fig leaves

The newsletter of the Fire Information Group UK (FIGUK)

www.figuk.org.uk

No. 37
September 2008

Edited by Sheila Pantry, OBE
Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd

This Newsletter contains:

News from around the World
Diary of Events
Summary of the FIGUK Meeting held on 23 September 2008
Dates of next meetings

FIGUK website www.figuk.org.uk ... please help to promote FIGUK whenever you can...

News items from around the world

European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2008: Healthy Workplaces campaign starting October 2008

The change to a two-year cycle gives the European Occupational Safety and Health Agency (EU-OSHA) an opportunity to develop a longer-term approach to its campaigning activities under a single umbrella activity - the Healthy Workplace: Good for you - Good for business and the theme will be Risk Assessment during 2008-2009.

Risk assessment is key to reducing accidents and workplace illness and the start of the risk management process. It enables employers to understand the action that they need to take to improve workplace health and safety, as well as productivity.

Reducing work-related accidents and illness through better risk assessment is the focus of the new 2008 Europe-wide information campaign, developed by the European Occupational Safety and Health Agency (EU-OSHA) and addressing high risk sectors and small and medium-sized enterprises especially.

So are you taking up the challenge by Jukka Takala - Director of EU-OSHA, who invites everyone to participate in the campaign activities that will take place over the coming two years.

Run by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the campaign involves employers, workers, workers' safety representatives, practitioners, preventive services, policy makers and other stakeholders in improving health and safety at workplace level.

You can find out more about the campaign and the multilingual information packs, factsheets and information sheets with handy tips to help you organise and manage activities and other useful resources by going to https://osha.europa.eu/en/healthy-workplaces-campaigns/previous-healthy-workplaces-campaigns

New Book Wildland Fire Fighting for Structural Firefighters

Published by the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA)
2008; 4th edition; 528 pages; ISBN 0879392142

Basically for firefighters whose primary focus is fighting structure fires, but who are also responsible for protecting wildland (forest) and wildland/urban interface areas. This comprehensive text includes sections detailing both Fire Investigation methods, and Fire Prevention and the need to pre-plan for wildfire events.

Maintaining the strong emphasis on safety, the appendices include a section on risk assessment. Includes a laminated pocket card listing the 18 "Watch Out!" Situations, 10 Standard Fire Orders, Common Denominators on Tragedy Fires and LCES (Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes and Safety Zones).

Chapter List:

Wildland Fire Behaviour: Fuel, Weather, Topography
Fire Apparatus and Communications Equipment for Wildland Fires
Wildland Fire Fighting Tools and Personal Protective Equipment
Extinguishing Agents
Wildland Incident Management
Fire Suppression Methods
Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Suppression
Firefighter Safety and Survival
Fire Prevention and Investigation
Fire Protection Planning

Note: This publication can be purchased online from the IFE website: https://www.ife.org.uk or by contacting the IFE on e-mail: borders@ife.org.uk | Tel: +44 (0)1608 812 580 | Fax: +44 (0)1608 812 581

Fireinf

FireINF, published by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd is an Internet service of a collection of 15 full text and bibliographic databases that continues to grow at a pace. It is arguably one of the best collections in the world - FIREINF has customers from around the world.

Recently it has now almost doubled in size - with three more databases being added.

A number of journals such as Fire Risk Management (formerly Fire Prevention and Fire Engineers Journal) and Fire Technology are now being indexed from cover-to-cover because of the lack of indexing from other information providers. Some indexing is retrospective to ensure that valuable sources are not missed out.

There is a continuous stream of full text documents and legislation being added. FIREINF is a unique service and now has over 522,000 records to journal articles, guidance and advice, circulars, reports, conference proceedings, research reports, statistics and codes of practice from worldwide sources, all of which may be easily accessed.

One of the databases - from the British Standards Institution - contains references to over 4000 fire and fire related standards.

Shortly a new small database will be added - The British Standards Institution Security Standards Bibliographic Database contains references to security-related standard specifications. These standards will be of particular interest to those involved in insurance in the fire related industry.

If anyone wishing to have a free 15 day trial of FIREINF should contact Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd. Why pay more for information? Go to: www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

www.fireinf.com

Government abandons plans for Centre of Excellence

Communities and Local Government has scrapped immediate plans to establish a national Centre of Excellence for the fire and rescue service in England.

The decision comes after a consultation exercise revealed that, while there was support in principle for a Centre of Excellence, fire authorities had underlying concerns over funding arrangements and the Centre's remit. They are unwilling to commit to the establishment of the Centre until these concerns are resolved.

In light of the consultation, ministers have concluded that the Centre 'cannot be justified at this time'. However, the Government has stressed that it has not completely ruled out the possibility of establishing a new body in the future.

