FSM Stadium Compliance
Venue Compliance Matters
Gary Nicholls, Managing Director of Swift Fire Compliance, examines the recent overhaul of BESA's DW145 guidance on fire damper installation and explains why stadium managers must act now to ensure compliance with post-Grenfell fire safety standards.
Fire safety has always been paramount in football stadiums, however, recent regulatory changes following the Grenfell disaster and the subsequent introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022 have significantly raised the bar. Stadium managers face greater scrutiny, enhanced documentation requirements and a clear duty to demonstrate ongoing competence in relation to fire safety.
Fire and smoke control dampers are critical life saving devices, yet they often present compliance challenges. In existing buildings, records of initial installations are often missing and the dampers themselves can be inaccessible, making routine inspection and testing impossible.
To help stadium managers and other duty holders understand their responsibilities in relation to fire dampers, the Building Engineering
Services Association (BESA) recently updated
DW145 best practice guidance. Understanding Fire Dampers And Their Critical Role
In the event of a fire, flames and smoke can travel rapidly through ventilation ductwork, worsening the danger, damaging escape routes and putting lives at risk. Fire dampers are automatic closing devices fitted within the ductwork where it passes through walls, floors and ceilings. When activated by heat or smoke, the dampers close and contain the fire in one compartment of a building, preserving the integrity of escape routes. In football stadiums, where thousands of people may need to evacuate safely, their role is critical.
Fire dampers are designed to meet specific fire resistance
periods, typically 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes, depending on the fire strategy for different areas of the stadium. Like all safety equipment, fire dampers must be regularly tested and maintained to ensure they will perform effectively in an emergency. Without proper upkeep, issues such as corrosion, dirt build-up or poor installation can cause dampers to fail when they are needed most.
Fire Damper Guidance – The Latest Updates
Fire authorities are now taking an in-depth interest in fire damper compliance and responsible parties face clear legal and moral obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales, and the Building Safety Act 2022.
The latest version of DW145 contains guidance for contractors and facilities managers on how to meet the highest standards in design, installation and inspection of fire dampers, including:
Documenting installations with photographic evidence. Checking that fire damper installations meet manufacturer guidelines. Cross-checking the building’s fire strategy to ensure fire dampers comply. Making sure all fire dampers are accessible for routine inspection and testing. Implementation of ‘golden thread’ record keeping to ensure compliance.
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