fig leaves

The newsletter of the Fire Information Group UK (FIG UK)

www.figuk.org.uk

No. 44
March 2012

This Newsletter contains:

• News from around the World
• Diary of Events
• Summary of the FIG UK Meeting held on 21 March 2012
• Date of next meeting

FIG UK website www.figuk.org.uk ... please help to promote FIG UK whenever you can... Make a link from your website

News items from around the world

Did you know...? In Greek mythology

Prometheus was a Titan who was punished by Zeus for stealing fire from him and giving it to mankind!

FPA Update – March 2012

Publications

• Guide to Assisted Evacuation DVD (to aid with the evacuation of people with mobility, visual, hearing and learning impairments)
• H&S Training Information Pack – produced with Axa – adds complete training package to the new Fundamentals of H&S DVD
• Passive Fire Protection Handbook – has proved extremely popular, reprinting already
• Fire Warden Handbook

Forthcoming in 2012

• Fire Prevention on Construction Sites, 8th edition – to be published imminently
• Emergency Lighting Handbook
• New Workplace Fire Safety Logbook (interactive PDF version)
• Fire Risk Management in Heritage Properties
• New edition of The Prevention and Control of Arson from Adair.

Online developments

Our online video streaming site fire-stream launched and is proving of interest to many: www.fire-stream.net

FPA has also launched e-learning: www.fpa-academy.com

Fire Risk Management

FRM will undergo some changes this year, as IFE have chosen to pull out of the collaboration and publish their own member title (details yet to be confirmed by IFE). We will continue to publish our journal as usual – same editorial team – but in addition to the usual fare, we are taking this opportunity to team up with RISCAuthority to publish information aligned with its projects, e.g. taking a fresh look at large losses and statistics, business continuity, FRS policy, MMC and so on.

FRM now publishes in print, in PDF format on the website, and as a ‘page-turner’ – online readers are now alerted to new content by an FRM e-alert. We have further format developments planned for this year.

FPA announcement regarding the future of FRM Journal

In an effort to clarify matters over recent conflicting statements, Fire Protection Association (FPA) has issued the following news release regarding the future of Fire Risk Management Journal (FRM).

In January 2003, FPA entered into a joint publishing agreement with IFE which had the effect of combining the Membership Journals (Fire Prevention Journal and Fire Engineers Journal) of the respective organisations.

The project was run by a joint editorial board made up of senior members of both organisations, although the editorial and production team remained with FPA throughout. After a long search, a new title of Fire Risk Management (FRM) was agreed in 2008.

In late December 2011, FPA received notice from the IFE that they wished to end joint journal arrangement with the FPA from the end of June 2012. Needless to say, FPA was disappointed to receive the news, but fully respected the decision. The existing excellent editorial and production team at FPA, lead by Editor Rupert Gilbey, will continue to publish a high quality market leading journal [which it is hoped will retain the name Fire Risk Management] and FPA members will continue to receive this Journal as a matter of course.

From July 2012, the IFE will be issuing its own journal to IFE members, as a continuing members benefit. However, the FPA highly values the contribution IFE members make, especially by providing technical articles on fire safety and fire engineering, and so are offering UK-based IFE members the opportunity to sign up to the FPA journal at a special annual subscription rate of just £70 from July – or only £55 early-bird rate for those signing up by 30 April 2012. The rates differ for IFE members based outside the UK

Contact Jane Thurgood at FPA | Email: jthurgood@thefpa.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0)1608 812 538

Conference

Future of Fire Summit was a great success last November. Dates for this year’s conference are 23-24 October 2012 at Wembley Stadium. Further information to come.

Burn Hall

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) has now added a new component to its experimental, research and training facilities – a burn hall. At approximately 4500 m³, this is one of the largest burn halls in Europe. The large indoor, still-air fire test facility is suitable for conducting a wide range of full-scale fire testing, demonstrations and practical training, and is located near the FPA’s headquarters in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

The Burn Hall will complement the Association’s existing capabilities, such as its outdoor fire test site, well-equipped Mobile Fire Laboratory and portfolio of national qualifications. Along with first-class technical staff from a variety of engineering, physics and technical backgrounds, the new facility further reinforces the FPA’s standing as one of Europe’s leading fire test, training and research establishments.

