fig leaves

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

www.figuk.org.uk

No. 62
March 2022

Happy, Healthy and Safe Spring and Summer 2022

Edited by Sheila Pantry, OBE
Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd
https://www.sheilapantry.com

This Newsletter contains:

• The IAAI (International Association of Arson Investigators) update by Dr Peter Mansi
• Diary of Events
• News from around the World
• Very Abbreviated Minutes of the FIG UK Meeting held on 8 March 2022
• Dates of Next Meeting

Introduction

Wishing All FIG UK Members, families and colleagues a wonderful, successful, happy, healthy Covid-19 free Spring and Summer 2022. Look after yourselves and remain safe and well.

Many FIG UK members have been working from home for some time and it seems that some are now going into their workplaces perhaps for one or two days per week.

Following are some news items for you. If members have any news AT ANY TIME they would like to share with colleagues please send to sp@sheilapantry.com and I will include in the next edition and add to the ever growing FIG UK website.

Many thanks
Sheila Pantry OBE

FIG UK is celebrating the 34th Anniversary of the formation of The Fire Information Group UK

We are not yet had a meeting in person since 2019 but just acknowledging FIG UK longevity!

FIG UK website... please help to promote FIG UK whenever you can... make a link from your website! Also do please send any news at any time including new fire information sources.

Contact: Sheila Pantry OBE, Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd, 85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 | Email: sp@sheilapantry.com

The IAAI (International Association of Arson Investigators) update by Dr Peter Mansi

Having been a member of the IAAI (International Association of Arson Investigators) since 2000, and one of the founding members of its UK Chapter in January 2003, I certainly understand the importance of professionals belonging to associations of other likeminded professionals. The IAAI has over 10,000 members around the world and comprises 81 Chapters, with two more that are about to get their Charters at the upcoming IAAI International Training Conference in Jacksonville, Florida in April 2022.

The sharing of training, research, fire tests and other relevant information, prevents fire investigators working in a silo, and certainly ensures they maintain their own continuing professional development. As we say in the fire investigation discipline, you NEVER stop leaning.

I have been fortunate to have been the President of both the UK Chapter (2003-2014) and the IAAI (2014-2015).

I am also the chapter liaison for the following IAAI chapters: Africa, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Netherlands, Nordic, Taiwan and the UK. Unfortunately Bulgaria and Italy never developed into active chapters, primarily due to lack of support within those countries for the handful of fire investigators that started them. Over the years, I have assisted the Swedish Chapter to change its name to the Nordic Chapter, to include Denmark and Norway, and the South African Chapter to change its name to the Africa Chapter to include all the countries of Africa.

I have recognised during my fire investigations in other European countries that many of those countries had a few fire investigators, and although they do or could belong to the IAAI, there was a desire for them to belong to a more locally based association, but they were not able to establish their own chapter, for the same reasons Bulgaria and Italy could not take off. So, in January 2019, myself and colleagues from Italy, Catalonia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and Finland established the Central European Chapter, and received our Charter, Number 81, in Jacksonville, Florida in April 2019. We are the Central European Association of Fire Investigators (CE-AFI) and our web site is https://www.ce-afi.com

We now have 76 members from all of the previously mentioned European countries and also Belgium, Lithuania and supporting members from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

Starting the CE-AFI Chapter just before the pandemic was simply unlucky timing! We did not want to compete with other Chapters and organisations that were providing online fire investigation training/seminars, however now travel is opening up and the world trying to get back to some form of normality, we are starting to develop our training programmes and website.

We plan to deliver three to four one-hour online training/presentation sessions each year, starting with a case study presentation of the Kings Cross fire (1987) on 11 May 2022 at 15:00 BST (16:00 CET). Our first in-person seminar is planned to take place in Milan on Monday 26 September 2022 and we are looking forward to meeting up with many of our members then.

If any further information is required please contact admin@ce-afi.com

Dr Peter Mansi

President
CE-AFI

Diary of Events

24-25 May 2022 – ATC 2022 Back with a Bang
Newcastle, UK
Contact: https://www.uk-afi.org/seminars/atc-2022-back-with-a-bang

9-10 June 2022 – International Conference on Structural Fire Safety Engineering and Design
Tokyo, Japan
Contact: https://waset.org/structural-fire-safety-design-conference-in-june-2022-in-tokyo

23 September 2022 – International Conference on Fire Safety Science and Technology (ICFSST)
London, UK
Contact: https://waset.org/fire-safety-science-and-technology-conference-in-september-2022-in-london

30 September 2022 – European Microwave Week
Milan, Italy
Contact: https://www.eumweek.com

19 October 2022 – FIG UK Seminar 2022
Bedford Hotel, Southampton Row, London.
Starts 13.00 – 17.00 followed by a networking reception
Contact: Sheila Pantry OBE; www.figuk.org.uk

Please put this date in your Dairy/Calendar
Full Programme to be announced Very shortly.

