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Fire Compartmentation in Hotels

February 25, 2021/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by James

Fire safety is a key concern for all hotel owners, managers and responsible persons. Due to the size of the building, multiple floor levels and amount of people they can hold at capacity there is a larger risk of mass damage and casualties that could lead to expensive insurance pay outs and potential criminal prosecution should the business be found negligent. It is essential for fire protection measures, such as compartmentation, be installed and maintained throughout the building alongside adequate fire-fighting equipment and a detailed fire evacuation plan.

What is the Purpose of Compartmentation?

Compartmentation is one of the key components to passive fire protection. It is achieved by sectioning buildings into separate ‘fire compartments’ with the use of fire doors, walls and floors made up of fire-resistant materials. Compartmentation is a current building regulation and British Standard requirement and is installed to:

Prevent the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gas
Breaks the building down into manageable areas of risk
Contains the fire to provide time for occupants to safely evacuate the premises

The most common cause of death from fire is when people become overcome by smoke inhalation. Fire and rescue services reported 380 fire related casualties of which 34% of these were due to smoke and fumes. Sufficient fire compartmentation of hotels could be the difference between residents making it out of the building alive.

For buildings such as hotels where an escape route needs to be separated from the rest of the premises by fire resisting construction such as a dead-end corridor or protected stairway the following compartmentation should be installed:

All doors (including hatches, ducts and vertical shafts), floors, walls, and ceilings should be made with fire resistant materials specifically rated so that if a fire were to break out, they would contain the fire and smoke for long enough for people to evacuate.
Where suspended or false ceilings are provided, fire resistant materials should extend up to the floor slab level above.
Cavity barriers, fire stopping and dampers

What are the Fire Protection Systems?

The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires all workplaces to have an active and passive fire protection system in place along with an effective fire safety management plan. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals and so it will be the job of the responsible person to find them.

Active fire systems are used for suppression and detection of the fire. This will range from the smoke detection systems installed in resident’s rooms and other key parts of the hotel to a sprinkler system that would actively combat the fire to allow time for occupants to evacuate the premises and for the fire brigade to arrive.

Passive fire systems have been touched upon in the previous section and work alongside the active fire system to provide total fire safety to the hotel building.

Fire Safety Tips and Checklist for Hotels

Provide fire safety training for all employees and have a detailed evacuation plan that is rehearsed at minimum twice a year.
Fire risk assessments should be carried out annually or if there have been changes made to the building.
Fire alarms should be tested weekly.
Equipment checks, training and fire evacuation drills should be recorded in the fire safety book.
Emergency lights should be fully functioning and tested at regular intervals. They are mandatory in stairwells, hallways and public rooms.
Fire doors should be in full working order with no damage to them and should never be wedged open.
Checks of the building where fire alarms and escape routes are tested.
Fire action notices should be made available at all call points and in resident’s rooms so they are clear of the evacuation plan in the event of a fire.
All emergency exit signs should be visible and illuminated.
Fire extinguishers should be checked for damage and arranged to be replaced as soon as possible.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that hotel owners have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their staff and clients. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time. As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Hotel owners never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Passive Fire Protection in Hospitals

January 27, 2021/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by James

Fire safety including passive fire protection in hospitals is of the utmost importance particularly when considering the number of potentially vulnerable people at risk on the premises. Hospitals could not only find themselves financially liable for millions of pounds in repairs, they could also face the possibility of prison sentences and fines should they be found negligent for not having the correct systems in place. The cost of not complying with the law far outweighs the cost of installing the correct systems and should be a priority for all healthcare facilities.

What is Passive Fire Protection?

Passive fire protection is the use of fire-resistant materials and structural components that look to separate the building into different areas of risk. Essentially, they work to slow the spread of fire and smoke, to protect the structural integrity of the building and to provide time for all occupants of the building to evacuate. Passive fire protection is a component of a total fire protection system that looks to collaboratively suppress and resist fire. Passive fire protection looks to contain fire and is achieved through the installation of columns, walls, floors and doors. Each of these need to prevent structural collapse, heat conduction and the spread of smoke and noxious gases to be considered effective.

