Fire NZ Magazine - September 2019

September 2019 | Issue 18

2019 www.firenz.org

THE FUTURE OF FIRE PROTECTION 4 TH - 6 TH SEPTEMBER 2019 • VODAFONE EVENTS CENTRE, AUCKLAND

NEW ZEALAND

WWW.DEFSEC.NET.NZ

NZ made

SECURITY TECHNOLOGY RELIABILITY

fire door holding

electromagnets 12 & 24 VDC selectable ! e l ab

FDH40S

k a e r

unb

unbreakable universal mounting • Low power consumption - low operating temperature • One product suits floor and wall mounting • Universal armature - offsets to 55º to suit doors opening past 90º • Wall mount extensions available • 12 & 24 VDC selectable • Push off button with no residual magnetism • Oversize armature for easy alignment • Emergency release button • Electroless nickel plated armature and electromagnet • Stainless fastenings • Full local support and back up

10 YEAR GUARANTEE*

Standard, floor mounted, wall to door distance 114mm

Designed, tested and produced in New Zealand to AS4178 A) Wall mounted,126mm extn. tube (overall 202mm) B) Wall mounted, 156mm extn. tube (overall 232mm) C) Wall mounted, 355mm extn. tube (overall 431mm) B)

C)

ANTEE

Option A – Surface Mounted

GUAR

FDH40S/R

Surface and Recess mounting This device enhances an outstanding range of unbreakable products which conveniently hold open fire doors. When a smoke/fire alarm is activated the magnet instantly releases the door to the closed position to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. These units feature a choice of 3 covers for optimum aesthetic appeal and durability. The installer can utilise one device for surface mounting or for recess mounting.

Option B – Recess Mounted

10 YEAR GUARANTEE*

Satin Aluminium

Gloss Black

Gloss White

Loktronic Limited Unit 7 19 Edwin Street Mt Eden Auckland P O Box 8329 Symonds Street Auckland 1150 New Zealand Ph 64 9 623 3919 Fax 64 9 623 3881 0800 FOR LOK mail@loktronic.co.nz www.loktronic.co.nz

For expert advice and assistance with your security locking needs, trust in Loktronic, call us on 0800 367 565

GUARANTEE

*Standard terms & conditions of sale apply.

21556/1/18

A)

INNOVATIVE

PASSIVE FIRE SOLUTIONS

BOSS FYREBOX TM THE GAME CHANGER MULTIPLE SERVICE. SINGLE PENETRATION.

Designed to allow the full range of apartment services to pass through one single, fire rated enclosure, the BOSS FyreBox is tested and approved to AS1530.4 -2014.

With a -/120/120 FRR, the Boss FyreBox insulation rating of the penetrating services, including steel and copper pipes, can be increased to 120 minutes by wrapping the services on both sides of the FyreBox with BOSS P40MAK-Wrap. The GAME CHANGER is cost effective and easy to install.

PROVEN PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION 2563 Boss Fire back banner 1580mm output.indd 1

20/03/15 11:12 AM

FIRESHIELD ARCHITECTURAL WHITE INTUMESCENT COATING

FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL.

FIRESHIELD ArchitecturalWhite is a water-borne white intumescent, which is environmentally friendly, very competitive in price, gives an excellent surface finish, and is easy to apply. FIRESHIELD ArchitecturalWhite is fully compliant for use in New Zealand.

SM

0800 POTTERS 0800 768 837

www.potters.co.nz info@potters.co.nz

Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch

INDEX ISSN 2230-6935 FPA President’s Message.......................................................................................................................................................................6 SFPE President’s Message.....................................................................................................................................................................8 IFE President’s Message.........................................................................................................................................................................9 Fire Protection Charitable Trust........................................................................................................................................................10 Veiga: Saves installation time, labour costs and eliminates threading, roll grooving and welding work....................14 Fire risk of foam-filled furniture addressed...................................................................................................................................17 Introducing the Pertronic F220.........................................................................................................................................................18 Large scale fire testing from a product manufacturer’s viewpoint........................................................................................ 22 simPRO’s eForms tool is simplifying form processes................................................................................................................. 24 Safety Training for all of New Zealand........................................................................................................................................... 26 New “Integrated Building Systems - Code of Practice” is under development.................................................................. 28 The GAME CHANGER in Fire Stopping - “Think Inside the Box”............................................................................................. 30 Banned firefighting foam cleared from New Zealand airports................................................................................................ 32 FireNZ Conference & Exhibition 2019 Floor Pland and Programme...................................................................................... 34 Passive Fire Solution for Retrofitted Projects: Upgrading In-situ Plasterboard to Code.................................................. 42 New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society..................................................................................................................................... 44 Fire Protection Association New Zealand Private Box 302372, North Harbour Auckland 0751 Ph: + 64 9 414 4450 Email info@fpanz.org Web www.fpanz.org

NEW ZEALAND

Institution of Fire Engineers New Zealand Branch PO Box 3961 Wellington 6140 secretary@ife.org.nz www.ife.org.nz

Society of Fire Protection Engineers New Zealand Chapter PO Box 91511, Victoria Street West Auckland 1142 Ph: + 64 9 308 7030 secretary@sfpe.org.nz www.sfpe.org.nz

FireNZ welcomes articles and letters from our readership. These can cover any aspect of fire protection, fire engineering (performance and design), legislation, fire safety practice, fire industry product development, fire fighting operations, techniques, equipment and case studies and technical news. All articles will be assessed by an editorial panel prior to publication who, at their discretion, reserve the right to either decline use of the article or seek amendments. Articles should inform, debate, educate and help our readership through sharing of both knowledge and expertise.

Themes for the upcoming magazine production will be promoted in advance of editorial committee deadlines to ensure all contributors are able to meet the final magazine delivery timelines.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Fire Protection Association New Zealand, Institution of Fire Engineers (NZ Branch) or the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (NZ Chapter).

Articles are published in good faith but FireNZ Magazine and its agents do not warrant the accuracy or currency of any information or data contained herein. FireNZ magazine and its agents do not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the material in this publication.

Material in FireNZ magazine is subject to Copyright. This publication may not be reproduced in printed or electronic form without the permission of the publisher.

FireNZ Magazine is published by DEFSEC Media Limited on behalf of: Fire Protection Association New Zealand, Society of Fire Protection Engineers (NZ Chapter), Institution of Fire Engineers (NZ Branch).

New Zealand

For more information please contact:

Postal & delivery address

Nick Dynon, Managing Editor Phone: + 64 022 366 3691 Email: nick@defsec.net.nz

DEFSEC Media Limited 27 West Crescent Te Puru 3575 Thames RD5 New Zealand

Craig Flint, Advertising Phone: + 64 (0) 7 868 2703 Mobile: + 64 (0) 274 597 621 Email: craig@defsec.net.nz

4

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is given in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, neither the publishers nor any person involved in the preparation of this publication accept any form of liability whatsoever for its contents including advertisements, editorials, opinions, advice or information or for any consequences from its use.

Copyright: No article or part thereof may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher.

Specifically developed for New Zealand’s BWoF and compliance requirements

FireMate is the only software application custom-built for the Fire Protection Industry.

Are you still using pen, paper and spreadsheets to manage your assets? Or perhaps you are using generic software and looking for more efficiency?

FireMate can help you to manage your work faster. It features: Automated compliance reporting Scheduling and test run optimisation Automated defect quote follow-up Asset management Customer portal

PLUS: simple issue and management of BWoF incl. Form 12 and 12a

... and much more!

Talk to us and find out how easy your life can become with FireMate!

For more information come and see us at Fire NZ 2019 or visit us on www.firemate.co.nz

2019

Fire Protection Association New Zealand

President’s Message Nearing the completion of my first year as the Association’s President, I am pleased to present my annual report.

The key achievement this year is continued growth in our membership, which reflects the increasing value that Territorial Authorities place on membership as being an indication of a commitment to quality and compliance.

We have placed an emphasis on updating and developing standards and codes of practices.

• The draft revision of NZS4541 Automatic sprinkler systems available for public comment.

• We also expect that the contract is signed to proceed with an amendment to NZS4512 Fire detection and alarm systems in buildings.

• Work has commenced on FPA Code of Practice for Interface of Building Services, Passive Fire Protection Coatings and Passive Fire Protection Penetration standards.

Chris Mak President FPANZ

6

Issue 18

|

September 2019

We are also engaged with Competenz in the development of a new Passive Fire Protection Installer qualification. While we agree that the polytech training regime needs review, we do have concerns that the Government may move industry training from the Industry Training Organisations to the polytechs. We believe that we have developed a good relationship with Competenz over the past few years and are seeing positive gains in the quality of training being offered.

In this coming year, we are placing an emphasis on the recruitment and training of new talent for the installation industry.

We expect to appoint a Training and Recruitment Advisor for a fixed term contract to drive this initiative in the new year.

The Association has been operating with healthy financial surpluses over the past three years, which will allow us to invest back into servicing our members. To that effect, we expect to visit the main centres throughout the year to host membership meetings and forums. We also wish to revitalise the ‘Getting it Right Seminar Series’, holding these in the main centres.

I will also be asking Scott Lawson to review potential technical training needs, including the potential to develop a useful designer training program. To that effect, we will look at what the US and Australia have to offer. This will be a longer term project and would tie in with the

National Diploma of Engineering that the Institute of Fire Engineers is developing. From my point of view, the industry is close to crisis point, with the aging cadre of competent and experienced designers – in many cases – are nearing the end of their careers.

The Association values your feedback, and, in particular, about what we can deliver to increase our value to our membership. Feel free to contact Scott Lawson or myself if you have positive suggestions on what we can deliver.

In closing, I would like to thank the three employees of the Association: Scott, Elaine and Vicki, for their valued service this year, along with all the Board and Council Members, and those who sat in on various Sector Advisory Group Meetings, Standards Meetings and Code of Practice development meetings.

NEW ZEALAND

Proud Platinum Sponsor for FireNZ 2019

Sales and Services LTD

| K40 ESFR Pendent Sprinkler (K28) VIKING’S MODEL VK514 is now FM Approved as a Quick Response Storage Sprinkler providing ceiling-only sprinkler protection for storage facilities up to 55 ft (16.7m) in height.

The K40 ESFR can help increase racking flexibility while also reducing the installation and maintenance costs associated with in-rack sprinklers.

Specifically designed to suppress high-challenge storage fires, without the need for in-rack sprinklers.

The only storage sprinkler FM Approved* to provide ceiling-only protection for warehouses with 55 ft (16.7m) ceilings.

Design Pressure of 80 psi (5,5 bar) with a remote area calculation consisting of nine sprinklers (three sprinklers installed on three adjacent branch lines).

Classified as a Quick Response Storage Sprinkler, FM Approved to protect Class I-IV commodities, as well as cartoned unexpanded plastics, stored in either single- or double-row racks up to 50 ft (15,2 m) in height.

Available in ordinary and intermediate temperature ratings - 74° C (165° F) and 96° C (205° F).

Available with 1 inch NPT or 25 mm BSP thread size.