These events are taken from www.oshworld.com events pages.

News from around the world

European Agency: Healthy Workplaces Campaigns 2022

The Healthy Workplaces Campaigns are our flagship awareness-raising activity. They are the main way of getting our message to workplaces across Europe.

The Healthy Workplaces Campaigns’ message is – Safety and health at work is everyone’s concern. It’s good for you. It’s good for business. We help you to promote it by making practical guides and tools freely available. Each campaign also features the Good Practice Awards and the Healthy Workplaces Film Award.

The campaigns are now the largest of their kind in the world. Why not join us and use our online OSH Campaign Toolkit to run your own campaign? The Healthy Workplaces Campaigns have been running since 2000, formerly under the title ‘European Weeks for Safety and Health at Work’.

Learn more about work-related musculoskeletal disorders: https://osha.europa.eu/en/healthy-workplaces-campaigns

USA and COVID-19: Resolve to be Safe

COVID-19 cases continue to increase rapidly across the United States. This surge is driven by the Omicron variant, which US CDC’s Nowcast model projects may account for approximately 95% of cases. On 5 January 2022, 705,264 new cases were reported, more than doubling the January 2021 peak. The entire country is now experiencing high levels of community transmission. Hospitalizations are also on the rise. While early data suggest Omicron infections might be less severe than those of other variants, the increases in cases and hospitalizations are expected to stress the healthcare system in the coming weeks.

Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC recently updated its quarantine and isolation recommendations for the public. If you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should quarantine if you are in one of the following groups:

You are ages 18 or older and completed the primary series of recommended vaccine, but have not received a recommended booster shot when eligible.

You received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (completing the primary series) over 2 months ago and have not received a recommended booster shot.

You are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series.

If you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19, regardless of your vaccination status, stay home and isolate from other people for at least 5 full days. Wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days. Testing may be used to help determine when to end your isolation period. For information about when and how to test, visit CDC’s website.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 and reduce its impact on our communities. Everyone should get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are eligible, including people who have already had COVID-19. Find a vaccine.

More information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html

COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA, as of 7 January 2022

At the request of Member States, data on the daily number of new reported COVID-19 cases and deaths by EU/EEA country has been available to download from 11 March 2021.

ECDC continues to publish weekly updates on the number of cases and deaths reported in the EU/EEA and worldwide every Thursday. The daily and weekly data are available as downloadable files in the following formats: XLSX, CSV, JSON and XML.

Full details: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea

IOSH UK: Our vision for a safer and healthier world of work

Millions of people have their lives severely affected because of the work they do, with illness, injury and death all too common.

At the same time, there is much more to the world of work than preventing accidents and injuries. Work, when it’s good, gives people status, positive health benefits, a quality of life, and a sense of wellbeing. We believe that by working together, we will all achieve a safer and healthier world of work, and as the chartered body for health and safety in the UK, IOSH can lead the way.

Our new five-year strategy, “WORK 2022 – shaping the future of safety and health”, sets out this vision and defines the steps that we need to take. Help us to shape the future of health and safety and make WORK 2022 a reality, today and in the future.

More information: https://www.ioshwork2022.com

London Fire Brigade (LFB): E-scooters and E-bikes fires

LFB attended over 50 fires involving e-scooters and e-bikes in 2021, and say that the majority of fires related to electric personal vehicles have happened in homes. These fires are often caused when charging batteries and offer the following advice:

• Reduce the risk of overheating
• Batteries can get warm during their use. Allow them to cool down before attempting to re-charge.
• Batteries should always be charged on hard flat surfaces where heat can dissipate.
• Batteries can also pose a risk if they have been damaged, so try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried.
• Batteries should also never be exposed to extremes of temperature.
• Follow the instructions – always follow manufacturers’ instructions when charging
• Never leave it charging unattended or charge it while you are asleep.
• You should always make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging.
• Always use the correct charger for your batteries and buy any replacements from a reputable seller.
• Where to charge your batteries: Never block your escape route with e-bikes or e-scooters
• Store and charge them somewhere away from a main through route or exit
• Make sure you and your family have an escape plan in place in the event of a fire. Always call 999, never try to fight the fire yourself

Using your e-bikes or e-scooter

In 2021 Transport for London (TfL) banned e-scooters from London’s transport network. This is due to a number of fires on the network involving these vehicles. This means you’re unable to take your electric personal vehicles on any TfL service. You can read TfL’s full guidance on e-scooters on their site. Not all personal electric vehicles, such as e-scooters and e-unicycles are road legal in the UK. This means you can be fined by the police for using them on the road in the UK. Always check to see if you can use your vehicle on public roads.