Fire Safety and the Law

Fire safety in hospitals falls under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) order which sets fire safety laws for most public buildings and places of work. It requires the appointment of a Responsible Person for the hospital whose job it is to ensure the installation of a total fire protection system (active and passive) and carrying out fire prevention tasks including: a fire risk assessment, fire safety policies and have a strategy in place to implement them including the rehearsal of fire evacuations for patients, staff and visitors. The initial risk assessment looks to outline the potential risks against the hospital, the classification of those risks in terms of priority and the actions of the hospital to mitigate the risks.

Lessons from History

The importance of having a passive fire protection system in place was sadly learned with the catastrophic fire of St Anthony’s Hospital in Effingham, Illinois in 1949, which killed 70 people including 11 new born babies. It was from this disaster that we learned that fire resistant materials and compartmentalisation were an integral aid that provided hospitals enough time to evacuate their patients.

Although much more stringent regulations are in order, hospitals are still at risk with incidents happening nationwide and with the smallest causes. An operating theatre in Ashford had to be temporarily closed in 2014 because somebody had left overcooked food in a microwave filling the room with smoke. More seriously, four people required medical attention after a fire broke out at a hospital in Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.

The risks of fire in hospitals are very real and it is imperative that buildings have the necessary protection in place to ensure compliance with the law and to protect patients, staff and visitors.

What Passive Fire Protection is required in Hospitals?

Hospitals and healthcare facilities have evolved and expanded requiring hospital owners to address the unique set of challenges that are now faced in terms of fire safety. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals of which it is the job of the responsible person to find them.

To increase fire safety in hospitals, the following passive fire protection should be considered:

Fire Doors and Compartmentalisation – Hospitals face unique challenges when considering fire evacuation due to the consideration required to be given to vulnerable patients receiving care. The condition of these patients may result in total evacuation not being possible. With this in mind, fire doors and compartment lines are essential for the building’s fire protection strategy, preventing the spread of fire and smoke and allowing time for patients to be recovered. Compartmentalisation is critical when containing a fire and is achieved through the use of fire resistance floors, walls and cavity barriers. All fire-resistant materials are rated to withstand fire for a certain amount of time. Currently, the fire doors in NHS hospitals offer 30 minutes of protection with some offering more in buildings containing more vulnerable patients where evacuation may take longer.
Fire Door Survey and Restoration – As well as installing the right type of fire doors, it is essential to that they are checked regularly to ensure their efficacy in the event of a fire. With many fire doors being used by the hospital on a daily basis, it is not uncommon for them to be damaged by trolley, wheelchairs and people. Significant damage to a fire door will affect its fire resistance rendering it inoperative. To prevent this from happening a fire door survey by a qualified inspector is recommended. Should fire doors not be compliant, a restoration service can be sought to bring the quality of the door back up to standards and remain compliant.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that hospitals have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their people. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time. As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Hospitals never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Fire Protection in Care Homes

December 15, 2020/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

A government report relating to fire showed that 47% of all fatalities from fires in England were people aged 65 and above with the most common cause being overcome by gas and smoke. Based on this the elderly are 10 times more likely to die in a fire than young people. For this reason, it is paramount that fire procedures within care homes must be meticulous. There is a lot more to consider than just a clearly signed fire exit or strategically placed fire extinguisher. Care home residents are often less mobile or completely bed bound, they could suffer from illnesses such as dementia or hard of hearing. All of these health issues pose significant concerns when considering fire safety and protecting residents in the event of a fire.

Who is Responsible?

Fire safety measures and the requirements are covered under the Fire Safety Order and the Care Act which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Under the Fire Safety Order, a responsible person must be appointed to have overall responsibility for fire safety. This is the employer, owner or controller of the premises. In a care home, the responsible person is usually the care manager.