FPA testing and research is totally independent from product suppliers, installers and manufacturers. Confidential, impartial and top-quality service is assured, and the client is provided with reliable and objective information. Where appropriate, advice will be offered to help ensure that satisfactory levels of fire safety are achieved.

Contact the FPA on +44 (0)1608 812 500

Budget 2012 – De-regulation of H & S Legislation

The following has been published in the Budget 2012 on page 81 under the heading ‘Supply-side reform of the economy’.

2.238 Health and safety – The Government will scrap or improve 84 per cent of Health and Safety regulation, including by:

• introducing legislative change in 2012 so that health and safety law will no longer hold employers to be in breach of their duties in civil law where they have done everything that is reasonably practicable and foreseeable to protect their employees;
• giving the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) authority to direct all local authority health and safety inspection and enforcement activity, in order to ensure that it is consistent and targeted towards the most risky workplaces. A code based on existing powers will be introduced in April 2013;
• amending the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 to remove the requirement for HSE to approve the training and qualifications of appointed first-aid personnel. Revised guidance aimed at small business will be published by May 2012, and provisions repealed by October 2012;
• amending the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (RIDDOR) and its associated guidance to provide clarity for businesses on how to comply with the requirements by October 2013. This is in addition to the legislative change being made in April 2012 to extend to seven days (from three) the period an employee needs to have taken off work before an injury or accident needs to be reported;
• HSE redesigning information on its website in 2012 to distinguish between the regulations that impose specific duties on businesses and those that define ‘administrative requirements’ or revoke or amend earlier regulations;
• HSE providing further help to businesses by summer 2012 on what is ‘reasonably practicable’ for specific activities where evidence demonstrates that they need further advice to comply with the law in a proportionate way;
• aiming to start health and safety prosecutions within three years of an incident occurring by April 2013;
• HSE inputting ideas for micro-exemptions or lighter touch EU health and safety regulation for SMEs to the European Commission, based on ideas raised during the Red Tape Challenge;
• agreeing that the insurance industry will produce guidance for SMEs setting out what is and is not required to demonstrate compliance with health and safety law when obtaining insurance cover as agreed at the Prime Minister’s insurance summit in February 2012;
• agreeing that the insurance industry also commits to challenge vexatious civil claims in order to tackle the compensation culture;
• and working with business and the ABI to build confidence in challenging such claims and ensure businesses have access to the right guidance and support.

See: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_documents.htm

OSHWORLD – your portal to some of the best OSH and FIRE web sites in the world

Look at the portal OSHWORLD www.oshworld.com and view the latest additions to the Diary of Events where you will see that plans have been made for 2012 to have training courses, symposiums, webinars and conferences in many places in the world on a wide range of subjects. Don’t forget to budget for these events – make sure that you and your colleagues are up-to-date with the very latest knowledge – remember that all workplaces and those working in them change, so continue to do your risk assessments.

In these days of tighter budgets perhaps training may be put on the “back-burner” – but think again how you can keep up with the latest techniques and training opportunities.

Remember that even if you cannot attend these many events, speakers and organisers are often willing to share their knowledge. Look at the details – where possible, we add in the web sites of these events so you can request further information. And do let me know if you are organising any OSHE and Fire events so that I can add them to the Diary email: sp@sheilapantry.com

It is always good to review health, safety, chemical, fire and environment procedures on a regular basis. It is also important that the practices and systems in the workplace are constantly reviewed and if necessary, improved. This review may also indicate training requirements and updates and re-thinking how systems and services can be improved. This is where the free-of charge OSHWORLD can help you... See www.oshworld.com

Derbyshire Fuel injection specialists fined £8,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £4,000 after worker injured

A firm specialising in diesel fuel injection has been fined after a worker was set on fire at its Derbyshire premises.

