A look at how some building contractors may choose to hire fire fighting equipment for their future projects. Modern Sites Although it could be argued that building sites abound with potential health and safety issues for all personnel working in such areas, it has to be said that many of
Every year construction sites and buildings undergoing refurbishment work catch fire, which results in workers being injured, destroyed properties, and unexpected costs that some businesses might never recover from. This is why it is important that protective fire measures are put in place to protect a construction site. Implement the right
Jane Embury, marketing director at Wrightstyle, the advanced steel and aluminium glazing company, looks at accidental fires in the workplace …and how to avoid them. In 2017, fire crews in England attended over 560,000 incidents, 34% fewer than ten years ago. Of those, only about 170,000 were fires, and over
A £1.4m programme of fire safety improvement work in which Focus Consultants undertook the building surveying, design and contract administrator responsibilities has been completed on a ward at Lincoln County Hospital. The third floor Branston Ward (gynaecology) at Lincoln County Hospital has just undergone a major refurbishment, as part of
The government’s ban on combustible materials has been welcomed by Bureau Veritas as the “first step in the crusade to improve the industry’s approach to fire safety following the Grenfell tragedy”. Combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, according
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP has taken a strong stance on the issue of cladding and forcing the removal and reinstatement of a safer product. For months James Brokenshire has been warning landlords of at-risk properties to get on
The aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire last year has had a far-reaching impact on countless individuals, authorities and businesses. The negative spotlight on cladding materials, which are reported to have aided the spread of the fire, has had a major knock-on effect for the construction industry, from builders
Do you manage a block (or blocks) fitted with a fire alarm system? If so, to remain compliant with British Standard 5839 you should be testing the system every week. In my experience this is simply not happening. It is unrealistic to expect property managers to visit all their sites
Kevin Griffin, SELECT’s president was this year’s recipient of The Ian Marsh Award, which recognises individuals who demonstrate enthusiasm and selfless concern for the fire and emergency systems industry. The award was made on behalf of the Fire and Security Association at the IFSEC’s ‘Security and Fire Excellence Awards’ held
Bureau Veritas has welcomed the Government’s recent response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s proposals on the Hackitt report, stating that many of recommendations on fire safety and construction will “undoubtedly” result in a safer built environment. Following the publication in May of the Hackitt report into
A look at how some building contractors may choose to hire fire fighting equipment for their future projects. Modern Sites Although it could be argued that building sites abound with potential health and safety issues for all personnel working in such areas, it has to be said that many of the modern-day construction sites spare no expense when it comes to HSE regulations. Indeed, carpenters, bricklayers and other trades have commonly seen going about their daily tasks on new housing development or shopping mall project can rest assured that the main contractor will make sure all health and safety measures have been implemented. And just like most large building contractors or even small subcontractors will prefer to hire various equipment to get their work done such as compressors, dumper trucks or power tools as opposed to purchasing them, the same could be said for state-of-the-art fire alarms and fire extinguishing products. However, contractors that fail to consider all the options available to them with regards to wireless alarm systems and fire extinguishers, as well as related signs, could end up with inferior fire protection gear. Safety First Regardless of how much pressure a leading building contractor may be under to get their latest city centre project completed and handed over to the client, it is absolutely vital for these types of companies to ensure the safety of all people working on their sites. Of course, not only will major firms involved in various commercial and domestic construction works comply with the HSE in order to avoid being penalised or even shut down but most of these firms will do so just for ethical or moral reasons. One growing trend, however; with regard to the procurement of fire prevention is hiring the equipment for fire safety planning. Indeed, as construction sites are continuously in a state of change and development, the type of fire fighting systems needed at various phases will often be different from the start of the projects. One main reason for this is that there will be a wide range of materials not only used to carry out the work but also materials that make up the structure of the buildings. Builders that appreciate the benefits to be gained from renting fire alarm systems and associated equipment should be able to source a number of firms suitable for their needs. Expert Advice Building contractors that prefer to stick with what they know best – building properties, are likely to look for providers of wireless alarms and fire extinguishers and other health and safety products from firms that are experts in this field. Fortunately for firms in the building game that do not wish to waste time deciding on the most appropriate fire safety products for their sites, there are plenty of well-established firms with fire protection solutions that offer a consultation service for all their clients. Of course, building site managers that could do with some advice on where best to place things like fire extinguishers or fire exit points do need to ensure they get this aspect right. That being said, with today’s extremely strict HSE regulations in place, there is very little chance of a building site not being up-to-scratch regarding health and safety concerns. And just like it is very important to keep all working areas on a construction site free from hazardous materials whenever possible, building site managers would be wise to attend as many HSE workshops as they have time for. Hire Equipment Tradespeople that have used a variety of hire tools and other equipment over the years will appreciate how some of the gear they have used have not been very good due to a lack of maintenance carried out by the hire company. Of course, if we are going to hire extremely important equipment such as fire alarms and extinguishers, it would go without saying that all such gear needs to be properly cleaned and checked by the firm we deal with. There are in fact many benefits to hiring equipment for construction sites. And by looking on the internet for extremely useful resources, construction bosses should be able to get a better idea regarding the pros and cons of renting machinery and power tools as well as fire protection equipment and systems.
