The Slovenian Fire Protection Association (SZPV) and the Association of Safety Engineers of Slovenia (ZDVIS) hosted the Safety and Prevention 2024 congress and expo at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. This significant event in Ljubljana attracted industry leaders, researchers, and the public for two days of presentations, exhibitions, and discussions focused on advancing fire safety, workplace safety, and security standards. The event followed last year’s inaugural success and provided a platform for experts, exhibitors, and visitors to engage with current trends, challenges, and innovations in safety and prevention.

ZAG and FRISSBE participated actively, with ZAG’s dedicated stand featuring representatives such as Tamara Želimorski from ZAG, and from the FRISSBE team, Martin Veit, Kirils Simakovs, Jonay Brito, and Nik Rus. The stand enabled visitors to learn more about FRISSBE’s ongoing research and innovations aimed at enhancing fire safety and sustainability.

The event began with a series of welcoming speeches from leaders in safety and engineering, including Prof Grunde Jomaas, Head of the FRISSBE department at ZAG. His keynote centered on balancing sustainability with fire safety, referencing the Brundtland Report and emphasizing the need for harmonizing environmental, social, and economic goals to ensure a sustainable built environment. He also highlighted emerging fire risks linked to sustainable construction materials and technologies, such as electric vehicles, PV systems, battery energy storage, bio-based materials, and mass timber, calling for more research and funding in these areas to achieve sustainability goals without compromising fire safety.

Over two days, various modules provided insights into occupational health, fire safety, and innovative technologies. ZAG and FRISSBE researchers contributed extensively:

Friderik Knez, Dr Urša Blumauer, and Anita Ogrin from ZAG and the University of Ljubljana presented on heat transfer in unprotected steel columns across fire compartments, offering new data for improving fire-resilient structures.

Dr Aleš Jug discussed establishing an industrial fire brigade, highlighting the increasing importance of proactive fire safety within industrial settings.

On Thursday, Nik Rus presented the new experimental parameters that should be considered when trying to improve the fire safety of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Later that day, Dr Urška Blumauer, Dr Andrea Lucherini, and Meta Kržan presented their findings on the fire performance of innovative composite timber girders, which holds promising implications for sustainable building practices.

With a blend of technical presentations, hands-on exhibits, and networking opportunities, Safety and Prevention 2024 demonstrated Slovenia’s dedication to enhancing safety protocols and fostering collaboration. The event underscored the importance of ongoing research, innovative solutions, and policy development in promoting fire safety and occupational health across various sectors.