Equipment produced by a North East company is helping to ensure the safety of one of the UKs top visitor attractions, the Tate Britain Art Gallery in London.

The gallery, through its facilities managers SPIE Matthew Hall, faced the challenge of replacing its ageing voice alarm system and one of the key benefits of using Current Thinking’s state-of-the-art products was that it could be installed with the minimum of disruption to the fabric of the historic building.

Attracting over one a half million visitors a year, the gallery, at Milbank in London, has joined the list of major building across the world using products from Sunderland-based Current Thinking, recognised as an international leader in the development of voice alarm systems, fire safety telephones and induction loop products for people with hearing problems.
Explained Current Thinking Managing Director Anthony Smith “What appealed to the gallery-and to the installers VA Systems-was that our equipment enabled the use of the existing speaker installations at the same time as enabling the upgrading of the overall system to meet the latest regulations without having to re-cable the entire site.
“Minimising disruption on a project of this scale-and in a building visited by so many people-is obviously of benefit to everyone concerned, including the gallery and the installers.”
Added Mick Walsh of VA Systems, sub-contractors for Spector Lumenex “It was an easy decision to choose Current Thinking’s technology. Not only did the compatibility of their equipment mean that the project virtually became ‘plug and play’ but their voice alarm rack systems are installed with an ease not achievable with other manufacturers’ products.
“Current Thinking’s flexible approach to projects and its willingness of ‘individualise’ equipment makes the work of an installer so much easier.”
Tate Britain joins a long list of major buildings in the UK and abroad where Current Thinking safety and audio products are in use-including the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Wimbledon tennis complex, rail stations on both the East and West coast routes, as well as the new St Pancras International terminal for the Channel Tunnel–and many of the huge construction projects in Dubai including over 50 of its tallest towers and the undersea Jumeria Road Tunnel linking the mainland to the impressive Palm development of the world’s three largest artificial islands.

The head of a North East company has been appointed to another key post in the body which oversees industry standards worldwide and reminds Facility Managers of the importance of carrying out risk assessments of their fire detection systems.

Anthony Smith, Managing Director of Sunderland-based Current Thinking—a world leader in the development of voice alarm systems, fire safety telephones and induction loop products for people with hearing problems—was last year elected to membership of the British Standards Institute (BSI) EPL100 Committee overseeing induction loop technology and has now also joined the committee involved in standards for voice alarms and fire telephones.

Anthony is now representing ISCE (Institute of Sound & Communications Engineers) interests on FSH12-5 Committee which is now starting work revising BS5839-9 the UK standard for fire telephones and disabled refuge systems.

This latest appointment is further recognition of Anthony Smith’s expertise and the achievements of Current Thinking which he founded just seven years ago after leaving university for the lure of the stage!

In 1998 he was he was on degree course in Digital Engineering at Sunderland Polytechnic when the chance came for him to swap his studies to became the college student’s union’s stage manager. A year later he was a partner in AVX Systems and then went to hold key posts with SigNET (AC) until forming Current Thinking in 2001.

He sees his role with the BSI committees as a chance to contribute to the development of an industry which, with the ever-increasing emphasis on safety standards, is of real importance.

Explains Anthony “Coming from our small team at Current Thinking, I am convinced that  is not always the big companies which can lead technological developments and  that ‘hands on’ operations have the ability to stay ahead of the game.

“Legislation rightly demands very high levels of public safety and support for people with disabilities such as hearing problems and the BSI is at the forefront of ensuring that standards are useful, relevant and authoritative.”

Anthony, reminds Facility Managers that “The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and the enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work Act mean that those responsible for the voice alarm system, Fire telephone and disabled refuges (EVCS),   (and indeed all fire detection) systems installed on their premises should follow the life cycle and maintenance guidelines laid down in British Standard BS5839pt8. A risk assessment may be necessary for the maintenance of older systems and if it no longer meets the guidelines and a major incident occurs resulting in death or serious injury the assessor (responsible person) may be held liable.”

Current Thinking products are now in use in prestigious developments across the globe—from the Tate Britain art gallery and  multi-million redevelopment of the world’s most famous tennis centre at Wimbledon to more than 50 of the tallest buildings in the world in Dubai.

Using the latest techniques, the company is constantly bringing new products and concepts to the market, from its new range of installer friendly induction loop amplifiers to its fibre optic based voice alarm system. All products are designed and manufactured in its Sunderland factory.