almost impossible to monitor its health whilst ensuring it still operates within its designed parameters throughout its life. Some manufacturers have now started to develop diagnostics through on-board software to monitor battery health.

Diagnostics allow the user to interrogate several parameters from the emergency lighting control gear, as it logs and records through its lifetime. The idea is to provide the responsible person with preventative data regarding the on-going performance of the associated equipment and to highlight any potential problems or drop in performance.

One example of diagnostic data collection is the ability for the control gear to monitor and record its own temperature for retrospective and on-going analysis. This can then be used to help maintenance of the battery for instance, as it approaches end of life, rather than after end of life failure.

Additionally, and perhaps more significantly, diagnostics can be used to monitor and record the number and frequency of emergency switching cycles. From this it can be interpreted whether the components are being operated correctly within their designed parameters.

Diagnostics can be used to measure and record the battery voltage, again providing valuable preventative information on battery health and status.

These are just some of the benefits that intelligent emergency control gears can offer through their diagnostic functionality. As developments expand, many more values can be recorded and used to aid more efficient, preventative maintenance and thereby ensure the scheme remains compliant and effective, whilst keeping tighter control of the costs associated with reactive maintenance.

In a rapidly changing world where technology is evolving on a daily base and impacting on our personal lives, it is logical to presume that more intelligent technologies will find their way into public buildings as well.

Diagnostics, if used correctly and as intended will help to ensure that safety critical systems, such as fire prevention and emergency lighting, benefit in terms of compliance and efficiency whilst helping to keep occupants safe.

The Capita Symonds report highlighted the lack of a compliant emergency lighting system in Grenfell tower in 2005. Whether this situation remained in place up to and during the tragic events of June 2017 is not clear, but what is certain is that a non-compliant emergency lighting system could only have added to the general feeling of panic and disorientation. In short, it would have served as a hindrance rather than help. If we have the opportunity to help maintain the on-going compliance of these buildings and the safety of their occupants, by producing intelligent technologies, we should take it. These are just some of the benefits that intelligent emergency control gears can offer through their diagnostic functionality. As developments expand, many more values can be recorded and used to aid more efficient, preventative maintenance and thereby ensure the scheme remains compliant and effective, whilst keeping tighter control of the costs associated with reactive maintenance.

Further information is available from Mackwell on 01922 742145 by email info@mackwell.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.mackwell.com
/0 Comments/by

Stay on guard with Kee Walk

Kee Safety, a global supplier of fall protection equipment and safety railing systems, has expanded its range of safe access solutions for roof top walkways and stepovers with the introduction of Kee Walk® with Guardrail. A cost effective and modular approach to guardrail protection, this system provides roofers, contractors and maintenance teams with a clear demarcation route to eliminate potential fall hazards.

Designed to provide a level, anti-slip walking surface on standing seam, composite panels and metal roofing, Kee Walk® with Guardrail can be easily adapted to a wide range of roof surfaces, slopes, steps, traverses and pitches up to 35⁰. Thanks to its modular design, the system can be quickly and easily set up and mounted to the roof, with no need for any on site assembly, bespoke brackets or fabrication. The guardrail – which is built from 48.3mm tubes and Kee Klamp® corrosion resistant fittings – is fixed directly to one or both sides of the walkway subframe, restricting the need for too many fixings into the roof, therefore reducing the possibility of roof leaks in the future. The walkway is available as standard in nylon or aluminium trends and supplied in pre-assembled 1.5m or 3m sections to suit the requirements of different roofs.

“A walkway with a guardrail is the preferred fall protection system as dictated in the hierarchy of control measures” comments Ben Rutter, Kee Safety Product Manager – Safe Access and NPD. “It provides the highest level of collective fall prevention for roof access and work at height. We have introduced this new walkway system to provide our customers with a collective solution that eliminates the need for personal protection equipment (PPE) or harnesses, allows multiple people to use the system at the same time, and is suited to retrofit and new build projects.”

Kee Walk® with Guardrail is CE approved and compliant with EN 516:2006 (Prefabricated Accessories for Roofing – Installations for roof access – Walkways, treads and steps). It exceeds the deflection criteria and slip resistance requirements of this standard and achieves almost double the friction requirement of BS 4592 in both wet and dry conditions, providing assurance that the treads are safe to walk on in all weather conditions. Thanks to reinforced nylon treads that are fire rated to Class HB of UL94, this roof top walkway system will have the same, if not better, fire rating than the roof itself. The guardrail complies to BS EN 14122-3, BS EN 13374 and OSHA requirements to provide customers staff and contractors with the best possible protection.

Kee Walk® with Guardrail can be used in conjunction with Kee Safety stepover platforms to provide safe access across roof mounted pipework, low level walls and other plant equipment.

Boasting almost 85 years in business, Kee Safety has the knowledge, technical excellence and awareness of regulation requirements to be able to market some of the best safety products in the industry. Despite having a large product offering already in place, Kee Safety continues to launch new solutions — Kee Walk® with Guardrail is Kee Safety’s 14th product launch in the last ten years.