CLG says it 'will continue to build on the work undertaken on developing proposals for a Centre and explore how best to take forward issues identified in the consultation'.

A particular focus will be how to improve arrangements in the short term for securing the engagement and influence of stakeholders, and further developing options for the delivery of national functions in the longer term.

Responses to the Centre of Excellence consultation can be found at: www.communities.gov.uk/fire/publications/consultations

Bosses jailed for fireball death cover-up

Two directors of a Dorset firm that broke criminal safety laws leading to the death of an employee, then pressured staff to give 'false and erroneous evidence' to cover their tracks, have been jailed. Reliance Scrap Metal Merchants (Parkstone) and one of its directors, David Matthews, had earlier been found not guilty of manslaughter.

However, Matthews was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court this week to three years for perverting the course of justice. Fellow director Michael Anderson received 15 months, while employee David Lomas was jailed for six months, after admitting the same charge. Thomas Mooney, 64, was helping to cut cylinders of highly dangerous gases while standing in the hopper of a compactor machine when an acetylene cylinder exploded at the site in Poole, Dorset, in 2005. He was engulfed in flames and died later the same day.

The trial heard it only when new evidence came to light at the end of the first trial that Matthews admitted he and Mr Mooney were inside the compactor hopper and operating it by remote control. At Winchester Crown Court, recorder Judge Broderick told Matthews: 'You skilfully wove together a mixture of fact and fiction.' Detective Inspector Steve Thorpe, of Dorset Police, said: 'It has been a long and complex investigation.

The defendants tried to impede and frustrate this investigation from the start.' The Crown Prosecution Service conducted the case on behalf of both Dorset Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Reliance Scrap-Metal Merchants was also fined £60,000 for a breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The fine was reduced from £90,000 because of an early guilty plea. David Matthews was fined a total of £1,000 for safety offences. Costs are still to be determined.

HSE news release

'Fire Engineering - Past, Present and Future'

As part of the Institution's 90th Anniversary celebrations, a one-day conference will take place on Friday 31st October at the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, to celebrate fire engineering and to encourage engineering students to consider a career within the fire sector.

Limited places are available for IFE members at £45 per delegate, including lunch and refreshments. Places will be allocated on a first-come first-serve basis.

If you would like a copy of the programme or to reserve a place, please contact: Jenny Angus | Tel: +44 (0) 1608 812588 | Fax +44 (0) 1608 812581 | Email jenny.angus@ife.org.uk

Diary of Events

13-15 October 2008 - Safety and risks of nanotechnologies and nanoparticles to workers and citizens (4812)
Hotel Fredericksdal, Copenhagen, Denmark
Contact: NIVA, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FIN-00250 Helsinki, FINLAND | Tel: +358 30 474 2498 | Email: annika.barlund@ttl.fi | www.niva.org

20-24 October 2008 - European Campaign for Safety and Health at Work 2008-09 will focus on risk assessment
Contact: Health and Safety Executive, UK | www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/euroweek

21-22 October 2008 - Firex Roadshow - North 2008
International Centre, Harrogate, UK
Contact: Rachel Cowdrey, Senior Marketing Executive, CMP I Tel: +44 (0)20 7921 8154 | Email: rcowdrey@cmpi.biz | www.firexroadshows.co.uk

23 October 2008 - IFE 2008 Fire Safety Conference: Assessing fire and life safety in complex
Marriott Johnstown House Hotel, and Spa, Enfield, Co. Meath, Northern Ireland
Contact: Conference Secretary, Mr James Farrell| Mobile 0862 589 699 | Email: ifeconference2008@phoenixsts.ie | Web: www.ife.ie

28-31 October 2008 - China Fire 2008: The Twelfth International Fire Protection Equipment Technology Conference and Exposition
Beijing, China
Contact: China Fire Protection Association | Tel: +86 10 8778 9262 | Fax: +86 10 8778 9785 | Email: chinafireexpo@126.com

3-7 November 2008 The Institution of Fire Engineers, Singapore Branch and National Fire Protection Association, USA have organised a series of workshops taking place in November 2008
3 and 4 November 2008 - NFPA 101: Life Safety Code
5 and 6 November 2008 - NFPA 13: Installation of Sprinkler Systems
7 November 2008 - NFPA: 20: Fire Pumps
Novotel Clarke Quay, Singapore - 9.00am to 5.00pm
Contact: The Secretariat, The Institution of Fire Engineers, 89 Short Street, #02-15 Golden Wall Centre, Singapore 188216 | Tel: +65 63389274 | Fax: +65 63366175 | Email: ifespore@singnet.com.sg | www.ife-singapore.org