KFactor: 40.4 (K28)

* FM Approval offered in addition to the VK514 sprinkler's existing K28 ESFR UL Listing.

also supply a wide range of Portable Fire Equipment, Emergency Lighting, VESDA ASD's & Smoke Detector Test Kits

Located in Auckland and Wellington for your convenience

105 Hugo Johnson Drive, Penrose, Auckland, 1061

|

12 Cornish Street, Korokoro, Lower Hutt, NZ, 5012

Auckland Phone: +64 9 969 9009 | Wellington Phone: +64 4 589 0856 | Email: sales@vikingnz.co.nz www.vikingnz.co.nz

New Zealand Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers

President’s Message This year’s FireNZ conference has a great lineup of speakers with 5 international keynote speakers on the program along with a host of talented local speakers. The very successful SFPEx slot for emerging professionals has been renamed FireNZx to accommodate speakers from the three hosting organisations. I hope you have time to attend the conference and make the most of the educational and networking opportunities.

The term of my presidency comes to an end during the FireNZ Conference when we have our AGM. I will be handing the reins over to Daryn Glasgow our current Vice President. Daryn has been on the executive committee for several years and I am confident he will carry the SFPE torch high during his time as President.

Thanks also goes to Keryn Goble who has filled the position as Vice President for most of my presidency and who now steps down to pursue some larger career opportunities.

Michael James President SFPE (NZ Chapter)

8

Issue 18

|

September 2019

When I started as a fire engineer over 20 years ago the role was limited to writing fire reports that demonstrated that the general building layout complied with the Building Code via an acceptable or an alternative solution. There was little consideration given to what the building was being constructed from or whether any of the other consultant’s design documents reflected the fire report requirements.

Construction monitoring was almost unheard of unless there was a smoke control system that needed to be checked. I think Fire Engineering is now coming of age and taking an active interest in all aspects of building fire safety from the design, through to material and system selections, documentation on other consultant’s documents and monitoring of construction. This is reflected in the SFPE International tag line “Engineering a Fire Safe World”.

As part of SFPE’s submission to MBIE on the occupational licensing of fire engineers we examined the ability of a licensed fire engineer to control the fire safety outcome of building design and construction. We had to acknowledge that the largest chunk of fire safety work is the detailed design, documentation and construction which is carried out by others. These ‘others’ which are outside the fire sector are generally not trained in fire safety and this can lead to poor design and construction outcomes. In my opinion poor design and construction is largely a result of poor training rather than any intent to do a bad job.

The remedy seems to be a robust framework of accountability along with adequate training.

SFPE along with the IFE and FPA have been working diligently to plug the training gaps within the fire sector. It can seem like a daunting task, however, slowly but surely; we are plugging the gaps. From SFPE’s perspective Fire Engineers need to have a core Body of Knowledge (BoK) to build their careers upon.

SFPE International has defined these

New Zealand core competencies from a global perspective and in New Zealand under the leadership of Immediate Past President Geoff Merryweather we have now published a BoK which takes the core competencies and puts them in a New Zealand context.

In addition, this year the executive committee under the guidance of Tony Parkes has been focusing on developing a training program that builds on the core skills learned in the fire engineering post graduate degree program. The program is being designed to provide the additional skills necessary to successfully practice as a fire engineer.

The construction industry is facing an aging workforce and we have been combating this with careers presentations to Waikato, Auckland and Massey universities.

We have also set up an Emerging Professionals’ group to foster young engineers which is led by Raymond Qui. Raymond has been working with Engineering New Zealand to deliver a national mentoring program which will form the model for other engineering disciplines to follow.

One of the emerging professionals committee members and past Tauranga area representative Priya Parag has recently been awarded the prestigious 5 under 35 award by SFPE International in recognition of her leadership skills and contribution to the industry.

In March 2020 SFPE will be hosting the 13th International Conference on Performance Based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods in Auckland. This will bring another raft of high quality international speakers to our shores.

Martin Feeney is Co-Chair of this event.

Over the last two years it has been a very rewarding experience working with our executive team and engaging with the FPA and IFE on joint activities. I wish all the best to our new president Daryn Glasgow and the FPA President Chris Mak and IFE president Ed Claridge.

Institution of Fire Engineers (NZ Branch)

President’s Message Kia ora koutou katoa, It is difficult to escape the ongoing impact of the Grenfell tragedy including the recommendations contained within Dame Judith Hackitt’s report Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. At last years conference we heard from speakers directly involved in that work and we will continue to hear more as the investigations progress. More recently in Australia we have seen the release of the Shergold and Weir report and Warren Centre publications into fire safety and professionalism which are highlighting similar challenges.

In New Zealand the fire sector continues to see a large amount of industry consultation occurring across a range of regulatory issues. Whether this is updating of standards, production of guidance documents or the recent MBIE reviews into the Building system and possible legislative reforms, it is clear this will impact almost all of us in one way or another.

Ed Claridge, President IFE (NZ Branch)

One area where New Zealand stands apart from many countries is the continued collaboration between the leading fire organisations that make up FireNZ. We have been working collaboratively on many of the issues with the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and the Fire Protection Association New Zealand that will no doubt continue to lead to the production of the necessary industry guidance required to support those working within the design and construction communities and those involved with the management and maintenance of buildings. Work is continuing on establishing the necessary training and education pathways to support the fire industry with debate continuing over the need for regulating engineers and potentially licensing more trades such as a passive fire installation.

Ultimately as we will continue to hear, professionalising the entire industry will be necessary to ensure that we achieve a fire safe New Zealand.

Professionalism is not just about education, training and the ability to show competence but also requires behaviours that demonstrate commitment to effective performance. Membership of an industry body is part of this commitment, as is attending events such as FireNZ. This year’s conference again boasts an impressive line-up of speakers and topics that could rival any other international fire conference. It is a testament to the work and effort of the Firenz committee that we continue to produce such an impressive event that includes a diverse range of relevant topics from international, local and young speakers.

Internationally the IFE remains in a strong position with a membership of over 10,000 which is continually on the increase. The annual examinations continue to see over 6000 papers taken annually and we

are seeing changes to the candidate profile as more diverse papers are introduced and people recognise the value in these qualifications.

One of the privileges of being President is observing the amount of effort being put in by all of the Branch Council members and people working on the many standards, guides, position statements and reviews that are providing a relentless workload to all. This time of year is particularly busy for the Branch Council with activities including the October exams, conference organisation and attendance as well as AGM planning which we are looking to hold again in November. We also have strong links with other international branches and maintain a continuous dialogue with many of them through the International General Assembly and directly.

I would like to specifically thank those on the Branch Council for their hard work and continued efforts. Keeping these organisations running takes time and effort just to keep them operational and we must not forget that all this is undertaken by volunteers.

Finally I am looking forward to a successful conference and look forward to seeing you all in September at FireNZ.

Issue 18

|

September 2019

9

Fire Protection Charitable Trust The complexity of self-funding the industry share of standards development has long been a fire protection industry bugbear.

Historically there has been somewhat of an ad hoc approach to funding, with sprinklers having their own levy system administered by a single sprinkler system certifier (SSC), but the alarm sector not having any formal mechanism in place to collect funding.

Those in the industry have long been aware that some form of consistent funding model was needed, but commercial sensitivities prevented the collection of a levy for fire alarms as well. Instead, industry needed to “pass the hat around” every time a revision of the alarm standard came due. Several different formulae were used over the years, but fairness and transparency were ongoing issues.

The obvious solution was the formation of an independent body to oversee the levy collection process for both sprinkler systems and fire alarms. There also needed to be the guarantee of complete transparency and an assurance that the funds collected were ringfenced so they weren’t diverted from their original purpose.

Scott Lawso, CEO of FPANZ

10

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Enter Scott Lawson. The CEO of Fire Protection Association New Zealand (FPANZ) was ideally placed to spearhead the development of a trust that would exist for the primary purpose of ensuring levies were collected and held until they were needed at Standard review time.

He began discussions with CEOs and industry leaders around the usefulness of such an organisation at the end of 2016, “but it took some time to get everyone singing from the same song sheet.”

“There was a fair bit of corralling needed to get everybody on board,” admits Lawson. As the Standards

should ideally be reviewed every five years, some were worried that the money collected wouldn’t end up being used for the correct purpose if the management of FPANZ changed.

“There was some concern, particularly from those in the fire alarm industry, that the money collected would just sit in a bank and end up being diverted from its original purpose if there were leadership changes within management of FPANZ.” Concurrently, Lawson started discussions with Standards NZ, and it became apparent that the best way to move forward was to

A separate MOU exists with FPANZ, who provided all the set-up costs, and who conducts the Trust’s administration free of charge.

The appointment of trustees by FPANZ and the Trust’s board was another means by which to ensure the accountability and transparency of the Trust.

“Again, we wanted to ensure that there was a cast iron entity that ensured the money could only be spent on set objectives as outlined in the formation of the Trust,” says Lawson. “When I’m no longer CEO, this will ensure that there is no change of use of these funds in the future.”

The five inaugural Trustees (appointed for a five-year term late last year) are all well-known industry figures, who give broad representation of the interests of the fire industry sector as a whole.

The Chair of the Fire Protection Charitable Trust is David Prosser, who prior to retirement was fire detection product manager with Tyco/Johnson Controls, a major local manufacturer. He is also an FPANZ life member and the chair of the Standards NZ Fire Alarms committee.

Jacqui Bensemann, Managing Director of Argus Fire Protection, is the Treasurer; Nicky Marshall (fire system design engineer and Southern Regional Manager of Protech Design) is Secretary; and Chris Mak (Fire Protection Engineer and Manager of Aon Fire Protection, current FPANZ President, and Chair of the Standards NZ Fire Sprinklers Committee), and Mitchell Brown,

Key Trust achievements to date • • • • • • • •

Trustees appointed; Administrative set-up; Charities Services registration; The Trust has agreed to hold and administer Sprinkler Levy funds collected by the SSC; The Trust has agreed to pay the fire industry’s share of current NZS 4541 Sprinkler Standard revision; Offer accepted from NZ Fire Equipment Manufacturers’ Association to partially fund a revision of NZS 4512; The Trust has secured agreement from all five accredited inspection bodies to collect fire alarm system inspection levies from July 1, 2019; The Trust has agreed to pay the fire industry’s share of upcoming NZS 4512/4514 Alarm Standards revision.

set up a trust that was completely independent of FPANZ and so not subject to any future changes to personnel who might lack Lawson’s level of buy-in.

After extensive discussion with members of the Association, plus FPANZ Board and Council members, other industry stakeholders, and with the help of independent legal advisors, it seemed obvious that a charitable trust with only one or two set objectives was the best way forward.

This had the added bonus of protecting the funds from changes both in FPANZ staffing and the business risks encountered by normal day-to-day operations.

The establishment of the Trust helped to assuage many of the fears held by industry: “Once it was explained that the Trust would operate as a completely separate charitable entity people began to appreciate how useful it could be.”

The Fire Protection Charitable Trust was set up in late 2018, its core objectives being defined as: “the promotion of the ongoing development of fire safety Standards, and assistance with and provisions for the training, establishment of qualifications and professional development of people working in the fire protection industry”.

“After independent legal advice, a trust deed was prepared by our lawyers and we started the process of finding independent trustees who would administer the Trust once formed,” says Lawson. “The FPA funded the development and all costs up until the Trust was running on its own.”

As part of the set-up process, the Trust established memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with inspection organisations who operate at the “coal face”, collecting the levies when sprinkler systems or fire alarm systems are installed.

