To get ‘FIT’, go to Telford in April

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The full benefit of this workout will be for window and door specifiers, producers and installers…It’s a B2B exhibition and seminar in Telford with 175 exhibitors.

The FIT – ‘Fabricator Installer Trade’ – Show is the UK’s only specialist event for anyone involved with the £4.5 billion + fenestration industry, or what was known in another age, as the double-glazing business.

For in addition to the hard core of manufacturers and installers of windows, doors and conservatories for the private home improvement sector the event provides a fertile buying ground for housebuilders and public sector landlords, who may be looking for that extra touch that will sell more private homes, or bring public sector estates up to scratch. The options for both are simply staggering….

The FIT Show, launched in 2013 and taking place for the third time at The International Centre Telford, takes place in its third iteration in April this year. And no less than 175 exhibitors will be taking part in four sizeable halls at this modern and airy exhibition centre, just a few miles north of the NEC.

On show will be quite literally thousands of products in a showcase that provides evidence of the relative health and vitality of a sector that, despite almost 90% of UK homes now having been fitted with double glazing of one sort or another, continues to thrive. The fact of the matter is that the latest windows and doors offer levels of performance that were simply not a twinkle in the eyes of the most ardent home improver or estates manager twenty years ago. Security and especially energy efficiency have taken giant leaps forward whilst costs, in real terms, have fallen significantly.

As a few hours at this extraordinary event will demonstrate…

The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show takes place at The International Centre Telford on 12th, 13th and 14th April 2016. For more information including FREE registration go to: www.fitshow.co.uk.

For details of the FREE Seminar programme go here: www.fitshow.co.uk/seminars

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Crittall helps maintain ‘industrial heritage’ of striking London landmark

A new landmark headquarters building in West London has been created using Crittall windows to reflect its historical context and satisfy conservation requirements.

184 Shepherd’s Bush Road is a striking redevelopment of a Grade II listed garage and showroom originally constructed for the Ford Motor Company. Erected in 1915-16 the building was designed by Manchester-based architect Charles Heathcote who drew on contemporary American practice utilising what was then a pioneering engineering solution to structural framework. The resulting reinforced concrete frame and modular plan of the three-storey structure influenced strongly architects Collado Collins in their design for the new building.

The character of the building’s broad frontage has been retained – an important consideration because of its listing and its location in a conservation area – with Crittall large form Berkeley windows providing a significant visual aspect in the street scene. The Berkeley was originally created in order to replace existing 1920s and 1930s steel windows that were predominantly single pane leaded glass, exterior putty glazed. With the Berkeley, Crittall developed an entirely new series of hot rolled sections where a solid steel chamfer replicates exterior putty glazing, whilst the interior glazing improves access for reglazing and security.

Berkeley offers an ideal solution for both replacement projects and new construction where minimum sightlines, maximum daylight, and fine detail are desired. The system is suitable for high-end residential, institutional and, as in the case of Shepherd’s Bush Road, commercial applications.

In complete contrast with the traditional frontage, the redevelopment – which was completed in June – has added three further storey’s beneath a glass dome completely enclosing the roof.

Roy Collado, Partner of ColladoCollins, said: “This is an exciting reimagining of an important local landmark. The designs sympathetically maintain the industrial heritage of the building and the surrounding area, whilst proposing a sleek and contemporary aesthetic… The use of innovative techniques to inform and influence the design is something that we believe could really enhance the site.”

In order to meet the requirements of the project Crittall Windows tackled a number of challenges associated with the physical size and weight of the Berkeley units specified. So as to optimize capacity to deal with the quantity required by the contract the company utilized a newly installed piece of equipment – its 4 axis CNC Machining Centre – which ensured that consistently accurate machined components could be produced with short lead times assisting the flow of the product so as to meet the stringent on-time needs of the installation programme.

The 115,000 sq ft office building has now been occupied by customer science company Dunnhumby as its European headquarters.

For more information please visit www.crittall-windows.co.uk.

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Avoid hoarding up problems by sourcing all timber on site responsibly

Just because construction site hoarding is temporary doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have to be considered as part of a responsible sourcing strategy. Despite the fact that many clients and contractors are now insisting on greater levels of sustainability across all aspects of projects, this is one area that is being overlooked when it comes to timber sourcing.

The European Timber Regulation (EUTR) stipulates that all timber used on construction sites needs to be legally sourced. This means ALL timber, from that used in construction of the building to the hoardings used to shield the site from prying eyes. Timber hoardings may also be used to convey an appropriate message to the outside world. This might include a project’s sustainability credentials as part of promotional information about the developers’ and contractors’ CSR efforts, all designed to give the local and wider community a feel good factor about the project.

