Industry News


Nationwide Windows hosts informative fire door seminar for social housing professionals


fire doors at the Draycote Hotel in Rugby on 18 and 19 September. ‘The future of fire doors’ was one of a series of


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seminars Nationwide was hosting ahead of new legislation coming in to force on 1 November, which will mean all external fire doors must tested against new European Standard BS EN 1634 (part 1 for fire, part 3 for smoke) in order to be CE Marked. The seminar saw a range of talks including the


latest on relevant legislation, where the sector faces problems, the importance of third party certification, the latest solutions and products and of course, the impact of both Brexit and the Grenfell Tower tragedy and subsequent Hackitt review. Speakers included Russell Day, CEO of the


Association of Composite Door Manufacturers (ACDM), Chris Costall, compliance director at Nationwide Windows, managing director Dave Gomersall and technical director Dave Walker of Fire Door Systems (FDS), and Peter Barker, technical manager at Warringtonfire. Day kicked off proceedings with an update on


the composite fire door industry, the effects Grenfell has had on the industry and the complexity of testing and compliance for manufacturers. When discussing Grenfell, he explained what measures and tests were undertaken on several composite doors by the Metropolitan Police and Ministry of Housing, Communities, & Local Government (MHCLG), supported by the ACDM, and what the findings – and subsequent potential solutions – of these were. Both sides of a total of 22 composite fire doors,


from eight manufacturers, were tested by the MHCLG (the full report on these can be found on the MHCLG website). Despite inconsistencies in the


o coincide with the launch of its latest product, Nationwide Windows held informative CPD-accredited seminars on


results, when referred to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) they said the risk posed by composite doors remains low. The “major risk” in their opinion, explained Day, was fire door self- closing devices that had not been properly maintained, and in some cases had been removed completely – a pertinent point for housing stock managers to take note of. Day also discussed third party certification of fire


doors, which is not currently required by Building Regulations, saying the ACDM is encouraging its members to obtain this regardless – something Barker went on to discuss in more detail later. Day stressed the importance of assessments being based on primary test evidence. “We must base them on what we know about how that door will perform under fire,” he said. Finally, he discussed the importance of introducing a competency scheme for composite fire door installers. Next was Costall’s talk on what manufacturers


can do to help the social housing industry, focusing on the introduction of digital solutions. He began by explaining the measures Nationwide has taken since Grenfell to ensure its products are safe and fully compliant, including a breakdown of all the tests it put its doors and components through. He then detailed the digital solutions now on


offer, specifically the inclusion of a QR code on each product which provides invaluable information for both housing managers and tenants, including links to certifications, specific product details, evidence of CE Marks, and user and maintenance guides for residents. Moving forward, he detailed utilising third party software to simplify the process and reduce the time required to manage and maintain fire doors. FDS’ Gomersall and Walker then took to the stage with a presentation on the new GRP fire door


being launched by Nationwide that they developed, with a video showcasing the rigorous testing procedure it’s been put through in order to meet the new legislation requirements. They explained the thinking behind certain decisions and details that went into the design. Warringtonfire’s Barker finished the talks with a


discussion on third party certification and how Brexit could affect things – for example a no-deal Brexit would mean a switch from CE Marking to UKCA Marking, though requirements would remain the same. He also discussed BM TRADA’s certification schemes process, as well as the importance of correct installation. “There’s no point having a good product if it’s not installed correctly,” he said. Barker finished by discussing maintenance


certification schemes, noting an important point for housing managers that while certifications are – at the moment – still a voluntary service, the maintenance of fire equipment is not. “It’s a legal duty placed on the responsible person to make sure their fire safety provisions have been maintained correctly,” he said. Certification schemes therefore provide the confidence that specified products will continue to perform as required, he explained. The day ended with an innovative Q&A session –


attendees had been requested to download an app at the start of the day which allowed them to anonymously ask questions on topics and points raised throughout the course of the day. Host Michelle Orpe gathered speakers on stage to go through submitted questions, which included further queries about Brexit’s impacts – attendees were reassured that in general the standards to adhere to should be unaffected – and more details on the products, systems and certification schemes mentioned throughout the day.


Blazes beset timber clad housing blocks


The social housing sector’s confidence in the safety of its residential stock has been badly shaken after a number of fires destroyed or badly damaged a number of developments over the course of the Summer months. Two years on from the Grenfell Tower fire, it has been a huge relief to tenants, leaseholders, landlords and their staff that there has been no loss of life in the fires. But fleeing your home, at any time of day or night has proven to be a traumatic experience. A common feature has been the focus on the use of


timber as a material either in the main construction, or as cladding on the walls and balconies of the buildings. Most of the fires have been in the capital, starting in June on a sunny Sunday morning when Samuel Garside House in Barking, east London was badly damaged. More recently fires broke out at blocks in Sutton and Hackney, on either side of London as timber clad buildings went up in flames. Back in early August, fire ravaged through the Beechmere retirement and care home in Crewe,


22 | HMM October/November 2019 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


Cheshire. The complex was home to 150 elderly people and had only been opened ten years earlier. Also in Hackney, the council announced it was decanting 41 households from Bridport House in order to replace “incorrect insulation” on the block. It was opened in 2011 and had won several design awards. But reflecting the more cautious and risk averse environment now pervading, the council decided to take a safety first approach. While the Government has been consulting on what is the right height to insist on the fitting of water sprinklers in new buildings, there surely needs to be a more thorough review of safety measures in all buildings. This cannot be limited to just newly built blocks of flats.


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