IFSSEC '82. The International Fire, Security & Safety Exhibition & Conference
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057234 |
| Pages | 2-3 |
| Published date | 01 March 1982 |
| Date | 01 March 1982 |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
IFSSEC '82
The International Fire, Security & Safety Exhibition & Conference
IFSSEC, the International Fire, Security & Safety Exhibi-
tion & Conference, was first held in 1972. In the decade
since then the event has helped to elevate Britain to a world
leader on all matters relating to security, fire prevention
and health and safety at work, by providing manufacturers
from all over the world with a platform to launch many
hundreds of new products and services in the constant bat-
tle to reduce escalating losses.
From small beginnings in a hotel venue in 1972, where
just 46 exhibitors displayed their products and services to
under 6,000 visitors, the event has grown into the world's
largest and most influential event of its type, covering all
aspects of loss prevention and control. This year, IFSSEC
'82 (19-23 April, Olympia, London) will see over 600 ex-
hibiting companies showing the latest technology and give
the most up-to-date advice to some 60,000 visitors from
around 90 countries — more than a ten-fold increase in
both visitors and exhibitors since the first event ten years
ago.
Describing IFSSEC's growth as "exceptional", Kenneth
Barnes, IFSSEC Director, believes that Britain itself
is
now
considered by many to be world leader — in product
development in the UK, and also in providing the world's
annual showcase for the introduction of new products, in-
novations and techniques — but, despite the efforts of
manufacturers, "losses to industry caused by fire, crime
and illness and accidents at work over the decade has not
abated and continued vigilance is still required".
Mr Barnes points out that IFSSEC has endeavoured to
increase awareness over the years as part of its educational
effort, and that this has to some extent been successful.
Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency. Fire loss
figures which in 1972 when IFSSEC first began, were
£108.5 million, escalated to £469.3 million in 1980 and in-
dicatable crime offences rose from 436,131 to 622,647 dur-
ing the same period; whilst there is a slight downward
trend in the number of accidents reported to the Health
and Safety enforcement authorities during the period,
275,300 in 1980 compared with 350,400 in 1972, it must be
remembered that there has been an increase in health and
safety legislation, which must have an effect on the figures,
and also that "in all probability less people were employed
in 1980 than in 1972".
But apart from providing a bevy of world manufacturers
with an international showcase for their products and ser-
vices — ranging in size and scope from safety boots to in-
truder alarms to complex fire detection systems — Mr
Barnes says that the
16
conference sessions which run con-
currently with the exhibition "have been invaluable in pro-
viding a forum for industry to confer at least once a year
on mutual problems, often with practical results".
Fire Protection Seminars
Whether or not the Fire Precautions Act — ten years old
this year — has been as effective as it might have been, in
the light of record 1980 fire loss figures of £469 million,
will be one of the topical subjects for discussion at the
Conference.
The costs in relation to the achievements of the Act will
be discussed on 19 April by Richard Osborne, Senior Fire
Prevention Officer of Grand Metropolitan Hotels, followed
by Peter Edwards, Assistant Secretary of The Home Office
Fire Department, who will put forward some guidelines for
future policy. During the afternoon experts will discuss the
Code of Practice for Fire Alarm Systems. The practical pro-
blems in applying the code—which has been in operation for
about two years—will be discussed by representatives from
the trade and fire bridgades with David Bearman, of AFA-
Minerva (EMI) Ltd, and Bryan Collins, Chief Fire Officer
of Humberside Fire Brigade giving their respective views.
Finally, Stan Platt, HM Inspector of Fire Services at the
Home Office will provide pointers on how the Code's ap-
plication should be controlled.
On
21
April the special problems of protecting offshore
rigs from fire in the light of the increasing current public
concern over the potentially disastrous consequences that
can arise in such isolated work places, will be the subject of
a discussion by James Petrie, Principal Inspector, Depart-
ment of Energy, Petroleum Engineering Division and Cyril
Allen, Director of Fire Protection Consultants. They will
discuss the development of fire safety regulations and
meeting fire safety requirements on offshore rigs respec-
tively.
At IFSSEC '82 at Olympia, London,
19-23 April, there will be over 600
exhibitors and 16 conference sessions
During the afternoon the selection of the right type of
structural fire protection materials in buildings — and the
relative merits of various types available will provide Roy
Thompson, Chairman of the Association of Structural
Fire Protection Contractors and Manufacturers, and Bill
Malhotra, Head of Buildings and Structures Division, Fire
Research Station, with a chance to air their views. Mr
Thompson will speak on the selection of the right
materials, and Mr Malhotra on the validity of fire
resistance tests with regard to the use of the materials in
practice.
The possibility that automatic fire vents, which in
themselves are highly successful in extracting smoke as a
potential killer from a building on fire, may not be effec-
tive when combined with sprinkler systems and may even
have a detrimental effect, has been the subject of con-
siderable research. On 22 April Alan Heselden, Head of
Fire in Buildings Section of the Fire Research Station, will
give delegates the benefit of current knowledge on the sub-
ject, whilst Edward Ward, of Factory Mutual Research
Corp in America, will follow by discussing design-
requirements and the need for standards.
Kenneth Barnes, IFSSEC Director, points out that with
continually escalating fire losses — they have increased by
over 400 per cent since the first IFSSEC in 1972 — in-
dustrial management and all those whose concern it is to
reduce the figures "should make it a priority to seize the
once-a-year opportunity of visiting the exhibition and at-
tending seminars that IFSSEC provides. Whilst the
published annual loss figures for 1980 of £469.3 million
2 INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT + DATA SYSTEMS
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