The 23-year-old apprentice mechanic had been with Swadlincote Diesel Fuel Injection Services Ltd for 18 months. On 16 March 2009, he and another employee were burning rubbish in an old drum. In order to get the fire going, the second man poured waste fuel on to it, causing an explosion. The apprentice was able to get his arms up to cover his face but the overalls he was wearing caught fire and he burned his arms, hands and neck.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the incident, today told Derby Magistrates’ Court that the company did not have a safe system of work for handling, storing or using flammable substances.

After today’s hearing, HSE inspector Edward Walker said:

“This was an injury waiting to happen. Fuel should never be added to a fire. The waste fuel ideally should have been drained into a sealed, labelled container and then put into a locked storage area unless it was to be returned to the vehicle as soon as possible after repairs. Instead it was in an unlabelled container and had been left at the entrance to the workshop. As a result a young man has suffered unnecessarily.”

Swadlincote Diesel Fuel Injection Services Ltd, of Ryder Close, Cadley Hill Industrial Estate, Swadlincote, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £4,000.

Work Stress: new research into the impact of a recession on employees: Research conducted by Ulster and Nottingham Universities

Researchers at the Universities of Nottingham and Ulster, in a study of civil servants in Northern Ireland, revealed that there is a significant rise in the number of workers that suffered from work stress during an economic downturn; the report also found the number of employees taking time off due to job stress increased during tough economic times.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is keen to get your comments about your organisation’s experiences. Do they mirror the research? Have you taken extra measures to counteract the effect? What did you do and how successful was it?

http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/62/2/98.full.pdf+html

Special Report – Forensic failure: ‘Miscarriages of justice will occur’

by Linda Geddes in New Scientist 11 February 2012, no. 2851, pp. 10-12

Discusses the closure of the Forensic Science Service.

www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328514.600-forensic-failure-miscarriages-of-justice-will-occur.html?full=true

Active Fire Protection System Selection Tool

Simon Bird of the FPA is collaborating with Loughborough University to develop an Active Fire Protection System Selection Tool.

It is hoped that the Tool will become a useful resource that can be used by anyone free of charge to check the suitability of a proposed suppression or extinguishing system against the characteristics of a risk.

It is envisaged that the tool will ask a series of fairly simple questions and by a process of elimination with reference to a database of ‘knowledge’ (derived from standards, guides, experts and custom & practice) recommend active fire protection systems that might be suitable. It is hoped that the tool will help to uphold good standards of risk protection.

One of the lines of enquiry of the research is via a questionnaire aimed at anyone with any experience of specifying, selecting, using or approving Active Fire Protection Systems (in UK).

Simon would be very grateful if interested parties would consider completing the questionnaire (it should take about 10 minutes and is open until 20th April 1700 hrs).

The questionnaire can be accessed online at the following link: https://www.survey.lboro.ac.uk/afpsst

FIREINF and OSH UPDATE will keep you up-to-date – bringing you quality fire, health and safety information easily, quickly and budget friendly

It is always good to keep researching and finding out if there are services and other ways of keeping up-to-date in this fast changing world of ours. Time is precious and many people are really stretched in their jobs and find it difficult to keep ahead in current knowledge that they should have for their jobs. But help is at hand for those working in health, safety and fire and fire related industries.

FIREINF www.fireinf.com is the world’s premier collection of validated, authoritative fire and fire related information. It contains 17 databases and currently 541690 records with links to c40,000 full text documents.

FIREINF Full Text Collection databases containing thousands of pages of full text information and The Bibliographic Collection has databases contain 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 database from the British Standards Institution BSI – contains references to over 4600 fire and fire related standards and another BSI database contains references to security related standards.

This long established collection started in 1997 as Fire Worldwide and over the years has been rapidly expanding. From 2007 the collection continued to expand with the new software and host platform as FIREINF and aims to help all those seeking information on all aspects of fire, emergency and preparedness management principles, fire risk assessment, good practices and research.

