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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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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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Is your fire safety training up to date?

Karen Trigg, South East business development manager of Allegion UK, urges businesses to invest time and money into training for staff involved with fire safety. This is to avoid costly, or even deadly, situations.

Keeping your training up-to-date regarding fire safety and fire door hardware comes with a whole host of benefits for your business.

Doing so will mean you will reduce the risk of facing unnecessary fines and a potentially damaged reputation.

Yet, new research from law firm Hugh James revealed that almost one in five Brits (16 percent) work for a company where not a single fire drill has been carried out in the last twelve months.

Even more worrying is that the poll of 2,000 full and part-time employees found that almost half haven’t received workplace training on what to do in the event of a fire.

Clearly, some employers are not taking training as seriously as they should. Of course, employers will have their age-old reasonings – training employees is time consuming and costly.

However, if you neglect fire safety training for employees, history will reveal that you may be treading a dangerous path.

Prevention is better than cure

Following the motto of ‘prevention is better than cure’ is an adage that often rings true.

This is typified by comparethemarket.com’s survey of 2000 people in 2016, showing that 54 percent of people living in the UK don’t know what they need to do in the event of a fire.

That’s over half of the population who would be none the wiser if a fire broke out.

Take Oxford Street’s New Look store in London. The retail premises caught fire back in 2009 and criticism arose in light of its lack of staff training.

One of the customers, Joanne Weaver, spoke of her experience: “Staff within the shop did not seem to have a plan to evacuate people. They went from no cause for alarm, to panic.” Joanne noted that the staff hadn’t indicated there was a problem and no real direction was given in terms of advice or assistance.

The retailer subsequently faced fines amounting to £400,000, a fractured reputation, and a building in ruins.

Of course, it’s only speculation, but had the staff received the appropriate fire safety training, New Look may not have been charged with such a large fine. What’s more, the fire itself could have been tackled earlier resulting in less damage to both the building and the store’s reputation.

Starting with your fire doors

Another key fire safety issue is ensuring that fire safety hardware is in good working order.

Understanding what to check when inspecting fire doors is useful knowledge to retain, helping to prevent a worst case scenario.

What’s more, just as threatening to fire safety is the improper use of fire doors.

Wedging a fire door open, a particularly common offence made by many, may render your fire door obsolete. Fire doors need to remain closed to effectively prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Keeping a fire door open could put your business at risk legally, should it be judged that a person’s life be at risk as a result.

Additionally, keeping your emergency escape routes clear is crucial. Fire doors with a blocked passage are dangerous and uneccessary.

It’s essential practice to make sure staff members understand correct use of all fire doors within your establishment to maintain maximum safety in the event of a fire.

Time to take action

After The Grenfell Tower incident in June 2017, the Care Quality Commission issued a letter identifying some of the main fire issues as:

  • Fire exits and fire doors wedged open
  • Escape routes used as storage areas
  • Low awareness among residents of what to do in emergency situations
  • No evidence of fire drills having been undertaken recently

From this, we can take that training within fire safety and fire door hardware should be a requirement. It’s as simple as that.
Your business should implement basic fire safety training to decrease the likelihood of accidents both in the event of a fire and in the general work environment.

Furthermore, fire doors need to be regularly serviced and maintained in order for your business to stay in compliance with regulations.

Ensure that your hardware is not only installed correctly, but that your staff understand what to check for when inspecting your fire door hardware.

Correctly installed hardware amidst a changing landscape

Training on fire safety hardware doesn’t end in-house. Checking that installers have been correctly trained is key.

Locksmiths installing your hardware also need an acute knowledge on fire safety hardware. Electro-mechanical hardware, intended to be an aid for doors and often installed by locksmiths, can be susceptible to damage and accidents if installed incorrectly.

The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) seeks to establish a licensing scheme to approve locksmiths. MLA ensures regular checks with approved companies, such as vetting, maintenance inspections and locksmith qualifications.

As a result companies which have been “MLA approved” appear more reliable, trustworthy, qualified and professional.

By being accurately trained on the product and its application, and by following appropriate risk assessments, potential hazards can be avoided and controlled.

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

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Fire resistant glass specialist Promat UK completes major new factory programme

Promat UK, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation solutions, has completed its multi-million pound development programme to create a new headquarters and manufacturing plant in Lancashire.

The 66,000 sq. ft. facility – The Innovation Centre – at Heywood near Manchester gives Promat UK a state of the art platform to grow its business and respond to the growing demand for high performance insulation and reliable passive fire protection in all markets, including the door, window and industrial sectors. The completion of the move comes as Promat UK announces that it has also now achieved its transition to the 2015 updates to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the two key internationally recognised quality and environmental management standards.

