Latest innovations and products in the Fire, Security and Safety sections of the construction industry.

TITON’S HARDWARE EXPORTED TO PRESTIGIOUS REFURBISHMENT IN POLAND

Over 300 sets of Titon window hardware have been fitted as part of the ongoing refurbishment of the Rother’s Mills buildings on Mill Island, located in the historic old town of Bydgoszcz, Poland. The products installed include Overture E handles, Kenrick Standard Espags, top hung Venture hinges and Capture safety restrictors, which were all supplied onsite by Titon’s Polish distributor, AGAS.

 

Mill Island has been a popular tourist destination since 2006, with the Rother’s Mills buildings being one of the central attractions. Following significant investment in a number of nearby museums, the decision was then taken to refurbish Rother’s Mills with brand new windows, while allowing the buildings to retain their original characteristics.

 

Commenting on the project, Remigiusz Bieńkowski, Technical Sales Advisor at AGAS, said: “The historic riverside buildings have hundreds of timber windows, so required high quality hardware to ensure robustness and durability. Following extensive research, it was clear Titon offered the most suitable range of products, complying with the project’s specification, as well as the relevant building regulations. We have worked with Titon for over two and a half years, and have always been extremely impressed with the quality of their hardware and exceptional customer service. These sentiments were shared by our client Zakład Stolarski Marek Kapeja, who worked on the Rother’s Mills refurbishment.”

 

Daniel Obara, Export Manager at Titon, added: “We are proud to have been involved in such a prestigious project in Poland. Our hardware has certainly impressed, as another 500 windows fitted with the same Titon products are set to be installed from now into the new year. This is testament to the versatility and quality of our hardware portfolio, as we offer a wealth of handles, espagnolettes and hinges suitable for a wide range of applications.”

 

Overture espagnolette handles are part of Titon’s Overture suite of window and door hardware. This stylish handle is ergonomically designed to include a solid and sculptured grip, and is available in straight or handed versions, in a variety of finishes.

 

The Venture friction hinge range is suitable for domestic applications on side or top hung windows. It has been developed by Titon’s experienced window fittings team and is tested to the latest standards. All hinge dimensions and opening geometries have been designed to fit most window profiles. There are a number of versions in the range, including top hung, side hung and Egress Easy-Clean, available in standard or Hi Stack configurations. The addition of the Tenure Hinge Security Guard also allows the Venture hinge to meet the requirements of PAS 24 as part of a compliant window system.

 

The Kenrick Standard Espagnolette locking mechanism is designed to meet the requirements of the UK market – where peace of mind, performance, longevity and basic security are vital. It is suitable for use on PVCU, timber or aluminium windows.

 

Finally, Capture is an automatically engaging spring-loaded window safety restrictor for use on side and top hung windows to limit opening and can be retrofitted. Capture is supplied in austenitic steel and in a choice of three different lengths for use on deep sections. Various pin heights are also available to suit all cavity sizes.

 

For more information about Titon and its range of window & door hardware and ventilation systems, visit: www.titon.com

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NEW AICO PRODUCT SELECTOR ARRIVES

Aico, the UK market leader in residential Fire and Carbon Monoxide protection, has launched Issue 10 of its highly popular Product Selector.

 

The new version features the same ring bound format as the previous edition, for ease of use, and all the key features that customers value, with the added enhancement of tabs to help customers find what they are looking for with greater ease.

 

As you would expect, Aico’s extensive product range and ever-growing list of sophisticated, ground-breaking features, are covered in the new Product Guide, along with an easy reference product list including descriptions.  Features and technology include next generation Radio Frequency Wireless Interconnection (SmartLINK), Real-time facts, real-time action (AudioLINK) and Aico’s dust compensation mechanism.

 

An explanation of Sensor Types helps customers to decide which alarm type to use where.  When installing or specifying alarms, it is crucial to make sure the right sensor type is chosen for the right location.

 

Standards and Legislation are addressed, varying from coverage and levels of protection to BS 5839-6:2019 updates and to the Scottish legislation update.

 

The Product Guide also lists Aico’s Regional Specification Managers, who are available to offer guidance and support.

 

The new Product Selector can be ordered from www.aico.co.uk/technical-support/guides-publications/#navigation

 

An Ei company, Aico is the market leader in residential Fire and Carbon Monoxide protection in the UK. All alarms are designed and built in Ireland specifically to meet the UK standards and regulations.