Fire protection charitable trust board

The Chair David Prosser

Treasurer Jacqui Bensemann

secretary Nicky Marshall

Trustee Chris Mak

Issue 18

Trustee Mitchell Brown

|

September 2019

11

Area Commander (Manawatu) for Fire and Emergency New Zealand are both Trustees.

Lawson says that the Trustees are all highly respected and bring a range of skills to the role.

“These trustees bring industry experience and each one their own specific skill set ensuring that the Trust has great management and is representative of the wider industry.”

In parallel, changes were afoot in NZ’s qualifications framework. Also, there was, (and still is), a pressing need for ongoing fire industry recruitment and training. With this comes the cost of developing qualifications and training material.

FPANZ has championed, and funded, several initiatives, but a need could be foreseen for external agency/grant funding in future.

Lawson says that now the Trust is in existence, the feedback from the industry is positive: “They (industry) can get on with their daily business, knowing that there is a separate entity for underwriting the future cost of Standards development.”

It is hoped that the existence of the Trust will help smooth the path

12

Issue 18

|

September 2019

for future fire Standards by removing financial barriers and aiding the fire industry’s self-regulation through the development of industry-led codes of practice.

Trust Chair David Prosser says that there is a need for more consensus-based codes of practice, which can steer the entire industry towards best practice “even though they don’t have the weight of Standards or regulation.”

“Codes of practice are a lot cheaper and faster to produce than formal Standards,” he says.

“They also help to fill a void in performance-based situations where existing sources of best practice guidance are not well known or immediately apparent.”

It is likely that the Trust will play a future role in helping with fire protection education by assisting with the ongoing development of industry-specific qualifications and training, as well as providing impetus for improving skill levels, training new recruits to the sector, and fostering industry best practice.

Prosser continues by saying that the Trust’s scope may extend to other disciplines in the future.

“It’s hoped the Trust might become a vehicle to receive and administer funds related to training and Standards or codes of practice in other fire disciplines such as hand-operated fire-fighting (e.g. extinguishers), passive fire protection, and possibly even agency training and qualification development grants.”

Prosser acknowledges that the credit for the Trust’s development lies in the foresight Scott Lawson has shown. “He had the vision to establish the Trust. The Trustees would also like to acknowledge the generous and practical assistance with ongoing administration offered

by FPANZ.” Lawson, meanwhile, is delighted that the Trust has finally become a reality, filling a gap in the sector that needed to be filled.

“I am genuinely proud that industry has taken the steps to support this initiative and get it off the ground. The Trust is able to focus on the continued development of fire safety Standards in New Zealand and that is a really positive outcome for both public and businesses.”

New GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems – Cost effective high performance – For commercial and residential projects For further information visit gib.co.nz or call the GIB® Helpline 0800 100 442.

7,500 Hours of system development.

Extra high wind zone tested.

Glass fibre sheet facing technology.

Robust testing: – 4 Fire tests.

– 13 Wind pressure tests.

– 2 Torrential rain tests.

– BRANZ Appraised.

Made in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions.

Weatherline Rigid Air Barrier Systems Specification and installation manual

CBI5113 FEBRUARY 2019

Viega Megapress

SAVES INSTALLATION TIME, LABOUR COSTS AND ELIMINATES THREADING, ROLL GROOVING AND WELDING WORK. Available exclusively at: 1

Viega is convinced: Quality is everything. Without quality, everything means nothing. That is why the company strives to exceed itself each and every day.

Up to 60% faster completion The connection with Viega Megapress is ready in a few working steps. Just cut the steel pipe to length, deburr and clean it, and transfer the insertion depth of the connector to the pipe end (Fig. 1). Then put the connector on the pipe and apply the press jaw or press ring (Fig. 2). Join Megapress connectors from ⅜ to 2 inches with the aid of a Viega press machine (Fig. 3), and in addition establish a force-fit connection for pipes from 2½ to 4 inches using the Pressgun Press Booster (Fig. 4). Finally remove the safety tag on the press connector to indicate that pressing had already been completed at this place.

The result is a safe and guaranteed leakproof connection which is ready for use. Cooling times or a fire guard are no longer necessary. And the best of all: Press technology is not only safer and easier but also more efficient. Viega Megapress can save up to 60% installation time compared with welding for the sizes from ⅜ to 2 inches for the connection technology. It is even up to 80% for sizes from 2½ to 4 inches. Megapress XL can be used for example to complete a press connection of 4 inches in less than 20 seconds. As the circumstances may be, welding takes more than 25 minutes. It's similar with other methods such as threaded, roller groove, or coupling connections. They can also in terms of speed not keep up with cold press technology and consume significantly more time.

The steel pipe is cut to length and cleaned.

Then insertion depth is measured and marked, then the Megapress connector is put on the pipe up to the mark.

2

For pressing Megapress connectors from 1¼ inch upwards, only press rings with hinged adapter jaws are used. For smaller sizes between ⅜ and 1 inch, both press jaws and press rings with hinged adapter jaws are available.

3

#SEXYASSSTEEL

Reasons for Viega Megapress • In terms of economy, up to 60% less installation time for connection compared with welding for sizes from ⅜ to 2 inches, and up to 80 % for sizes from 2½ to 4 inches.

• Absolutely fire-safe, because neither flames nor fumes arise with cold press technology.

• Unlike welding, threading or grooving, cold pressing leaves no mess or debris: hence, no need to flush and clean pipework prior to use.

• No additional time and cost expenditure for fire protection precautions.

• Viega SC-Contur in all Megapress connectors. This immediately indicates any inadvertently unpressed connections during the pressure test.

• For universal use. Presses thick-walled steel pipes with nominal connection diameters from ⅜ to 4 inches, regardless whether the pipe is seamless, welded, black, galvanised or epoxy resin coated.

• Thanks to the innovative Pressgun Press Booster, steel pipes of sizes 2½, 3, and 4 inches can also be force-fit connected.

14

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Megapress XL connectors are pressed easily, quickly and safely using a press machine and the Pressgun Press Booster.

4

The connector is pressed in a few seconds using a Viega press machine thus connecting it with the pipe by a force-fit connection.

Viega Megapress press-in branch connector

DIRECT CONNECTION IN JUST TWO MINUTES Steel pipes are the synonym for long service lives and ruggedness. What happens however if an additional connection is intended to be in an existing installation system? What could formerly be implemented with a lot of effort only is now quickly, efficiently, and comfortably, possible with the Viega press-in branch connector.

The Megapress press-in branch connector is a real problem solver when it comes to adding subsequent connections in an existing steel pipe installation. The suitable complete tool set allows drilling holes in steel pipes without elaborate preparatory work and pressing-in the new connection. A commercially available drill and a Viega press machine (except for PICCO) are perfect for using it.

Up to 80% faster The press-in branch connector can save up to 80% of installation time over welding-in of a new connection. The physical strain for the trade professional is reduced, and after two minutes only, the connection between the pipe and the connection is permanently tight thanks to the profile seal ring.

A clean affair Installing a new connection in the steel pipe is not only easy but also clean. A workshop vacuum cleaner can be attached to the drill guide and swarf by drilling can be extracted directly.

Saves costs and space The press-in branch connector is a cost and space-saving solution for subsequent installation of a new connection.

The pipe is spot-drilled only and not entirely disconnected as e.g. When installing a T-piece. This allows using the press-in branch even at locations which are difficult to access.

Fast and safe before, during, and after installation The press-in branch is fast and efficient not only while installing it but also before and after. The positioning aid significantly simplifies proper alignment of the press-in branch connector on the pipe.

The tool set for press-in branch connector includes all parts necessary for subsequent installation of connections in existing pipelines: drill guide, drilling shaft, press machine insert and positioning aid.

This ensures a higher level of safety.

Thanks to cold press technology even water flowing out with a delay for example in the piping system is no problem for installing the connection.

4

1

4. The ideal steel pipe connection for subsequent installation of thermometers, temperature sensors, manometers, drains or pipe connections.

1. Attach a special drill guide on the steel pipe to guide the drill shaft 2

The Press-in branch connector is available for steel pipe sizes 1½, 2, 2½, 3, 4, 5, and 6 inches. It is provided with an Rp ¾-inch internal thread. A reducer to an Rp ½-inch internal thread is additionally available.

2. Drill hole with the drilling machine and drill guide.

3

Waiting times and downtimes of the system are reduced to the minimum.

The Megapress press-in branch connector is not suitable for gas installations.

3. Press the press-in branch connector in the pipe with the press machine insert.

Issue 18

|

September 2019

15

Viega Megapress

QUICK, CLEAN, SAFE AND COMPLETELY WELD-FREE. Black steel pipes formerly meant: welding work. With Viega Megapress, press technology now finds its way into steel pipe installation and delivers a whole range of advantages.

Exclusive to:

www.franklins.co.nz

Fire risk of foam-filled furniture addressed The Government has taken steps to improve New Zealanders’ safety by making furniture safer and reducing the high levels of toxic smoke emitted by furniture in fires.

Manufacturers and retailers must now find ways to make products safer and a Product Safety Policy Statement (PSPS) has been enacted.

“Simply, we need to make this furniture safer because it is in every home in New Zealand,” Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said in July.

“About 80 percent of new and existing household furniture in New Zealand is foam-filled, including lounge suites, some mattresses, and seats. These are highly flammable when ignited and the foam can catch fire at relatively low temperatures, burn quickly and intensely, and emit suffocating poisonous smoke that can spread quickly through a home.

“Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) ran a demonstration for me and I saw first-hand how this foam-filled furniture can play a significant role in domestic fire risk,” Kris Faafoi said.

“The product safety statement we have now enacted is the first step to improving this situation, as currently there is no requirement to inform consumers about the potential fire danger of FFF products or impetus for manufacturers to move to safer foam products. This gives a chance for industry to lead and deliver on this initiative without the need for regulation.

“My hope is that manufacturers start adopting safer foam materials, retailers use better labelling and sell safer furniture products and importers bring in safer products.”

The PSPS is backed by FENZ experience and international research, which identifies FFF products as playing a significant role in the speed and severity of domestic fires. An average three-piece FFF suite has the combustible potential of 10 litres of fuel and is a high risk for harm or death through burns and/or inhalation of toxic gases.

Coroner’s reports show that more people die of smoke inhalation than of burns from the flames. From 2006–2016, the total number of deaths during residential structure fires was 177 and from 2012-2017, there were 1,227 fire related injuries.

“We have already received a strong response from FENZ in support of the improvement to fire safety standards and we will continue to work with them to ensure better safety outcomes for consumers,” Kris Faafoi said.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has consulted with the furniture industry and will be monitoring its uptake of the PSPS over the next two years.

“Retailers and manufacturers have an opportunity to make the lives of consumers safer. If they don’t act, we will consider enacting a regulatory regime at that stage.”

We continuously monitor your building’s fire alarm system and automatically pass the fire alarms directly to the Fire Service and the system faults to your alarm service agents.

This ensures that fire alarms will be acted on as quickly as possible by the Fire Service, but also that your fire alarm systems remain reliable and responsive.

We make fire alarm monitoring simple – let us show you how easy it can be!

Ph: 03 341 0464 • Email: info@afam.co.nz Issue 18

|

September 2019

17

Introducing the Pertronic F220 Pertronic Industries is pleased to introduce the New Zealand version of its flagship product, the Pertronic F220 analogue addressable fire alarm control panel. The F220 has been an enormous success in Australia. The New Zealand version will go into production during the first quarter of 2020.

