FOCUS Fire service measures Case study – EMR, Liverpool
WASTE FIRES can have a devastating impact on businesses. They can see operational activity reduce dramatically, if not altogether, for several days, having a knock on effect on the supply chain and livelihoods of workers. They also have a detrimental impact on the communities around them, and can damage the reputation of the whole UK recycling sector. When a fire does occur at a waste
or recycling site, it can bring with it an opportunity to transform the way things work, improving staff morale and creating a better relationship with nearby communities. This was the case for European Metal Recycling (EMR) and its site at the Port of Liverpool. MFRS was called out to EMR’s site three times in the space of 12 months. The most recent fire – which occurred on 11 March 2017 – saw a total of 75 fire appliances attend over a period of 84 hours. These incidents caused huge disruption to local residents and businesses, and significant environmental damage from thick smoke plumes emanating from the fires. Additionally, the incidents created unacceptable levels of demand on MFRS. In fact, the three incidents (8 April 2016,
21 October 2016 and 11 March 2017) saw a total of 190 fire appliances attend over a period of 97 hours. Following the fire, a
meeting was called at Bootle Town Hall by Peter Dowd MP in response to growing concerns from the local community. At this meeting, EMR’s management team presented a real desire for change, and followed this up by working closely with Bootle Action Group to improve the site and the morale of staff – many of whom live in the local area. Separation distances were increased
between recycled product piles at the site to reduce the spread of fire, and combustible and non combustible materials are now segregated. The entire site was given a makeover, replacing muddy roads with clean hard standing and regular maintenance regimes including dust prevention controls. Also, 18 thermal imaging cameras have been installed across the site, and a water suppression system has also been introduced including a 25,000 litre milling machine. Mr Keen, who attended all three fires, made
the following comments after visiting the site once the improvements were implemented: ‘The transition at this site is incredible, it is a polar opposite to the conditions experienced at the time of the fires and gives me high confidence that there will be no repetition of the major fire incidents at this site. The improvements clearly raise the bar for fire safety management at waste sites, and EMR’s efforts on this site are a great example of national best practice.’
20 NOVEMBER 2018
www.frmjournal.com
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