 

For more information please go to www.aico.co.uk or contact Aico on 01691 664100 or enquiries@aico.co.uk.

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England still lags behind other countries in building safety, warns experts

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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published its response to the government’s Building a Safer Future consultation, which proposes reforms to England’s current building safety regulations.

The RIBA called for a complete overhaul of the building regulations in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and welcomes many of the proposals, in particular tighter regulation of higher risk residential buildings of 18m or more in height (rather than 30m plus which was originally recommended by the Government’s 2018 Independent Review of Building Regulations on Fire Safety).

However, the institute is concerned that England still lags behind other countries, including Wales and Scotland, in putting in place base line regulatory standards to ensure that high rise and other higher risk buildings are safe for the public. The institute urges the Government to:

  • widen the scope of the new regulatory system to apply to non-residential buildings – the new building regulatory system should apply to other higher risk non-residential buildings at any height, including places where vulnerable people sleep, such as care homes, hospitals, hotels, hostels, prisons, as well as schools and places of assembly, during the design and construction phase.
  • make significant changes to the responsibilities for all dutyholders – dutyholders based on the Construction (Design and Management) regulations model are essential. However, the duties proposed are not clearly defined and are not currently workable as set out in the consultation, particularly on design and build projects.
  • designate the Architect’s Registration Board (ARB) to oversee enhanced competence requirements of architects – as regulator the ARB should be responsible for the accreditation and licensing of architectural qualifying bodies, including the RIBA, who will hold registers for competent architects to work on buildings in scope of the proposed regulatory framework.
  • ensure all technical guidance issued to industry is improved by the new Building Safety Regulator –this should include setting baseline prescriptive requirements for fire safety and reviewing all relevant British Standards guidance documents, particularly those relevant to fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.

Jane Duncan, Chair of the RIBA Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety, said “Although a step in the right direction, the government’s proposals do not go far enough to protect the public and more work is needed, particularly to more clearly define the statutory duties of all involved in the industry. There have been many failings in England’s building safety regulations, exposed by the Grenfell tragedy two years ago, but we hope the government will act on their commitment post-Grenfell to ensure residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes.”

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Promat SYSTEMGLAS® passes 30-year UK milestone in delivering assured passive fire protection

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first UK installations of SYSTEMGLAS®, the complete fire rated glazing system from Promat UK, and demand is stronger than ever.

The 30-year milestone is proving to be an important factor behind the increasing interest in SYSTEMGLAS® from architects, specifiers, interior designers, clients and contractors who are seeking assured passive fire protection in their glazing, partitioning and building interiors.

The market-leading system, which is supported by Promat UK’s ‘360° Wheel of Assurance’ encompassing full control and traceability through design, manufacture, installation and completion inspection, is suitable for a wide range of applications including offices, residential, retail spaces, public buildings and transport interchanges. Providing integrity and insulation (EI) protection from EI30 to EI120, SYSTEMGLAS® has now been used in a vast number of projects in the UK and Ireland since 1989.

Ian Cowley, Regional Director (UK and Scandinavia) at Promat says: “With three decades behind it, SYSTEMGLAS® has proved itself in the market as a trusted solution for passive fire protection. In an era when supply chain traceability has risen up the agenda in specification decisions, the range is today offering an important differentiator, particularly now that the SYSTEMGLAS® framing options have been expanded to cover steel, timber and PROMATECT® H for concealing, painting or over-cladding.

“When it comes to developing a fire rated glazing specification, all the components must work together to achieve the required performance level, which is what underpins our ‘Specified for a Reason®’ campaign. SYSTEMGLAS® takes away any supply chain ambiguity, specification misinterpretation or risk of product substitution as we have complete oversight from start to finish.”

SYSTEMGLAS® is suitable for all building applications with fire ratings of between 30 and 120 minutes. Promat’s technical experts provide guidance on the right approach at the design and specification stage, and the system is manufactured in-house to ensure all cutting and processing is completed to the correct standard. Promat’s fire protection specialists then inspect SYSTEMGLAS® on completion to ensure it has been installed in accordance with its recommendations and provides a certificate of conformity for installation.

