As we start to emerge from lockdown it feels like the fire industry is re-establishing itself. Thankfully there is an air of optimism amongst our customers and we are more determined than ever to offer the very best levels of support we can to continue this progress.
We have seen many manufacturers and distributors diversify their ranges to include the obvious PPE equipment namely masks and various sanitising solutions. However what has caught our eye is a number interesting, innovative solutions to complement these. We are proud to have incorporated many of these into our offering and below are some highlights.
Reducing touch points
Coronavirus can transfer from infected person to surfaces and in doing so pose the risk of being passed onto others who touch the same surface. Government guidance outlines the importance of not only cleaning surfaces but reducing the need for cleaning though reducing people’s need to touch surfaces or objects.
Touchless access control
Restricting access customers & staff have to various areas in a buildings via access control remains however traditional keypads are an obvious host for coronavirus. Sterilising between every use is usual not practical so queue the NT200 range of touches exit buttons.
Traditionally this range has been installed in clean environments such as hospitals however we’ve recently seen a significant uplift in sales for standard commercial applications.
KROK ID card holder with door opener
Upon first inspection this recently launched ID card holder from Rutland appears to follow tradition. On closer inspection you will notice the moulding incorporates both a door push/pull hook and push button tool.
The KROK offers a fairly inexpensive means for people to open/close doors and interact with traditional keypads or elevator buttons without coming into direct contact with either.
Wireless door holders
Very much in keeping with theme of doors and whilst not strictly a new product, the wireless door holders we supply have seen a massive increase in uptake over recent months. It goes without saying that all fire doors must be closed to function correctly so wedging them open is strictly forbidden. Fortunately there is a legal means of keeping them open using door holders which interface with the fire alarm system.
We have always sold many times more hardwired door holders compared with the wireless counterparts until recently. Legally keeping fire door open reduces touch points and the quickest, least evasive means of installing a holder to achieve this is a wireless door holder.
Maintaining social distancing
Government guidance recommends keeping people 2m apart and in instances where this is not viable maintaining a distance of 1m with mitigation.
Making door hanging a one person operation
Update we no longer promote the Door Stud products.
What happens when two people are required to complete a task like fitting a fire door in close proximity? Introducing the Door Stud from Rutland which makes handing a fire door a one person operating using a pair of robust trolleys.
The Door Stud is available in two different sizes, accommodating fire doors between 32-44mm or 44-57mm depending upon the version.
Minimising external visitors
Many companies have taken the decisions to postpone maintenance works which require external contractors to attend their workplace. This is not always going to be feasible especially works pertaining to the fire alarm system which may have wider implications on compliance and insurance validity.
Extending or indeed replacing an entire system is particularly challenging. Hardwired systems are fairly intrusive to install and required many hours on site for the installation team. In contrast a wireless fire alarm system streamlines this process and drastically reduces the time spent on site.
Where an existing system needs extending the versatile Wi-Fyre wireless system is ideally suited. Its transponder can interface with visually any existing hardwired system to extend this with wireless devices.
If a complete new fire system needs to be installed we would like to highlight the Zerio Plus from EDA. With this system we have further reduced the time on site by offering a complimentary pre-programming service.
Cleaning, hygiene and hand sanitising
Maintaining the very highest level of hygiene is imperative in tacking the virus and in particular regular hand washing.
Prompt hand sanitising in each area
The SpeechPOD from Radal Technology senses the presence of someone up to a distance of 6 metres using its integral PIR motion sensor. Upon detection an auditable message is played and importantly this message can be recorded on site and store in the SD card. This allows for specific instruction for hand sanitising including the direction to the nearest station, etc.
If you’re an installer or manufacturer and feel we’ve overlooked something, please leave a comment below.
