It’s understandable that in all businesses, continuous examination of operating costs are routinely made. Within this, the cost of fire suppression is often considered to be a relatively high but necessary cost. However, there can be very few applications where the absolute reliability of operation of the automatic fire suppression equipment is more business critical than in a data room.

For instance, data rooms of any size will have an air conditioning system in place to control the temperature because of the tremendous amount of heat that’s generated on a continuous basis. Failure of the air conditioning system to function may lead to overheat situations placing stress on the equipment and components. This could cause an outbreak of fire with a resultant and devastating loss of all data within minutes. And don’t forget, we’re potentially talking here of data that’s taken many years to build.

So no question, data rooms need to be protected by a dependable automatic fire suppression system, but does the cost of the system have to give the financial director sleepless nights? The answer is a resounding no.

One thing that we all know is that high volumes of water and computers don’t sit happily together. That’s why for years now, chemical gaseous agents such as FM 200, Inert gas systems and now water mist have been employed to do the job of fire protection. They have performed the task of suppressing fires by physical cooling of the affected area or by decreasing the oxygen in the atmosphere to a level that no longer supports combustion. All utilise a system of high pressure pipework and nozzles to deliver the suppression medium into the risk area.

However, recent world wide shortages of raw materials have prompted dramatic increases in the cost of chemical gases, FM 200 in particular. This in turn has affected the cost of new fire system installations and that of recharge and service where gas needs to be replaced  (up to 40% in some cases), making them far less competitive on price. This fact has forced buyers of fire suppression systems to widen their search for equally reliable but more cost effective alternatives.

As already described, Data Rooms need the optimum in automatic fire suppression and extinguishers as do other special areas such as network infrastructures, art galleries, museums, antique centres, and power generation plants to name just a few. The objective is always to save lives and property. But innovative fire protection can now do a whole lot more. Today it combines science and economics and matches these qualities to total effectiveness and reliability.

In the case of Data Room protection there is now a system that not only beats the performance of chemical and Inert gases, it also provides a superior, environmentally friendly fire suppressant. Not only that, the system known as Stat-X allows easier and more cost-effective installations for all these types of challenging applications.

The Stat-X family of automatic fire suppression systems is a second generation Condensed aerosol technology, manufactured to ISO 9001:2008 standards with many internationally recognised approvals and standards such as UL in the USA. It’s a patented potassium-based aerosol that’s ecologically safe, up to ten times more effective than any current halon alternative with zero ozone depletion and no global warming potential.

And if that’s not enough, the Stat-X application automatic fire suppression systems technology requires no pressure vessels, manifolds, nozzles or pipe work. All factors which result in significant installation and maintenance savings.

Fire Risk Assessments
The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (2005)
40% of businesses never recover from the effects of a major fire with the loss of key staff due to temporary closure. The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (2005) now requires you to manage the risk of fire in your organisation, but do you really know what is expected of you?  The first hurdle to overcome is to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment; without one, your insurance company will refuse cover in the event that you make a claim. But for many businesses carrying out their own Fire Risk Assessment isn’t practical unless they have dedicated Health and Safety teams as well as guidance from health and safety advisors.

COSHH 2004 (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations
How the regulations affect your business
The COSHH Regulations require employers to manage the risk to staff and others who may be exposed to hazardous substances in the workplace.

CoSHH Regulations
There are a wide range of issues that employers are required to address. Without specialist, up-to-the-minute knowledge, it is very difficult to know where to start. A health and safety advisor will make sure your business ticks all the legal boxes, keeping your workplace secure and your workforce safe.

CoSHH Assessments
Health and safety advisors conduct COSHH compliant risk assessments, taking into account the hazardous properties of a substance and recommending working practices that ensure staff are protected against harmful exposure – before the inevitable ‘knock on the door’.

The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
Management of Health Safety at Work Regulations (1999)
The ramifications of non-compliance in your workplace can be significant, limiting business operations and having significant bottom line impact – not to mention the worse case scenario incumbent in the new Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act…

Risk Assessments 1999
An essential part of Risk Management
Risk Assessments are an integral part in the process of managing the risks incumbent in any business activity. Unfortunately, often because of a lack of time and resource, risk assessments in most businesses are inadequate. A good-quality risk assessment should form the basis of any safe work procedure; but if you are not a
Health and Safety specialist, where do you start?
Risk assessment training and review – A health and safety advisors training services can address this for you, bringing your staff up to speed with current legislation.

Health & Safety in your Workplace
The HSE website advises: “It is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and other people who might be affected by their business”, and that “the employer must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.”
Good management of workplace safety represents not only good business practice, but also it can improve both performance of staff and the business in general. Unfortunately whilst complying and keeping pace with statutory change is extremely time consuming – especially given the growth of the compensation culture – it is essential to ensure you are not left exposed in the event of an accident or injury in your workplace.

With building sites becoming much safer places to work in the recent past, there has been additional pressure for professional operatives working in these environments to have the correct workwear conforming to the required standards.  Footwear for these operatives is no exception to the rest of the ppe workwear worn by people working in these environments.  The relevant European Standard for the manufacture and design of safety footwear for professional use is EN 345.

EN 345 Explained

En 345 defines the standards on safety protective workwear shoes and boots for professional use.  These shoes include devices manufactured within the shoes or boots to protect the wearer from injuries caused by incidents which are likely to occur in the industrial environment for which it has been designed.  They are designed and manufactured with steel toe caps built in to them to delivery protection against impacts with an energy level up to 200 joules.

Safety Shoes and Boots designed to comply with EN345 also have classes depending on the materials of which they have been manufactured using.

EN 345 Class 1

Safety Shoes and Boots complying to EN345 classification 1 cover all footwear manufactured from all materials except natural or synthetic polymers.

EN 345 Class 1 is also split into three subcategories.  These categories are S1, S2 and S3.

Category S1 safety shoes and boots have basic properties related to EN 345 plus a closed back, anti-static properties and heel energy absorption.

Category S2 safety shoes and boots are as Category S1 with the addition that they are water-proofed.

Category S3 safety shoes and boots are as Category S2 with the addition that they have an anti-puncture and studded sole.

EN 345 Class 2

Safety Shoes and Boots complying to EN345 classification 2 cover all footwear manufactured from all natural or synthetic polymers.

EN 345 Class 2 is also split into two subcategories.  These categories are S4 and S5.

Category S4 safety shoes and boots have basic properties related to EN 345 plus a closed back, anti-static properties and heel energy absorption.

Category S5 safety shoes and boots are as Category S4 with the addition that they have an anti-puncture and studded sole.

Saftey clothing can come in the form of protection but also when high visibility is required or workwear that alerts colleagues and the general public that a particular job or process is being carried out.

Many building sites will not let a workman on even a subcontractor, without the correct safety boots and clothing. Should they not have the correct protective workwear then they will be told to leave and come back. This can delay the job and loose a subcontractor the money for that day.

Saftey workwear is anthing from a high visibility vest to protective earwear, boots and jackets.