FIREINF is continuously enlarged as new information is published and is used by organisations worldwide.

OSH UPDATE – are you using it? If not, why not?
Work smarter and not harder – try OSH UPDATE

More information on health and safety at work – not only from Europe but from around the World, including advice, guidance, research results and legislation and much more can be found by checking out the OSH UPDATE electronic collection of information sources. Information Seekers will find a wealth of authoritative and validated advice from around the world. Best practices, case studies, journal articles, reports and knowledge of systems are in OSH UPDATE.

OSH UPDATE is CONTINUOUSLY expanding and has 20 databases of 825,000 full text and bibliographic records.

It is a unique collection of quality information from major worldwide OSH sources.

A recent addition is the MHAID database containing major hazards accidents and incidents reports which complements the many thousands of similar reports within OSH UPDATE collection.

Why not try OSH UPDATE for yourself? Take a 15 day free trial to a collection of over 825,000 sources of authoritative and validated information.

The electronic services OSH UPDATE www.oshupdate.com and FIREINF www.fireinf.com will help you and your organisation to keep up-to-date. These services continue to bring you the latest information on health, safety, environment, fire and other subjects that you will find useful in your daily work.

OSH UPDATE and FIREINF services contain both full text and bibliographic information are continuously enlarged as new information is published. These services are used by organisations, universities and companies worldwide.

For a 15 DAY FREE NO OBLIGATION TRIAL contact: Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd | email: sp@sheilapantry.com | or fill in the Interest form www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

Don’t re-invent the wheel... learn from others!

BAFSA Technical Guide No 3: Watermist Systems

BAFSA is pleased to announce that its latest Technical Guide ’Watermist Systems: Compliance with Current Fire Safety Guidance’ is now available for purchase at £15 per copy including UK post and packing. The document was developed jointly with the Fire Industry Association through the Watermist Coordination Group.

Discounts are available for bulk orders to a single address. Orders to info@bafsa.org.uk

BAFSA members can download a free PDF of the document at the ’Members Resources’ area of this site.

Watermist Systems: Compliance with Current Fire Safety Guidance, Issue No 1: March 2012, ISBN 0-9552628-9-5

Diary of Events

28 April 2012 – International Day of Safety and Health
Worldwide Events
Contact: ILO | www.ilo.org/safework/events/meetings/WCMS_173690/lang--en/index.htm
See also events being held in many countries.

4-8 May 2012 – International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fire Rescue Medicine (FRM2012)
The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Contact: International Association of Fire Chiefs
Readers may also wish to take a free trial of FIREINF and OSH UPDATE www.sheilapantry.com/interest.html

15 May 2012 – RoSPA Occupational Health & Safety Awards
Birmingham, UK
Contact: RoSPA, Birmingham, UK | www.rospa.com

15 May 2012 – RoSPA Health and Safety Expo
Birmingham, UK
Contact: RoSPA, Birmingham, UK | www.rospa.com

21-23 May 2012 – 2nd international Conference on Well being and Work
Manchester, UK
Contact: Local Organising Committee is at the Health and Safety Laboratory, a PEROSH member institute | Email: wellbeing2012@hsl.gov.uk | http://www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-conferences.aspx

12-13 June 2012 – Incident Live 2012
Milbrook Proving Ground, Bedford, UK
Contact: Jan Poole, Fire Magazine | Email: jan.poole@pavpub.com | www.fire-magazine.com

20-22 June 2012 – 9th International Conference on Performance-Based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods
The Excelsior Hong Kong
Contact: www.sfpe.org/SharpenYourExpertise/Education/9thInternationalConferenceonPerformanceBased.aspx

28-29 June 2012 – Paris2012 – 9th International Fire Sprinkler Conference
Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Center, Paris, France
Contact: www.eurosprinkler.org