The F220 is the successor to the Pertronic F120A. Our new panel has been successful in small, medium, and large Australian fire systems. Three years after its introduction, Australian installers and end-users still get excited about the F220’s superior information presentation and processing capabilities. Designed around a powerful, cutting-edge RISC micro-processor and a large colour LCD display, the Pertronic F220 makes light work of tasks that are too hard for even the best of yesterday’s fire alarm panels.

Information and controls right where they’re needed The F220 provides rapid access to exactly the right information and controls. Every fire panel, remote display unit, and remote control unit in the F220 product range has a big, seven-inch, 800 x 480 pixel colour display. Colour-coded default screens clearly show the system status at a glance, even from a distance. There’s no need to go right up close to the panel; There’s no need to drill down through menus. Wide colourcoded bars on the default screens identify the status.

The green bars top and bottom of the F220’s Normal screen show that the system is free of alarms, defects, and isolations. Yellow bars indicate that one or more fire system devices have been isolated. Red bars on the screen mean Alarm.

Events such as alarms, defects, and device isolations are presented in well-organised, logical formats such as the Isolate List and Alarm List screens. And to make it easy to deal with practical situations, each screen provides instant access to relevant control functions. For example, from the list of isolated devices, you can reenable any device with a couple of key-strokes.

Installers often report that the F220’s Defect List screen saves time when testing a new system. This organised list makes it easy to find and fix problems such as detectors not properly plugged in.

The Alarm List presents all the alarms in chronological order. This simplifies the potentiallystressful task of dealing with multiple alarms.

Advanced processing power These capabilities are possible because of the F220’s advanced information-processing power. The panel master-board has a 32-bit advanced RISC machine (ARM) running at 456 megahertz, a Linux operating system, and more than 400 megabytes of total storage.

The F220/Net2 network card has its own 32-bit ARM 18

Issue 18

|

September 2019

A front service Pertronic F220 with zone index for the New Zealand fire system market.

A Selection of Australian F220 Fire Alarm Control Panels

Bear Cottage is a children’s hospice in Sydney. The Pertronic F220 fire alarm control panel at Bear Cottage is typical of the hundreds of F220 systems now protecting occupants of smaller facilities throughout Australia.

A Pertronic F220 fire detection, alarm, and suppression panel at Capricornia Correctional Centre in Queensland, with ten deluge controls.

This weatherproof 28U Pertronic F220 fire panel is one of 79 similar panels installed in Sydney’s M4E motorway tunnels as part of a 97-panel F220/Net2 system. The panel is built directly into a 28U Pertronic IP65 weatherproof equipment cabinet.

processor, with the same resources as the master-board.

In addition, the F220 Keyboard/Display is powered by yet another 32-bit ARM processor, this one running at 64 megahertz. That’s a giant leap forward. Our previous flagship, the F120A, had a four-line x 40-character display, 10 megahertz 16-bit Intel processor, and just 512 kilobytes of total memory.

The F220 has proven economic in projects ranging from small one or two loop systems up to the largest fire system networks. The F220/Net2 network has been tested and approved under Australian fire alarm standards with 130 networked F220 fire alarm control panels. In real life, the largest F220/Net2 network is the 97-node system in Sydney’s twin 5.5 kilometre M4 East motorway tunnels.

Pertronic analogue addressable fire alarm systems protect many of Australia’s high-rise buildings. An

interesting recent example is Sydney’s 26-storey Arc

by Crown Group apartment building. A single F220 in this building monitors more than 800 heat and smoke detectors. Complex cause and effect logic in the F220 controls automatic windows and a roof over a courtyard as part of the building’s smoke management system.

Larger high-rise buildings such as Melbourne’s 76-storey Victoria One apartment building usually have at least two networked F220s: One in the basement or ground floor, and one half-way up. A Pertronic Net2 Network Control Unit gives full system control from a single point.

Low-rise facilities such as prisons and shopping centres often have multiple networked F220s. For example, Queensland’s Capricornia Correctional Centre has a network of twelve Pertronic F220 panels. Most of these F220s are small panels with less than four Issue 18

|

September 2019

19

analogue addressable loop circuits. The entire system was installed under live operational conditions, with fire protection switched from the old panels to the Pertronic system in stages. Capricornia Correctional Centre is now undergoing a major expansion which will include eight additional F220 panels. Adding new panels to an existing F220/Net2 is easily done, because the F220 product range was designed with expandability in mind.

Part of the cause-and-effect logic in the Pertronic F220 at Sydney’s Arc by Crown Group apartment building, as displayed graphically on the IOTrace screen in Pertronic FireUtils.

Programming Pertronic F220 Systems Quick and easy configuration programming has been central to the F220’s success. Our Windows-based fire system programming application, Pertronic FireUtils, makes it easy to programme any F220 system, no matter how big or small. FireUtils provides matrix-like grids for editing fire system objects such as analogue addressable loops, deluge control blocks, fire fan control blocks, and cause and effect logic. With spreadsheet-like drag-and-drop editing tools, and practical, easy-to-read screen layouts, FireUtils keeps everything as simple as possible. For example, if you want to programme a remote network display to display information only about alarms from certain F220 panels, and ignore all other fire system information, you simply tick a few boxes on the network configuration screen.

The ability to quickly update an F220’s configuration has won Pertronic Industries a lot of new customers in Australia. Uploading a new or revised configuration file to a single, stand-alone F220 panel is practically instantaneous. On larger systems, with dozens of panels spread over a large area, FireUtils has become practically indispensable. A network of thirty-four big F220 panels can be updated in less than a minute. FireUtils uploads a complete new configuration for our R&D department’s 130-panel F220/Net2 network, over a single Ethernet connection, in less than five minutes.

At Sydney’s Arc by Crown Group apartment building, windows overlooking an arcade through the middle of the building are controlled by a complex cause-and-effect system in the Pertronic F220 fire panel. If the F220 detects a smoke alarm in specified parts of the building, it will close the windows.

20

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Conclusion The F220 delivers real benefits throughout the product life-cycle. Installers save time during testing and commissioning, because it is so easy to find and correct installation problems, and because changing the system configuration is so quick.

Building managers consistently report that the F220 makes it easy to deal with unwanted smoke alarms. The F220’s well-organised lists and reports save time and money for maintenance and service companies too.

Whether you’re an installer commissioning a new system, or a fire-fighter trying to make sense of multiple alarm signals, the F220 gives just the right balance between the big picture and practical detail. We are proud to be launching the Pertronic F220 at the Fire NZ 2019 conference and trade show.

Issue 18

|

September 2019

21

Large scale fire testing from a product manufacturer’s viewpoint The choice of cladding material on buildings is a critical issue which can be a dominant factor impacting life safety risks to occupants says manufacturer Kingspan Recent events have brought into sharp focus the importance of using the right materials at the start of a build, and the risks of failing to carefully consider the quality and type of materials used.

The changing landscape With performance requirements for building products often spanning multiple areas, testing standards and regulatory requirements, national building codes need to change to emergent technology.

Small scale product testing to evaluate fire performance of single products (or parts of products) is no longer recognised as providing an accurate representation of system performance. The only way to really understand how a cladding system will react in a fire is to conduct larger scale system testing, such as BS8414, AS5113 and NFPA285.

Why large-scale fire testing is crucial Essentially all façade systems have some combustible components, so small scale non-combustibility tests on parts of a system cannot always reliably predict the largescale performance of a system.

Large-scale testing involves a significant area of material subjected to the flames and heat of a substantial fire. This permits a more realistic evaluation of the performance of cladding materials, their fixing and joint systems.

For product manufacturers, façade testing to BS8414 provides market reassurance that external cladding systems can be used with confidence.

The challenge for manufacturers Performance based solutions do require greater industry knowledge of the systems available to help designers achieve their required outcomes. While this can create challenges for manufacturers in terms of product development, a changing marketplace can help to stimulate new and innovative product designs.

22

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Education about products, regulations and finding pathways to compliance is a key component of a market that increasingly needs to work with performance based solutions. Such solutions are building specific and manufacturers need to demonstrate how they can meet performance requirements.

Conclusion It is essential for those in the building and construction industry, to ensure they have an up-to-date understanding of the different materials available for external cladding, including which deliver the best fire safety performance.

Experience tells us that product manufacturers need to embrace a wider view of the construction process, ensuring that market education is seen not just as a function of the compliance bodies.

When it comes to creating a safer built environment, all partners in the building design and construction industry would benefit from: 1. Large scale testing for all types of façade systems to determine the fire spread performance of any façade design.

2. Supporting industry education regarding how performance solutions can meet compliance. It should be appreciated that the building industry does not have the resources to test every single product or system, and that all fire tests never exactly replicate all the details of a building design.

3. Mandatory training of façade installers to help reduce the risk.

4. Commitment to fire safety practices throughout the design and construction process to ensure that the original design is constructed with greater transparency from all parties, including product manufacturers. This may include greater levels of site inspections and project interaction.

5. Identification of products through labelling to assist with on-site tracking, and third party certification or product validation increasing confidence in product proof of performance.

Achieve BS 8414 compliance with Kingspan FIREsafe wall systems. ™

Kingspan is committed to the highest levels of NZBC Fire compliance and life safety. That’s why Kingspan has undertaken a series of independent large-scale façade fire performance testing of its insulated wall panel systems, achieving BS 8414/BR 135 compliance.

Kingspan have a range of façade systems tested to both BS 8414 and AS5113.

Freephone: (0800) 12 12 80 T: +64 (0) 3 260 5530 E: info@kingspanpanels.co.nz kingspanpanels.co.nz

Kingspan is also running an education program and answering questions about BS 8414, AS5113 and other large scale fire testing.

– – – –

What is BS 8414/BR 135?

How is BS 8414 compliance achieved?

Why is large-scale fire testing important?

What is Kingspan’s approach to fire testing?

simPRO’s eForms tool is simplifying form processes Businesses are often built on paper forms, but have they met their match in digital apps? eForms is a standalone tool available from operations management provider, simPRO. It offers users all the advantages of capturing information with traditional paper forms, whilst optimising the experience and preventing the unnecessary duplication of process.

That’s a lot to achieve from a single solution - so how does simPRO do it? By digitising manual entry and automating the transfer of this information.

Field staff can use eForms on their phone or tablet to digitally complete form templates that have been preloaded into their system (by office staff using the Form Designer tool!).

Once completed, they can then digitally submit the information

24

Issue 18

|

September 2019

to an online portal, where office staff can access and download the completed forms.

This means, using just the tablet in their hands, fire professionals can easily capture crucial data, like customer signatures, safety reports, site information and more.

This high-level functionality means big benefits for fire businesses across New Zealand.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways this solution can impact a team.

Instant access minimises time wastage With the eForms mobile app, field staff can access any of the forms that users have set up. This instant and easy access removes two major

pain points common to the paper workflow: u Losing paper forms or grabbing the wrong one when leaving the office. u Needing to return to the office to grab the right form or a new one.

With eForms, the team has instant access to forms as they are needed, minisming job delays and maintaining great customer satisfaction.

Design and customisation options keep your business looking professional The eForms tool also has an eForm Designer, where users can template the forms that field staff use in the mobile app.

Trusted End-to-End Operations Management

Easy Estimating

Reporting Tools

Extinguish inefficiency and turn up the heat in your fire business with simPRO

Effortless Invoicing

simpro.co.nz/fire

Digital entry means improved readability When it comes to completing forms with the eForms app, field staff have the digital keyboard of their tablet or phone at their disposal.

