RAVEN Studio sprinklers Tyco Fire Protection Products, a global leader in fire suppression technologies, announces the launch of the RAVEN Studio sprinklers. The new solution offers an industry-first option to paint escutcheons in the field, even after installation. Custom colour sprinklers are also available for a high level of aesthetic appeal. Designed mainly for commercial applications such as hotels, casinos, offices, educational facilities and museums, the 5.6K pendent and horizontal sidewall RAVEN Studio sprinklers provide quick response, thanks to their heat sensitive solder type release element. The sprinklers are available in Standard Coverage for the protection of Light and Ordinary Hazard occupancies and Extended Coverage for Light Hazard applications, as defined by NFPA 13. The revolutionary paint-in-place escutcheon feature provides design-focused customers with a wide variety of custom colours to match the palette of nearly any project. Aesthetic appeal of the flush design is enhanced by concealing the deflector and other operating parts behind the link assembly. Engineered for precision fit, the sprinklers’ protected design minimises accidental activations for greater safety and efficiency. “By incorporating an unobtrusive, low-profile design with a paint-in-place escutcheon, Tyco’s new RAVEN Studio sprinklers are uniquely discreet in the industry today,” said Luke Connery, global product manager, Tyco Fire Protection Products. “This enables architects and interior designers to benefit from an enhanced level of creative freedom not available with more traditional sprinkler options.” For additional information regarding the RAVEN Studio sprinklers, visit www.tfppemea.com

€3.35 million investment into the CHEQUERS project A new project to develop technology to detect the presence of explosive and hazardous materials has been launched with €3.35million of European funding. A group of European companies and researchers, including laser experts and law enforcement agencies, will collaborate on the CHEQUERS project to create novel technology that will detect the presence of explosive and hazardous materials. The outcomes of the project will provide new anti-terrorism tools for law enforcement agencies, and help health and safety professionals improve industrial safety on things like oilrigs and chemical plants. CHEQUERS project partners include M Squared Lasers, research organisation Fraunhofer IAF and IPMS (Germany), Fraunhofer UK Research, Vigo System S.A. (Poland), Bundeskriminalamt (the German Federal Criminal Police Office) and Kite Innovation. Each partner will play a crucial part in the development and rollout of the final applications. Nils Hempler, Head of the Innovation Business Unit at M Squared Lasers, said: “As a group of truly specialist organisations, all experts in our respective fields, we can pool the knowledge and resources required to develop truly transformational technologies that address real-world challenges. “The potential application for this technology is huge; the ability for us to detect explosives and chemical warfare agents for the security sector and even potentially catastrophic leaks in the oil and gas industry could save many lives in the future. We’re really excited about this project and are looking forward to seeing it out in the real world. We aim to make this technology widely accessible to a range of emerging markets.” Dr. Rasmus Schulte-Ladbeck, Forensic Expert at Bundeskriminalamt said: “The Bundeskriminalamt as partner in an international consortium of the CHEQUERS project will be leading a group of potential end-users from across Europe. Collaboration with these research partners will provide useful and relevant input to support the development of practicable and user-friendly devices, which CHEQUERS seeks to create. The BKA is looking forward to a successful collaboration with its research partners.” Starting this month, the CHEQUERS project will take a total of 42 months and is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 ‘Information and Communications Technologies’ call, whose objective is to sustain Europe’s industrial competitiveness and leadership in photonic market sectors and to exploit new and emerging market opportunities.

For fire suppression users and providers 3M, the diversified technology company, has announced that it has become a member of the Construction CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Certification Service. 3M now offers a one hour CPD certified training course covering the topic of Sustainable Fire Suppression options. The aim is to support buyers, designers and providers of fire suppression systems, by presenting up to date information about clean agent fire suppression options, taking into account the changing regulatory landscape.     3M is offering the CPD training session as a Lunch and Learn meeting, where 3M will provide lunch and present the content to organisations and individuals. Attendees will earn one CPD credit as part of their on-going professional development. http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/fire-protection/-/CPD-events/   Said Simon Mitchell, Key Account Manager for the Electronics Materials Solution Division: “Fire suppression is a necessity for organisations of all kinds, to protect human life and to protect valuable equipment and other assets. However, recent environmental legislative changes, and the need to ensure that the right system is installed for the right application, means that fire suppression can quickly become a confusing and complex topic. Our aim is to simplify and improve understanding, both for users and providers.”   In the fire suppression market, 3M is known for Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. Exempt from recent environmental legislation, Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a next-generation HFC and halon replacement, designed to balance concerns for human safety, performance and the environment. It has zero ozone-depletion potential, an atmospheric lifetime of just five days and a global warming potential of less than one. It is non-conductive, non-corrosive and fast-evaporating – designed to protect sensitive components and other critical assets. Applications include data centres, data processing and control rooms, telecommunications, marine applications, oil and gas applications, and museums and historical archives. Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid leaves no residue and does not damage equipment or disrupt the working environment.