1 September 2012 – The Fire and Explosion Engineering MSc Award Programme (Timetable starts September each year)
Leeds University, UK
Contact: The programme can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis: http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/speme/postgraduate/masters-fire-explosion-engineering
Other CPD short courses are available from the Faculty of Engineering: http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/short-courses

Abbreviated Minutes of the FIG UK Meeting held on Wednesday, 21 March 2012 held at the Burgoynes, London

Present:

Sheila Pantry OBE	Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd
Sally Walsh	Dr Burgoyne & Partners LLP
Michele McHugh	London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA)
Penny Morgan	International Fire Consultants (IFC)
Paula McCrudden	Hawkins and Associates
Julia Farrugia	West Midlands FRS
Roger Berrett	Dr Roger Berrett Associates
Ian Jerome	London Metropolitan University
Alyson Warner	DCLG

Apologies:

Marian Bodian	Building Research Establishment (BRE)
David Lane	Lane, Jeffries & Associates (LJA)
Julia Mason	Fire Service College (FSC)
Claire Sinclair	BSRIA
Peter Sefton	Queen’s University, Belfast
John Smyth	Queen’s University, Belfast
Owain Thompson	Kent FRS
Jane Thurgood	Fire Protection Association
Dave Wells	Kent FRS
Graeme Worrall	Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

1. Welcome

Sheila welcomed everyone and thanked Sally for hosting the meeting.

2. Apologies

See above

3. Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 September 2011 at Burgoynes.

These were accepted.

4. Matters arising

Covered the uncertain future of the Fire Service College, possible leasing of its properties; move of IFE to Stratford on Avon – implications for the future of Fire Risk Management Journal – it will continue to be joint FPA/IFE magazine until July 2012 then on subscription of £55 p.a. – IFE restarting own journal.

5. Accounts

Accounts to end of year dated 12 August 2011 have been audited by Alex Chambers at Hawkins.

6. New recruits

Ian Jerome has not been able to recruit new members from his Universities Safety and Health Association (USHA) Fire Group colleagues. This led to a discussion of University Libraries and student safety training with access to relevant publications.

7. Fire Museum Closure

Michele McHugh reported that there has been a reprieve following private funding (£81k p.a.) with provision for public to visit by appointment.

8. Use of British Library

Members reported about the BL new catalogue with much digitalisation of material and new inter-library loans system. There was some discussion on copyright charges by BL and the electronic formats available.

9. FIG UK 25th Anniversary

Several suggestions on how to celebrate this: from a dinner with a guest speaker in a suitable function room to having combine celebrations with other organisations, to producing a common document or hosting a conference.

ACTION: all members to send in ideas to Sheila Pantry who will prepare a brief history of FIG UK.

Membership Round Table discussion (includes emailed comments)

• Penny Morgan asked if there had been anything further on AssetCo financial problems and implications for LFB fire appliances. She also circulated memos from IAAI on a request from the Forensic Science Society for potential referees of research proposals in forensic science for Research Councils UK (RCUK) and a warning about a malicious Facebook site purporting to be from Gardiner Associates.

• Alyson Warner reported that DCLG is continuing restructuring the department. Delighted to report that the DCLG Permanent Secretary Sir Robert Kerslake is now also Head of the Civil Service.

• Julia Farrugia reported that in the West Midlands FRS her main work is no longer on Freedom of Information matters.

• Roger Berrett noted that the Forensic Science Service (FSS) will close next week(end of March 2012), equipment being auctioned on 22 March 2012, which leaves the problem of current information files let alone archive material.

  Roger went on to report that the Metropolitan Police is setting up a forensic facility in the Lambeth building under Jane McLean.

  Roger also noted that a new company Prometheus Forensic Services has been set up by ex members of the FIU/FSS – Iain Peck, Emma Wilson and Dave Halliday as consultant. See www.prometheus-fs.co.uk

  Roger’s involvement with the University of Huddersfield in conjunction with AXIOM (www.axiom-international-ltd.com) in training 6 Libyans scientists to be fire and explosive experts finishes soon with the candidates spending a few weeks with LGC Ltd to gain some more practical experience before going home. During their course the students visited Gardiner Associates at their training facility at Wethersfield in Essex and also visited the West Yorkshire FRS fireground at Birkenshaw. At both venues the students witnessed a variety of fire demonstrations and examined a number of scenes.

