GGF sets the standards for fire safety

GGF sets the standards for fire safety The GGF Fire Resistant Glazing Group (FRGG) has now published the new Standard for “The Specification and Installation of Fire-Resistant Barriers containing Glass for Resistance against the passage of Fire and Products of Combustion.” The FRGG has brought together the group’s expertise in a new standard covering the specification, supply and installation of fire-resistant barriers containing glass for protection against fire and the effects of combustion. The standard is ideal for the training of installers and glaziers in the specialities of fire-resistant glazing, to develop and maintain professional levels of competency within the glazing and construction industries. This GGF standard for fire-resistant glass and glazing is the first of its kind. Not only does it set core criteria for installers. Others will also find the standard of value in providing guidance. That includes, for example, those who engage installation contractors or who are responsible for fire safety in buildings (not only owners and facilities managers but also risk assessors, fire safety managers and competent persons under the Fire Safety Order). The standard is also a useful reference for those who are charged with overseeing the application and enforcement of regulations and fire safety legislation. Fire-resistant glazing is used to limit the risks of dangerous fire spread and to give occupiers vital time to get out of the building before conditions become untenable. Glass is a key element in today’s buildings. Much of modern architecture can be said to be transparent, due to such an extensive use of glass. That means an important role for fire-resistant glass and glazing – and a fundamentally important place for the new GGF standard in the overall provision of fire safety in the UK’s building stock. An associated GGF training module is also available founded on the criteria set down in the standard, leading to the development of a GGF accredited register of trained installers. Some training has already been carried out and the GGF intends to develop the training programme across the UK through the Federation’s Regional network. Giles Willson, Deputy Group Chief Executive and Director of Technical Affairs commented: “In the last few years, the Fire Resistant Glazing Group has taken significant strides in terms of training and in trying to educate the industry on the importance of the correct installation of Fire Resistant Glazing. This new Standard is a welcome addition to the GGF Technical library and will be used by the GGF as part of our training programme which will initially be free for all GGF Members. We will shortly be publishing dates and venues for training days across the UK and I urge all Member companies who install Fire Resistant Glazing to send their installers to attend.” The importance of Training and this new Standard One of the distinctive hallmarks of the GGF is a sharp focus on the correct specification, use and installation of glazed systems in the wide role played by glass in modern buildings. That applies critically to fire-resistant glass and glazing which is called upon to work effectively and reliably in the most challenging of circumstances should fire break out, whilst functioning in other respects as standard glass products. Members of the Fire Resistant Glazing Group (FRGG) are well aware from their involvement with the fire safety community of the importance of fitness for purpose of fire-resistant installations in containing fire and providing fire separation. They also know from the supply of glass and glazing systems to construction that the understanding of fire-resistant glazing is not as high as it should be. Correct specification and installation of fire-resistant glazing systems are fundamentally important, but too open to short cuts that can be taken along the design, specification and build chain leading to higher risks from less than adequate provisions against fire. The FRGG sees that it has an obligation as the knowledgeable industry body to do what it can to raise levels of awareness together with standards of application. Fire safety cannot be left to chance. Nor can provisions for protection against fire be treated on a “maybe or perhaps” basis. Installations of fire-resistant glazing must simply be fit for their intended use. No option. Fire is unpredictable and can so easily become intense due to the widespread use of synthetic combustible materials in fixtures and fittings, spreading so quickly that there can be so little time to think about what to do. Modern fire safety design calls for effective barriers to hold back flames and the products of combustion, so that any fire is kept in its place of origin and prevented from spreading to threaten both people and property. Through its specialist members the GGF’s FRGG has unparalleled access to a depth of pooled practical knowhow, product and testing knowledge, and research and development (R&D) experience on the particular requirements that apply to fire-resistant glass and glazing systems. No other association has access to so many leading practitioners in such a specialised glass and glazing technology. Members include the leading companies in the sector, also dedicated individuals who have committed a considerable part of their working life to improving and developing fire-resistant glazed systems and associated products to the high levels of performance that are now possible. The new Standard is available for free download on the GGF website http://www.ggf.org.uk/publication/fire_resistant_glazing_standard To find out more about the GGF Fire Resistant Glazing Group please contact Russell Day, GGF Technical Officer by email rday(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)ggf.org.uk Further information on the Fire Resistant Glazing Group can also be viewed on the GGF Website in the group’s pages. Ref: 39816 & 83901 GGF Offers Support Following Fire Tragedy The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) would like to express its deepest sympathies to all who have been affected by the terrible and tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in West London. Whilst our thoughts are with those victims of the tragedy at this time, it is important that the GGF does whatever it can to support the investigation that will take place to not only identify the immediate causes of the fire but also the manner in which it spread so rapidly. With regards to the enquiry announced today by Prime Minister Teresa May, the GGF feels strongly that all aspects of fire safety and fire containment must be considered and that all multi-occupancy buildings are as fire resistant as possible thus protecting lives and property. The GGF has a specific Fire Resistant Glazing Group (FRGG) that consists of manufacturers, distributors and installers of fire resistant glazing products. The FRGG’s focus is to work with the wider fire safety community in the UK to achieve the optimum