fire & smoke protection
“The responsibility for having the right fire systems lies firmly with the building’s owner”
RRO), and – if prosecuted – a requirement to publicly inform customers that they have breached the Regulations. Third party accreditation can take a number of forms – either specialised
accreditation following an assessment by a recognised organisation (in the case of fire systems the two preferred options are BAFE SP203-1 and LPS 1014) or through membership of a relevant trade association, which in addition to demonstrating the contractor’s commitment to adhering to the industry standards also provides a guarantee they will abide by the association’s Codes of Conduct and Guarantee of Work. In our case, ECA members who carry out work on fire and security systems form part of the Fire and Security Association (FSA), our specialist association for fire and security contractors, which means all members have third party accreditation that is relevant to their specialist discipline. Ensuring your contractors have this independent accreditation is a
worthwhile investment. The legal, financial and reputational consequences of fire damage are grave. They can be reduced by having properly installed fire systems and by ensuring contractors have the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to commission, install and maintain these systems. By taking these precautions, it’s easy to mitigate the risks of fires occurring and affecting you, your buildings and their occupiers.
Steve Martin is head of specialist groups at the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA)
Smoke ventilation maintenance – the hot issue for HAs and LAs
By Simon North – Service and Maintenance Division Manager with SE Controls O
ngoing budgetary pressures and a lack of familiarity by local authorities and housing associations about the strict
regulations that govern the maintenance of smoke ventilation systems, has given rise to a worrying trend that will leave them exposed to prosecution for non-compliance unless it is addressed. In an effort to integrate fire systems
maintenance and save money in the process, many HAs and LAs are ‘bundling’ smoke ventilation maintenance into a multi-disciplined ‘fire service’ contract, where the contractor is responsible for all fire and smoke system maintenance, often across several locations and building types. However, under the scope of various British
Standards, including BS9991, BS9999 and BS7346 Part 8, together with Building Regulations ADB; the European EN12101 standard and best practice guidance documents from the Smoke Control Association, there are specific maintenance requirements and procedures that must be followed. The real ‘teeth’ behind this complex and vital legislative framework is the Regulatory Reform
Order (RRO). This gives fire service officers an extensive range of enforcement powers in situations where smoke control systems have been inadequately maintained under the demands of the various pieces of legislation. The penalties for non-compliance can be
significant, including the prosecution of compa- nies, building owners, landlords and individuals responsible for building maintenance, resulting in punitive fines as well as custodial sentences. At SE Controls, we have already been directly
involved in a significant number of projects to correct problems caused where general fire contractors have found themselves out of their depth and unable to maintain the smoke control
system within the demands of the regulations. In one instance the maintenance company had failed to notice a smoke vent that had been ‘nailed shut’ rendering it in operable and dangerous, while another recent case or poor maintenance from an inexperienced contractor resulted in an automatic smoke vent falling out of the building. A major internal review fol- lowed, together with the involvement of the HSE and prosecutions are now being considered. On a number of other remedial projects, fire
officers or building control have already imposed close notices on the buildings, resulting in disruption, the removal of tenants and large unbudgeted costs for the housing association. Clearly, these could have been avoided if the specialised smoke ventilation maintenance contract was kept separate and handled by a specialist company with the necessary skills, experience and expertise.
01543 44 30 60
www.secontrols.com
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM November 2016 | 39
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