SOCIAL HOUSING
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Fire dampers – out of sight, not out of mind
Gary Nicholls, managing director of Swift Fire Compliance, explores why fi re dampers must be a priority for social landlords as updated guidance raises expectations around access, evidence and accountability
E
xpectations surrounding fire safety in residential buildings have changed profoundly since Grenfell. For social
landlords, local authorities and housing associations, the tragedy forced a wider reassessment of how fire safety is designed, documented and evidenced throughout the life of a building. Among the assets now under sharper scrutiny are fire and smoke control dampers: lifesaving passive fire safety devices that are hidden in HVAC ductwork and too often neglected.
Preserve escape routes
Fire dampers are installed where ventilation ductwork passes through fi re-resisting walls, fl oors and partitions. In a fi re, they close automatically, preserving compartmentation and slowing the spread of fi re and smoke. In high-rise residential buildings, where evacuation strategies, vulnerable residents and fi refi ghter access must all be considered, fi re dampers save lives by preserving the integrity of escape routes for a specifi ed time period. However, BESA has reported widespread
non-compliance identifi ed during fi re damper inspections, with industry sources estimating that around 70% fail the initial inspection. Dampers are often inaccessible, missing from drawings, incorrectly installed, blocked by debris or fi tted with fi xings that prevent them closing as intended. In older buildings, the original fi re strategy may be incomplete or missing, leaving duty holders unsure what is installed and whether it still meets the design intent.
DW145 and why it matters
BESA guide DW145, Installation and Maintenance of Fire Dampers: A Guide to Good Practice, provides guidance on how to respond to that challenge. Revised for a post-Grenfell environment, DW145 moves the emphasis from routine function testing to evidence-led compliance across the building lifecycle. Installations must be documented with robust records and photographic evidence, checked against manufacturer instructions, verifi ed against
18 August 2026
Left: Gary Nicholls, managing director of Swift Fire Compliance
the fi re strategy and accessible for inspection, testing and maintenance. For social housing providers, this supports the ‘golden thread’ approach that is required for high- risk buildings (HRBs) under the Building Safety Act 2022. HRBs are defi ned as residential buildings that are more than 18 metres high or have at least 7 storeys. DW145 sets out diff erent inspection levels depending on the building’s stage and condition. New installations should be verifi ed at handover, while existing buildings with incomplete records require a ‘fi nd and verify’ survey to locate dampers, assess installation quality, check penetration seals and establish a benchmark for future testing. Routine functional testing then provides ongoing assurance that dampers remain serviceable.
Access and evidence
A fi re damper that cannot be reached cannot be properly inspected or tested. In social housing estates, historic refurbishment, retrofi t works and tenant improvements are very common, and may have altered ceilings, risers and service routes over many years. Landlords should treat inaccessible dampers not as an administrative inconvenience, but as a safety defect requiring planned intervention.
Equal weight should also be applied to record
keeping. A compliant report should identify the asset, show its location, record access status, include clear photographs, note installation concerns, set out remedial actions and provide competent sign-off . Without that detail, housing providers may struggle to prioritise risk, prove compliance or brief contractors eff ectively.
Fire safety reform
Alongside DW145 and the Building Safety Act, social housing providers should also be aware of recent changes to BS 9991:2024, the code of practice for fi re safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings, and Approved Document B. These standards are essential for social housing providers to prove regulatory compliance. Recent updates expand the scope to include
residential care homes and strengthen expectations surrounding evacuation lifts, sprinkler provision, smoke control, management procedures and residents who may require assistance.
A practical route for landlords
The challenge for the social housing sector is the variety of portfolios, which will no doubt include many diff erent buildings of all ages and construction types; some will have reliable records, many will not. Practically, the best place to start is by reviewing properties and carrying out a risk-based assessment. Once high-risk blocks have been identifi ed, review the fi re strategy, confi rm the damper register and commission surveys where records are missing. Landlords should work with a competent, independent
fi re damper contractor to verify installations against DW145, resolve access issues, carry out testing and provide clear photographic evidence, asset records and remedial recommendations. In social housing, compliance is not simply about satisfying an auditor. It is about protecting people in their homes, including those least able to escape without assistance. Fire dampers may be hidden, but responsibility for ensuring they perform must be visible, evidenced and ongoing
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