  Chris Clarke (West Yorkshire FRS) and Peter Mansi (LFB) both retired in December 2011 and have set up a Company with various others see www.fireinvestigationsuk.com.

• Ian Jerome reported that he had dealt with the implications of the proposal to get rid of various old pieces of Health and Safety legislation under the Cinematographic Act, an ideal topic for universities, and found it not a big problem and is currently dealt with by the Fire Safety Order and Dangerous Substances Regulations.

  The London Metropolitan University is custodian to The Women’s Library and now is seeking a new home for it. On Wednesday 14 March 2012, London Metropolitan University’s Board of Governors announced that they will be seeking a new home, custodian or sponsor of The Women’s Library’s collections. If a new home is not found by the end of December 2012, the Library will move to opening hours of one day per week for a period of three years, with a further review at the end of that period. The University will keep people informed of further developments, and they are in the process of contacting key stakeholders.

  If you have any suggestions of potential custodians, or any queries, please email us: moreinfo@thewomenslibrary.ac.uk

  Trades Union Congress Library Collections

  This is a direct quote from the Vice-Chancellor’s message – “The University decided that in the absence of additional funding from the Trades Union Council, notice of a year would be given in July 2012 for the collection to be returned to the TUC.”

  The University is not looking for a new home – it is giving it back to the TUC to sort out unless they pay more. The University does not see this as a direct benefit to the student experience.

• Michele McHugh very happy to announce that the LFB library has a budget up to March 2013. Training being seconded to Babcock from 1st April 2012, 63 staff have been TUPEd over and some operational trainers have been seconded. Babcock will also be recruiting new trainers and quite a few retired operational staff have been applying for these posts. The Authority are keen to outsource other departments such as property, vehicle management and Occupational Health. In an effort to save £5 million over 10 years Control and Mobilising has been outsourced to Capita. Guy Foster has taken over from Pete Mansi as Group Manager. The Fire Museum has had a temporary reprieve and will not close at the end of March 2012 as planned – some private funding has been offered.

• Paula McCrudden confirmed that Gardiner Associates is now part of Hawkins. Hawkins is moving to new premises on the Science Park in late summer that will have laboratories on the ground floor and offices etc above. Also involved in work to support Hawkins achieving quality accreditation by making sure that relevant external documents are catalogues and accessible throughout the company.

• Sheila Pantry is working on a project with RoSPA on a History of Health and Safety website including capturing narratives from still living contributors. She also noted that Health and Safety at Work History Timeline started in 1802 with the Apprentices and Morals Act 1802 – the start of health and safety in the workplace! RoSPA has found a collection of 1920 Health & Safety posters which might be a source of income.

  Sheila is revising her Health and Safety: a guide to sources of information. This will be the 5th revised edition and will be published mid 2012 as an e-book only.

  Sheila recently had her paper on Fire Information and FIREINF presented on her behalf at the 2012 inFIRE Conference held in Wellington, New Zealand at the end of February 2012.

• Colin Simpson sent a message – he left Kingfell last August 2011 and has gone back to his roots with the FireNet website and also a new international publication called the Crisis Response Journal – the website can be found at www.crisis-response.com

• Jane Thurgood sent in message that FPA’s main output is Training DVDs and Handbooks i.e. concentrating on training and learning FPA new and forthcoming publications are listed in the FIG UK Newsletter.

  Jane reported that FPA is adding a Burn Hall 4,500 m² to its facilities in Moreton – it is planned to be one of the largest in Europe.

AOB

Michele McHugh asked if anyone had any details/copies of an LFB advert showing a cartoon chair bursting into flames.

Date for next meeting is Wednesday 12 September 2012 starting at 12.45 pm – venue TBA.