The appointed responsible person/care manager is required to do the following:

Take all reasonable fire safety precautions to protect their staff and residents
Carry out a fire safety risk assessment and have it reviewed regularly
Eliminate or reduce dangerous substances within the care home
Premises is fitted with appropriate fire-fighting and fire detection equipment
Routes to fire exits are clear of obstructions
Carry out fire evacuation drills and ensure plan is sound
Appoint fire wardens to assist in managing fire safety
Ensure all dangerous substances used within the care home are labelled and stored away
Maintain fire protection systems to ensure they are working
Ensure fire safety procedures are communicated to employees and visitors
Train all employees on fire safety

Completing a Fire Risk Assessment

It is a legal requirement for the responsible person to get a fire risk assessment done for the care home premises and it will need to be reviewed and updated as appropriate. The fire risk must show that reasonable precautions are taken against all risks identified in order to protect the safety of their employees and residents. As care homes are high risk, the responsible person would need to ensure that the person carrying out the risk assessment has sufficient qualifications in fire safety.

The risk assessment is required to identify the potential ways a fire could start within the care home, identify all the people at risk, evaluate those risks and what steps are going to be taken to remove or reduce them and include evacuation plans, routes and trainings that staff and residents will have relating to fire safety.

Evacuation Plans, Drills and Training

The responsible person must devise an evacuation plan for the care home. It is a legal requirement for this to be in place and it must be frequently rehearsed in the form of a drill. Employees will need to be aware of the evacuation plan and when drills are to take place. Additionally, fire wardens must be appointed, the number required is dependent on the number of staff employed at the premises. For residents with health concerns that will impact on their ability to evacuate the premises, a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) will need to be completed outlining their condition and what action needs to be taken to mitigate risks. A PEEP needs to be completed before the resident joins the care home and will need to be reviewed 14 days after they arrive once the staff have got to know their needs. It will then be reviewed every 6 months or if there is a significant change to the residents’ health.

Fire Protection Systems

The fire precautions that have been outlined in this article so far have all come under the category of fire safety management. This is one of three precautions that the Fire Safety Order requires a workplace to have installed. Alongside fire safety management, the responsible person is required to have adequate passive and active fire protection systems in place. Whilst fire safety management is generally something the responsible person can do with some assistance from compliance manuals, the installation of active and passive fire systems require the knowledge and expertise of professionals and so it will be the job of the responsible person to find them.

Active fire systems are installed to detect and suppress fires. This can range from smoke detection systems within residents’ rooms and the rest of the care home to a sprinkler system set up in the building to actively keep the fire at bay until the fire brigade arrive. It is important that the correct fire-fighting equipment and systems are installed and reviewed to ensure that all are in good working order.

Passive fire protection systems are the use of fire-resistant materials to compartmentalise the care home to slow the spread of fire and smoke, protect the structural integrity of the building and to provide time for all staff and residents to evacuate the building without causing accident or injury. Having enough time to evacuate a burning building full of elderly residents with health concerns is going to be paramount for any care home and so it is vital that these systems are of good quality and installed to a high standard.

Put simply, implementing good fire safety within your care home could be the difference between life and death. This is a legal requirement and if the responsible person of the care home fails to carry out any of these requirements, they will be facing charges of negligence and prison time.

The Broadsword Promise

At Broadsword, we understand the responsibility that care managers have to comply with the law, protect their building and ensure the safety of their staff and residents. This is a job that needs to be done correctly, first time. As a FIRAS accredited company, Broadsword have the knowledge and expertise to ensure fire safety compliance for all required works without the need for additional contractors. It is our promise to you to carry out work to the highest standard and the utmost professionalism. Care managers never need to worry again with the peace of mind of total fire protection.

Fire Protection within Schools

October 15, 2020/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

The impact of a large-scale fire would have devastating consequences to a school for all involved. Putting aside the unthinkable possibility of loss of life to staff and students, there are also logistical issues to consider including: dealing with the aftermath, loss of important school work, school closures, job losses and complying with investigations. Negligence in fire safety is not something a school governing body wants to contend with and so it is of the utmost importance to ensure fire protection is complied with. It is crucial that schools familiarise themselves with the information detailed below and understand the responsibility that they hold.

Fire Safety Responsibility within Schools

Fire safety within schools was previously the responsibility of the owning local authority until 2006 with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform of Fire Safety Order 2005 (also known as the Fire Safety Order). This order was introduced to standardise the fire safety requirements of all work places so as to protect people in the event of a fire in or around the premises.