However trumpeting a project as a leading example of sustainability on hoardings which breach regulations on responsible sourcing, no matter how temporary they are or how good the rest of the site is, is an irony which might lead some to seriously doubt the integrity of the project’s other claims. Cheap Chinese plywood accounts for a large chunk of the problem. A recent report by the National Measurement Office found that only two of the 16 companies investigated which import Chinese timber met the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation for due diligence in the sourcing of legally harvested timber.

The issues around imported plywood extend far beyond variable quality to mislabelling of products as certain species which they subsequently turn out not to be. Greenpeace has campaigned to end the use of illegal and destructive rainforest plywood since 2000. It found evidence that a large quantity of Chinese plywood was faced with veneers from slow growing tropical species sourced from endangered rainforests. By contrast SmartPly, part of Coillte the Irish forestry company, has access to sustainable, well managed fast growing softwood timber. OSB, unlike plywood, uses forest thinnings which are smaller diameter logs unsuited for use by the sawmills, therefore maximising the overall resource.

The concerns over illegal timber extend beyond the actual material itself to the pay, reward and working conditions for those harvesting timber or laying out the plies of material for plywood production. Sustainability is not just about protecting vulnerable resources but also ensuring the preservation of community and individual economic sustainability.

The big problem in the UK construction industry is making sure that timber hoardings are seen as part of the whole construction project when it comes to product specification and timber sourcing. On the whole, focus is concentrated on the building, and protection of the site perimeter during construction is left to the contractor who has a lot of other priorities. With one or two exceptions in the form of more enlightened firms, poorer quality and potentially illegal plywood is the dominant choice for hoarding applications, but one which can undermine a project’s sustainability credentials and wider image.

SmartPly SiteProtect OSB offers the answer to the problem, a high quality hoarding solution with a pre-primed smooth finish ready for painting. Manufactured under factory controlled conditions to European standards, dependable product performance is ensured for long lasting looks with no delamination. With raw material supplied from our own well managed local forests we have not only security of supply but also we know exactly what timber we are using, ensuring a robust chain of custody for FSC Certification. This enables clients to have confidence that their sites are compliant with binding UK and European responsible sourcing regulations, and that they are not contributing to the illegal timber trade or unsustainable practices.

To find out more about SmartPly, please visit www.discoversmartply.com.

 

Mike Harrison, Marketing Manager, Coillte Panel Products
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Midland Lead launches new cladding solution at RCI 2016

Midland Lead, leading British manufacturer of machine cast lead, launched a new range of metal cladding solutions at this year’s RCI Show; the UK’s annual roofing, cladding and insulation event.

Industry professionals visiting Midland Lead’s stand were given the opportunity to see the firm’s new customised cladding range for individual facades, available in zinc, copper, aluminium and lead.

With the company’s machine cast lead having been successfully used to weatherproof a number of prestigious projects across the UK construction sector over the past 30 years, Managing Director Boudewijn Tuinenburg explains that diversifying into metal cladding was a natural progression for Midland Lead and a response to customer demand.

“Having established our reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality lead sheet, we’ve built up extensive expertise in the metals arena. Keen to expand our offering, metal cladding was a natural bolt-on to our current product range and a great way to offer our customer base a new range of architectural design solutions,” says Boudewijn.

As well as opening up new possibilities for a building’s aesthetics and working to preserve the structure, the new metal cladding solution is an environmentally-friendly, lightweight, weatherproof product that offers a full suite of practical features, including fast installation, low maintenance, large panel size opportunities and pre-fabrication options.

Launched under Midland Lead’s Construction arm, the introduction marks part of a longer-term strategy that will see the firm diversify into differing markets and products, alongside its core business of manufacturing and suppling machine cast lead.

For more information please visit www.midlandlead.co.uk.

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FIT Show opened the right doors for Carlisle-based finesse group

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Previous FIT Shows have offered installers valuable new opportunities, even when those companies are already considered top of their game, it has emerged.

One such company is Carlisle-based Finesse Group, which offers a full range of home improvement services. But despite the broad reach of the company, owners Ian Milburn and Kevin McGarr believe in the power of exhibitions to help keep them on top of their game – and not just for the products.

“It is one of the most exciting times in our company’s history,” Ian said, “and we need good trade shows not only to find the newest products but also to meet the people that are selling them. We don’t just buy products; we seek trading partners – companies that we can grow with.”