Based at its HQ and manufacturing plant at Heywood near Manchester, Promat UK is a market leader in thermal, fire and acoustic protection solutions. Part of the global Etex Group, the company manufactures high performance insulation for numerous hi-tech, engineering and industrial applications, as well as the building sector. These range from Formula One racing, train rolling stock and aircraft manufacture, to offshore wind turbines, the nuclear industry and white goods.

Find out more at www.promat-glass.co.uk

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Residents encouraged to have their say to improve building safety

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The government is inviting views on a new building safety regime, as it seeks to bring forward new legislation to keep residents safe.

The Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017 resulted in the greatest loss of life in a residential fire in a century. It shattered the lives of many people and shook the trust of countless more in a system that was intended to ensure the most basic human need of having a safe place to live.

Following research into building safety culture across the industry, it became apparent that too many in the building industry were taking short cuts that could endanger residents in the very place they were supposed to feel safest – their own home. That’s why the government commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt, an engineer and former chair of the UK Health and Safety Executive, to review the system and find out how it can be improved.

Dame Judith’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety made it clear that there needs to be a culture change in the industry, underpinned by changing how homes are designed, built, maintained and managed in the future.

Following the review, the government began analysing Dame Judith’s recommendations to understand what needed to be done to overhaul the system. To make sure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes, it became evident that the government needed to take forward all of Dame Judith’s recommendations and go further.

Having your say

In December 2018, the government published its plan to make building regulations stronger and more effective. The plan, Building a Safer Future, committed the government to ensuring that high-rise residential buildings are safe to live in.

The government intends to bring forward new laws to improve building safety. Before doing this, it has launched a consultation (see the quick read) on the details and invites your views over the next 8 weeks.

What the government is doing

The consultation proposes a stronger voice for residents of high-rise buildings to ensure their concerns are never ignored. This includes better information regarding their buildings so that they can participate in decisions about safety, as well as clear and quick routes of escalation for their concerns if things do go wrong.

Clearer accountability for building safety

Dame Judith recommended the creation of a system of ‘dutyholders’, people who will have responsibility for keeping residents of these buildings safe, and making sure building regulations are followed. Dutyholders will be responsible for keeping vital safety information about how the building was designed and built and is managed. This is known as the ‘golden thread’ of information and will be kept electronically for the entire life of a building, from its design to its place as a home for residents. The people responsible for this information will have to make sure it is up to date and that the right people can access it, including residents.

Powers and sanctions

If the people responsible for a building ignore their responsibilities, a new building safety regulator will have the authority to take enforcement action against them. This could include criminal and civil sanctions, like fines or imprisonment.

The building safety regulator will be responsible for overseeing the safety of new and existing buildings. Their strong focus will be on checking that safety is being properly considered and necessary safety measures are put in place when new high rise residential buildings are being designed and built, and that robust safety measures are in place for existing buildings.

The intention is that, as a result, the regulator and people responsible for a building’s safety will be working towards the common goal at the heart of the new regime – the safety of residents.

The government is also consulting on new ways of ensuring that construction products are safe and used properly.

Implementing clearer standards and guidance

For the building safety regulator to work effectively, clearer standards and guidance need to be produced. For construction products and systems standards, the government proposes creating a new standards committee to provide it with impartial advice on the new standards and guidance.

The government has also consulted on a full-scale technical review of the building regulations guidance on fire safety, known as Approved Document B. The intention is to improve accessibility and usability of the guidance by publishing a single, online searchable document of all the approved documents and guide to the building regulations so everyone in the industry is clear on how to use them.

Taking action

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the government committed to reforming the building industry to make sure a tragedy like this does not happen again. The aim is for these building safety reforms to work together to improve safety by creating a culture change in the building industry.

The safety of residents is of the greatest importance and steps are already being taken to strengthen the power residents hold and ensure their views and concerns are listened to by those responsible for managing their buildings. This includes through the Social Housing Green Paper, New Homes Ombudsman and the recent call for evidence on how residents and landlords can work together to keep their building safe, and the Social Landlords Best Practice Group, capturing and sharing effective ways for residents and landlords to work together on building safety.

The government is funding the replacement of unsafe aluminium composite material cladding, like the type used on Grenfell Tower, from high-rise residential homes and has introduced a ban on combustible materials on the external walls of new high-rise buildings.

Residents, building owners, the construction industry and the fire safety sector are all encouraged to make their voices heard by participating in the consultation and helping shape the future of building and fire safety to make sure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes.