Every year construction sites and buildings undergoing refurbishment work catch fire, which results in workers being injured, destroyed properties, and unexpected costs that some businesses might never recover from. This is why it is important that protective fire measures are put in place to protect a construction site. Implement the right products A crucial step to prevent a fire from spreading is implementing the correct safety products, with fire extinguishers being one of the most life-saving products that one can have on site. Fire extinguishers should be located at identified fire points around the site and should be appropriate to the nature of the potential fire: Wood, paper and cloth – water extinguisher Flammable liquids – dry powder or foam extinguisher Electrical – carbon dioxide (C02) extinguisher Consider how to detect fires Although a standalone alarm unit may be sufficient for a smaller site, as a construction site grows, there is a higher risk of a fire breaking out. By installing fire detection and wireless alarm systems, one can ensure workers are alerted in the event of such an incident. Carry out thorough staff training It is so important to ensure staff are confident when using any type of fire safety equipment – they need to know what risks to be aware of and what actions to take in the event of a fire. All new employees should also receive fire safety training. Review and update your risk assessment According to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), a ‘responsible person’ must carry out, and keep up to date, a risk assessment and implement appropriate measures to minimise the risk to life and property from fire. The HSE recommends following these five steps when carrying out the risk assessment: Identify hazards: consider how a fire could start and what could burn Identify those at risk: employees, contractors, visitors and anyone who is vulnerable Evaluation and action: consider the hazards and people identified in 1 and 2 and act to remove and reduce risk to protect people and premises Record, plan and train: keep a record of the risks and action taken. Make a clear plan for fire safety and ensure that people understand what they need to do in the event of such an incident Review: your assessment regularly and check it takes account of any changes on site.
Jane Embury, marketing director at Wrightstyle, the advanced steel and aluminium glazing company, looks at accidental fires in the workplace …and how to avoid them. In 2017, fire crews in England attended over 560,000 incidents, 34% fewer than ten years ago. Of those, only about 170,000 were fires, and over 220,000 were false alarms. Every year in the UK more than 20,000 non-residential fires are reported, with many of those happening in our workplaces. While there are a large number of reasons why fires start, many incidents could be avoided if people better understood and managed the most common causes of fire. While the overall incidence of workplace fires continues to fall, they do tend to be larger and more complex, not only potentially posing a risk to life but to the continuity and survival of the company affected. Preventing workplace fire loss requires knowledge of both the underlying ignition risks and, if fire does break out, the reasons why the fire might spread. The main element that then determines the severity of a fire is the availability of a fuel load – the combustible materials that a fire needs to develop and grow. Faulty electrics are the biggest cause of workplace fires and workplaces are legally obliged to properly maintain all electrical equipment and to conduct Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) at least annually. These tests ensure that electrical goods are fit for purpose and remain in good working order. Failure to test annually is therefore not only a fire risk in itself, but could result in legal penalty. What’s also needed is a comprehensive fire safety risk assessment, particularly vital if combustible and flammable materials are used in the workplace. That assessment will then guide a fire safety plan to ensure the most appropriate storage, handling and disposal of flammable materials. Again, failure to comply with the fire and safety regulations is a fire risk in itself and, again, could result in prosecution. But it’s not just complacency that’s the main fire risk, because accidents can happen – for example, an employee spilling liquid onto electrical equipment. What’s then crucial is that the workplace has sufficient and appropriate fire safety equipment, and that staff are fully trained in their use. But while accidents can and do happen, a bigger threat is negligence because, in the event of serious incident, the company concerned may lose any right to insurance recompense, leading inevitably to financial difficulty and possible closure. While every company must have a named person responsible for fire safety, everyone in an organisation also has personal responsibility, because everyone must be aware of fire risk, proper procedures, and what to do in the event of fire. As we also constantly point out, one of the main lessons for building designers and owners is not simply to incorporate passive and active fire systems, but to look at the whole building’s capacity to withstand a fire. That’s why advanced glazing systems are so important, either for the exterior envelope of a building or for internal screens and fire doors, providing up to 120 minutes of protection against the spread of fire, smoke or toxic gases. Advanced glazing systems also do one additional thing. By containing the fire, they minimise damage to that company’s workplace and better provide continuity of operations. It is, if you like, an investment in peace of mind.