So, not only is manual entry neater and easier to read, it is also quicker!

Collect new types of data with custom forms When templating forms, users can include different formats in which data can be collected. Some of the fields that can be added to forms include:

Multiple Integrations

Visit us at stand #53

or call 0800 100 854 For those working in an industry that requires a specific form structure and specific fields of information, users can easily recreate them in a digital template.

Plus, eForms enhances corporate branding thanks to the option to include logos and supporting images in the design!

If users would like to design a form that specifically addresses the compliance standards of their industry, this is also something they can achieve with the eForm Designer.

Maintenance Management

u Text Field u Signature Field u Drawing Panel u Image Upload This is where eForms really enhances data collection for fire businesses. Field staff can attach important documents to their digital forms, like site photos or drawings that can help other members of a team when working on the same site in the future.

Auto-fill when connected with simPRO facilitates even faster data entry eForms is a standalone solution provided by simPRO. However, those using simPRO’s job management software can actually integrate their build with the eForms tool.

By linking eForms with a simPRO build, field staff in the field can enter a simPRO job number at the top of a form and data already stored against the job in simPRO will be pulled in - auto filling relevant fields in the form.

This eradicates the need for manual entry and saves time for both technician and customer.

Removes the need to return to the office to submit forms and complete a job eForms isn’t only for field staff.

Once a form is completed using the mobile app, they can then submit that form to the eForms Portal.

The portal is for the team members who manage forms as they are completed and lodged by field staff. Office staff can access forms and process them as they normally would in the eForms Portal - whether that be saving them to a certain location, printing them for filing, or assigning them to a job or quote in simPRO. Field staff don’t need to drive all the way back to the office to hand in their forms, and office staff don’t need to wait on techs and their paperwork. This again optimises the data collection and management processes so they are as effective and quick as possible. Interested in knowing more about simPRO’s eForms tool?

If you think eForms could help you improve your field staff’s paper-based workflows, why not get in touch? You can get started at simpro.co.nz/solutions/eforms

Issue 18

|

September 2019

25

Safety Training for all of New Zealand Safety training is vital to the safe and smooth operation of a workplace.

Training 4 Safety, a Northland company, has made this their mission, in their quest to deliver and share safety training in order to educate and empower everyone to always be safe at home, work, and play. Training 4 Safety is a customer focused business with a friendly and professional approach to Safety Training. They provide training throughout all of New Zealand through their Online Training platform and deliver Face-2-Face courses in Northland and Auckland.

Training 4 Safety was launched in 2016 when Mike Lindsay, Founder and Managing Director of Building & Fire Services (2008) Limited, found a need for safety training in the Whangarei and Northland communities, where the company is currently based. He began delivering training through Building & Fire Services, but discovered that side of the business was already wellknown in the Northland community for their Fire Safety and Compliance, and decided it would be more successful to deliver the safety

26

Issue 18

|

September 2019

training through a separate division, which is how Training 4 Safety came to exist!

When it comes to safety training, it’s not just about ticking the health and safety box, and “one size fits all” has no place. It’s so important that people are learning what is truly relevant to them and their industry. Training 4 Safety believes that training should be tailor-made and delivered after deciding what the specific needs are for the people and companies they are working with. Their training focuses on competency-based methods.

Competency-based training ensures the trainee is truly ready to go out into the workplace and confident in the fact they have had practical training by experienced trainers. This learning method allows a student to learn the individual skills they find challenging at their own pace, practicing and refining as much as they like. Competency-based safety training is also effective because it isn’t limited to a written test or answering multiple choice questions.

Learners can perform various tasks and simulations to demonstrate

familiarity with the material, or to help them to recognise what would be expected of them in their real work environment.

This competency-based training method applies to both online and face-to-face training. All courses that Training 4 Safety present faceto-face can be completed online.

The online training system allows staff/students an alternative – but still effective – way of completing a specific course. Training 4 Safety has collaborated with a number of businesses nationwide from a variety of industries, such as early-childhood, elder-care and retirement villages, marine, and machinery/industrial, through their online training platform. The online courses can be specifically developed and branded to each company and rolled out to their staff, so they can keep the training in-house.

Training 4 Safety understands that in some cases, Unit Standards are required to achieve a trade qualification or other tertiary studies.

They have listened to the industry needs, and the resounding opinion is

that there needs to be more options.

So even though their focus is on competency-based training, they have aligned with a professional Private Training Establishment to deliver their courses as Unit Standards, offering the best of both worlds!

Over the past couple of years, Training 4 Safety has grown immensely. They deliver an extensive range of training, varying from fire safety and emergency

management, through to working at heights, confined spaces, hot work and workplace safety awareness, just to name a few, with plans to add more exciting courses! With this growth, the need for a new training space developed. Training 4 Safety is currently in the process of building a brand-new safety training school.

They will have a state-of-the-art training space, where theoretical and practical training can take place. The space will consist of

many different training areas, such as training rooms for theoretical seminars, and an area where the practical classes will take place, such as heights, scaffolding and ladder safety. Additionally, there will be a training simulator, with courses such as Breathing Apparatus, Confined Spaces and Hazardous Atmospheres, and Emergency Warden will be carried out in. It can be used to simulate real-life emergency events, such as a fire, missing person, gas monitoring, or dangerous intruder, and is similar to what fire-fighters use in their own training. These spaces give Training 4 Safety the opportunity to deliver more engaging training methods, with the use of real equipment, scenarios, and environments.

Training 4 Safety’s goals is to create more courses, which would include enhancing delivery methods and setting up training models that could be utilised around other parts of the country, so clients using their Online Training nationwide can experience their innovative Face-2Face courses too!

LOOKING FOR TRAINING? Training 4 Safety can help with all your safety training needs!

Not just ticking the health and safety box.

09 430 0498 TRAINING4SAFETY.CO.NZ

Issue 18

|

September 2019

27

New “Integrated Building Systems - Code of Practice” is under development The Fire Protection Association Council has identified that at present there is no specific New Zealand Standard for integrated building systems, therefore a range of practices are utilised within the market.

Where systems integration is not correctly completed, there is a risk to life safety and also a business liability risk.

For example, a sprinkler system may require that mechanical air handling plant be shut down for effective sprinkler system operation. As has already happened in New Zealand, failure to ensure correct system integration can result in the air handIing system blowing heat away from a fire and operating sprinklers that are not above the fire - so they have little/no effect. Too many sprinklers open and there is not enough water to supply them. The sprinkler system is then overwhelmed and the fire is not controlled. Lives of occupants, neighbours and firefighters are put at risk.

The intent of this Code of Practice is to provide guidance for the design, commissioning and routine testing of integrated fire safety systems. This is to be achieved by ensuring that the active interconnections/ interface between the various systems in a building are tested as a whole, not just independently of each other.

The focus is on life safety systems, however other systems, whether on a compliance schedule or not, may be included.

To develop a robust Code of Practice the FPA is engaging with other organisations and industries. We thank the following organisations and companies for the development of this Code of Practice, in particular the following individuals:

Intergrated Building System management

There are also a number of organisations who we have asked, or they have requested, to review this Code prior to final publication. We are pleased to have the support of: • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment • Fire & Emergency New Zealand • Association of Building Compliance • Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Robert Peart and myself will be hosting a brief presentation and question session at the FireNZ conference on Friday afternoon so you will have an opportunity to see where we are heading.

I am pleased to be facilitating this project and look forward to receiving your help and support.

Nicky Marshall, FPA council member. info@fpanz.org Fire Protection Association Scott Lawson CEO FPA

Association/Industry Person Fire Protection Association Fire Protection Association Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association System Commissioning industry Society of Fire Protection Engineers Territorial Authority Lift Industry Institute of Fire Engineers NZ Security Association Insurance Council NZ Fire & Emergency NZ IRHACE Electrical industry Facilities management industry 28

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Nicky Marshall Scott Lawson Rob Fenton Carl D’Rose Robert Peart Ed Claridge Aaron Taylor Mark Probert- Southam Doug McCormick Stephen Henkin Frank Fan Grant Price Nick Topp Paul Singleton

Company

Protech Design Fire Protection Association Pertronic Industries Pacific Commissioning Fire Consultants Auckland Council Kone Marsh Gallagher Vero FENZ Heatwave Mechanical ECS Precinct

LOW VOC, ONE COAT HIGH BUILD SYSTEM

DECORATIVE INTUMESCENT COATING FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL

SC902

FAST-TRACK

INTUMESCENT COATING • FAST CURE, SHOWERPROOF WITHIN 1 HOUR, CURES BELOW 00C • PATENTED 2-PACK HYBRID TECHNOLOGY • 120 MINUTES FRR IN ONE COAT

IN-SHOP & OFF-SITE

FULL RANGE OF FIRE PROOFING COATINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS - SITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

www.altexfireproofing.co.nz

Modern In-rack Sprinkler Systems With taller storage buildings and greater recognition of high hazard commodities, a new generation of in-rack sprinkler systems has been developed. Reliable’s N-RACK-EC® system substantially reduces the number of in-rack sprinklers required while maintaining low water demand.

Every In-rack Sprinkler System Reliable is the one source for every modern in-rack sprinkler system, including: • N-RACK-EC® Extended Coverage In-rack Sprinkler System using the Reliable Model N252EC Sprinkler.

• ESFR In-rack Sprinkler System using the Reliable Model JL-14, JL-17, HL-22, or N25 Sprinkler.

Let’s Discuss Your Options: nzsales@reliablesprinkler.com www.reliablesprinkler.com

Now in: 2019 NFPA 13 Section 25.8.3 & FM Data Sheet 8-9 Section 2.3.6.8

Issue 18

|

September 2019

29

The GAME CHANGER in Fire Stopping - “Think Inside the Box” Traditional fire stopping methodology is being challenged

by BOSS FyreBox™.

In the past, building consents were issued with a basic fire engineering report with little if any reference to specific fire stopping systems.

Architects did not specify any fire stopping product or systems prior to consent and consequently there was very little for the QS to base budgets on.

Traditionally, each trade tried their hand at doing their own fire stopping or sub-contracting it out to specialist passive fire installers at considerable cost. Compliance was the next hurdle and the cost of re-works and rectifications of noncompliant installations resulted in huge budget blow-outs.

When it is left to passive fire stopping installers to specify the penetration seal, often their go-to option is the most labour-intensive option. This can often be due to the installer being on a charge out rate, or due to quoting per penetration.

By quoting multiple separate penetrations they can get away with charging more. Commonly, the installers may not co-ordinate with other contractors or the project managers resulting in the substrate not being prepared appropriately or the timing of the installations not being sequenced effectively.

With the introduction of new technology in fire mastics, the highpressure expanding mastic (HPE) has paved the way for a multiple service - single point of entry – transit box to be developed.

BOSS FyreBox™ Tested to AS1530.4 (2014) the BOSS FyreBox™ can provide up to FRR -/120/120 and is capable of protecting the full range of 30

Issue 18

|

September 2019

apartment services through a single penetration. When installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications it is compliant and cost effective on a supply and install basis.

The specialist fire installation contractor is often not consulted in this process and the preparation of the building element (and the timing of this activity) leads to un-budgeted costs.