The Home Office has also launched a call for evidence on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England. The call for evidence is the first part of a process to ensure that the Fire Safety Order is fit for purpose for all buildings it regulates.

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Langley pledges support for the 100% Hackitt campaign

Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd has pledged its support to the 100% Hackitt campaign, an initiative which aims to ensure that all recommendations made in the Hackitt Review of fire safety and building regulations are fully implemented.

The 100% Hackitt campaign was launched by Local Authority Building Control (LABC) and the British Board of Agrément (BBA) to bring together key individuals and organisations from across the sector. Its rationale is to encourage the government to implement all 53 recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt in the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety report

Dean Wincott, Managing Director of Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd, commented: “We are strong advocates of the 100% Hackitt initiative and encouraged to see the rapidly growing levels of support it has received from across the industry.

“The importance of improving fire safety cannot be over stated. Despite the recommendation in the Hackitt review that major changes are required, there is a risk that without pressure and support from the industry, regulations will not go far enough to prevent potential future tragedies and we fully support the recommendation of improved accountability, transparency and record keeping.”

Paul Everall, LABC Chief Executive said: “I welcome Langley’s commitment to 100% Hackitt. Dame Judith is clear the industry should be getting on with changing the way it does things. So we’re delighted so many like-minded organisations are working with us to do just that. The 100% Hackitt initiative is a space for everyone who wants to see systemic change in the construction industry and Langley’s support is a further sign the whole industry is getting behind it.”

Dean concluded: “The new regulatory framework laid out in the final Hackitt review report includes the creation of a new Joint Competent Authority that would monitor the design and construction of buildings to minimise safety risks. It also champions better procurement processes, greater enforcement powers and more rigorous product testing – important messages that resonate with Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd, who responsibly put all products through demanding test processes to ensure that each one is suitably tested as part of a wide range of real-life scenarios.”

For information on Langley Waterproofing Systems and its products and services visit www.langley.co.uk.
To find out more about the campaign visit www.100-hackitt.co.uk.
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Wexham Park Hospital Selects Advanced to Protect New £49million Emergency Assessment Centre

Industry-leading MxPro 5 fire panels from global systems leader, Advanced, have been installed at Wexham Park Hospital as part of a major upgrade to the hospital’s fire system.

Wexham Park Hospital is a large acute NHS hospital situated near Slough in Berkshire. The 588-bed hospital is one of three managed by Frimley Health NHS Foundation trust, one of the top performing NHS trusts in the UK. As well as the main hospital building, the site has a large post graduate building, ambulance station, staff accommodation and a new £49million, state-of-the-art, four-storey Emergency Assessment Centre.

Responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system was Advanced’s partner, Static Systems Group, who install Advanced under their brand name Evo2. Static Systems completed the site-wide upgrade with 20 networked, MxPro 5 panels, 18 MxPro 5 repeater panels and 2000 Apollo field devices throughout a number of hospital buildings and departments including Intensive Care, Sterile Services, Radiology and its new 9,300 sq-metre Emergency Assessment Centre.

Alex Southall, Proposals Manager at Static Systems, said: “We pride ourselves on our skills and expertise in working in challenging, live healthcare settings – it’s where we excel. We specified Advanced on this project thanks to the MxPro’s second-to-none networking capabilities, flexible multiprotocol platform and user-friendly interface. This enabled Static Systems to deliver a seamless installation with minimal disruption to the everyday workings of the clinical teams.”

MxPro 5 is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire system solution and was recently certified by FM Approvals to the EN 54 standard. It offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, multi-loop panels in 200 node networks covering huge areas. MxPro’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Phil Calvey, Sales Manager for the South West, said: “We are proud to be specified in countless hospitals and care facilities across the World. As one of the latest NHS hospitals to be protected by Advanced panels it was a pleasure to be able to meet Static Systems’ needs on the fire system upgrade at Wexham Park Hospital.”

Advanced, owned by FTSE 100 PLC, Halma, has an impressive pedigree for protecting hospitals throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland including; the world-renowned Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, London, the World’s largest blood processing centre in Bristol and St James’ Hospital, the largest university teaching hospital in Dublin.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com
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Kee Safety Guards Oslo Congress Centre

A combination of safety products from Kee Safety have been installed on the roof of the Oslo Kongressenter building in Norway to provide a first-class edge protection solution for maintenance and inspection teams accessing the rooftop.