One of the key changes that the order made, is that the responsibility of fire safety for schools was transferred from the local authority to a named ‘responsible person’ within the school. This tends to be either the head teacher or the school governing body; however, if any employee holding a fire safety obligation within their contract, like a maintenance manager, failed to carry out their duties, they would also be held responsible and liable for prosecution if necessary. Under the order, the responsible person is required to take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of the employees and students within the school and to ensure that the premises that they operate from is safe for all relevant persons. One of these requirements is to carry out a fire risk assessment, to identify any significant risks that can be reduced or removed and stating any other general fire precautions needed to ensure fire safety and compliance.

The government guide Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Educational Premises was published to assist the responsible person with completing the fire risk assessment along with outlining the basic fire safety measures required within schools to remain compliant.

What are the Fire Safety Requirements for Schools?

According to the Fire Safety Order, fire safety requirements can be divided into three groups: passive, active and fire safety management.

Passive fire protection compartmentalises a building through the use of fire-resistant doors, walls and floors. Breaking a building down into smaller compartments slows the spread of fire and smoke preventing early structural collapse and allowing everyone inside the premises to safely evacuate. Passive fire protection is seen as a building’s ‘first responder’ to a fire. With the correct materials it allows the necessary time for safe evacuation and for active fire protection systems to kick in and suppress the fire.
Active fire protection systems are installed to detect and suppress fires. This can range from smoke detectors to automatic fire suppression such as sprinklers that can minimise the damage caused by a fire.
Fire safety management relates to the systems the school has in place to prevent a fire from occurring and what to do in the event of a fire including: an effective fire evacuation plan, fire safety training for staff and maintenance logs of installed fire protection systems.

The Role of the Responsible Person

As the designated responsible person for the school premises, it is their job to ensure that both the active and passive fire systems are installed and well maintained within the building. Building inspectors and fire safety experts will recommend that the work is carried out by a FIRAS accredited company. A company holding the FIRAS certification will have the knowledge and expertise to ensure that the work is not only done to the highest standards but in full compliance of the law which guarantees the safety of your employees and students.

In terms of fire safety management, it is the duty of the responsible person to prepare an evacuation plan, appoint fire marshals to assist with the evacuation and to arrange fire drills to take place frequently so the plan is rehearsed. Added consideration must be given to boarding schools where students may be asleep when a fire breaks out as well as evacuating students with reduced mobility.

In addition to an evacuation plan all schools must have a fire safety policy that includes the following details:

An outline of the legislation and the guidance available
A statement of intent regarding fire safety
The name of the responsible person
Policy for planned fire safety arrangements including an outline of fire protection systems
Fire Safety induction for new employees
The means for summoning the fire services
Notes for the management of electrical equipment in the event of a fire
A visitor book for signing in and out

How does Passive Fire Protection work?

February 5, 2020/0 Comments/in Commercial, Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

Passive fire protection (PFP) is an essential component of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain a fire or prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the building by the use of fire-resistant walls, floors and doors. A fire protection system for any building will have the following:

Active Fire Protection – Manual or automatic fire detection or suppression
Passive Fire Protection – Compartmentalising the building with fire resistance walls and floors. Organising the building into smaller fire compartments prevents or slows the spread of fire from its origin to other spaces in the building. This will limit the potential damage to the building and it gives the building occupants time to initiate their emergency evacuation drill and for them to get to safety.
Fire Prevention – Minimising potential situations that a fire could break out and educating the occupants of the building on fire safety systems and how they should be maintained and emergency procedures including how to notify fire service response and emergency evacuation.

Any surface that is used for fire resistance is required to have a fire rating. Surfaces are rated by being fire tested where surfaces are exposed to temperatures upwards of 1100°C. Many of these tests are undertaken to test the survivability of the surfaces under realistic conditions.