See also https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/e-scooters-and-e-bikes

FIG UK Seminar 2022

Discussion took place about a possible face-to-face meeting some time in 2022 – currently the situation is being monitored. Sheila is willing to organise such a meeting – but as always this will be dependent on actual support by Members and others. Perhaps a half day seminar in October 2022 in London. Sheila will explore the situation and report back.

Sally reminded Members that some FIG UK funding is still available to subsidise to some extent Members entry fee.

If members know of speakers and topics that would help to draw an audience please contact Sheila with the suggestions… MANY THANKS.

We need to let people know about the seminar as soon as possible to ensure we have at least 30 delegates + speakers.

CPD credits will be awarded to the delegates.

FIG UK website and Members’ directory

Please send to Sheila any amendments for FIG UK website – do send any news items, new information sources and any known fire related events details etc.

Members’ directory – currently being updated and will soon be back on the website

Product recalls

FIG UK Members are requested to check www.figuk.org.uk/links.html and send any new links on fire related product recalls.

Abbreviated Minutes of the FIG UK meeting held online on 8 March 2022

Present:

Sheila Pantry OBE	Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd
Sally Walsh	Burgoyne Management Ltd
Gary Nicholls	Swiftclean
Dr Peter Mansi	Association of Fire Investigators (UK-AFI)
Ian Abley	The Fire Prevention Association
Alyson Warner
Enda Rooney	University of Greenwich
Emma Wilson	Association of Fire Investigators (UK-AFI)

Apologies:

Liane Crouch	Bureau Veritas
Steve Skarratt	Fire Service College
Apollo Gerolymbos	LFCDA / National Fire Chiefs
John Galvin	Fire Investigators UK
Dr Jim Glockling	The Fire Prevention Association
David Lane	Lane, Jefferies and Associates
Dave Washer	Boat Safety Scheme (BSS)
James Acott	UK Association of Fire Investigators (UK-AFI)
Penny Morgan
Julie Farrugia	WMFRS
Adair Lewis	Fire Safety Management
Tony Pearson	IFC Group

1. Welcome

Sheila welcomed everyone.

2. Apologies

See above.

3. Minutes

Minutes of the last meeting held online 12 October 2021 already sent and abbreviated minutes were accepted. See also https://www.figuk.org.uk for recent news, update, new information etc

There were no matters arising from the Minutes that are not covered elsewhere.

4. Accounts

Sally gave an update on the latest state of the Accounts. Alyson will be auditing them in due course.

Please note that FIG UK membership is now FREE OF CHARGE.

5. Membership – new recruits

Discussion as usual on attracting new members for FIG UK. If current members know of people in the wider fire industry who may be interested in joining FIG UK AT NO COST, please ask them to contact Sally or Sheila – their contact details are in the website.

The discussion also covered the fact that for various reasons including out-of-date information the Directory has currently been removed from the website. Some updating work has now been done on the Directory of Members already and shortly the latest edition will be published on FIG UK website. Also if further details are needed FIG UK Members will be contacted.

6. FIG UK Seminar 2022 on 19 October 2022

Discussion took place about a face-to-face meeting some time in 2022 – Sheila agreed to organise such a meeting – but as always this will be dependent on actual support by Members and others. As a result it will be a half day seminar on 19 October 2022 in London at the Bedford Hotel, Southampton, BELOW Russell Square. The seminar room will hold 35 people. Sheila will develop the seminar and report back the final programme.

If members know of speakers and topics that would help to draw an audience please contact Sheila with the suggestions…

We need to let people know about the seminar as early as possible to ensure we have at least 35 delegates + speakers.

Sally reminded Members that some FIG UK funding is still available to subsidise to some extent Members entry fee. Agreed that these funds will be used.

CPD credits will be awarded to the delegates.