Located in the heart of Oslo in Norway, Oslo Kongressenter is a state-of-the-art conference centre consisting of more than 20 event rooms. The Congress Centre hosts nearly 1,000 events every year, ranging from smaller meetings and major conferences to banquets, Christmas dinners and concerts. The history of the “People’s House” dates back to the end of the 19th century, however today’s building was completed in 1989.

With maintenance teams regularly accessing the roof to carry out work on the building services equipment, the client required a complete roof edge protection and safe access solution. Kee Safety partnered with long-standing distributor, Unisystemer to provide technical assistance by carrying out a full site survey, as well as making layout plans and detailed technical drawings, which were used in the presentation to the end user.

Due to the client specifying that no holes should penetrate the watertight membrane on the roof of this iconic building, KeeGuard® free-standing roof edge protection and Kee Walk® Step-Overs were the chosen Kee Safety solutions. 380 linear meters of KeeGuard® Standard and Premium systems were installed along all sides and roof levels, while Kee Walk® Step-over platforms were fitted to provide a safe means of access over pipework and other equipment.

Compatible with a range of roof membranes, including concrete, asphalt, PVC membrane, metal and felt, KeeGuard® offers a free-standing roof edge protection system capable of keeping workers on the roof safe without endangering the roof membrane itself. It does not penetrate the roof surface and can be used on flat roofs up to 10° slope. Employing a proven counterweight system, KeeGuard® combines a non-slip secure base with galvanised fittings and tube arranged in a modular configuration. Fully modular and versatile enough to adapt to most roof edge profiles and level changes, sections can be easily taken down and re-erected as necessary.

Designed for optimum safety, the complete KeeGuard® system complies fully with all legislative requirements and even allows for an integral kickboard fixing to further save time and cost on site. The recycled PVC base weights used with KeeGuard® bring a number of advantages, particularly making installation quicker and easier, thus saving time and money. Made from 100% recycled material, they provide an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional weights.

Kee Walk® Step-overs are modular systems that can accommodate changes in roof levels and can fit over pipework or equipment to offer a safe, anti-slip, level walking surface onto and across roofs. With adjustable step sections, and non-penetrative fixing options, the step-overs have the inherent flexibility to not only protect those accessing the roof, but to also protect the roof sheet from unnecessary foot traffic and potential damage by providing a clearly defined access path. There is the ability to meet virtually any design requirement, with the end result always being a safe, secure and compliant access platform.

Kee Walk® Step-overs are constructed using Kee Klamp® tubular fittings. Each fitting incorporates an internal set screw to lock the respective fitting safely and securely onto the tube to create a strong, stable and safe structure. This method eliminates the need for time-consuming welding or specialist skills or tools, saving contractors both time and money on site. The Kee Walk® Step-over range has been designed in accordance to EN 14122-2/3:2016 for assured safe operation with the Kee Walk® being compliant to EN 516 Class 1-C.

Watch the case study video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARFgPkmJno

For further information please visit www.keesafety.co.uk
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New study shows architects’ fire protection knowledge lacking

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  • Two years after Grenfell 92% of UK architects unable to define key building fire protection terms
  • A third of architects say their current employer doesn’t spend enough on fire protection training
  • Overall, architects believe they are lacking in fully comprehensive fire protection training

Zeroignition, the fire retardant ingredient technology firm, announced findings from its latest study of architects and specifiers. Architects were asked about their understanding of four common terms relating to buildings and fire. Only 8% were able to correctly define these four basic fire protection terms.

The terms were active fire protection (systems which protect structures and people including sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms), passive fire protection (whereby the spread of fire is slowed or contained through the use of fire-resistant walls, floors and doors, amongst others), fire resistance (a set of products that prevent fire spreading to other parts of the structure), and reaction to fire (methods designed to help people escape from fire).

While one in three architects (35%) were unable to correctly define the concept of active fire protection, when asked about fire protection options they’d considered in projects, smoke alarms were named by 38% and sprinklers by 33%.

Just over half (52%) of all architects couldn’t give an accurate definition of passive fire protection, where fire protection is ‘built in’. However, 54% did cite fire doors as a consideration, which is part of the passive approach. Passive technologies such as flame retardant treated materials (e.g. firewall) were considered by over a quarter (29%), plasterboard by 21%, and plywood/OSB by 8%.