A simple feasibility exercise comparing the supply and install cost of a list of traditional fie stopping for individual services per apartment - verses the cost of supply and install of a BOSS FyreBox™ (including the cost of concrete drilling through slab walls) would illustrate the savings.

The BOSS FyreBox™ is the GAME CHANGER that has the construction industry challenging traditional installation methodology, in pursuit of the substantial cost reductions in the supply and install of tested (AS1530.4 – 2014) NZBC compliant fire penetration systems.

The savings are also evident using the BOSS FyreBox™ later in a project’s life cycle after initial construction is completed for both building owners and managers.

Inspecting grouped services through the BOSS FyreBox™ is a simple task for maintenance inspectors and also provides a far easier solution when any new services need to be added as you won’t need to cut any new penetrations in the fire compartment. (Passive fire installers can often profit heavily in this area by selecting the older traditional method).

Specification is the answer When an architect specifies the use of a cost effective, compliant fire protection product / solution, the consent locks in the specification and control of the cost is awarded to the QS.

Inclusion of subject matter specialists at design phase is the answer. The trick is in the timing of the involvement of Potters Passive Fire. The earlier we are engaged in the concept design phase the more effective our contribution would be in the overall cost saving on fire protection.

Where to find the true cost of passive fire It is obvious that fire protection should not be left out of the design phase of the project. Project managers and quantity surveyors are concerned with getting the job done right the first time, on time & within budget. The fire stopping installer may prioritise the most profitable solution for themselves

over the most cost effective option for the builder and/or end user.

Herein lies the conflict – cost of re-works and rectifications of non-compliant installations will be determined when the building consent authorities do their inspections. By then it is too late to do anything about budget blowouts.

By involving the supplier early in the project design phase, the true cost of fire stopping can be more accurately determined, and also have a positive long lasting effect on the building owners – so all we need to do is TALK to each other.

For more in formation pease call: 0800 50 2677 or visit: www.potters.co.nz/productcollection/bossfire-fyrebox/

Fire protection training and apprenticeships » A combination of practical and theory to develop both knowledge and skills

» Interactive learning available online 24/7

» Updated qualifications (2017) to reflect changes in your industry

» Covers critical health and safety aspects of your work

» Competenz training advisor visits to support learners through their training » Nationally recognised qualifications registered with NZQA.

Talk to our team today | 0800 526 1800 | competenz.org.nz Issue 18

|

September 2019

31

Banned firefighting foam cleared from New Zealand airports Banned firefighting foam stored at three New Zealand airports no longer poses a threat after being safely collected.

Banned firefighting foam has received a great deal of media coverage recently after the discovery of contaminated soil and water at two New Zealand Defence Force bases, and a subsequent investigation finding stores of the foam at several sites.

Task Protection Services (TPS) contracted chemical collection experts 3R Group, which runs the ChemCollect service, to oversee the decanting and decontamination of four appliances from the Palmerston North, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay airports. 3R was also responsible for ensuring the safe disposal of the material.

Fit for purpose According to ChemCollect manager Jason Richards, the process entailed moving the TPS appliances from their base airports to a fit-for-purpose site in Hawke’s Bay as this posed the lowest risk. The enclosed site allowed a fully-controlled work area and also featured bunding mats made specifically for the job.

Appliance availability was a key factor so the appliances were worked on one at a time to avoid having them all out of action at once. Each appliance was also kept out of service until the testing was completed and the green light given to put that appliance back into service.

Decontamination of the appliances involved them being scrubbed, back flushed and steam 32

Issue 18

|

September 2019

The decanting and decontamination was carried out at a fit-for-purpose site in Hawke’s Bay.

cleaned, Jason says. “It’s critical the decanted material and rinsate is captured effectively to ensure successful decontamination.”

Due to the hazardous nature of the substances, these will be sent offshore for high-heat incineration.

“This is best practice for properly disposing of these sorts of contaminated materials.”

Jason says it was a collaborative effort with the removal and decontamination carried out by TPS personnel under supervision of ChemCollect staff. “The decontaminated appliances were refilled with water and samples taken for testing by AsureQuality, with pleasing results.”

“We worked closely with TPS to ensure the whole process ran smoothly,” says Jason, with TPS Managing Director Trevor Reade confirming they were very happy with the result. “This has been a great working relationship.”

Government clampdown In 2006 New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) banned the importation and manufacture of any firefighting foam which contains perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). This was due to their bio accumulative nature and because they are persistent within the environment and in the human body.

Task Protection Services personnel carried out the removal and decontamination under supervision of ChemCollect staff. Photos: 3R Group Ltd

In 2011 all products containing PFOS were completely banned and strict controls put in place to manage their storage and disposal.

In 2017 an all-of-Government investigation was carried out following the discovery of soil and water contaminated by PFOS and PFOA at the New Zealand Defence Force’s Ohakea and Woodbourne air bases.

An EPA investigation found the foam at a number of sites across New Zealand, with those in possession of it having since worked to remove it and decontaminate any affected plant. According to Associate Professor Deborah Read, Environmental Health Indicators Programme, Massey University, no public health risk from the foam was found by the EPA investigation.

This is because the equipment which held the foam had been labelled and securely stored. “It is, however, important that this banned substance is safely removed and disposed of to prevent any

future exposure of people or the environment,” she says.

Chemical experience 3R Group has extensive experience in chemical removal around New Zealand. This includes The Great DDT Muster – a programme with funding support through the Waste Minimisation Fund administered by the Ministry for the Environment.

The Muster aimed at ridding New Zealand of banned pesticides containing persistent organic pollutants.

The company’s ChemCollect services operate nationwide, safely collecting and disposing of unwanted, expired or banned chemicals, including unknown liquids and powders, from a range of industries.

For further information please contact: Jason Richards ChemCollect Manager 0508 243 642

The decontaminated appliances were refilled with water and samples taken for testing by AsureQuality..

Issue 18

|

September 2019

33

2019 www.firenz.org

THE FUTURE OF FIRE PROTECTION 4 TH - 6 TH SEPTEMBER 2019 • VODAFONE EVENTS CENTRE, AUCKLAND

NEW ZEALAND

34

Issue 18

|

September 2019

THE EXHIBITION

2019

floor plan TO CONFERENCE

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

REGO fpa 38

VENUE ENTRY/EXIT 40

47

48

49

50

51

14

41

46

55

54

53

52

15

CAFE AREA

37

16 17

36 42

45

56

57

58

59

43

44

63

62

61

60

18

35 34

19

33 32

31

30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

22

21

20

exhibitors  Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers

 Fire Safety Equipment Ltd

 PSL Fire and Safety

 Allproof

 FireMate Software

 Reliable Sprinkler (Australia) Pty Ltd

 Altex Coatings Ltd

 Forman Building Systems Ltd

 Ryan Fire

 Ampac NZ Limited

 Franklins

 Safeworld Limited

 APC Techsafe

 Hilti NZ Limited

 SFPE

 Argus Fire Protection

 Hydroflow Distributors

 Sika (NZ) Ltd

 Autotransform

 IFE NZ

 SIMPRO

 Beele Australasia Ltd

 iPASSIVE

 SL7 Innovations Ltd

 Bensan Servicing Ltd

 Johnson Controls

 Smoke Control (NZ) Ltd

 Bondor NZ

 Kingspan Limited

 Snap Fire Systems Pty Ltd

 BRANZ

 Kiwi Pipe and Fittings Ltd

 Tank Vision

 Building & Fire Services (2008) Ltd

 Konnect Fastening Systems Ltd

 Tasman Tanks N2 Ltd

 Clarinspect

 Luke Alexander Australasia

 Tech Coatings

 Colt Products & Systems

 Maskell Productions Ltd

 Victaulic Australia Pty Ltd

 Conduit Connection

 Metalcraft (beside PSL)

 Viking Sales and Services Ltd

 DSPA (Preformed Line Products)

 Pertronic Industries Ltd

 Winstone Wallboards Ltd

 Fire Protection Technologies

 Potter Interior Systems

 Zone Architectural Products

The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

7

www.firenz.org Issue 18

|

September 2019

35

PROGRAMME day one Wednesday 4th September Registration & Trade Show opens

7.00am

Opening by MC

8.45am

Mr Brett de Hoedt

Opening address by FPA, IFE, SFPE Presidents

9.00am - 9.15am

Mr Chris Mak, Mr Ed Claridge, Mr Michael James

Keynote Speaker Mr David Paulison

9.15am - 10.15am

FEMA: Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned at a Federal Level

MORNING TEA

10.15am - 11.00am Trade Show

Keynote Speaker Dr John Allum

11.00am - 11:30am

Keynote Speaker Mr Abhishek Chhabra

11.30am - 12.15pm Systematic Approach to achieving fire safety of cladding for buildings

LUNCH

12.15pm - 1.15pm

Trade Show

Mr Mark Ballard & Mr Phil Lacey

1.15pm - 1.45pm

Implications of PFAS Contamination from Firefighting Foams in Fire Infrastructure

Keynote Speaker Dr Marianne Foley

1.45pm - 2.15pm

Three decades of performance based design

Mr Nick Linton

2.15pm - 2.45pm

Disability Confident

Mr John Smalls

2.45pm - 3.15pm

Engage your Fire Risk Management Officer at the design stage for better fire safety and save money.

AFTERNOON TEA

3.15pm - 3.45pm

Trade Show

Mr Paul Clements

3.45pm - 4.15pm

Fire Prevention Through Oxygen Reduction

Mr George Hare

4.15pm - 4.45pm

Boundary wall fire resistance requirements in single-storey industrial and warehouse buildings.

Ms Saskia Holditch

4.45pm - 5.15pm

MBIE Update

Conference Close / Recap / Day 2 Agenda

5:15pm 5:25pm

Mr Brett de Hoedt

DRINKS AND CANAPES

5.25pm - 6.30pm Trade Show

Close of Day One

6.30pm

Li-ion batteries and dangerous chemical cargoes - fires explosions and investigations

2019 The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

8

www.firenz.org 36

Issue 18

|

September 2019

PROGRAMME day two Thursday 5th September Registration & Trade Show opens

7.00am - 8.00am

Opening by MC

8.00am

Mr Brett de Hoedt

Mr Christian van der Pump

8.15am - 8:45am

Microeconomic examination of fire saftey engineering

Mr Kevin Frank

8.45am - 9:15am

Building facade combustible materials - where do we go from here?

Mr Ulf Johansson

9.15am - 10:15am

Increased risks of smoke spread in buildings from modern airtight facades

MORNING TEA

10.15am - 11.00am

Trade Show

Keynote Speaker Dr John Allum

11.00am - 11:30am

The Tianjin explosion

Keynote Speaker Mr Matt Bright

11.30am - 11.55am

The Human Element – the missing link of fire protection?

Mr Ovidi Lasheras

11.55am - 12.15pm

Water Mist for Light and some Ordinary Hazards

LUNCH

12.15pm - 1.15pm

Trade Show

Keynote Speaker Mr Sean DeCrane

1.15pm - 1.45pm

What innovative solutions does the fire protection industry need to develop to keep pace with modern fire safety risks?