A lot of Passive Fire Protection systems use many different materials in the design and construction of their systems. Most common endothermic building materials include calcium silicate board, concrete and gypsum wallboard. During fire testing, concrete slabs have been known to emit water as they boil and gypsum commonly loses all its strength when exposed to fire. The use of endothermic materials is established and proven to be sound engineering practice. The chemically bound water inside these materials sublimes. During this process, the unexposed side cannot exceed the boiling point of water. Once the hydrates are spent, the temperature on the unexposed side of an endothermic fire barrier tends to rise rapidly. Too much water can be a problem, however. Concrete slabs that are too wet, will literally explode in a fire, which is why test laboratories insist on measuring water content of concrete and mortar in fire test specimens, before running any fire tests.

PFP measures also include the use of intumescent (a substance that swells under heat exposure) or ablative materials. Any of these surfaces on their own would not be effective against exposure to fire and so need to be organised into a highly effective system that is subject to rigorous testing at multiple times.

Passive Fire Protection is designed to contain the fire in its place of origin, preventing the spread of fire and smoke for a limited amount of time. Firestops, fire walls and fire doors undergo the above-mentioned fire testing and fire resistance is usually determined in how many hours these particularly materials can contain the fire for. Their certification will provide the limitations that are present with these materials.

Unlike Active Fire Protection, Passive Fire Protection does not usually involve any form of activation or degree of motion with the exception of fire dampers and fire door closers which must move, open and shut in order to function as well as all intumescent products which rely on swelling to operate effectively.

There are mainly two types of Passive Fire Protection; intumescent and vermiculite. With vermiculite protection, the structural steel members are covered in a thick layer of hydrous phyllosilicate mineral that undergoes significant expansion when heated. This is a cheaper option to the intumescent materials but is not aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, if the environment is corrosive, then the vermiculite is not advisable as there is a possibility of water seeping into it and will make it difficult to monitor corrosion. Intumescent fire protection is a layer of paint with a coating system along the structural steel members. The thickness of this coating depends on the steel section used. Intumescent coating is relatively low in thickness which makes it more pleasing to the eye and produces a nice finish with an anti-corrosive nature.

In the event of a fire in a building, the steel structure will eventually collapse once the steel hits its critical core temperature of around 550°C. Passive fire protection will delay this by creating a layer between the steel and the fire. This can potentially add another 2 hours to the integrity of the structure saving lives and damage to property inside the building.

If you require a competent fully accredited fire protection company, you have just found it! Broadsword Fire Protection LTD welcomes your enquiries.

Three in five care home workers ‘concerned’ about fire safety

September 25, 2019/0 Comments/in News /by joannevickers

Care homes, where some of the most vulnerable people in society live, are believed to be at an increased risk of fire, with three in five care home workers admitting to serious concerns.

The new research released today marks the launch of Fire Door Safety Week (23-29th September).

The study, which was conducted among 1,000 current and former care-home employees, found three quarters believe more could be done to prevent or manage a fire, with three in five workers having reported fire safety concerns.

Over half of those surveyed say that unsatisfactory action was taken as a result of reporting their concerns.

A “worrying lack of clarity” is also identified, with nearly half (47%) saying they did not understand the role a fire door plays in keeping a fire contained for a specified time, while over eight in 10 (82%) admitted to deliberately keeping a fire door open.

Almost three quarters (72%) said they had witnessed or were aware of fire doors being tampered with, including removing the door closer to make doors easier to open.

According to the report, not only does this make the door closer redundant, when combined with other adjustments it could leave the fire door not fit for purpose in the event of a fire.

Fire doors placed on the market should withstand fire for 30 minutes and have test evidence to validate this.

However, respondents said that on average it would take 25 minutes to evacuate the care home where they worked, with a quarter saying it would take longer than 30 minutes.

Today’s research marks the start of Fire Door Safety Week, which this year focusses on the role that fire doors play in protecting people while asleep and at their most vulnerable – principally in specialised housing such as care homes, children’s homes and sheltered housing as well as houses in multiple occupation and communal properties.

Numerous events and campaign activities are being held throughout to help landlords, tenants, and anyone with an interest in or responsibility for fire safety at a property.

