FIRE FEATURE
Sure-fire safety systems
The cutting-edge companies keeping your workers and business fire safe
LOCKDOWN has been – and continues to be – a perilous time for many up and down the country. With jobs looking unstable and economic uncertainties set to buffet the nation, businesses have been reassessing their business models and taking stock.
But it is during times like these that essential but all-too-often overlooked business elements come to the fore. Fire safety systems, for example, have seen something of a boom recently as the lockdown disruptions give company owners time to reprioritise their jobs.
“We would never have predicted this, but we’ve actually seen sales go through the roof in the last four months,” began Russell Bonnett, Technical Director at Fire Shield Systems. “I’m sure there were several factors affecting this.
“For one thing, I would imagine insurers have been minded to take fewer risks in the current climate and so have been driving people towards investing in important health and safety equipment such as fire suppression systems.
“Then, of course, there’s also the fact that, for many people, lockdown has disrupted their routine and given them a chance to really engage with their to-do lists. Finally, of course, there is the fact that, with the closure of the local authority waste sites, many waste businesses had piles of waste building up which had to be stored far longer than they normally would.
“Whatever the cause, we are glad that people are wisely taking the opportunity to re-engage with their safety systems.”
Solution-focused With waste companies storing large quantities of fire-risk materials, fire safety is of critical importance in the sector. So much so, in fact, that it is setting an impressive example for others to follow.
“When it comes to investment in fire protection equipment, the waste and recycling sector leads the way,” said Ed Chivers from Fireward. “And it’s no wonder, as fire is one of the main sources of insurance claims in the industry.
“Fireward was started after owners Sam
Malins and Edward Barnes struggled to find a fire protection system that met the demands of the waste and recycling industry. Operating around the clock in some of the most gruelling conditions, they had first-hand experience of the constant worry of a small fire that could quickly get out of hand, potentially causing injuries and damaging valuable equipment. With plant in direct contact with waste, much of which may be combustible, initially their focus was on vehicle fire protection and a quest to design an automatic system that would detect and extinguish engine fires first time, every time.
“With fires at waste management sites presenting such a serious problem, fire and waste industry stakeholders have worked together to tackle the problem head-on, producing the guidance document ‘Reducing Fire Risk at Waste Management Sites’.
“In creating this document, the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) Waste Fires Working Group’s aim is to provide waste management operators
“When it comes to investment in fire protection equipment, the waste and recycling sector leads the way. And it’s no wonder, as fire is one of the main sources of insurance claims in the industry."
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