Faulty heat lamps behind recent fires
WorkSafe is putting out a safety alert after a design fault with several brands of combination heat/light/fan units has been identified as a fire hazard
An example of a plastic lamp holder. Continue →
Browsing: Fire Protection
Stop electrical fires and stay ahead of regulations with new AFDD tech
With the rise of remote working, many Kiwis are using more electricity-dependent devices at home, often plugged into unattended multi-plugs, which can place a greater burden on switchboards and increase the risk of electrical fires
There are approximately 5,000 building fires in New Zealand every year, with about 1,000 being electricity-oriented. Continue →
Health and safety failures lead to severe burns
Affco New Zealand Limited were fined $230,000 and ordered to pay $65,000 for failing to keep a worker safe at its Moerewa plant
Failures at a meat processing plant led to a worker suffering severe burns to almost his entire body, says WorkSafe. Continue →
Fire safety under lockdown in New Zealand
This is what work should be undertaken during the COVID-19 level four restrictions according to a Position Statement issued by the Fire Protection Association New Zealand with consultation with the Ministry of Business and Employment
The extraordinary COVID-19 restrictions currently in place are all aimed at preventing the loss of lives through the reduction of person-toperson disease transmission (either directly or via contaminated surfaces). Continue →
Fire safety must be maintained during lockdown
Fire equipment maintenance is an essential service that must continue regardless of the pandemic, Wormald Australia CEO Andrew Lee is reminding business and property managers
While the nation is in lock down to minimise the spread of COVID-19, there is still the need to maintain essential services. Continue →
How Fusesaver is reducing the risk of electrical fires
As the world’s fastest medium voltage circuit-breaker, Fusesaver can react in 10 milliseconds to prevent sparks from faulty power lines or traditional pole fuses, particularly ideal for countries and communities with high bushfire or wildfire risk
The Yatala factory is home to the innovative Siemens Fusesaver, a product that is helping eliminate up to 80 percent of sustained electricity outages on rural networks in over 30 countries. Continue →
Gasfitter sentenced after faulty installation causes house fire
A Tauranga gasfitter has been sentenced to four months’ community detention after a gas fireplace he installed incorrectly caught fire causing significant damage to the house
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Patrick Joseph Dykes appeared at the Tauranga District Court after Dykes’ company was hired to install a gas fireplace at a home in Tauranga. Continue →
New device raises the bar in electrical safety and fire protection
Power management company Eaton has released a new arc fault detection device that provides critical all-in-one protection against electrical fires in homes and buildings
With built-in arc fault detection, earth leakage current protection (RCD), short circuit and overcurrent protection (MCB) technology in one compact device, the AFDD+ can be easily installed on switchboards for new-builds or retrofitted in residential applications. Continue →
Passive fire compliance seminar a hot event
Many commercial buildings around New Zealand are putting lives and property at risk because they don’t comply with fire safety standards, says John Lucas
He became aware of this problem from insurers doing risk surveys and is leading an international seminar this month to highlight the issues and work on solutions. Continue →
Consumer NZ calls for removal of ionisation smoke alarms
A Consumer NZ test of smoke alarms found ionisation-type smoke alarms performed so poorly retailers should pull them from the shelves
Ionisation alarms give much less warning of smouldering fires, such as those caused by faulty electrical wiring, curtains draped over a heater, or a hot ember igniting upholstery foam, making it less likely you can get out of your home safely. Continue →