Mr Stuart Harris

1.45pm - 2.15pm

Seismic Testing of Passive Fire Systems

Mr Devin Glennie

2.15pm - 2.45pm

Evolution of fire modelling analysis and the impact on design

Dr Alex Zhu

2.45pm - 3.15pm

Future of project management for fire engineering - inspired by PMBOKÂŽ Guide

AFTERNOON TEA

3.15pm - 3.45pm

Trade Show

Miss Jac Field

3.45pm - 4.15pm

Preparing the next generation of fire professionals

Mr Drew Martin

4.15pm - 4.30pm

Considering wind in a naturally ventilated smoke control system

Mr Raymond Qiu

4.30pm - 4.45pm

What went wrong? Learnings from the analysis of recent fire incidents

Miss Mirae Kim

4.45pm - 5.00pm

Fire safety design for existing hospital buildings - a hospital pass?

Miss Angela Fearnley

5.00pm - 5.15pm

WTF? (What the Fire-fighting shaft???)

Conference Close / Recap

5.15pm - 5.30pm

Mr Brett de Hoedt

DRINKS AND CANAPES

5.30pm - 6.30pm

Trade Show

GALA DINNER

6:30pm - 10.30pm

Close of Day Two

2019 The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

9

www.firenz.org Issue 18

|

September 2019

37

PROGRAMME day three Friday 6th September Registration & Trade Show opens

7.30am - 8.25am

Opening by MC

8.25am

Mr Brett de Hoedt

Kingspan Insulated Panels

8.30am - 8.45am

Mr Paul Metcalfe, Dr Mark G Tatam - A generation in façade materials for fire protection

Clarinspect Limited

8.45am - 9.00am

Mr Mark English - Clarinspect - PF Install logging and reporting

Bondor NZ

9.00am - 9.15am

Mr Steve Huxham - Non Combustible Facades

Winstone Wallboards

9.15am - 9.30am

Mr Hamish Ewan, Mr Hans Gerlich, Mr Frank Kang - GIB Weatherline®

Keynote Speaker Dr Marianne Foley

9.30am - 10.00am

Professionalising Fire Safety Engineering

MORNING TEA

10.00am - 10.45am

Trade Show

All Keynote Speakers & Brett de Hoedt

10.45am - 12.00pm

Discussion and Questions run by MC - Brett de Hoedt

Formal conference closing address

12.00pm - 12:15pm

Mr Chris Mak, Mr Ed Claridge, Mr Michael James, Mr Brett de Hoedt

LUNCH

12.15pm - 1.15pm

Trade Show

Tradeshow Closes

1.15pm

SFPE Workshop: Room 1

1.15pm - 2.15pm

Construction monitoring of the fire safety components of buildings

FPA Workshop: Room 2

1.15pm - 1.45pm

NZ4541 - Update and Discussion

FPA Workshop: Room 2

1.45pm - 2.15pm

Building Interface Code of Practice

IFE Workshop: Room 3

1.15pm - 2.15pm

Strategic Planning for Recovery - Lessons learned from today’s emergencies to better manage future emergencies.

AFTERNOON TEA

2.15pm - 2.45pm

Trade Show

SFPE Workshop: Room 1

2.45pm - 3.45pm

Human Behaviour and egres in fire conditions

FPA Workshop: Room 2

2.45pm - 3.45pm

Passive Coatings CoP Update

IFE Workshop: Room 3

2.45pm - 3.45pm

Strategic Planning for Recovery - Lessons learned from today’s emergencies to better manage future emergencies - continued.

Conference Closes

4.00pm

2019 The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

10

www.firenz.org 38

Issue 18

|

September 2019

WORKSHOPS

2019

FPA|IFE|SFPE WORKSHOPS Friday 6th September 1.15pm – 3.45pm

Strategic Planning for Recovery – Lessons learned from today’s emergencies to better manage future emergencies The National Disaster Resilience Strategy was released in April 2019. This builds on the requirements of the amendments to the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 that came into force in December 2016. Members (Councils) of CDEM Groups now have to strategically plan for recovery. This workshop uses international speakers and their experiences to examine the lessons they have learned and how they might be able to build more resilient communities and organisations to prepare for and navigate future emergencies.

Mr Bruce Varner

IFE Incoming International President Professional Fire Service experience through all ranks to the position of Fire Chief, experience as a Program Manager, Instructor, Lecturer, member, and Chair of fire service standards committees. Named Fire Chief Magazine “Career Fire Chief of Year” – 2001.

Received Chief Fire Officer Accreditation 2003. Retired from Santa Rosa Fire Department December 30, 2010. Previously served as an advisor to UCLA PHASER Team (a DHS S&T project) and continued involvement in the NFPA committee process. In December 2011, received Blue Card Incident Commander and Instructor certification. In 2014 appointed to and participated in the National Academies of Science Panel on Review of the Engineering Laboratory at the NIST. FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) Master Instructor “Traffic Incident Management” Train the Trainer Program. Elected to IFE International Board Member in 2017 and is the incoming International President.

The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

11

www.firenz.org Issue 18

|

September 2019

39

WORKSHOPS

2019

Workshop 1 - SFPE Construction monitoring guidance SFPE NZ Chapter has recently released draft guidance for comment on successful construction monitoring of fire safety systems and fire safe construction. This workshop will cover what needs to be monitored, how much needs to be monitored and who is best qualified to carry it out. The workshop will be seeking feedback on the draft guidance from the participants.

Presenter

Greg North - Senior Associate Fire Engineer at Beca in Dunedin

Workshop 2 - Theory of Affordances - Analysing building design from the perspective of evacuees Building designs do not always accommodate the needs of the users. An example is an emergency exit that is hard to discover, easily misunderstood or hard to use. This type of exit will not be used for evacuation, but is there a way to discover these types of design mistakes during the design process? One tool that designers can use to identify design mistakes is the Theory of Affordances.

The theory can be used to analyse exit or building designs with the goal to find well-working solutions. In the seminar, the Theory of Affordances will be explained and exemplified. Attendees will then use the theory to analyse selected exit designs and the result of these analyses will be discussed.

This is an interactive workshop which will trigger participants thinking about exit and building designs.

Presenter

Dr Daniel Nilsson, Professor at Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at Canterbury University New Zealand

Workshop 1 - NZ4541 Update and Discussion NEW ZEALAND

Presenter

Chris Mak - Manager at Aon Fire Protection

- Building Interface Code of Practice Presenters

Mrs Nicky Marshall - Southern Regional Manager at Protech Design Mr Robert Peart - Director at Fire Consultants

Workshop 2 - Passive Coatings CoP Update Presenter TBA

The forum of Fire Protection, Fire Safety and Fire Engineering Professionals

12

www.firenz.org 40

Issue 18

|

September 2019

fired up excellence and

innovation

by

Fire Brigade Alarm (FBA) with Signal Generating Device (SGD) Type X for mains pressures below 800 Kpa Ref. 730-230

Superior features include…

• Robust Stainless Steel, powder-coated cabinet • Digital displays indicating Standing Pressure, Defect, Fire & Pump Start Pressures • Temperature Compensated Pressure Transducer ensures; no wandering pressure settings or temperature induced fluctuations

Type Y for mains pressures above 800 Kpa Ref. 730-231

Indication outputs cover the following…

• external defect

• rise in pressure

• pump run alarm

• flow switch

• pump start output

• anti-interference

• fire defect

• auxiliary relay output

• drop in pressure

• strobe light output

Standalone Signal Generating Device (SGD)

Ref. 730-320

• One model covers the options • Ideal for service van spares • Will suit 2 & 4 wire installations • Test and Isolate switches included • Field Selectable software options • Interfaces with most fire alarm panels including Pertronic, Ampac, Notifier, Brooks, Bensan, Edwards, Siemens.

ViTECH products are designed and produced in New Zealand.

Loktronic Limited Unit 7 19 Edwin Street Mt Eden Auckland P O Box 8329 Symonds Street Auckland 1150 New Zealand Ph 64 9 623 3919 Fax 64 9 623 3881 0800 FOR LOK mail@loktronic.co.nz www.loktronic.co.nz

21628/1/18

• Field Selectable Standard & Multidrop modes

Passive Fire Solution for Retrofitted Projects: Upgrading In-situ Plasterboard to Code How Tech Coatings is providing better outcomes for the passive coatings market.

Shane Wyatt and the Tech Coatings team launched their first intumescent coating into New Zealand less than a year ago. They’re now aspiring to create revolutionary change in the passive fire market.

With the growth of building refurbishment, passive fire protection can throw up a number of challenges when dealing with existing lining and structure. One problem area is the treatment of lift shafts, riser shafts and stairwells, typically lined with 13mm plasterboard.

Now there is an NZ-tested coating to apply to insitu plasterboard to bring it up to passive fire code.

Perfect for lift shafts, riser shafts and stairwells, FBL-100 enables buildings to meet passive fire code without time consuming and expensive removal of existing plasterboard.

for interior passive fire protection. FBL-100 is a hard, durable, abrasion resistant coating that produces a smooth, white architectural finish that can then be top coated with any compatible waterborne enamel.

Plasterboard ceiling

Emergency stairwell

Initial research undertaken by the company unearthed a problem in the market. A significant number of buildings throughout NZ contain 13mm standard plasterboard (secured using the standard fixing system) as part of a fire resistance rated mid-floor and/or wall system. Under the current New Zealand Building Code (NZBC) these systems are inadequate for passive fire protection so an upgrade is required. Existing solutions involve either: i) installing an additional layer of plasterboard, or ii) replacing all the existing plasterboard with a fire rated system.

Both solutions are labour intensive, costly and time consuming for building owners.

The Tech Coatings product, FBL-100 is a tested solution suitable for both existing and new buildings.

The halogen free, low VOC, acrylic co-polymer latex thin film intumescent coating is especially designed

42

Issue 18

|

September 2019

FBL-100 is perfect for refurbishing and upgrading of passive fire protection in existing or new building stock.

FBL-100 provides a 60/60/60 FRR over an existing 13mm standard plasterboard lined, timber framed wall exposed to either: l Fire from either or both sides (two-way FRR) l Fire from the coated side (one-way FRR), or l 13mm standard plasterboard lined, timber midfloor/ ceiling system exposed to fire from below FBL-100 is quick drying and easy to apply, making it time efficient and less disruptive compared to current remediation options. Sections, floors or areas can be closed off as the application takes place - ideal for high use areas such as stairwells and elevator shafts, or areas where it is difficult or impossible to remove and replace the plasterboard such as riser shafts.

Adding another layer of plasterboard or removing the existing passive fire system is no longer required.

FBL-100 can be applied directly to the top of the existing system to meet the requirements of the NZBC.

Testing and Assessment Although FBL-100 is tested in the US (through Underwriters Laboratories - UL), Tech Coatings needed to ensure the testing data they presented would be specific for use in NZ as per the current NZBC. For Tech Coatings it was never a question of ‘if’ they would test on local products, only ‘when’ and the task

Full scale wall test with service penetrations (PFITS)

of testing ‘down under’ was a significant undertaking.

Initially testing was conducted at CSIRO in Australia.

Shane and the team worked closely with the laboratory technicians, ensuring the product was rigorously tested using multiple set-ups and substrates.

After completing all the initial test phases in Australia and achieving some great results, Tech Coatings released FBL-100 into the NZ market. They’ve continued testing to see how FBL-100 can assist with fire protection on various other substrates and configurations.

In early 2019, Andy Bain opened NZ’s newest and most technologically advanced fire laboratory - Passive Fire Inspection & Testing Services (PFITS). Tech Coatings was invited to be part of the PFITS initial testing and certification process. This enabled Tech Coatings to bring their testing back to NZ. It was also an opportunity to support a local testing facility that shares the same values.