fire protection in buildings. The Group seeks to meet its objectives by bringing together and making available the latest expert advice of those who work with fire resistant glazed systems on a day to day basis. After the recent events, the GGF has now also set up a specialist advisory group drawn from our pool of the world’s leading fire safety experts in glass and glazing who are willing to offer free technical advice and information if required. The GGF is passionate about creating the highest levels of fire safety and ensuring that any enquiry and future legislation is focused on protecting lives. The GGF is currently writing to all the government authorities, politicians and local government bodies that are or will be concerned with fire safety and any emerging enquiry as a result of this tragedy. Frogster Selects Level 3 to Support Delivery of Online Game Content to Millions of Users Worldwide LONDON, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced that it has been selected to provide content delivery network (CDN) services to support the worldwide online delivery of game content for the Frogster Group, a top international online games publisher. Level 3 is providing the company with caching and download services to support high-speed game downloads and updates for Frogster's online game titles, including the award-winning Runes of Magic massively multiplayer online game (MMO). "Perhaps more than in any other area of the entertainment industry, user experience is critical to the success (and ultimately the bottom line) of an online game," said Seth Iorio, chief operating officer and member of the executive board at Frogster. "In order to facilitate a great user experience, we were looking for a CDN provider that understood the demanding nature of our customers, who want the newest content on a massive scale as soon as it's available. We have chosen Level 3 because they have not only the technology, reach and scale, but also the expertise to ensure that our customers enjoy a quality gaming experience." The Frogster Interactive Pictures AG, listed at Frankfurt stock exchange (FRGG.DE / FRG: GR), is an international publisher of high-quality online games. Its subsidiaries Frogster Online Gaming, Frogster America and Frogster Pacific market and operate their games in Europe, America and Oceania, respectively. The company serves more than six million users worldwide. Frogster focuses on the marketing and operation of client-based MMO games, a rapidly growing area of the entertainment industry. Level 3 is providing support for the company's current titles as well its upcoming launches such as TERA. Level 3's CDN services are designed to support Frogster and its end users with fast, reliable content downloads and updates, even during peak traffic or flash crowds (for example, when a new patch to a game is released or when a game is launched). "As the online games industry has grown and demand for game content across devices has exploded, it has become increasingly important to have a CDN with the underlying network infrastructure in place to easily scale to support a quality experience," said James Heard, president of European Markets at Level 3. "Level 3 has not only the right blend of network infrastructure and tools, but we also understand some of the unique challenges our games customers like Frogster face – things like managing growth on a global scale, or finding the right business model to make a free-to-play game profitable – and we work with them to address those challenges with the right combination of solutions." The Level 3 network is trusted by some of the biggest names in the entertainment and media business to deliver content to audiences worldwide. The company's services for the gaming industry are similarly designed to seamlessly deliver high-quality online content to end-users, allowing developers and publishers to spend more time designing and developing the best games possible and less time thinking about how to deliver them online. For more information on Level 3's services for the games industry visit the Level 3 website. About Level 3 Communications Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) is a leading international provider of fiber-based communications services. Enterprise, content, wholesale and government customers rely on Level 3 to deliver services with an industry-leading combination of scalability and value over an end-to-end fiber network. Level 3 offers a portfolio of metro and long-haul services, including transport, data, Internet, content delivery and voice. Level 3 services are provided by wholly-owned subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. For more information, visit www.Level3.com. About Frogster The Frogster group is a Berlin-based, listed publisher of online games. Frogster focuses on the marketing and operation of virtual worlds, so-called massively multiplayer online games – one of the strongest growing sectors in the entertainment industry. With its top titles 'Runes of Magic' and 'Bounty Bay Online' Frogster has already gathered over 5 million registered players worldwide. For a release in 2011 Frogster has announced the two highly ambitious MMO games 'TERA' and 'Mythos'. Frogster also intends to enter into the rapidly growing market of browser games with 'Bounty Bay Live' and 'Throne of Fire' shortly. Currently the Frogster group employs more than 200 staff members in the fields of game development, licensing, IT, web design and web development, product management, marketing, PR, web publishing, community management, support, sales, hosting, billing and finance/administration. Frogster's subsidiaries Frogster Online Gaming, Frogster America and Frogster Pacific market and operate their games in Europe, America and Oceania respectively. The shares of the Frogster Interactive Pictures AG have been listed in the Entry Standard segment of the Frankfurt stock exchange since February 2006. Internet: www.frogster.de Forward-Looking Statement Some of the statements made in this press release are forward looking in nature. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. The most important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to: the current uncertainty in the global financial markets and the global economy; a discontinuation of the development and expansion of the Internet as a communications medium and marketplace for the distribution and consumption of data and video; and disruptions in the financial markets that could affect Level 3's ability to obtain additional financing. Additional factors include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: increase and maintain the volume of traffic on its network; develop effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; adapt to rapid technological changes that lead to further competition; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; successfully integrate acquisitions; and meet all of the terms and conditions of debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.