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PPL Training
Location: York and Slough PPL Training Sites, UK
Challenge: To create comprehensive training facilities that show the most innovative technologies for fire safety, particularly safe evacuation.
Solution:
Since practical training facilities for emergency lighting were not previously a part of PPL’s offering, PPL approached Eaton to introduce technology into their programs and installed Eaton DualGuard-S central battery emergency lighting system with CG-S luminaires and an adaptive evacuation solution based on CGLine+ technology associated with Matrix self-contained luminaires.
Results:
With Eaton’s emergency lighting installed the new training sites clearly demonstrate the importance of proper equipment in an emergency. By creating an immersive environment, they provide a memorable experience so that vital knowledge is retained for real-life scenarios.
Our aim is to maximise knowledge retention for our delegates by displaying the latest technology in fire safety. Considering the importance of safe evacuation training we chose Eaton’s emergency lighting offering to upgrade our training facilities in York and Slough.
Background
PPL Training is a British company founded on creating safety courses for working environments. Established in 2005, it offers training to a wide range of clients, from small and medium enterprises to companies with large facility management requirements. It gives in-centre training at six locations across England, with the aim of maximising learning through an immersive experience.
Courses cover topics such as mechanical and electrical safe systems of work, technical compliance, water hygiene, healthcare facilities, fluorinated gases, and fire safety. This requires training centres that are adaptable to the needs of the clients. As the courses are designed with specific professionals in mind, the escape lighting module focuses on electrical staff who have a responsibility for carrying out planned maintenance on emergency lighting installations. This includes the latest legislation on safe lighting, performing risk assessments, and understanding battery types, charging systems and the day-to-day maintenance of the lighting systems. PPL therefore wanted to create a workspace that effectively highlights the potential benefits of investing in the contemporary technologies that enhance safety for both a company’s staff and customers.
Challenge
As a leading provider in safe systems of work and technical compliance training, PPL aimed to diversify its training facilities by adding the latest emergency lighting technology for its fire safety courses. Emergency lighting is required by law in the EU and the UK, including The Building Regulations 2006, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, The Workplace Directive and British Standard BS 5266 as an example. To comply with the law, companies operating spaces for the public or multi-dwelling buildings need to display adequate signage, including directional lighting, lighting to highlight hazards and lighting above doors, amongst other requirements.
PPL not only seeks to teach people how to be compliant, but also how companies can implement the safest evacuation systems possible, and how they can do this efficiently while considering initial costs and ongoing maintenance. For this reason, the company was keen to incorporate adaptive evacuation systems into its course curriculum.
Adaptive evacuation systems use digital technology to only light up safe exit options in an emergency, thus directing people away from the fire or threat. Unlike static lighting, signage continues to update with predefined routes as the situation develops.
Solution
PPL initially approached Eaton after completing its own market research. Eaton’s reputation gained from over 50 years’ experience in the emergency lighting market made it the company’s first choice for the upgrades.
Tony Coates and Kevin Burbridge, Electrical Installations Training Senior Consultant and Managers, consulted Lee Halliday at Eaton, Emergency Lighting Lead Representative. After discussion, PPL installed Eaton’s adaptive evacuation system, opting for the DualGuard-S central battery emergency lighting system and the CG-S connected luminaires due to their array of benefits.
Traditional maintained emergency lighting illuminates areas during an outage using a battery source and typically gives around 10% of the normal light levels. However, the DG-S system relies on Eaton’s STAR technology (Switch Technology Advanced Revision) to switch connected luminaires between networks, consistently providing reliable power for continuous and standby light modes, without the need for extra data cables. Features like this are why the DualGuard-S Central Battery system is a best-in-class system for emergency lighting, and it allows lighting to continue operating even during power outages, an important feature in an emergency.
Beyond safety, the DG-S system offers many advantages to facilities managers:
The CGLine+ adaptive evacuation system and Matrix luminaires were installed to manage programmable emergency scenarios and change the direction of the exit signage based on the scenario, thus facilitating escape, and directing pedestrians away from any dangerous areas. By being connected to fire panels, this system can automatically block routes where there is a risk.
Results
The easy wiring of DualGuard-S with no need for an extra data cable meant that all equipment was installed quickly and without interruption to PPL’s existing curriculum. Courses with the new installations began after just a few weeks.
Eaton provided support from consultation to installation, and whilst the upgrades are still relatively new, with positive comments and impressive practical demonstrations at PPL’s own fire safety conferences, the DualGuard-S and CGLine+ have proven a sound investment for the overall training experience. With the continued support from Eaton, PPL are looking to ensure they are at the forefront of escape lighting training requirements.
As the DualGuard-S and CGLine+ Systems are designed to the latest national and international standards, the investment will therefore be of longstanding benefit to PPL. Following the success of this installation, PPL Training are currently discussing their next project with Eaton at their Livingston centre in Scotland.
We know that emergency lighting is an important part of safety training, and we wanted to install the latest technologies. By being at the forefront of technological innovation we provide the best tutoring for our clients, and know that our investment is designed to last, that’s why we chose Eaton’s Adaptative Evacuation System.