With testing facilities close to home and PFITS’ eagerness to test their new facilities, Tech Coatings has continued to test, including several different penetration tests, from timber (image lower left) to a full-scale wall simulation (image left). FBL-100 has continued to exceed all testing expectations.

With a primary focus on reform and regulation in the industry, Tech Coatings joined the Fire Protection Association of New Zealand (FPANZ). FPANZ, interested in establishing a Coatings Working Group, invited Shane to set up the group with the initial goal of establishing a ‘technical guidance document’ for the industry.

This document is a work in progress but will provide a guideline for the specification and application of Intumescent Coating Systems (ICS) on structural steel.

This document supports the progressive work FPANZ is involved in, particularly around the passive fire protection issues that exist in the industry.

Tech Coatings NZ has a clear vision on who they are and what they want to achieve. Expect to hear more on them as they make inroads into the passive fire market, as campaigners for change, and as they look to launch new products.

Company Background

Established in 2017, Tech Coatings offers passive fire protective coatings, tested in Australasia on locally sourced materials. The company’s mission - to provide high quality reliable products, accompanied by an extensive quality assurance system, making it easier to specify, and ensuring ease of compliance.

For more information, visit the Tech Coatings website www.techcoatings.co.nz or find them on EBOSS. Timber penetration test (PFITS)

Issue 18

|

September 2019

43

New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society

44

Issue 18

|

September 2019

When Isaia Piho joined the New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society (NZFFWS), it was because he cared for people and wanted to support others in their time of need.

“The reason I joined is because it was about people and I want to help people. It was such an easy choice back then to join the Society,” he says.

But what he didn’t realise was that he would be the one needing the support.

When Piho, a firefighter from Dunedin, was diagnosed with early stages of stomach cancer, it was decided that he would need to have his entire stomach removed. There was not the capacity in the Dunedin health system for the operation, so he was sent to Auckland Hospital for the surgery.

Away from the support of family and friends (“as my family live in Dunedin, they couldn’t be with me the whole time”) he started to descend into melancholy.

“I remember I was lying in bed in hospital in Auckland, post-surgery, realising I couldn’t do things for myself. I was starting to go into a bit of a low. I had a real sense of helplessness.”

But one morning, he woke to find a representative of NZFFWS by his bedside. This would prove to be a turning point in Piho’s recovery.

“Darryl Johnson [from NZFFWS ] was there by my bed. He had brought a basket of goodies, which

is always well received! We had a chat for a wee bit and through the conversation I started to feel connected again to the firefighters.

“I had wanted to keep things private, hadn’t reached out to many people, but he was there. My family couldn’t be there with me the whole time, because they were in Dunedin, but the welfare society were [able to support me].”

Piho’s story is a moving illustration of the sort of good work the NZFFWS has been undertaking for their membership for over 30 years.

Set up in the mid-1980s to benefit everyone working in the NZ fire services (both professional and volunteer firefighters) the society offers members a wide range of services, including health care, and promotion of general wellbeing.

New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society was established at a time when there was very little in the way of support for firefighters who may be dealing with physical, emotional or financial hardship.

Chairman Keith Nixon (who was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work with NZFFWS last year) recalls that firefighters were: “pretty much left to fend for ourselves”.

But that “take care of yourself and your mates” system wasn’t working – and it became evident that firefighters needed some form of formal support network.

Isaia Piho a firefighter from Dunedin, diagnosed with stomach cancer

“I remember attending many union meetings in which people discussed the various issues they were having. It became very clear that we needed a society of firefighters, for firefighters, who could help people when they needed help,” he says.

Nixon says that there had been ongoing discussions over the years between firefighters and those in the rail and postal services, around the welfare societies they had in place. The national New Zealand Fire Service was only established in 1975, so it was relatively new when these discussions were taking place.

It was obvious that New Zealand’s firefighters would benefit greatly from a similar society to that of the rail and postal services.

So, in the early 1980s members of the then Central Regions Fire Brigades Union put a remit to the union conference to look at setting up a welfare fund for its members.

And at this conference, a committee was g to do just that.

After many meetings, a committee was charged with setting up a welfare fund under the then employment act and the union rules. The early membership fees were just 20c a week (a figure matched by the union).

But there were problems. At the time, there were three unions in the country, and this meant that members of the Central Regions Fire Brigades Union welfare fund who shifted around the country could not remain a member. There was also great demand for such a society from other parts of the country. The Board of the Central Regions Fire Brigades Union decided to look at ways to facilitate NZ-wide membership.

After legal advice, it was decided to form a Welfare Society under the Friendly Societies Act, which Issue 18

|

September 2019

45

would allow any member of the Fire Service to join the Society. The New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society was registered on September 1987.

While the social, cultural and political landscape has changed almost beyond recognition since those early days, the NZFFWS has remained a constant in the lives of New Zealand firefighters.

Stephen Clarke from NZFFWS says there is a multi-tiered support system in place for all members of the society, and there are a huge range of benefits.

“We can provide money for everything from glasses and hearing aids, to counselling, medical related travel, and baby hampers. We also offer a funeral grant of $3000 to help cover costs for those who have lost someone.”

A network of volunteers act as the “eyes and ears” of the society.

It’s these people who make sure that members get help when they need it. They work in congestion with our office team and regional reps to deliver the best support possible.

“This could be anything from hospital visits, to picking up people from the airport to take them to appointments when they are out of town. People may have to visit a sick family member out of town, and we can help accommodation costs.

There are so many things that we can help with.”

Members of the NZFFWS are also entitled to discounts from a raft of suppliers, including the likes of Noel Leeming and Dulux, plus there are seven family homes in key holiday locations around the country that can be used by members for just $90 a night.

The Healthcare 99 mutual fund is another component of the membership system. Available to all members, Healthcare 99 offers four plans at highly competitive rates (Plan A provides coverage in and out of hospital; Plan A1 offers 75% of Plan A coverage; Plan B provides coverage only in hospital; and Plan B1 offers 75% of Plan B coverage).

Since its launch in 1999, Healthcare 99 has paid out over $17,000,000 in medical welfare assistance to the members and their families. It is not an insurance policy, rather it is a mutual fund that is owned by the members.

46

Issue 18

|

September 2019

Keith Nixon Chairman New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society

The society has 3000 members, most of them paid firefighters. But volunteer firefighters are also eligible for membership, although there is limited awareness about NZFFWS amongst the brigades.

Jenna Collings is a Taurangabased firefighter who represents the society in that region. She says that because the training for volunteer firefighters is brief and intense, there often isn’t the time to talk them through the benefits of NZFFWS membership.

“Volunteers are eligible for full membership, but as they have minimal time with training, and we are restricted due to our staffing capacity, many do not know about this.”

She says that the volunteer component of the fire service is viewed no differently from the career firefighters when it comes to NZFFWS membership.

“They are just the same as a paid officer in our eyes,” says Collings. “If you are a society member, you get the same benefits. We are just one.

Care about everyone, all firefighters, the same.”

Campbell Wheeler, a senior firefighter with the Alexander brigade, reiterates Collings message.

“Volunteers are the majority [when it comes to firefighters in New Zealand] and yet the minority in NZFFWS . I really encourage all volunteers to seek info on the

society: we are just as important as career guys. NZ Firefighters Welfare Society is like an insurance policy if you get in trouble.”

Collings continues by saying that NZFFWS has the capacity to help far more New Zealand firefighters and their families. It’s just a matter of people joining up and asking for help when it is needed.

“It’s hard for us to know little Jimmy down the road is sick, if no one has told us,” she says.

Collings believes that the main benefit of the society is the huge peace of mind you have knowing that you are helping other firefighters.

And then there’s the knowledge that they will be there when times are dramatic or hard in your own life.

“We will be there for the birth of a child; if you are sick, we will look after you: if you break a leg and can’t mow your lawns, we will be there as well.”

Nixon agrees with Collings. “The importance of the society lies in the way in which firefighters are able to look out for other firefighters.”

While Nixon believes that the fire service has improved “100 per cent” since the day of NZFFWS ’ inception in the 1980s, he’s convinced that it is still a vital resource for all of New Zealand’s firefighters.

“When things go wrong, which they can, it’s great for people to know that they have the support of the society.”

Flame Detection Linear Heat Detection • Fiber Optic • Micro Chip Addressable • Protectowire c/w in built catenary wire

Video Imaging Detection Thermal Imaging Detection VESDA Aspirating Smoke Detector (09) 415 5488 Unit 13b, Airborne Road, Albany North Shore, 0632, New Zealand

www.fire-protection.net.nz Auckland - Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane - Perth - Singapore

The Pertronic F220 Puts You in Control Whether you’re commissioning a fire system, tracing an unwanted alarm, or fighting a fire, the Pertronic F220 helps get the job done.

There’s no mistaking the status of an F220 system.

Colour-coded screens clearly identify the system status: Red for alarm, Yellow for isolates, Green for normal. Even from a distance, the colour-coded status information is clearly visible on the big, seven-inch display.

Gorsfield Hospital Fire System Tuesday 13 July 2019 10:43:15 Central Services & Admin Report issues to Security, ext. 222-444

Pre-Alarms: Defects: Isolated:

1 1 15

Press OK to view details Press RESET to reset all latched alarms

Gorsfield Hospital Fire System Isolated Events Event Item L05D043 1 L05D044 2 L05D045 3 L05D046 4 L05D047 5 L05D048 6 L05D049 7 L05D050 8

F220 Off-Normal Screen in pre-alarm mode Gorsfield Hospital Fire System

Locationt Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West Level 8 West

Tuesday 13 July 2019 10:47

Common Room 1 Common Room 2 Corridor A1 Corridor A2 Room 801 Room 802 Room 803 Equipment Store

State Defect Defect Smoke Alarm Smoke Alarm Smoke Alarm Normal Normal Normal Normal

Isolated Event: 2 of 15 Item: OPT at West Common Room 2 (L05D044) Time: 10:00:53, 13 July 2019 Zone: 1481 Level 8 West Medical Ward Total Isolated Events: 15 Page Down

Last Page

Tuesday 13 July 2019 10:45

First Alarm at 10:34:05 13/03/2019

1/4

Zone: 1451 D-Block Lvl 5 West Type: Smoke at L04D041(Optical) Location: Level 5 West Nurse's Station 2/4 2/4

Zone: 1451 D-Block Lvl 5 West Type: Smoke at L04D045(Acclimate) Location: Level 5 West Corridor A1

Total Zones in alarm To view alarms list, press ALARMS button

<

2nd Alarm at 10:37:45 13/03/2019 <

F220 Isolates List Screen

1

F220 Alarm Screen

Inside the F220, a powerful ARM microprocessor organises complex data into logical, easy to understand formats. Information screens on the F220 display include handy user prompts that make it easy to access fire system information, even in high-pressure situations.

With the Pertronic F220 analogue addressable fire panel, when the heat is on you’re in control.

Contact us to find out more about the F220 PERTRONIC INDUSTRIES LIMITED

Wellington

Auckland

17 Eastern Hutt Road Wingate, Lower Hutt 5019 Phone: +64 4 567 3229

359 Onehunga Mall Onehunga, Auckland 1061 Phone: +64 9 633 0226

www.pertronic.co.nz | sales@pertronic.co.nz