58% of architects were unable to explain what ‘reaction to fire’ is and almost three quarters (71%) were unable to define fire resistance.

Fire safety

None of the architects interviewed said they’d had comprehensive fire protection training, most had some training and 8% say they’ve had none.

Ian King, chief operating officer, Zeroignition, says ‘Architects are responsible for designing safe buildings. There’s clearly a lack of understanding as to the fire basics which is worrying to say the least. Architects, their employers and the professional bodies need to invest in ensuring this knowledge is bedded in.’

Architects and interior design firm gpad london has looked at fire safety, commenting on their procedures. Jeremy Wiggins, director from the firm says, ‘Fire kills. It’s part of our duty to make sure we design safe buildings. We had a look at the RIBA fire safety consultation and tweaked our processes. We make it part of our design thinking from day one, involving end users and fire consultants as soon as practical. Beyond this we make sure that each project has a named person for fire safety responsibility.

‘We won’t take chances on this, it’s easy for knowledge to become half remembered if you don’t call on it every day and so we refer to checklists when designing as well as running ongoing CPD sessions focusing on it and new innovations.’

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Can gathering data really save lives? The modern emergency lighting scheme is becoming intelligent

Rene Joppi, Commercial Director at Mackwell discusses the challenges we face and opportunities that lie ahead.

Since the tragic events of June 2017, which saw 72 people lose their lives in the fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower in West London, the area surrounding building safety and compliance is now, more than ever before, at the forefront of people’s minds.

Although not defined as a public or commercial premise, the 24 storey residential tower block contained many communal areas such as escape routes, assembly points and walkways which would have required a building risk assessment to help ensure the safety of the occupants and minimize the risk of fire. Amongst other things, the risk assessment would have defined the need for evacuation aids such as the provision of a fire prevention system, sprinkler system and emergency lighting.

In 2005, engineering consultancy, Capita Symonds compiled a report into the tower which contained a number of health and safety concerns regarding the emergency lighting system installed throughout the building. The report stated that the emergency lighting had fallen below standard and that the system was not being properly managed by the appointed responsible person, and that there was a perceived unwillingness to acknowledge the need for urgent maintenance and repair.

The report went on to specifically highlight the essential requirement for adequate emergency lighting to ensure the safe and immediate evacuation of occupants in an emergency situation, due to a lack of natural daylight in the building’s stairwells. Furthermore, the report stated that the building’s occupants were constantly at risk because of the ‘non-functioning emergency lighting’.

Grenfell Tower is just one example of a residential building where the emergency lighting of communal areas was deemed as inadequate, yet in this area, it is unfortunately not alone, and this continues to be the case. As recently as 2018, a survey revealed that more than 40% of residential housing estates have the same issue of sub-standard and inadequate emergency lighting systems. This 40% figure however, is only representative from actual buildings surveyed and found to have to have non-compliances. In reality the figure is much higher and is estimated to be closer to 80%.

Compliance and emergency lighting

There are a number of health and safety and construction directives together with legislative material which is published to ensure the health and safety of building occupants. In the area of fire safety, the government’s fire regulatory reform order applies, and it is this order that specifies the need for the initial risk assessment.

The risk assessment

Before embarking on the design, a full risk assessment must be undertaken to determine the areas in the building which have a requirement for emergency lighting. This will include escape routes, open areas, points of emphasis such as locations of essential fire safety equipment and any areas deemed as high-risk task. Communal areas within residential properties may only form perhaps 10% of the core area but must still be covered by a full risk assessment, carried out by a qualified, responsible person.

Lux levels and signage

An accurate and compliant emergency lighting scheme design, undertaken in line with the initial risk assessment, and the emergency lighting code of practice, BS 5266-1 and its accompanying standards; BS EN 50172 and EN 1838, will ensure that the areas covered are illuminated correctly and adequately. In many cases however, the risk assessment is not adhered to correctly, partly due to budgetary constraints and unhelpful timescales etc. As a result, the lighting levels can be compromised as lower quality, inferior fixtures are used and the number of fixtures as specified is reduced. This can lead to poor uniformity and ‘dark spots. Similarly, a poorly designed escape route with poor quality or incorrect exit signage can lead to confusion and ambiguity in an emergency escape period.