For more information, visit www.keesafety.co.uk
/0 Comments/by

12th Century Abbey Selects Advanced to Protect its Priceless Artifacts

Jedburgh Abbey, a 12th century Augustinian abbey located on the Scottish Borders, has selected the industry-leading MxPro 5 panel, from Advanced, to protect a rich heritage of treasures on display in its visitor centre.

Founded by David I, King of the Scots, nearly 1000 years ago and famed for its unusual architecture, Jedburgh Abbey is one of the four great abbeys established in the Scottish Borders. The Abbey’s museum houses some of the famous works of art associated with the early history of the site and some of the artefacts discovered during excavations.

Advanced were specified by the team at SAFE Services who were appointed to design, install and commission the replacement of an ageing fire system within the Abbey visitor centre, gift shop, staff rooms and offices, utilising existing cable runs and containments to avoid exposed wiring.

Graeme Millar, Fire Systems Technical and Sales Engineer at SAFE Services, said: “We have worked with Advanced for many years and as our first choice for addressable fire panels we have installed them in a wide variety of locations. The MxPro 5 was ideally suited for this project due to its high reliability and open protocol which meant that we could more easily replace the old system at a lower cost to the customer.”

MxPro is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire system solution. It offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, multi-loop panels in 200 node networks covering huge areas. MxPro’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Neil Parkin, Regional Sales Manager at Advanced, said: “Advanced fire systems are renowned for their quality and ease-of-use, which makes them ideal for projects such as this. Our products are specified in large buildings and networks but also smaller sites, such as the visitor centre, which showcases an important part of the Abbey’s heritage. As a site of such historic significance it is even more important to offer the reassurance of a high-quality system and our MxPro panels offer all the key attributes required for this type of installation.”

Advanced has an impressive pedigree in historic and heritage site protection. Notable installations across the globe include World Heritage Sites; Durham Cathedral, Scotland’s most sacred site, Iona Abbey and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia as well as other landmark buildings such as the Royal Albert Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.

To help users, installers and specifiers Advanced has created a brochure outlining some of the solutions available for the unique challenges they face. To request a copy of the brochure, please contact: marketing@advancedco.com

For further information please visit www.advancedco.com
/0 Comments/by

Advanced Panels Recognised with FM Approvals Diamond Mark

Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire panels from global systems leader, Advanced, have been certified by FM Approvals to the EN 54 standard, becoming the first UK-manufactured fire alarm control panels to attain this accreditation

The FM APPROVED diamond is one of the most prestigious certification marks in the world. It is issued by FM Approvals, a member of the FM Global Group, for products that adhere to the highest property conservation standards in quality, technical integrity and performance. It is a mark of quality and performance that is relevant for any engineer, specifier or building owner wishing to install fire systems that meet the highest property conservation standards.

Advanced’s products lead the market in performance, quality and ease-of-use and the company has been at the forefront of standards leadership for decades across many of the 80 countries it operates in. As well as holding FM Approval for EN54 Parts 2 & 4, the Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire panels were among the first to obtain EN54 Part 13 from VdS. The FM Approval of Advanced’s fire panels also included an inspection of Advanced’s manufacturing sites as it moves into its state-of-the-art HQ in Newcastle in the North East of England. The MxPro 5 and Axis EN labels and branding are being updated with the FM certification in early 2019.

John Newton, Head of Products at Advanced, said: “Receiving FM Approval for our Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire panels is a proud moment for everyone at Advanced and is significant for all of our customers and partners. It further differentiates Advanced as a business that has achieved high standards in fire systems quality, technical integrity and performance globally. That difference is significant, and it means that companies across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa now have access to our industry-leading range of MxPro 5 and Axis EN products.”

The MxPro 5 multi-protocol panel and Axis EN systems panel are certified to EN54 Parts 2, 4 & 13 and come in one-to-eight-loop variants as standard, with further custom build options available. Both product ranges are easily configured into high speed, 200-panel networks, covering huge areas with tens of thousands of field devices. They include high performance features such as Advanced’s complete false alarm reduction software, AlarmCalm, and TouchControl, Advanced’s control and touchscreen repeaters that feature Active Maps and zone plans. Advanced are specified from the smallest to the largest buildings globally including in some of the most prestigious developments such as; The Shard in London, Abu Dhabi’s International Airport and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia.

FM Approvals is an international leader in third-party testing and certification services for property loss prevention products and services for use in commercial and industrial facilities to verify they meet rigorous loss prevention standards of quality, technical integrity and performance. FM Approvals employs a worldwide certification process that is backed by scientific research and testing, and over a century of experience. The FM APPROVED mark is recognized and respected worldwide.

Advanced’s Axis EN and MxPro 5 fire panels are now listed in FM Approvals’ on-line Approval Guide which houses real-time information about tens of thousands of products and services certified by FM Approvals.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease of use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

For further information please visit uk.advancedco.com
/0 Comments/by