Helen Hewitt, CEO of the British Woodworking Federation, which organises Fire Door Safety Week, said: “These highly concerning findings underline how crucial fire safety is, and the fundamental role that fire doors play – especially so in light of recent instances of damaging care home fires which have threatened the lives of residents.

“Evacuation strategies in care homes are very specialised, accounting for the fact that many residents will need assistance.

“These strategies rely on the ability of fire doors to perform their function in holding back fire and smoke to allow adequate time for rescue.”

She added: “We all need to feel protected inside buildings, and especially so when we are asleep. Care homes and other specialised housing provide a living place for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“The companies and other operators that run and maintain them have a responsibility to ensure their residents’ safety – and as an industry we need to continue to provide our expert support to ensure the correct specification, installation, and ongoing maintenance of fire doors.

“We hope that through raising awareness during Fire Door Safety Week, lives will be saved through a reappraisal of fire doors and safety arrangements in multiple occupancy buildings.”

Source: 24 housing

Fire Door Safety Week

September 18, 2019/0 Comments/in News /by joannevickers

Fire Door Safety week 2019 launches next week.

Running from the 23rd-29th September, the objectives of the week are:

To raise awareness of the critical role of fire doors, drawing attention to specific issues such as poor installation and maintenance;
To engage and educate people, helping the whole building industry and every property owner to understand the correct specification, supply, installation, operation, inspection and maintenance of fire doors;
To encourage building owners and users to check the operation and condition of their fire doors and to report those that aren’t satisfactory;
To link together the initiatives of many organisations with common interests in the fire door and passive fire protection industries.

Fire Door Safety Week is the brainchild of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and the Fire Door Alliance (an evolution of the BWF CERTIFIRE Scheme) and was supported at conception by the Government’s Fire Kills campaign. All stakeholders invest in the campaign to promote and educate on the critical importance of properly specified, installed and maintained fire doors and associated products.

Fire Door Safety Week was launched in 2013 in response to a legacy of fire door neglect. It is a ‘mass market’ awareness campaign to increase public understanding of the role that fire doors play in protecting life and property.

For more information please go here

Government to pay £200m for safer cladding on Grenfell Tower

May 15, 2019/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

The £200m bill to replace Grenfell Tower-type cladding on about 150 private high-rise blocks in England is to be met by the government.

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire had previously said the bill should be footed by the owners, not the taxpayer.

But he said owners had been trying to offload the costs on to leaseholders and that the long wait for remedial work had caused anxiety for residents.

Leaseholder groups said the news would be a “relief” but more was needed.

Seventy-two people died when a fire destroyed Grenfell Tower, in west London, in June 2017, in one of the UK’s worst modern disasters.

It took minutes for the fire to race up the exterior of the building, and spread to all four sides.

A public inquiry into the fire heard evidence to support the theory that the highly combustible material in the cladding was the primary cause of the fire’s spread.

Latest government figures show that 166 private residential buildings out of the 176 identified with aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding – the same type used on Grenfell Tower – are yet to start work on removing and replacing it.

Unsafe cladding still affects thousands
Stars in emotional Grenfell cladding video
The terrible speed with which the Grenfell fire spread

Mr Brokenshire admitted he had changed his mind on demanding that freeholders pay up for safety work.

He said some building owners had tried to pass on the costs to residents by threatening them with bills running to thousands of pounds.

“What has been striking to me over recent weeks is just the time it is taking and my concern over the leaseholders themselves – that anxiety, that stress, that strain, and seeing that we are getting on and making these buildings safe.”

Alex Di Giuseppe, a leaseholder in a block with unsafe cladding in Manchester, said he has been dealing with the developer, freeholder and management agent but had got nowhere.

“It’s taken its toll. We’ve been living in an unsafe building and we’ve had these huge costs placed upon our heads. The stress is insurmountable.

“If this was a car with an airbag issue, it would be recalled.”

Pemberstone, Aberdeen Asset Management, Barratt Developments, Fraser Properties, Legal & General and Mace and Peabody were named as having fully borne the costs for their buildings.

Grenfell United, a group of survivors and the bereaved, said the news offered hope to people feeling at risk at home.