7. FIG UK Members’ Directory

The Directory is being update and will shortly be back on the website.

Please remember to send to Sheila any amendments that may be needed in future.

Please also do send any news items, new information sources and any known fire related events/seminars etc details.

8. Product recalls

FIG UK Members are requested to check https://www.figuk.org.uk/links.html and send any new links on fire related product recalls to Sheila for updating this section of FIG UK website.

9. Round table discussions

Anyone wishing to send a summary of their March 2022 contributions please send to Sheila for adding to FIG UK website.

1. John Galvin draws attention to the IFE website https://www.ife.org.uk/fire-risk especially the information regarding Fire Risk assessors and auditors. In the UK, three legislative regimes impose a duty to carry out a fire risk assessment. In England and Wales, the duties are imposed on the Responsible Person who, in a workplace, is the employer and in premises that are not a workplace is the person having control of the premises. The duty can also be imposed on other persons having control of the premises, such as managing agents. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the term ‘responsible person’ is not used but, again, the duty will fall on the employer and/or certain other persons having control of the premises.

2. Ian Abley, FPA referred to his previous news on Modern Methods of Construction in Specification.

3. Sheila Pantry is also a FRSUG (Fire and Rescue Statistics User Group) member but that group has been dormant for some time due to covid. Sheila has always attended meetings and always reports on the activities, as well as running the FRSUG web site free of charge. For information on FRSUG activities and papers presented in the past see website https://www.frsug.org

   She is also a long-time Member of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents National Occupational Safety & Health Committee and draws attention the strategic activities of RoSPA for 2022. This year, 2022, a major one is Falls in the Workplace. Following the launch of RoSPA’s ground-breaking RoSPA Fall Fighters initiative, which has the aim of tackling the UK’s biggest forgotten killer – falls in the home, we now have the opportunity to build upon this work and turn the focus to the impact of workplace falls. It has long been recognised that slips, trips and falls are the leading cause of workplace injury. We are therefore specifically interested in exploring pioneering and innovative fall research that considers any emerging issues not previously discussed, especially in the context of the workplace.

   An estimated 2.3 million people around the world have work-related accidents or diseases every year, which relates to over 6000 deaths every single day. Worldwide, there are around 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses annually. Within the UK alone, £15 billion was the annual cost of work-related and new cases of ill health.

   RoSPA offer a comprehensive suite of health and safety training which reflects their passion, expertise and leadership. they educate over 12,000 delegates each year from all over the world to help them improve their knowledge and skills, reduce risks and make workplaces healthier and safer for everyone, and so they can return home safely to their families at the end of the working day.

   Sheila reports that RoSPA’s Information Services Officer Anita Plumb retires on 31 March 2022 after 45 years of information service. Her work in the future will be shared with other RoSPA staff members. As a long-time Information professional I feel it is with regret that the collection will not have a dedicated knowledgeable information staff member to sustain it.

   In 2016 RoSPA celebrated its Centenary. See https://www.rospa.com for the wide areas of work covered.

   It is noted that there are only a very, very few collections of OSH and Fire information left in the UK. It is noted that The British Library https://www.bl.uk does NOT collect all Health and Safety Executive range of publications…..

   Sheila’s company’s OSH UPDATE + FIRE collection of 26 validated and authoritative databases. Now in its 3rd decade is arguably one of the most comprehensive electronic service in fire, occupational safety and health, and environment covering all aspects of the wide range of today’s workplaces. This inexpensive subscription service has Customers worldwide using OSH UPDATE + FIRE.

   Currently contains over 1,180,955 records including 139,555 full text documents – certainly bigger than many other worldwide collections. Upwards of 10,000 new validated and authoritative worldwide sources are added annually. Anyone needing really up to date and a very budget friendly priced, constantly updated collection are welcome to a free trial. Visit www.sheilapantry.com/interest also see OSH UPDATE + FIRE Newsletters

   Sheila also draws attention to another of her websites https://www.historyofosh.org.uk

   Shortly, in a couple of years, the UK will celebrate 3 x 50-year anniversaries… that of the creation of:

   • The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
   • Health and Safety Commission
   • Health and Safety Executive

   Anyone interested further in history should also read the Robens Report.

   The UK has come a long way since then – see HSE statistics

   But still has major work ahead to stop people being killed and maimed at work.

Date of next meeting

The date of the next FIG UK meeting is Wednesday, 14 September 2022.

Details will sent nearer to the meeting date – members will be informed WELL IN ADVANCE.