By creating world’s thinnest fire protection product Leading manufacturer, AIS is launching a revolutionary new product which could shave hundreds of thousands of pounds off safety costs for the oil and gas industry. Responding directly to industry feedback, AIS has re-engineered its award-winning Jet Fire Pro fire protection jacketing system to create the thinnest and lightest version on the market today – ultimately reducing overall project costs for operators. At just 35mm thick, the Jet Fire Pro’s unique engineered system insulates pipe work, valves, actuators and associated equipment against possible hydrocarbon and jet fires by withstanding temperature extremes of up to 1,250°C for 90 minutes. These life-saving minutes delay the type of devastating pipe ruptures that occurred in the Piper Alpha disaster, giving people plenty of time to escape should the worst happen offshore. This is the latest product innovation by AIS, which also offers a number of other award-winning systems that provide between 15-120 minutes of protection against the deadly spread of a hydrocarbon or jet fire. Passive fire protection is compulsory offshore due to regulations introduced following Piper Alpha. AIS’s Jet Fire Pro is six times thinner than alternative fire protection systems making it considerably easier to fit, transport and maintain and therefore substantially reducing overall costs for oil and gas operators. Months of research and development have gone into the system, which is manufactured at AIS’s state-of-the-art, fully automated fabrication facility in North Shields. It uses highly technological materials such as those developed by NASA, to vastly reduce overall weight and size whilst maintaining technical performance. As well as boasting an operating capacity of between -60°C and 1,250°C, the Jet Fire Pro has a special weather layer which has super hydrophobic values to repel water. By preventing moisture from infiltrating pipe work, the system eliminates corrosion under insulation (CUI) and extends the life of the structure. Head of AIS Technical, Chris Evans, said: “The oil and gas industry is undergoing vast changes and the feedback from our clients suggests that innovation, efficiency and cost savings are key. “We’re known for our forward-thinking and rapid response to industry challenges and this latest product innovation has been developed with these key factors in mind. Many operators were finding that existing PFP systems were over-engineered for their needs and they simply didn’t need 120 minutes of protection to maintain safety levels. “In response, we’ve stripped back our existing Jet Fire Pro product to make it the thinnest and lightest on the market, at the same time as retaining its technical excellence. “As well as making it easier and up to 75% quicker to manufacture and install, the product’s reduced weight and thickness means we save on reduced material, shipping and storage costs. We are then able to pass these cost savings directly onto our clients. “We’re continuing to respond to customer feedback and will soon be launching a new innovation hub in Aberdeen where we’ll work closely with customers to continue to find more innovative solutions to meet tomorrow’s challenges.” AIS’s Jet Fire Pro product has been extensively tested at the world’s leading fire test facilities and is type approved by global certification organisations, Lloyds Register and DNV-GL. AIS also designs, manufactures and installs a comprehensive range of award-winning technical insulation products to combat issues such as noise, corrosion, weather and temperature extremes in order to protect assets, create safer work spaces and reduce operational costs. To find out more please contact 0844 800 1810 or visit www.aisgroup.com

Launching the new 379 bar high pressure cylinder  For over eight decades, Scott Safety’s approach to product development has positioned the company as the preferred provider of high specification safety solutions to major global organisations, such as first responders; the military and civil defence; the petroleum, oil and gas sector and chemical, construction and industrial environments. “The relationships we have with our customers start and end with their safety first and foremost. As a company, we have always focused on the customer and their needs as the first step in every product development initiative,” says Tony Pickett, Scott Safety’s Global Product Manager, Air Supplied. “We continuously ask ourselves ‘what can we produce to make their jobs easier and above all, safer’?” With more than 34 products developed in the last five years, Scott Safety has been at the forefront in the drive to improve product design and reduce user burden. Recent changes to the design of its Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and high pressure air cylinders include efforts to improve user comfort by reducing weight and incorporating ergonomic improvements. Tony Picket continues “At Scott Safety, we understand the physiological and psychological burden Respiratory Protective Equipment can place on users. SCBA sets are often seen as restrictive and tiresome when worn for long periods in challenging environments. In fact, working in difficult conditions or carrying out arduous tasks often results in distressed breathing, that in turn increases the volume of air breathed per minute. Our research identified a need for a breathing apparatus that offered extended breathing duration, whilst also remaining compact and lightweight for maximum movability.   “In developing our latest SCBA offering, we started with these requirements from the end user. Then we assessed every element of the design and applied the latest technologies to provide comfortable, low burden equipment so the wearer can focus on the important task in hand.” A first within the industry, Scott Safety has increased the air pressure within its new 379 bar cylinder to provide users with additional air capacity – without increasing the weight or size of the cylinder. The 379 bar cylinders offer 25% higher pressures than the standard 300 bar SCBA providing wearers with an extended breathing duration of up to 75 minutes. There will be three different capacities of the 379 bar cylinder available: 5.7 litre, 7.6 litre and 9.5 litre. These have the equivalent durations of 45 minutes, 60 minutes and a new duration of 75 minutes based on a breathing rate of 40 litres per minute. Constructed of an aluminium alloy inner shell and overwrapped entirely with lightweight carbon-fibre, the new cylinders are up to 5% lighter than others on the market. The increased pressure has also allowed for a significant reduction in cylinder size. The reduced size helps users shift their centre of gravity, which increases the comfort of the complete SCBA set. Additionally, the reduced length of the cylinder helps to avoid interference with helmets and head protection. Tony Pickett concludes: “Reliability, quality and performance cannot be compromised when it comes to the needs of our customers, who are working on the frontline. Whilst we are extremely excited about the development of our 379 bar cylinder, we promise to continue in our mission to create quality, high performance solutions that will help keep our customers safe day after day.” For more information on the new 379 bar cylinder and to view Scott Safety’s full product offering, please visit www.scottsafety.com/en/emea.

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