“This result is a testament to residents themselves. The truth is we should never have had to fight for it,” the group said.

It asked the government to consider financial support for residents as they continue night watches and wait for the remediation work to begin.

Rachel Loudain, from the UK Cladding Action Group, said leaseholders had exhausted all other options before the government stepped in to pay for the work.

“No developer was taking responsibility, no freeholder, we didn’t have any option legally or any option with insurance,” she said.

The group welcomed the news but pointed out that “many, many” leaseholders and social housing tenants living in blocks with other forms of unsafe cladding would be excluded from this help.

“Fire does not distinguish between the different types of failed cladding out there. This inadequate response will be looked back on in shame when the next Grenfell tragedy occurs,” the group said.

Labour accused the government of being “frozen like a rabbit in the headlights” in its response to the Grenfell disaster.

“Too weak and too slow to act at every stage and on every front,” the shadow housing secretary John Healey said.

The government has already committed to funding replacement cladding in the social sector. There are currently 23 blocks still covered in it.

Owners of private buildings will have three months to claim the funds, with one condition being that they take “reasonable steps” to recover the costs from those responsible for the cladding.

Source: BBC.co.uk

Fire safety in construction a bigger priority post Grenfell

October 17, 2018/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

The construction industry has seen myriad improvements to fire safety since the Grenfell Tower fire, but there is frustration that the government has responded too slowly, a new study reveals.

Since the fire in June 2017, which killed 71 people, construction industry professionals have seen substantive changes in products used for cladding, insulation and fire doors, as well as greater demands for more fire testing of products.

A survey of construction professionals from all parts of the trade, conducted for UK Construction Week (UKCW), also suggested fire safety has become a bigger priority in revised procurement policies, tenders and contract terms, the survey reveals.

However, the government was widely criticised for taking too long to clarify new requirements since the fire and subsequent publication of the Hackitt Review on 17 May 2018.

One respondent to the survey said: “I just wish that action could happen more quickly”, while another said “things are changing, but way too slowly.” Another had particularly low expectations of the government: “The government will take a decade to produce yet another set of incomplete regulations together, and will probably produce another white paper. They need to set a clock on this.”

Asked what changes they had made since the tragedy respondents had most frequently reviewed project designs and specifications, commissioned additional fire risk assessments on projects and ramped up fire safety training.

They were also asked to pick the three changes they thought would most likely improve fire safety across the built environment, in buildings of all sizes and types. On average they most frequently cited greater involvement of some to conduct a full fire risk assessment to enhance design and specification – such as an architect, clerk of works, fire engineer, or fire and rescue service.

Contractor-led ‘Design and Build’

Many called for the end of contractor-led ‘Design and Build’ contracts.

Not far behind in second place was a sea change in specifying materials. Many backed the recently announced ban on combustible materials in exposed areas of a building, in particular cladding or insulation.

The aluminium composite material panels used on Grenfell Tower have been banned and more recent regulations will extend the ban to include plastics, wood and products that include combustible materials such as aluminium composite panels in the external wall systems used in residential buildings more than 18 metres tall. The only materials that will be allowed are those classed as A1 or A2, which includes elements such as metal, stone and glass, which seldom contribute to fires; or plasterboard, which makes no significant contribution.

The third most highly ranked change sought by construction professionals was the installation and regular maintenance of sprinklers and other active fire detection and suppression equipment into all buildings.

New regulations only ranked sixth on the industry’s list of priorities.

Asked to score out of 10 their confidence that the UK’s approach to fire safety in all buildings would now change for the better, respondents on average went for 6 out of 10.

Contractors, specialist sub-contractors and building products suppliers are marginally more confident than other groups (average confidence score of 7 out of 10).

“Our research shows that the industry has taken to heart every opportunity to change its practice and is already well along a process that will change the way all buildings are procured, design, built and maintained,” said Nathan Garnett, event director at UK Construction Week.

“This is an issue that will be discussed widely at next week’s event, and is likely to remain the highest agenda item for years to come. While confidence is quite good at this time, we must do all we can to maintain the positive attitude and momentum behind these changes.”

