Online fire saftey training videos help business owners comply with legal demands

Oxford based safety control systems specialist Industrial Design has launched a series of online fire safety training videos. Approved by The Institution of Fire Engineers the videos help companies train their staff in basic fire safety, allowing them to comply with legal requirements and improve health and safety standards.

Costing just £249.95 for a five module course, the videos explain why fires occur, what action you can take to prevent them starting and how you should behave in the event of a fire.

Employers, employees and those accountable for building space, including common parts of blocks of flats and houses, have a legal responsibility to ensure fire safety. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires that employees are informed, instructed and trained about fire precautions in the work place; and that they are able to cooperate with employers to make sure the workplace is safe from fire and its effects.

The regulations also state that if you’re not an employer, but have control of premises that contain more than one work space, you still have a responsibility to conduct a risk assessment put in place a fire management plan and ensure compliance with fire regulations. This applies to organisations, contractors and individuals who are responsible for business premises, responsible for a dwelling, part of which is used solely for business purposes or providing accommodation for paying guests.

Online videos enable fire safety training to be conducted in a clear, concise and easily understood manner whilst allowing it to be accessed by a large volume of people.

Compliance with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is based on a logical 'assessment' methodology whereby all risks are identified and assessed, appropriate action determined and the implementation of the solution recorded. There is no minimum or maximum requirement, and compliance can be achieved using any product or service deemed necessary by the assessor.

As a result, the burden of proof for compliance rests on the person responsible for the premises in question, who has to ensure the continual monitoring of risk. It is the job of this 'responsible person' to prove that they have provided adequate and reasonable safety precautions specific to their premises. Evidence of online training can demonstrate that the theoretical element of this responsibility has been complied with.

A record of the training is held on Industrial Design’s system and a serialised certificate of successful completion is issued, which is valid for two years. Continual access to all of the training material is provided throughout the two years during which the certificate is valid.

“Legal requirements aside, basic fire safety training can save lives,” offered Mike Fikuart, managing director of Industrial Design. “Simple steps, such as closing doors in the event of a fire, can have big impact on controlling a blaze and eliminating further hazards that can cause injury or even death. The knowledge that people will gain on the course will prove useful at work and help comply with some legal requirements, for sure. But it could also prove invaluable in the future, should the worst happen and they find themselves in fire.”

Fire and gas prevention, suppression and control for the oil and gas industry

Industrial Design’s principal offerings to the offshore sector are carbon dioxide extinguishing for vent stacks and specialist offshore fire and gas detection systems.

For example, one problem that we often encounter on offshore gas rigs is lightning igniting the gas exiting the vent stack. Our systems are able to detect the problem and extinguish the resultant fire using carbon dioxide. Another common situation is fire caused by roller bearings running dry in an oil based generator enclosure. Again, years of experience mean we can provide the right solution.

But when you contact us all you need to know is the nature of the risk. Is it a room, vent stack or turbine? What is the basic construction; is the risk in a cabinet or enclosure or on deck? Our team will build the rest of the speciation following a detailed requirements capture.

By working closely with the project manager, maintenance manager or consultant, as well as their purchasing teams, we are able to deliver the right fire and/or gas detection system for most oil and gas industry applications.

In fact, most of our applications are tailor made for each client. We are able to combine the flexibility of an agile and dynamic specialist with hardware procured using our contacts in the fire safety industry’s most respected and reliable manufacturers.

All of our work complies with the relevant British and European EN standards and we are experienced in helping our customers meet the legislative requirements for fire protection and health and safety. Ultimately though, the bottom line is the safety of the personnel onboard.

To make an enquiry or find out more about our services, contact Mike Fikuart on 0870 128 3835 or e-mail chad.relf@industrialdesign.ltd.uk.

Safety first for all creatures great and small

~ Director of industrial fire and gas safety company becomes a minor media star after rescuing an angry swan from the busy M4 ~

Industrial Design’s Mike Fikuart was driving to work on the busy M4 motorway last month when his journey came to an abrupt standstill. A swan had made its way onto the road and taken up residence, refusing to move and adding to the already congested traffic. Little did Fikuart know that his actions that morning would be the cause of fifteen minutes of fame when he stepped in to help; safely guiding the swan off the motorway! 

Mike Fikuart takes matters into his own hands and clears traffic

As the traffic crawled past junction three at Hayes, west London, and the bird strolled gracefully along enjoying the sunny weather, Fikuart waited in his car like all the other commuters. After pausing on the middle lane, the swan extended its wings to slow the approach of an oncoming lorry.

Fikuart then decided to take matters into his own hands and help the poor creature off the road. He got out and escorted the confused bird across the hard shoulder to safety. As he did so, a freelance photographer snapped him in action and later sold the photos to the Daily Mail, Metro and several local papers who all later published the story.

“The M4 seems to be the place where I spend most of my time,” joked Fikuart. “I was fed up waiting and decided to do something. I was in a rush to get to a meeting and I feared for the swan’s safety; it looked very confused and scared because of all the noise and commotion around it,” concluded Fikuart.

The swan went down the bank to the quiet seclusion of the Grand Union Canal Way in search of a more ‘bird-friendly’ habitat.