Ian said that he missed the first FIT Show in 2013, but was impressed with the second event in 2014, which he attended with an open mind. While he didn’t have a written plan, he had mentally noted a number of companies that he wanted to see, including Northern Ireland based door and window manufacturer Apeer.

“We were aware of the company through its marketing and advertising so we wanted to meet them, to see their products, and get a feel for the people behind them,” he said. “We came away believing that we could grow our business with them.”

Apeer is headed by Asa McGillian, and exhibitions are a vital tool in achieving his stated goal of achieving sales of £20 million by the end of 2016.

“We have attended both FIT Shows because the event is the natural successor to Glassex, which we always found worked for us,” Asa said.

“At the 2013 FIT Show we launched our Modo contemporary door range; we always go to a show with something new to launch and we are constantly developing and introducing new products. We need good shows to seek out a very special sort of customer; we are selective and meeting people face to face is the best way to find them.”

Apeer followed up Finesse’s enquiry within a few days after the FIT Show, and the subsequent relationship has worked out extremely well.

“Our foam-filled composite doors are leading the way not just through their superb quality, but also through the design and exciting sales campaigns we have done on the back of the new options,” Ian said. “We like to work with companies that strive to meet the standards that we attain and offer a service that helps us to continue to support our customers in the very best way possible. Apeer do that, and more.”

More than 175 further exhibitors can be seen at The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show which takes place at The International Centre Telford on the 12th, 13th and 14th April 2016. Entry is free but avoid the queues by registering early at www.fitshow.co.uk.

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Advanced protects vital data and computing assets at Cambridge University

ExGo suppression control panels from Advanced have been installed in a £20m, state-of-the-art data and high performance computing centre at the University of Cambridge that is working on some of the globe’s greatest challenges.

Situated on the West Cambridge site of the University of Cambridge, the building is the new home for high performance computing, centralised data storage and also business operations, teaching, learning and research. The High Performance Computing Centre is working on data from two of mankind’s greatest and data heavy science projects, the Large Hadron Collider and BRIDGE Genome Project.

ExGo, Advanced’s ultra-dependable extinguishant release system, was configured and installed by Advanced customer Advanced Fire Solutions Ltd. The suppression control system installed in the building comprises four ExGo panels with mode select key switch assemblies.

Jonathan Bacon, Managing Director of Advanced Fire Solutions Ltd, said: “We selected ExGo because the installation required a suppression system that could deliver reassurance and long-term reliability for this crucial building. We have an established partnership with Advanced and we knew that the equipment would be of the highest quality. The system also offers the flexibility and expandability to meet all future requirements.”

ExGo has been developed specifically for sensitive and strategic assets such as server rooms, historic and cultural attractions and control rooms. It has been installed in high-profile buildings across the globe, including the Magna Carta vault at Lincoln Castle, Romanian National Library and strategic oil pipelines in Sudan.

Ian Tasker, Manager of the West Cambridge Data Centre, added “The West Cambridge Data Centre reflects the University’s commitment to excellence in the provision of information services to research, students and staff”

ExGo is suitable for almost all single-flooding area applications and includes a range of control options and devices. It is approved to EN54 parts 2, 4 and 13 and EN12094-1 and is among the first systems to combine these with EN12094 Part 3 in a single solution. EN12094-3 relates to the integrated manual release on the front of the panel. ExGo can be integrated into Advanced’s Axis and MxPro fire panels, or any third party fire system.

Robin Kemp, Advanced sales manager for the South East region, commented: “The West Cambridge Data Centre is a strategically vital part of the University of Cambridge’s infrastructure and essential to its operations and those of its many international stakeholders. We are delighted to be part of it.”

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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Stanley Security introduces Wireless Intruder Detection series

Wireless communications for Commercial Installations with ‘self-healing’ functions delivering unparalleled communications reliability.

Swindon, Wiltshire 1st February 2016: STANLEY Security today announced the launch of the next generation of wireless security designed to reduce false alarms in residential and commercial environments. The new wireless technology, RicochetR Mesh, delivers more performance than any other wireless security system.

Quick and easy to install STANLEY’s wireless intruder system is an economical and reliable option ideal for homes and businesses. Each RicochetR enabled device provides signalling routes to and from STANLEY Control Panels. Should the wireless connection between two devices weaken, the network will ‘self-heal’ and automatically re-route communications via alternative Ricochet enabled devices delivering unparalleled communications reliability.