3 December 2008 - 4th Annual Health and Safety Conference: Health and Safety Agenda for 2009 Programme organised and conference chaired by Sheila Pantry, OBE
London, UK
Contact: Customer Services, Croner Training, 7th Floor, Elizabeth House, York Road, London SE1 7NQ, UK | Tel: 0845 082 1170 | Fax: 0845 120 9612 | Email: services@cronertraining.co.uk | www.hawksmere.co.uk/hsconference

2009

7-10 March 2009 FDIC Middle East Conference and Exhibition
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Contact: www.fireengineering.com

Abbreviated Minutes of the FIGUK meeting on 23 September 2008, held at London Fire Brigade HQ, 169 Union Street, London

Chair:: Sheila Pantry (Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd)
Minutes:: Michele McHugh (LFEPA / LFB); Sheila Pantry (Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd)
Present:: Dr Roger Berrett (Dr Roger Berrett Associates); Anna Canning (CLG); Julie Farrugia (West Midlands FRS); Nigel Herring (Fire Department, Bureau Veritas HS & E Limited); Carole Jeffcock (Fire Service College); Stephen Loyd (BSRIA); Julia Mason (Fire Service College); Paula McCrudden (Hawkins and Associates); Michele McHugh (LFEPA / LFB); Penny Morgan (IFC Ltd); Sheila Pantry (Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd); John Roy (IHS Inc.); Jack Sullivan (Valiant Fire Protection); Sally Walsh (Dr J H Burgoyne and Partners LLP)
Apologies:: Jen Bakewell (Has left the FSC Library); Barbara Kay (Fire Prevention Association) (has now resigned from the FPA and also FIGUK); David Lane (Lane, Jefferies & Associates Ltd); Wendy Ross (Royal Berkshire FRS); Jane Thurgood (Fire Prevention Association) (New member)

1. Welcome by the Meeting Chairman to New members

2. Introductions

The meeting started with a short introduction by all Members including our new Members.

Minutes of last meeting held at Kingfell - now on FIGUK website www.figuk.org.uk and matters arising not covered elsewhere.

3. Matters Arising from the Minutes of last meeting held 12th March 2008

3.1 Julia Mason (FSC) stated that she had found some more FIG post-it notes and leaflets should anybody need some. These would also be used at the FIGUK poster exhibition at the FSC Research08 exhibition. See 5.3 below.

3.2 Stephen Loyd reported further on Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEVs) suggesting that kitchens should comply with HSE guidance. Some discussion followed in which JS stated that shop and restaurant owners did not read their insurance proposals which stated how often flues etc. should be cleaned. He also questioned the legality of offshore policies e.g. Chinese which do not translate very well. It was noted that there is no national register of fire risk assessments. Stephen also suggested that Environmental Health Departments in Local Authorities should be involved. The problems with this were discussed.

3.3 Sheila Pantry passed round the membership directory as displayed on the FIGUK website and asked members to amend their details accordingly. John Roy requested that although he will be leaving IHS at the end of the year he be kept on the list for six months or so as a personal member. This was agreed.

4 Accounts

Michele McHugh reported the balance in the FIG UK account as at 23rd September 2008.

5 Membership - New Recruits

5.1 Sheila Pantry asked members if we needed a membership fee next year as we have quite a healthy balance in our account. After some discussion it was agreed that we should continue with the membership fee at the same rate i.e. £15.00

5.2 Members were asked to discuss extra selling points for the FIGUK website such as listing the advantages of membership such as:

receive invitations to meetings which are of great benefit
informal network of people - who know what is where / happening and what is going on
hearing things that would never be minuted and therefore NOT on the web site
support of each other for information /document/ photocopy exchange
back up and help from knowledgeable people/organisations in getting information or being introduced to someone who can help
influencing decision making with regard to fire information resources / libraries

ACTION: ALL to send in any further ideas re selling FIGUK.

5.3 John Roy suggested that the group should have a stand at the Library and Information Show or similar. Julia Mason offered to put up a poster at FSC.

5.4 After much discussion it was agreed that we would hold a seminar/conference in the early part of next year. SP to investigate venues - possibly the Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London.
NB This is now done and the best date available is 13 May 2008 at the Imperial Hotel. Other venues checked e.g. CILIP HQ but all about the same prices and offered no advantages.
Further details will be sent to FIGUK members very shortly.

5.5 John Roy also suggested that FIGUK give consideration to hosting a series of Fire and Security Practical Seminars/conferences and publish the proceedings ourselves.

5.6 Sheila Pantry and Michele McHugh will look at the membership form. It has currently been removed from the website as it was out of date.