Component abuse and end of life failure

A scheme designed and installed in line with the risk assessment and the relevant emergency lighting standards will ensure initial compliance. This, however, is just the start. For the emergency lighting to remain compliant throughout its designed lifetime, there are many factors to be considered. The performance of its associated components is heavily dependent on how they are operated and maintained. The rechargeable battery for instance is a critical component but it can be highly susceptible to abuse through neglect, exposure to high temperatures and over-cycling etc. For self-contained emergency lighting applications, the battery must satisfy a four-year design life in line with BS EN 60598-2-22. It is often the case though that the battery has seen many full cycles in a very short period of time due to mains interruptions and power outages associated with ‘pre-handover’ installation periods. In many cases, the battery is connected and installed sometimes weeks or months before the mains power is applied. In these critical periods the battery may discharge to dangerous levels from which it cannot recover. Some control gears use remote software commands such as inhibition mode and rest mode to prevent unnecessary battery discharge, but this is generally in conjunction with a control system. The battery has a maximum ambient temperature rating of 50⁰C but often this figure is exceeded as the battery is placed in thermally unsuitable luminaires during the re-engineering process. Exposure to temperatures above the battery’s maximum rating can impact greatly on the lifetime.

Another consideration is the maintenance of the emergency lighting fixture. For instance, if placed in a dirty environment, the light source may not be delivering its declared luminous flux, resulting in lower levels of illumination.

Intelligent diagnostics and compliance

Taking into account the requirements and challenges mentioned above, it is easy to see how difficult it can become for the appointed ‘responsible person’ to maintain the compliance of the emergency lighting scheme. Upkeep of the logbook, including logging any changes to building layout, structure and the internal fabric. Reparations, changes to the décor, colour schemes, all have an impact on the on-going compliance of the scheme. Monitoring the health of the battery and control gear manually, without an automatic test system renders the task almost a full-time role.

To take the battery as an example, it is almost impossible to monitor its health whilst ensuring it still operates within its designed parameters throughout its life. Some manufacturers have now started to develop diagnostics through on-board software to monitor battery health.

Diagnostics allow the user to interrogate several parameters from the emergency lighting control gear, as it logs and records through its lifetime. The idea is to provide the responsible person with preventative data regarding the on-going performance of the associated equipment and to highlight any potential problems or drop in performance.

One example of diagnostic data collection is the ability for the control gear to monitor and record its own temperature for retrospective and on-going analysis. This can then be used to help maintenance of the battery for instance, as it approaches end of life, rather than after end of life failure.

Additionally, and perhaps more significantly, diagnostics can be used to monitor and record the number and frequency of emergency switching cycles. From this it can be interpreted whether the components are being operated correctly within their designed parameters.

Diagnostics can be used to measure and record the battery voltage, again providing valuable preventative information on battery health and status.

These are just some of the benefits that intelligent emergency control gears can offer through their diagnostic functionality. As developments expand, many more values can be recorded and used to aid more efficient, preventative maintenance and thereby ensure the scheme remains compliant and effective, whilst keeping tighter control of the costs associated with reactive maintenance.

In a rapidly changing world where technology is evolving on a daily base and impacting on our personal lives, it is logical to presume that more intelligent technologies will find their way into public buildings as well.

Diagnostics, if used correctly and as intended will help to ensure that safety critical systems, such as fire prevention and emergency lighting, benefit in terms of compliance and efficiency whilst helping to keep occupants safe.

The Capita Symonds report highlighted the lack of a compliant emergency lighting system in Grenfell tower in 2005. Whether this situation remained in place up to and during the tragic events of June 2017 is not clear, but what is certain is that a non-compliant emergency lighting system could only have added to the general feeling of panic and disorientation. In short, it would have served as a hindrance rather than help. If we have the opportunity to help maintain the on-going compliance of these buildings and the safety of their occupants, by producing intelligent technologies, we should take it. These are just some of the benefits that intelligent emergency control gears can offer through their diagnostic functionality. As developments expand, many more values can be recorded and used to aid more efficient, preventative maintenance and thereby ensure the scheme remains compliant and effective, whilst keeping tighter control of the costs associated with reactive maintenance.

Further information is available from Mackwell on 01922 742145 by email info@mackwell.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.mackwell.com
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