STANLEY’s wireless intruder detection products enabled with RicochetR are truly scalable, with multiple wireless networks running side-by-side capturing hundreds of wireless devices.

“We are very excited to introduce this innovative intruder detection system with its breakthrough capabilities with RicochetR Mesh Technology ideally suited for today’s security environments” said Rodney Foot, Product Manager of STANLEY Security. “54% of UK business’ premises are not adequately protected from breaches in security. For the price of a coffee a day you can have round the clock peace of mind including monitoring from our Alarm Response Centre.

“This introduction of our wireless intruder detection portfolio strengthens our position as the leading provider of intruder solutions by providing customers with a truly unique portfolio of high-performance indoor motion detectors that satisfy the demands of virtually any installation, from the most basic residential to the most complex commercial application. All sensors have a sleek, modern look to meet evolving needs and styles, and contain selectable features that let installers use the same models in a variety of different applications – reducing the need to stock multiple units. Another positive, for those premises that require a greater level of security, this platform also supports Grade 3 wired detection.”

STANLEY’s latest generation of motion sensors using RicochetR Mesh Technology provides reliable protection. The user interface is reassuringly simple, the operation intuitive. Communications are secure, responsive and data security maintained.

The wireless range completes STANLEY Security’s intruder detection family. For further information on the Ricochet detection range please visit www.stanleysecurity.co.uk/solutions/intruder-detection/intruder-alarms.

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Armstrong launches its latest solutions guide to floating ceilings

A dynamic guide for flexible, acoustic canopies and baffles has been published by Armstrong.

Expert advice on the almost endless range of dramatic design and acoustic possibilities that can be achieved with canopies and baffles, including Optima Baffles Curves, the first curved mineral baffles in the industry, is contained within a new floating ceilings brochure from Armstrong.

Floating ceilings inspire great spaces by introducing new shapes and add depth, scale and rhythm to internal areas, creating a contemporary aesthetic for modern building designers in the transport, education, commercial and retail sectors.

But the 56-page A4 guide also explains that canopies and baffles can help create a more sustainable interior, contributing to improved indoor air quality and acoustics, and supporting high-mass, low-energy construction.

All this in a peerless variety of colours, effects including wood, and materials including mineral and metal, as well as shapes including square, rectangular, circular, concave, convex and curved. Floating ceilings are also ideal for the easy integration of building services such as lighting and cooling and heating elements.

Floating ceilings are capable of providing greater acoustic sound absorption than continuous ones because all their faces and edges are exposed, and because they are easily relocatable are as suitable for retrofit and refurbishment as they are for new-build.

In addition, specially-engineered surfaces reflect up to 87% of light to improve illumination, making spaces brighter and more comfortable and cutting energy bills. They are additionally sustainable in that they are manufactured from a high degree of recycled material and are also recyclable.

The brochure also explains how product variety is backed by service support including consultations with specifiers or main contractors, supply of BIM and production of CAD drawings bespoke to the project which are then used to engineer a production schedule and logistics plan, and on-site guidance and post-installation review if required.

Armstrong’s new floating ceilings brochure is available to download here and via the Armstrong Ceiling Systems App available from both the Apple store as well as the Google Play store.

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Altro Total Solution helps transform Newcastle landmark

An extensive package of Altro flooring and wall cladding products has been used top to bottom in the £18 million refurbishment of one of Newcastle’s most striking landmarks — the 11-storey Parsons Tower, which is part of Newcastle College.

The 1960s tower block is one of the first buildings to be seen when approaching Newcastle by road or rail. The recent refurbishment has given the building a striking contemporary gold and blue facade, as well as a new lease of life internally. The former sixth form block has been transformed into a multi-faceted, state-of-the-art teaching facility that incorporates exciting and stimulating learning environments to reflect 21st century needs.

These include real-life working experiences for the expanding curriculum of Health and Enterprise, with training environments such as hospital wards, childcare, domiciliary care and specialist care environments such as a sensory room, where the students can practice and develop their knowledge. The ground level and entrance area have been reconfigured to ensure the maximum use of space, and include a café, real working environments including two functioning ‘pop-up’ shops, and student services with an expansive learning resource center and refectory space on level one.

The refurbishment project was the brainchild of Redbox Design Group in Gateshead. Associate Sean Gallagher explains how specifying the right flooring and walling products for the new-look Parsons Tower was a vital part of the project.