6 Round Table Discussion

Fire Service College

Julia Mason reported that nothing much had changed re the Fire Service College offering only internal services. January 2009 is the scheduled time for reviewing the situation. Various meetings had been held to discuss the future of the service. FSC is a Trading Fund and as such needs more than half a million pounds to run the information services as they were. Hence the cuts in services to the outside world.

The CLG staff had visited the FSC Library. Julia is hoping to get funding for one additional member of staff but this will not help with lending to outside organisations.

Carole Jeffcock, FSC, also gave some details of her visit to an inFIRE Conference.

CLG

Anna Canning reported that:

the library had moved and was due to move again.
She had been trying to push support for FSC but had very little time to do this.
Several government libraries are being restructured.

IFC Ltd

PM reported on a variety of issues.

Dr Roger Berrett

Dr Berrett reported on visits he had made since the last meeting - a petrochemical fire inquiry in Saudi Arabia and a "Blue Skies" tri-border conference in South America relating to counterfeiting. He gave details of the tri-border conference that was attended by over 120 people.

Michele McHugh, LFB

Reported that the Library had held a very successful open day - to market the library services. The Library also appeared in an article in SHOUT - the LFB internal newsheet,

Nigel Herring Bureau Veritas

Nigel reported that BV had re-tendered for the 3 year London Fire Brigade contract and had been successful

Hawkins and Associates

New member Paula McCrudden informed

that the Hawkins' Intranet has been refreshed
each regional office has a small library
an SDI service on journal articles has just started

IHS

John Roy reported that he was leaving IHS after eight happy years.

He would remain a personal member of FIGUK.

Nick Burn subsequently confirmed that he would be the future contact person at IHS.

Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd

Sheila also informed of the following:

that the Fire and Rescue Statistics User Group (FRSUG) had now launched their website which was being created and hosted by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd. The web site contains FRSUG plan of work, names of members, constitution, agenda and minutes of meetings, papers presented, to the Group, diary of events and links to other relevant sources. www.frsug.org - NB No UK on this URL
FireINF - Internet service of a collection of 15 full text and bibliographic databases continues to grow at a pace. It has now almost doubled in size. There is a continuous stream of full text documents and legislation being added. Customers are worldwide www.fireinf.com
Another Internet service - OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com is also growing rapidly and has just expanded this month with three more databases. This makes 19 databases - over 800,000 records of full text and bibliographic sources. Now that OVID's OSH-ROM (also created by Sheila Pantry some years ago) is ceasing publication - those interested in all aspects of health and safety in the workplace, including fire information will find a user-friendly collection that is continuously updated and available at low costs. www.oshupdate.com
Sheila also expressed concern about the increasing numbers of worldwide information centres and libraries in fire, health and safety information that were either closing down or being decimated in size and budgets, which also has an impact on the databases they produced, with the resultant decline in the indexing of documents.
There was an intense discussion on these topics - with Members now on the alert

BSRIA Ltd

Stephen Loyd reported that:

he will be taking early retirement at Christmas but felt that the library is secure and hopes that BSRIA will continue with membership.
The BSRIA website has been re-launched.
A new Director of Information is to be appointed
Succession planning in the library - with a professional librarian on the staff

Penny Morgan moved that the group thank Stephen for his contributions to the work of FIGUK over many years. This was gladly endorsed by all Members.

West Midlands Fire Service

JF reported that she was new to the post, had just moved into new headquarters and as yet had no shelving or software. She commented that the IT department had wanted to write the software for her but that she had stuck to her guns and was purchasing Liberty III by Softlink

7. Any other Business

Penny Morgan pointed out that the FSC "Red Journal" will be discontinued after the next issue. Carole Jeffcock confirmed this.

Conference - it was agreed that SP would send a round robin to members for suggestions re subjects and target audience.

It was agreed that we would hold an interim meeting to discuss this - see below.

Dates of Next Meetings

Christmas Lunch - Denise's Restaurant, Southampton Row, Russell Square, London on 26 Nov 2008 - 12.30.

This has now been booked and an email already sent to Members.

Meet for coffee beforehand at the Imperial Hotel 11.00 a.m. to discuss any further FIGUK news and details of the 2009 Conference.

March 2009 meeting - 11 March 2009 - Sally Walsh to see if it can be held at Burgoynes.
NB This is not possible, nor is it possible to host at CLG, London Office. If any Member has a central London meeting room please let Sheila know. Otherwise it will be held at the Imperial Hotel (to be paid for by FIGUK) with Burgoynes and Partners LLP and Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd paying for the lunch and refreshments.

Many thanks to Michele McHugh, LFB for hosting the meeting.