A £1.4m programme of fire safety improvement work in which Focus Consultants undertook the building surveying, design and contract administrator responsibilities has been completed on a ward at Lincoln County Hospital. The third floor Branston Ward (gynaecology) at Lincoln County Hospital has just undergone a major refurbishment, as part of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s (ULHT) ongoing fire safety upgrades. The 18-bed ward has benefited from new ceilings, flooring and patient bathrooms, in addition to a full set of new fire doors and new lighting throughout. The third-floor revamp is part of an extensive programme of work at Lincoln to update and improve the entire maternity wing. Now the building surveying team at Focus Consultants is undertaking a similar role as improvement and refurbishment work gets under way on the ground floor antenatal and community midwife offices at the hospital. The company is also due to be involved when improvements are made to the second floor in due course. Keith Butler, partner at Focus Consultants, which has its headquarters in Nottingham and branches in Leicester, Newark, Boston and London, said: “Focus Consultants has wide experience of working on sensitive sites, such as hospitals, where it is crucial for day-to-day services to continue operating. “These refurbishment schemes at the maternity unit at Lincoln County Hospital are the latest in a number of hospital projects to improve facilities that Focus has been involved in – providing building surveying, design and contract administrator services. We have worked with Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Grantham Hospital and Lincoln County Hospital, helping to improve the surroundings and safety of the patient and staff environment.” The improvements at Lincoln County Hospital are part of a Trust-wide £46m capital investment spanning three financial years (2017/18 – 2019/20), which includes increased staff training and putting in fire prevention systems, including modernising and upgrading fire alarm systems, improving fire doors and enhancing fire barriers around all the hospitals. Focus provides a range of consultancy services to the property and construction industry, including building surveying, project management and sustainable development support. For more information, visit www.focus-consultants.com
The government’s ban on combustible materials has been welcomed by Bureau Veritas as the “first step in the crusade to improve the industry’s approach to fire safety following the Grenfell tragedy”. Combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, according to the new ban. Same applies for new hospitals, residential care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student accommodation over 18 metres. “The government moved quickly in passing the amended regulations and perhaps exceeded expectations by including not only new but also change of use buildings. The quick turnaround may also have caught some off guard, with not much time to ensure that new buildings of this type do not include timber cladding or combustible insulation,” said Andy Lowe, Technical Director of building control at Bureau Veritas. The government will also give support to local authorities to carry out emergency work to remove and replace unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding. “There are much wider discussions and ramifications for the construction industry still to come, with the government also making clear that it expects immediate action to speed up emergency remediation works to replace unsafe cladding on existing high rise buildings. Here, the onus is very much on building owners and developers, with an emphasis on costs not being passed on to leaseholders. There is also some debate around how the amended regulations can be interpreted when it comes to balconies and timber decking. It will be interesting to monitor progress on this and how the industry responds over the coming months,” Andy Lowe added. The amendments will come into effect from 21 December 2018 and any existing Building Regulation applications will only be exempt if site work has commenced within a two month period from that date.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP has taken a strong stance on the issue of cladding and forcing the removal and reinstatement of a safer product. For months James Brokenshire has been warning landlords of at-risk properties to get on and remove dangerous cladding. Yesterday Brokenshire announced a change to the housing health and safety regulations to force the landlords to make good these works with no apparent financial risk to the leaseholders. The Association for Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) welcomes the move as it has been lobbying for Government intervention ever since the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Immediately after the tragic fire, ARMA flagged to Government the problem under leasehold as to who would likely pay for the cost of fire safety remedial works and that this could seriously delay remedial works. ARMA has publicly asked for Government loans to be make available and for remediation to be taken into a national programme to avoid such delays as the safety of residents must always be the uppermost concern. Dr Nigel Glen, Chief Executive Office of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA), comments: “We congratulate the Government for taking this strong approach to ensure remedial works on affected buildings can get under way immediately. People need to know they are safe and able to live their lives. We have always said time is of essence here and work should be completed first and then worry about who pays later. The costs to cladding removal has given many residents grave anxieties and now some headway should start to be made more quickly. “The Secretary of State has said that ‘leaseholders must not pay’. We keenly await details of how that will work in practice given the structure of leasehold. For example, in the case of Citiscape in Croydon, the First tier Tribunal Property determined that the leaseholders were liable for the costs under the terms of their lease. That may well be the case across all the buildings under discussion, depending upon their leases. And where Landlords are not the guilty party re installing the cladding is it fair that they will be expected to pay? Clearly there is more work to be done but this is a welcome and significant step.”
The aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire last year has had a far-reaching impact on countless individuals, authorities and businesses. The negative spotlight on cladding materials, which are reported to have aided the spread of the fire, has had a major knock-on effect for the construction industry, from builders and subcontractors to architecture firms. Days after the incident, cladding installed on buildings more than 18 metres in height was called into question by the Government, leading to significant increases in premiums for Professional Indemnity Insurance. Nottingham-based architecture firm Church Lukas experienced first-hand the difficulties of navigating the confusion circulating within the insurance world to keep their risk profile in true perspective. John Freeman, Director of Church Lukas, said: “The insurance market changed radically post-Grenfell. With the media focusing mainly on cladding, and a public enquiry underway, insurers perceived any tall building as an insurance risk. Prior to Grenfell, insurance was very straightforward – we would receive our policy renewal form, complete it and send it back. Premiums would fluctuate slightly, but post-Grenfell they have increased significantly. “When it came to renewing our policy, we faced an increase in premiums, but also a reluctance on the part of insurers to cover previously completed buildings above 18 metres without the inclusion of onerous caveats. As we work in sectors including student accommodation, residential, office and industrial this presented a particular problem.” With Church Lukas in the difficult position of needing to find a new policy at very short notice, independent insurance broker Russell Scanlan, also based in Nottingham, was able to find a solution. John said: “The Russell Scanlan team was very thorough in going back to the insurance market and explaining what we did differently to reassure them. It was a case of navigating the market at a time when there was significant upheaval across the construction sector, both in terms of contractors who deliver the work and architects who design the buildings.” He continued: “Russell Scanlan worked doubly hard to ensure that we had an insurer in place when we got to the point of renewing our insurance policy. Thankfully, we now have policy which covers buildings we’ve already completed and ones we are yet to start, which is not significantly different from our old policy. For us, that was a positive result, if we hadn’t been able to renew our policy on favourable terms we would have been left in a very difficult position.” Bryan Banbury, Managing Director of Russell Scanlan, said: “The insurance market for architecture firms has proved to be very challenging due to the implications of the Grenfell Tower fire. Professional Indemnity Insurance underpins the business of architects, but many have found insurers are reluctant to provide cover. “In the case of Church Lukas, we found the information necessary to obtain quotes on their behalf and approached the market. Through some long-winded negotiations, we managed to find a solution they were happy with in terms of both cover and additional services to assist with checking contract wordings. We’re pleased to say they now have a stable insurer and we’re delighted we could help.” Church Lukas, which is based in Nottingham city centre close to Russell Scanlan’s offices, is an award-winning architecture firm which operates across the construction industry, ranging from £50,000 minor refurbishments to £100 million regeneration schemes.
Do you manage a block (or blocks) fitted with a fire alarm system? If so, to remain compliant with British Standard 5839 you should be testing the system every week. In my experience this is simply not happening. It is unrealistic to expect property managers to visit all their sites weekly to test the fire alarm is in good working order. And paying for a ‘skilled person’ to carry out these tests can prove expensive over the course of a year. However, these arguments won’t wash if you find yourself involved in a dispute revolving around an untested alarm system. With this in mind, Future Fire Systems is offering a solution to make testing simple and ensure the safety of all your residents – why not let us train your cleaning team, or any contractor that attends your sites weekly, to test the alarms for you. What’s involved in weekly testing? For fire alarm systems with a control panel (BS 5839) a testing regime could be to: Test a different manual call point each week Confirm that the fire alarm equipment is providing an output to the fire alarm sounders Confirm that the fire alarm equipment is providing an output to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) – if applicable The result of the weekly test and the identity of the manual call point could then be recorded in the system logbook. If the system is connected to NOD*, the property manager will receive the weekly fire alarm test signal, so KPIs can be monitored. In addition, for interlinked fire alarms of the domestic type, good practice for a weekly test would be to: Test a different sensor each time Confirm that the sensor activates its sounder, along with others that are interconnected – if practical The result of the weekly test and the identity of the sensor can then be recorded in the system logbook. Six- monthly inspections – which are common – are too far apart. That’s leaving it a very long time before you discover that something isn’t quite right with the system/signalling. Ensuring that systems that are tested weekly, at approximately the same time each week (or at least on the same day) and advising residents that this service is in place, not only promotes the professionalism of the property manager but also gives flat owners peace of mind that the system is working. Train the trainer Of course, each site will have a different version of the fire alarm control panel, along with different manual call points. We are happy to train the supervisor of the cleaning or maintenance team to ensure he or she is fully competent to carry out the testing. If you are interested in accessing this service, we will provide: Crib sheet for each site specific Correct test key for call points Correct fire alarm panel control key A, B, C guide on testing the call point / silencing the control panel / resetting the control panel / data entry to the log book / contact name _ number if system didn’t perform to requirements *NOD is an auto-notification device that can be retro-fitted into existing alarm control panels to monitor systems in real time, sending signals to a cloud-based app or web portal if the system is in fault or fire condition. Bradley Parker, Managing Director at Future Fire Systems.
