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Fire Safety Award

THE ELECTRICAL SAFETY COUNCIL WINS THE ABE 2009 FIRE SAFETY AWARD

Bill Black presents Mike Clark with the ABE Fire Safety Award 2009

The Association of Building Engineers (ABE) is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2009 Fire Safety Award is the Electrical Safety Council.

The ABE Fire Safety Award is presented annually to a person, company or organisation who, through invention, research, design, publicity, education etc, has made a significant contribution to the advancement of fire safety, fire protection or fire engineering.

The award was presented by David B Smith, Honorary Secretary, and Bill Black, Life Vice-president, and Chairman of the Awards Panel to Mike Clark, Technical Director of the Electrical Safety Council. The award ceremony was held at the Association's Annual Conference Dinner in Norwich on 19 November. Over 100 guests attended the dinner and awards presentation.

After the changes to Approved Document P in 2005, the Electrical Safety Council, in conjunction with NICEIC, identified that any electrician who had undertaken electrical installations in a building was now responsible for making sure that any work did not reduce the fire performance of the building.

In response to this the Electrical Safety Council decided to provide a tool box guide for the industry. At first it focused on the use of downlighters and the conflicting guidance that surrounded the use of these lights and the need to protect them, but it soon became clear that this wasn't the only area where guidance was needed. Changes in the industry to lightweight stud construction instead of the more traditional brickwork and blockwork showed that there were many other electrical penetrations which could now seriously compromise fire containment within the building.

In order to produce a definitive guide for industry, the Electrical Safety Council set up a committee of major users and legislators; it was through this committee that it was decided to produce a definitive guide to these issues. As a result the Best Practice Guide to Electrical Installations and their impact on the fire performance of buildings: Part 1 - Domestic Premises: Single family units (houses, flats, maisonettes, bungalows) was produced.

This guide (no 5 in a series of six best practice guides) is now a must-have for all electricians dealing with issues relating to Part P of the England and Wales Building Regulation and fire protection of buildings.

Commenting on the award Phil Buckle, Director General of the Electrical Safety Council said 'We are delighted to receive this coveted award. It is recognition of the exceptional expertise of our technical team and Mike Clark, our Technical Director, in particular. However, I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking the panel of experts who provided enormous support in the development of this Best Practice Guide and its launch to industry'

The ABE is committed to fire safety and is pleased to be able to honour the Electrical Safety Council for all their hard work in producing this guidance.

Past Winners of the Fire Safety Award

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