Important Safety Warning

Below is a copy of a letter sent to Chief Fire Officers in 1999, with regards to the safety of smoke fluids.

Smoke Chemicals

This is an unusual but important letter, sent to you with the agreement and consent of the four major suppliers of Smoke Generating equipment to the Fire Brigade marketplace in the UK, namely Concept Engineering, Rosco, Acetrain and Le Maitre.

Why this letter?

We are all aware that a company has recently contacted you, offering for sale two types of Smoke Fluid which they claim are PLASA approved. Firstly, PLASA (Professional Light and Sound Association) is an association to which we* belong. PLASA does not approve Smoke Fluids! Smoke Fluids manufactured by Concept, Rosco, Acetrain and Le Maitre are specifically designed to work in the respective manufacturers Smoke Generators. We do not even try to switch sell Fluids between our respective companies. Purchasing an alternative Smoke Fluid from a company not associated with the manufacture of your Smoke Machines will potentially cause serious damage!

Why should this concern you!

Using a Smoke Fluid other than the correct type offered by the respective manufacturer could:

• Produce a smoke that may contain acrolelns, aldehydes and other potentially harmful products
• Produce a “wet smoke” resulting In deposition
• Produce a flammable smoke
• Damage the heat exchanger mechanisms within the Smoke Generator
• Will void the warranty applicable to the Smoke Generators

Purchasing the appropriate Smoke Fluid to suit your type of Smoke Generator from the respective manufacturer ensures that you have re-course against the manufacturer should it be necessary. We cannot guarantee the Safety or Suitabillity of other supplier's product through our Smoke Generators, and, if there were an accident involving 3rd party chemicals, our Public Liability Insurance cover would be invalid.

Consistency of our respective Smoke Fluid products and the Safety of that product are of paramount importance to us. As an industry, we are very concerned that our customers are made aware of the potential problems that could and would arise by the use of other companies Smoke Fluids through our Smoke Generators.

We know we live in a competitive world, which we readily accept, and we are not acting as a cartel. All we are trying to do is protect the good name of the products that we manufacture and the safety that goes hand in hand with them.

It would be appreciated if you would pass this letter to all respective persons who use or who are responsible for purchasing of Smoke Fluid. Thank you.

Trevor Dunnington – Concept Engineering Ltd (Concept Smoke Systems)

David McEwen – Acetrain Smoke Machines

Anna Weston – Rosco Smoke Machines

Andrew Harvey – Le Maitre Smoke Machines