The site manufactures a wide range of products from the company’s portfolio, which includes glass brands such as PYROCET®, PYROSEC® and SMOKESTREAM®, along with its complete glazing solution SYSTEMGLAS®, which is rapidly growing in popularity in the market due to its unique a 360 degree ‘wheel of assurance’ for architects and clients. Promat UK’s insulation products including DALFRATEX® – used in glass manufacturing and heavy industry processing – are also produced at the new plant.

The two-year Heywood development programme, which has doubled Promat UK’s production space and increased staff numbers by 20%, has seen the company relocate its HQ from its original home in Bracknell, and integrate its made-to-order workshop and specialist solutions operations that were previously located at Bromborough on the Wirral. The new factory serves clients in all industry sectors across the UK, with four new purpose-built CNC machines ensuring that bespoke products are precision manufactured to the highest quality standards.

The new factory is also designed with sustainability at its core, with a comprehensive extraction system ensuring that production dust is collected to be re-used in other fire protection products. The plant is also evolving to be a zero landfill waste operation by 2020.

Ian Cowley, General Manager at Promat UK says: “The completion of our relocation programme and creation of this superb new facility cements our place at the forefront of the UK fire protection market. We are delighted that so many of our team have relocated with us to ensure we maintain the highest level of technical expertise and consistency in points of contact for clients.
“It’s an exciting time for the business and the realisation of our goal to establish an industrial hub in the North West of England, where there is a great talent pool in manufacturing and excellent supporting networks.”

Part of international building product manufacturing group the Etex Group, Promat UK has been producing fire, thermal and acoustic protection solutions for more than 30 years. In addition to its range of fire resistant glass, which offers both integrity and insulation (EI) and integrity only (E) solutions, the company manufactures market leading high performance solutions which are used in numerous hi-tech, engineering and industrial sectors. 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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Advanced Protection for London Symphony Orchestra Discovery Project

LSO St Luke’s, home of the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra’s community and education programme, LSO Discovery, is now protected by industry-leading fire panels from Advanced.

LSO St Luke’s is an 18th-century Grade I-listed Hawksmoor church in the London Borough of Islington. The church, which has an unusual obelisk spire, opened in 1773 and was deconsecrated in 1959 due to subsidence. It lay derelict for almost 40 years before being brought back to life in 2003 as the new rehearsal space and education centre for the London Symphony Orchestra.

The upgrade of the fire system was undertaken by the team at Sussex-based Crays Fire, who selected the latest Advanced MxPro 5 panel due to its versatility, reliability and upgradeability, as well as the first-class customer support offered by Advanced.

Paul Woodhams, spokesperson for Crays Fire, commented: “We were responsible for the original installation at LSO St Luke’s during its renovation and, when it came to replacing the panel, we were confident that the MxPro 5 panel would deliver the specific cause and effect programming required for this system, with the flexibility to add further key switches and inputs to the control panel in the future.”

MxPro is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire solution, offering customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network that enjoys free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into multi-loop, high speed, 200 panel networks covering huge areas and thousands of field devices.

Anne Basley, spokesperson for LSO St Luke’s, said: “The safety of our staff, those who perform at LSO St Luke’s and the visitors to the venue was paramount when selecting a fire system and, thanks to the recommendation of Crays Fire, Advanced ticked all the boxes. The church itself is a listed building and it requires the very best protection so we can continue to maintain it and guard against threats such as fire.”

MxPro 5 is Advanced’s highest performance analogue panel. It is EN54 2, 4 & 13 approved and is backward compatible with MxPro 4, offering long-term peace of mind for MxPro customers.

Amanda Hope, Advanced’s UK Business Development Manager, commented: “The installation at LSO St Luke’s show that Advanced panels are not only suitable for larger buildings. We have worked closely with Crays Fire for a number of years and MxPro is now their first choice of panel for all new installations and upgrade projects, as well as being the ideal choice for a historic building like this one.

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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Construction workers urged to take extra care on site this winter

With parts of the UK experiencing bitterly cold weather, roof systems manufacturer Marley Eternit is warning outdoor construction workers to take extra care this winter.

Freezing cold temperatures, ice and shorter periods of daylight mean there is a much greater risk of accidents on construction sites during the winter months. As well as the risk of slips and falls, prolonged exposure to the cold can cause construction workers to suffer from more colds, bronchitis, asthma, painful joints and fatigue. In extreme cases, workers outside for long periods, without the right protection, could even suffer hypothermia, frostbite and chilblains.

