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OpinionLETTERS


email info@flat-living.co.uk tel0845 257 6374 fax0845 257 6319


Do we need aSAFed inspection?


Our lift service company are saying we need to get a ‘SAFed Inspection’. Wecurrently have


themservicethe lift four timesayear.Wealso pay aseparatecompany to inspectittwice yearly and insure it, so this seemsexcessive. Thelift is sixyears old, has been maintainedsince build, andweare in asmall block, with three floors. Also,isn’t this


somethingthatthe lift inspection should tell us to do -and notthe provider ofmaintenancewho has a vested interest in it (their estimate is £1000 -15% of ourbudgetfor theentire building!)


Gareth Lomax, directorofArdent Lift consultancyreplies:


LOLER(LiftingOperations andLifting Equipment Regulations 1998)calls for all passenger lifts to be regularlymaintained and independentlyinspected. From your question, it appearsyou arefulfilling your duties as “Ownersand Operators” of the lift. The independent inspections, often undertaken by insurance companies (in their role as Competent Person) are known as Thorough Examinations. These form part of the LOLERrequirements and are independent to the maintenanceofthe lift.The Thorough Examinations produce reportsevery six months,whichshould be issuedtothe service provider for them to action, as required. SAFed(TheSafety


Assessment Federation), released guidelines in 2006 highlightingthe role of the CompetentPerson, the Thorough Examination and SupplementaryTesting (which I think yourmaintenance provider is alluding to). Prior


20 Whenis a fire doorneeded?


Ineed someadvice regarding current regulations relating to fire safety.Imanageablock of lfatsin Maidstone and need to replace the main entrance door as theexisting door is damagedand doesn’talways lock, causing a security risk. Please advise if thereplacement


door needstobeafire door with intumescent strip, as proposed by the company I have approached for areplacement.The currentdooris not a fire door.


Flat Living replies: Our first suggestion is always to take


to the2006amendments, liftmaintenancecompanies would undertakeSAFed LG1 testsatspecific timed(one, five and 10 year) intervals. Theamended guidelines movedthe onus onto the Competent Person to call forSupplementary Testing


advice from your local fire department, who will be able to pop out to your block and review your needs based on your property type and construction. Youshould also note thefollowing


Nameandaddress withheld


advice on P18 of the Local Government Fire Safety Guide, which states the following about exit doors and security: “Ideally final exit doors from all premises should be fitted with locks/ catches which are openable by the occupiers from the inside without the use of a removable key. This should always be the case in Houses inMultiple Occupation (HMOs) includingshared houses.Where security locks are fitted they should be of thetypewithasuitable


whenevertheydeemedit necessary. The following excerpt is taken from those guidelines: “The competent person


should decide whetheratest is necessary. The nature of the test method will beamatter forthe competent person:


internal thumb-turn to facilitate this. To safeguardsecurityany glazedpanels within the door or adjacent to it should be replaced with protected glazing of some kind or protected in another way from intruders. “it is strongly recommended


that theexitdoorfromeachunitof accommodation (bedsit or flat) is also openable from the inside without the use of a removable key. “Electrically operatedlocksmust fail


to safety (open) or have amanual over- ride in the event of power failure.”


Formoreonfiresafety in flats,gotowww. lacors.gov.uk/lacors/newsarticledetails. aspx?id=19844


they should determine the most appropriate method for carrying it out”. It is worth reviewingyour


latest Thorough Examination report from your insurance company, to ensure there is not a Supplementary Test requested. If thereis,


then the test will need to be undertaken to preventthe potentialisolation of theliftif theCompetent Person deems it unsafe during thenextvisit. If the report does not call for aSupplementary Test,then you are not obliged to have one undertaken.


Issue 15 Flat Living


Flat Living


Ifyouhaveaquestionorwouldliketosharewithotherreadersyourideasorexperiencesof livinginaleaseholdblock,wewant tohearfromyou.


Addressyourcommentsorqueriesto theFlat Living teamat info@flat-living.co.uk


Nameandaddress withheld


Take advice fromthe


fire service


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