Following health and safety procedures until the end

Thinking outside of the [alarm] box

~ Industrial Design demonstrates the benefits of flexibility and customer understanding at Oxford based children’s and young adults’ hospice ~

When branding experts sit down to decide what attributes they want to associate with a company, it’s a cliché that flexibility is regarded as a must-have. This is particularly true for the fire and gas detection sector; where a project often has to be completed without interfering with a rigid customer schedule. However, flexibility has never come further to the fore than when Oxford based children’s and young adults’ hospice houses Helen & Douglas House addressed chlorine gas detection in its Jacuzzi suites. Here, Mike Fikuart of gas and fire protection specialist Industrial Design outlines the challenges his company overcame to help protect the children and young adults at Helen & Douglas House from harmful gas emissions. 

Opened in November 1982, by Sister Frances Dominica, Helen House was the world's first children's hospice.  The charity grew out of the need for respite care and support for children with life-shortening conditions. It was set up to help families cope with their situation by providing occasional respite care. The hospice was modeled on a home environment and everything from the surroundings to the staff’s approach is tailored to the children’s individual needs.

Douglas House, the world's first hospice specifically for young adults aged 16-35, opened  in February 2004. It provides a young person with the time to do the things they enjoy with the support of the nursing and care teams.

The two hospices offer specialist symptom and pain management, medically-supported short breaks and end-of-life care, as well as counseling and practical support for the whole family.

Part of the care Helen & Douglas house’s young visitors are provided with includes physiotherapy and water relaxation treatments. For this reason, there are two Jacuzzi rooms on the premises, with one located in each building. As part of a risk assessment of the facilities, Deric Miles, the head of estates at the hospices, identified the need for additional gas protection in the two rooms.

The automated dosing system for maintaining the PH levels in the two therapy Jacuzzis uses two types of chemicals: sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydrogen sulphate. When they come into contact, the two substances release chlorine gas, which is toxic and highly irritant for the respiratory system. Additionally, chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer, which may react with flammable materials.

Recognising the harmful potential of the substance, Miles decided to have an early warning gas detection system fitted.  He enlisted Oxford based Industrial Design to come up with a system suitable for the two Jacuzzis. The company produced a design incorporating Crowcon gas detectors, a Crowcon Gasmaster control panel and alarm system into a custom made application to suit the hospice’s needs.

Crowcon Detection Instruments manufactures a range of portable and fixed gas detection products. Mike Curtis, fixed systems area-sales manager at the company describes the relationship with Industrial Design; “As a company, Industrial Design is very easy to work with and very approachable. As well as commercial applications like Helen & Douglas House, they do a lot of work in the oil and gas industry and I've even spoken to the MD when he's been sat on a sand dune in a dessert. For me this illustrates the flexibility of the company. We speak the same language."

Due to the fact that because of their conditions many of the hospice’s  young visitors are sensitive to noise, Industrial Design had to be very adaptable in terms of when they completed their initial risk assessment.

This sensitivity to noise also led to an interesting re-design later in the project.

The initial version of the application used traditional audible alarms as well as visual beacons. This was agreed on by both parties but after the first installation, Miles observed that it would have been better to have a primary visual alarm, followed by an audible alarm later.

“We are genuinely grateful that Industrial Design could change the project mid-way through to meet our needs,” recalled Miles. “The hardware they installed initially had to be re-assessed so that the beacon would show before the siren rings. Moreover, they did it at no extra charge, which was a pleasant surprise.

“What we needed was more than just the fitting of a new piece of equipment. The stay our guests have with us gives them and their carers the chance to have a break from the routine. The young people here feel very much at home and many of them are active through the night. This is why the facilities have to remain open 24/7, and outside disruptions must be kept to a minimum.”

“Industrial Design took this into account when commissioning the application. The visual indicator helps keep the facilities quiet and minimises distress and panic otherwise induced by penetrating and sharp sounds.”

“Industrial Design should be commended for the level of customer service they offer. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they kindly agreed to complete to project in stages, as and when it was convenient for the guests and staff. We would definitely work with them again,” concluded Miles.

The installation of the system was conducted by Helen &Douglas House’s preferred contractor, SES Electrical, based in Oxford. “The team at SES proved to be not only very knowledgeable, but also very understanding of the delicate situation we have here,” explained Miles. “If a contractor is not flexible enough, then we’d rather go somewhere else. We won’t risk exposing our Guests to stress caused by noise and strangers. Everything has to be done as discreetly as possible,” he concluded.

“The project posed a series of challenges we rarely encounter,” explained James Ward, Technical Director at Industrial Design. “Nevertheless, finding the best solution to suit every client’s needs is the key to completing a successful application. The only way to do that is to remain receptive and listen to what the end user wants and that’s what we did here.

“When faced with a delicate situation, one must remain flexible and adaptable. Working for this unique children’s charity has been great experience for Industrial Design, and we are really pleased with the results,” finished Ward.

While flexibility is such a commonly touted unique selling point it has become something of a cliché, it seems that there are multiple levels of flexibility. There is the level that branding experts talk about and there is a deeper level, the value of which Industrial Design proved at Helen & Douglas House.