“Parsons Tower is a physical beacon for Newcastle and the college, and therefore it had to satisfy a broad range of strict criteria both internally and externally,” Sean says. “We chose Altro flooring and wall cladding for the building for a number of reasons; we know Altro products very well, they are reliable, durable, superb quality and very cost effective against their competitors.

“More specifically, Altro has products that tick all the boxes in terms of health and safety, hygiene and colour choice. In addition, their infrastructure is excellent, which means they offer a complete package of guidance and support throughout the duration of the project.”

Sean continues: “Our aim was to select Altro flooring and wall cladding that would complement the internal colour scheme and design, while also meeting health and hygiene needs.

“For example, probably the most striking area of the tower is behind the refectory servery, where we specified vivid green Altro Whiterock ChameleonTM hygienic wall cladding. This was intended to be an eye-catching statement colour, but also a very practical, easy-to-clean solution for a food preparation area.”

Altro Whiterock Chameleon makes a bold statement. Glossy, vibrant and vividly colourful, the hygienic wall cladding is available in 16 high impact, high-design shades to add affordable luxury to a range of environments. Offering all the benefits of Altro WhiterockTM, Altro Whiterock Chameleon is very durable, with a smooth, watertight, wipeclean surface.

“We also chose Altro Wood SafetyTM flooring as an inlay into Altro WalkwayTM 20 safety flooring for the refectory,” adds Sean. “This created a wayfinding effect that was key to the ‘circulation’ theme we integrated into the entire building.”

Perfect for creating a comforting and familiar look, but without compromising on safety, Altro Wood Safety offers 16 wood-look designs, including classic, contemporary and on-trend — to vary moods from cool and classy to warm and nurturing. The flooring features Altro Easyclean Maxis PUR Technology for long term cleanability and easier maintenance.

Sean adds: “The colours we chose for floors and walls were mostly subtle, such as muted greys, but the crèche was the one area where we created a blue colour scheme. Here we specified Altro Walkway 20, Altro SupremaTM and Altro UnityTM 25 safety flooring, in colours to match the theme.”

Elsewhere, Sean specified Altro Suprema for the retail area, corridors, stairs, toilets and hospital ward; Altro Wood Safety in the breakout area on the top floor; Altro DesignerTM 25 safety flooring for the refectory back of house; Altro Unity 25 for the laboratories; Altro StrongholdTM 30 safety flooring and Altro Whiterock hygienic wall cladding for the kitchen; Altro Walkway 20 for the refectory storage area; and a Altro Walkway SD – a product laid with anti-static adhesive — for the IT suite.

Design-led Altro Suprema has been developed in consultation with colour consultants, architects and end users to reflect design requirements and interior trends. This non-sparkle safety flooring gives complete design freedom, with 40 shades to match any mood.

Altro Designer 25 is engineered with quartz, silicon carbide and aluminium trioxide for long-term durability and slip resistance, making it great for heavy duty environments with moveable or wheeled furniture. Available in practical, dirt-hiding colours featuring decorative coloured quartz, the product incorporates Altro Easyclean Original Technology for a lasting attractive appearance and savings in time and cleaning costs.

Altro Walkway 20 is a hugely popular, hard-wearing, 2mm safety flooring which provides lifelong slip and abrasion resistance. It also includes PUR cleanability, superior chemical and stain resistance.

Altro Unity 25 can be specified where long-lasting slip resistance and stain resistance are essential in heavy traffic areas. It contains aluminium trioxide and coloured quartz, and includes Altro Easyclean Maxis PUR technology for easier cleaning and maintenance.

Ideal for commercial kitchens, canteens, and food service and preparation areas, Altro Stronghold 30 achieves Altro’s highest rating for slip resistance and is designed to minimise risk in wet and greasy conditions for the lifetime of the flooring. As well as helping to keep staff safe from slips, it also helps reduce their fatigue, thanks to its 3mm thickness, which provides noise reduction and comfort underfoot.

Altro safety flooring products offer sustained slip resistance for the lifetime of the product, keeping your risk of a slip or fall to just one in a million.

Altro Whiterock White is the hygienic alternative to tiles that’s impact resistant, grout-free and easy to clean. Its smooth white surface and classical purity make it a timeless choice for any interior. Made from a high-quality, food-safe PVCu polymer, Altro Whiterock can handle temperatures up to 60°C. It meets all current European Union (EU) Directives on health and hygiene.