Geoff Wilkinson, managing director of Wilkinson Construction Consultants, a fire safety and building standards expert and one of the speakers at this year’s UKCW seminar on quality in construction post-Grenfell, says:

“It is very encouraging to see the industry getting on with it, despite the hiatus from Government. But what’s needed is an industry-wide coordinated response.

“The ban on combustible materials is long overdue. We need to be told why it has taken over a year to get to this point when a very simple changing of regulatory guidance could have achieved the same thing in days.”

Source: Ifsecglobal.com

Combustible cladding over 18m to be banned

October 3, 2018/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

The Government has confirmed it is banning the use of all combustible cladding on new residential buildings over 18m.

New building regulations will be introduced for external wall systems banning plastics, wood and other products that include combustible materials found in some aluminium composite panel systems.

Materials that would be allowed are those classed as A1 or A2 under the European Classification system.

Hotels and office building would be exempt because they have different evacuation strategies and the risks are lower.

Full details of the proposed ban have yet to be released. It is still not known whether the ban would apply to any material in wall construction from the internal face of the wall through to its external face, as first proposed.

If this proved the case internal wallpaper and paint, window frames, gaskets and seals, vapour membranes, surface finishes and laminated glass would likely be exempted.

To comply with the stricter requirements, it is estimated that for a 15-storey new build requiring 1,700m2 of cladding, a wall system which comprises only materials of A2 will cost an extra £25,000-£75,000.

Across England, this would equate to an expected overall annual cost of £7.5m-£11m assuming average build rates, according to the Government.

The Communities Secretary James Brokenshire confirmed the decision at the Conservative Party Conference.

“I can confirm that I will change the building regulations to ban the use of combustible materials for all new high rise residential buildings, hospitals, registered care homes and student accommodation.

“And bring about a change in culture on building safety.”

The new ban will be implemented through changes to building regulations to be brought forward in late autumn.

The plan to tighten up on materials use on building exteriors came as the Government also issued a further warning that even small amounts of combustible ACM cladding fitted to existing buildings must be removed.

Fresh guidance from the Government’s expert panel revealed that some experts were mistakenly advising building owners that combustible ACM cladding could remain on high rise buildings when fitted to small parts or strips of the building envelope.

The guidance says: “We have become aware that some building owners have received advice that indicates that it is acceptable to leave small or partial amounts of ACM cladding on their buildings.

“Given the risk of fire spread posed by ACM cladding systems, the independent expert advisory panel’s view is that leaving any amount of ACM cladding on a building would continue to pose a hazard to both residents and firefighters in the event of a fire.

“The clearest way to ensure the safety of residents is to remove all ACM, including small or partial areas of ACM, and replace it with a safe material. This remains the most appropriate remediation solution.”

However, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the new regulations did not go far enough, claiming the move was “designed for political convenience”.

Class A2 materials such as plasterboard, which has limited combustibility, will continue to be permitted under the new rules.

Firefighters are calling for only A1 materials, which do not contribute to a fire at any stage – such as metal, stone and glass – be allowed.

The partial ban on combustible cladding will not be applied retrospectively to buildings that have already had the panels fitted.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “These measures do not deal with the existing cladding on nearly 500 buildings across England where people live and work every day.

“The government’s proposals only apply to buildings over 18 metres high, plus hospitals, care homes and student accommodation, when they should apply to all buildings, whatever their height or use.

“They continue to allow A2 materials, when they should permit only the highest standard of A1.”

Mr Wrack added: “This announcement is designed for political convenience, not for thoroughgoing change. The failings in the fire safety regime are far wider than just the materials used. The whole deregulated system and weak guidance needs to be overhauled.

“Many residents of high rise residential buildings and firefighters wanted more comprehensive action taken against flammable cladding. This government has failed to deliver.”

A spokesman for Mr Brokenshire said: “We are saddened to see the response of the Fire Brigades Union. We consulted on this very important matter and indeed went beyond what was asked of us.

“These measures will save lives, and we are clear building safety is at the very heart of what Mr Brokenshire is doing.”

Source: Construction Enquirer / The Independent