Kevin Griffin, SELECT’s president was this year’s recipient of The Ian Marsh Award, which recognises individuals who demonstrate enthusiasm and selfless concern for the fire and emergency systems industry. The award was made on behalf of the Fire and Security Association at the IFSEC’s ‘Security and Fire Excellence Awards’ held on November 21. Kevin’s long involvement in the crucial fire and safety side of the electrical profession was highlighted in front of nearly 1000 of the industry’s foremost practitioners at the prestigious event. Kevin runs Logic Systems Fire & Security in East Kilbride, a company which has specialised in providing life safety and security solutions from its Lanarkshire base for the past 25 years. It employs four people. Kevin has been chairman of the Lanarkshire branch of SELECT on a number of occasions and has been closely involved with the work of the Fire & Security Association, for a number of years. He said: “I am humbled and extremely gratified to receive this unexpected recognition, especially from fellow professionals who have also dedicated their efforts to keeping people safe in the workplace and at home. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do in the electrical sector and I would wish to share this award not only with the people in my own firm but also in SELECT, which continues to do invaluable work in this field.” Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, said: “This is a particularly well-deserved award to our President, who has been active in SELECT for many years and has diligently carried out a series of roles, including branch chairmanships. “His work in the realm of fire and security systems has always been of a great standard and to have it recognised at an event of this caliber is an honour indeed.” The Security and Fire Excellence Awards, supported by IFSEC and FIREX, have consistently broken new ground in highlighting the very best people, projects and processes that the security and fire sectors have to offer. SELECT’s 1250 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. F: 0131 445 5548. E: admin@select.org.uk. W: www.select.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/updates_select
Bureau Veritas has welcomed the Government’s recent response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s proposals on the Hackitt report, stating that many of recommendations on fire safety and construction will “undoubtedly” result in a safer built environment. Following the publication in May of the Hackitt report into the Grenfell tragedy, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee was tasked with summarising the findings of the independent review on building regulations and making a series of recommendations for the Government to consider. One such proposal already given the green light is the ban on combustible cladding, which will apply to all high rise residential buildings. Andy Lowe, director of building control at Bureau Veritas, comments: “The Government’s response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s recommendations includes many good points, which will undoubtedly result in a safer built environment. “However, there remain gaps in implementation that will require a concerted effort from all engaged in the construction industry in order to gain the confidence of the general public in terms of creating safer buildings. “While the ban on combustible materials in cladding will apply to all high rise residential buildings, the select committee also considers this applicable to new schools, hospitals, care homes, student accommodation buildings in England with a floor above 18m. It remains to be seen if funders and insurers will go even further in this aspect and extend the ban to all types of buildings. “The Committee has also called for a retrospective ban of this material on existing buildings but this is a complex issue and a fire safety assessment process is favoured for those buildings. The Government has stated it favours such a ban and even if you have lodged a Building Regulation application, unless works are commenced on a site, then the ban would be effective. Existing buildings would be subject to review and any material alteration works would then see the ban enforced on the cladding being replaced. “The compulsory use of sprinklers in existing buildings was also another important point highlighted by the committee, which the Government has said it will take into consideration. Currently in Wales and Scotland, residential properties are already subject to sprinkler installation requirements at a lower height than in England. If the Government does legislate this aspect in England, it will be interesting to see if it can provide the necessary funding to retrofit local authority-owned buildings. “In a bid to provide complete transparency, the Government is also considering tightening product testing, involving technical aspects where although some of materials can be used safely, the mechanism to allow that needs to be more rigorous. Any new testing would need to be thorough and reflective of what is actually being built rather than the current BS8414 test. “Later this year, the Government will also release an updated Approved Document B with precise definitions and clearer guidance on all aspects of fire safety including cladding.” Bureau Veritas is a leading testing, inspection and certification company with a vast experience of the building control sector. Bureau Veritas Building Control UK combines technical expertise and market-leading systems with unrivalled industry experience to deliver building control services to some of the biggest names in construction. For further information, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