Altro Whiterock Premier Installer, Commercial Coverings, installed the wall cladding in Parsons Tower. Commercial Manager Kirk Hooker says: “Altro Whiterock is very easy to work with and it can be moulded to any shape. We cut the sheets to fit on site and thermoformed them around internal and external angles. Where the sheets meet, we used the hot welding method to create a nice finish.

“We have been working with Altro Whiterock for 20 years, and we have standardised on this product because we believe it’s the best on the market.”

Northern Floorcraft installed the Altro flooring within Parsons Tower. The company has been working with Altro for 45 years, installing their flooring in a wide variety of applications such as education, healthcare and retail.

Director Warren Pearson says: “This project was a significant size, and with 11 storeys to finish we had to work in very close co-operation with a number of other trades and the site manager to ensure we stuck to the schedule and produced a perfect result. Good communication skills are essential on projects of this size. We were on site for five months, with a team of between two and six fitters.

“The stairs in Parsons Tower are old and irregular, with complicated details, profiles and curves — no nice rectangles like modern stairs — and each set of stairs was different for each storey. So this part of the project involved a lot of time consuming and intricate cutting, and very precise fitting skills. For this reason were very glad we were fitting Altro Suprema on the stairs. This product is very pliable and great to work with, which made the whole task a great deal easier and quicker.

“Fitting the Altro Wood Safety and Altro Walkway inlay within the refectory was also a challenge, as we had to lay the flooring in three phases rather than all in one go — again because of working with other trades on site. This meant we had to take extra care to ensure that the ‘planks’ within the Altro Wood Safety design lined up exactly each time we fitted a new section. The project ran very smoothly, and this was helped a great deal by Altro, who gave us very hands-on support.”

The main contractor for Parsons Tower was BAM Construction. Senior Site Manager, Nathan Lynn, comments: “Both installers did a brilliant job on the flooring and walling for the refurbishment. They were very professional, co-operative and completed to schedule. The Altro Whiterock Chameleon in the refectory servery, in particular, looks very impressive and makes a real statement. A very successful project all round.”

Steve Johnson, General Estates Manager at Newcastle College’s parent company NCG comments: “We were very impressed with every aspect of the Altro flooring and wall cladding range. The wide variety of colours, designs and finishes gave the architect the flexibility to create an overall design theme within Parsons Tower, but with subtle variations that gave a different look and feel to each individual area.

“For example, the design of the wayfinding floor in the refectory space, using the wood effect and other safety flooring, works very well. The contrast between the two products creates a striking effect.

“But probably the most stunning Altro feature in Parsons Tower is the acid green walling behind the refectory servery. People comment on it all the time — it looks amazing and the colour has a real wow factor.”

Steve continues: “In terms of cleaning and maintenance, we have had nothing but positive feedback from our team about the Altro products throughout the building, so in terms of practicality it’s proving to be the right choice.

“Since it opened a few months ago, the students have told us that they love the look and feel of Parsons Tower, so it has been a total success.”

For more information please visit www.altro.co.uk.

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Kee Safety ensures optimal safety with KeeGuard® ladder kit

To provide optimal safety to those working at height, Kee Safety, a global supplier of fall protection equipment, has launched KeeGuard® Ladder Kit, a permanently fixed guardrail system that is used in conjunction with safety ladders and self-closing gates.

KeeGuard® Ladder Kit has been designed to provide a working at height safety solution that complies with EN 14122-4. This standard recommends that ‘to prevent falling through the access opening at arrival areas, the opening shall be provided with a gate.’ It also states that at drop edges of arrival areas, ‘a guardrail should be provided at least 1.5m either side of the ladder.’

To ensure it complies with the standard, KeeGuard® Ladder Kit is a ‘retro-fit’ guardrail solution that fits to existing fixed ladder or cat ladders, providing 1.5m guardrailing on both sides of the ladder. Quick and easy to install, it simply clamps on to the existing fixed ladder, forming a continual link from the guardrail to the stringer. The kit’s unique fitting can clamp around a flat or tubular stringer up to 75mm in width/diameter and does not need to be mechanically fixed to the roofing membrane or building’s structure.

“Awareness of the dangers of working at height has increased in the past few years, with legislations such as the Work at Height Regulations of 2005 coming into play” explains John Ingram, Group Product Manager – Fall Protection at Kee Safety. “Great steps have been made to ensure the safety of workers undertaking work at height, and we believe that the introduction of this new product is another step in the right direction.”

Available in a galvanised steel finish, KeeGuard® Ladder Kit has been independently tested and complies with EN 14122-4.

For more information, please visit www.keesafety.co.uk.

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