Katie Prestidge from Marley Eternit comments: “In the UK, there is no legal minimum outdoor working temperature. So, it is important that all construction workers understand the hazards of working in winter and know what precautions to take when cold weather sets in. Builders and contractors must carry out their own thermal risk assessments and take appropriate action to protect their employees.”

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) is backing Marley Eternit’s winter safety campaign. Gary Walpole, the NFRC’s Technical and Health & Safety Officer, said “Accident statistics prove that there is an increased risk of personal injury during the winter months. Increased hazards from reduced daylight hours and inclement weather, means precautions need to be taken in advance to protect the wellbeing of our workforce.”

Marley Eternit has put together the following advice to help construction workers stay safe on site this winter:

Site managers and supervisors

Monitor the weather forecast so you can anticipate and be prepared for poor weather conditions

  1. Carry out a risk assessment every day to check that it is safe to work and that conditions haven’t changed. Pay particular to working at height platforms and walkways. Do not work on roofs in icy conditions
  2. If windy, HSE recommends that roofers should check wind speeds with a hand held anemometer and refer to NFRC guidance on roofing in windy conditions*
  3. Make sure workers are trained on winter hazards and ensure they have the appropriate PPE
  4. Limit worker exposure to cold through job rotation and provide plenty of breaks in heated areas with hot drinks available

Site workers

  1. Make sure you are wearing the right PPE and extra clothing suitable for the job and the weather conditions. This usually involves using several layers of clothing, as well as waterproofs or wind resistant fabrics where necessary. Also choose water resistant footwear, with enhanced slip resistance or ice grips if required
  2. Wear gloves when fine manual dexterity is not required and the temperature drops below 4°C
  3. Cold weather increases the risk of hand-arm vibration syndrome, so keep your hands and arms warm when using vibratory equipment such as drills, nails guns and even hand tools, such as hammers
  4. Choose hats that work with safety headgear and don’t compromise any eye or hearing protection
  5. Be aware of the symptoms of cold exposure – heavy shivering, uncomfortable coldness, numbness, aching, severe fatigue, confusion, drowsiness and/or euphoria
  6. With reduced daylight hours, visibility can be a problem, so wear reflective PPE
  7. Take breaks in heated areas and drink plenty of fluids, including water and warm beverages
  8. Report any hazardous areas to the site manager and do not put yourself at risk just to complete a job.
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The smarter fire door solution

Dorgard SmartSound™ is a wireless solution for legally holding open fire doors, automatically closing them when the fire alarm sounds. Brand new SmartSound technology means the door units are not triggered by common background noises such as vacuum cleaners, a common problem with other fire door retainers.

Closed fire doors can make access through a building difficult. This is a particular problem in schools, hospitals and care homes where heavy fire doors might be difficult for people to open, and where staff need to move swiftly in an emergency. Heavy fire doors can also be an issue in hotels for guests with luggage and staff with trays.

Most fire door retainers are activated by the sound of the fire alarm. They are listening for a certain decibel level over a certain amount of time and if another noise meets this criteria, the fire door retainer will react. This means that they can be accidentally triggered by everyday sounds.

Vacuum cleaners are a common source of false activations for fire door retainers, and in public buildings, care homes or social housing where cleanliness is a high priority, this can be a real problem.

Dorgard SmartSound has the best listening technology on the market and already knows the sound of your alarm without the need for any programming. Its advanced technology means it will not be triggered by the sound of the vacuum cleaner.

With Dorgard SmartSound, access through a building is improved and people are kept safe in the event of fire. A closed fire door stops the spread of fire and smoke, giving time for people to evacuate or for the fire service to arrive and extinguish the fire.

Dorgard SmartSound has a three-year battery life and three-year warranty, so you can just fit and forget. Keep fire doors open safely, while still complying with fire regulations, with Dorgard SmartSound.

For more information visit fireco.uk/dgss.
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Guernsey Fire & Rescue recommends Aico fire & CO alarms across the island

Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service is fitting Aico Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms into islanders’ homes as part of a campaign run by the Service to ensure homes and businesses are made safe.

Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service conducts a risk assessment of every property before deciding which alarms to fit, also taking into account the occupiers. “Those considered most at risk, including the young and the elderly, may require extra protection so we will fit additional alarms in those properties” states Martin Lucas, Head of Fire Safety at Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service. “We have been running a free Smoke Alarm programme for eight years – thanks to sponsorship from prominent island companies – but decided to swap to Aico following issues with the alarms we had been fitting.

“This year we are really pleased to be able to include CO Alarms for the very first time. These will primarily be allocated to people over 65, who are known to be most at risk from CO poisoning. We’ve already seen a huge uptake of CO Alarms in the short time we have been offering them.”

A wide range of Aico alarms and accessories are now being offered free of charge by the Service including ten year Optical Smoke Alarms, CO Alarms and Alarm Kits for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing.

Aico’s RadioLINK wireless alarm interconnection technology was a feature of particular interest as Martin explains: “RadioLINK uses RF signals so we don’t have to cause any disruption to property when fitting alarms and interconnecting them together. It’s exceptionally good and is a tested and proven technology.”

AudioLINK data extraction technology on the CO Alarms is another feature that Martin considers to have added value and is encouraging landlords on the island to make good use of it. AudioLINK allows for invaluable real time data to be extracted directly from the Alarm using Aico’s free AudioLINK App which converts the data into an easy to read Alarm Status Report. It’s ideal for landlords as it can be used as part of the annual Gas Safety Checks (CP12) and property checks prior to changing over to new tenants. Landlords are also being encouraged to read Aico’s Landlord’s Guide to Smoke & CO Alarms, which has been published on the Guernsey government website.

“This is one of the many aspects we like about Aico” comments Martin. “Their products work really well and there is an ongoing development programme. We are excited about future developments.”

Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service is also keen to promote good practice when it comes to alarm installation, having hosted a large Aico Expert Installer session which trained over 50 people from the Service, electricians and electrical wholesalers. “We have never been able to bring so many people together to discuss fire safety before” states Martin. “The training day covered the full specification of Aico products and also installation and specification advice. It was so successful that we ran a further one purely for local Building Control inspectors. We would never have been able to do this without Aico. Their support has been fantastic – above and beyond anything we have experienced. I can honestly say we have never had this level of island support before.”

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, Aico is the market leader in residential fire and CO protection in the UK. All alarms are designed and built in Ireland specifically to meet the UK standards and regulations. With more mains powered domestic smoke alarms installed in the UK’s social housing than any other manufacturer, Aico is tried, tested and trusted.

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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HSE launches second phase of construction inspection campaign

Construction projects across Britain are being urged to act now to ensure the health and safety of their workers is protected as the second phase of a targeted inspection initiative gets underway this week.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says 43 workers were fatally injured in 2015/16, and an estimated ten times that number died from construction related ill-health, with a further 65,000 self-reported non-fatal injuries.

HSE is now asking every construction contractor, client and designer to ensure they are not adding to this unacceptable toll of harm by failing to manage well-known risks.

In addition to things such as falls from height, the campaign will focus on control of harmful dusts including respirable silica from concrete, brick and stone, asbestos and wood dust, as well as work at height, structural safety, materials handling, good order and welfare provision.

HSE points to the mis-conception that health issues cannot be controlled in construction. It says harmful dust, whether silica or wood, is a serious issue and can be managed effectively with the right design, equipment and training. Health effects may not be immediate, but the ultimate impact on workers and their families can be devastating.

HSE carried out over 2000 inspections during the first phase of the initiative earlier this year with action being taken to address these issues in almost half of visits.

HSE’s Chief Inspector of Construction and Director of Construction Division Peter Baker commented “In phase 1 of this campaign HSE’s inspectors found lots of good examples of small sites working safely and protecting workers health from exposure to harmful dusts, proving it can be done. My message to smaller businesses is don’t wait for an accident or a visit from an HSE inspector – learn from the success of others and act now.

“Nearly half of construction fatal accidents and injuries reported to HSE involved refurbishment work.

“Some small refurbishment sites continue to cut corners and not properly protect their workers resulting in an unacceptable number of deaths and injuries each year.”

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Kee Safety gates comply with BSI Standard

Kee Safety, a leading global supplier of safety railing systems, has adjusted the design of its Kee Gate range to satisfy the requirements of BS EN ISO 14122-3:2016 Safety of Machinery – Permanent means of access to machinery – Part 3: Stairs, Stepladders and guard-rails. The new Kee Gate range retains the key elements of the existing safety gates, but has been modified to meet the BSI Standard.

Released in 2016, the revised standard defines the requirements for safe access to machines. It applies to both stationary and mobile machinery where a fixed means of access is necessary. The standard specifies that when the height of a fall could exceed 500mm, a guardrail should be installed, and the chosen system needs to meet several dimensional requirements. It also notes that a self-closing gate should be used.

The revised standard states that the gap between both railings and the floor must not exceed 500mm. To remain compliant with this standard, Kee Safety has had to modify the design of its safety gates.

The Kee Gate design now features a larger D bend, which closes the gap between the bottom rail of the gate and floor, whilst still allowing full width adjustability along with a new mid rail which closes the gap between the top of the gate and the mid rail. The new gate is 668mm high, its mid rail is positioned 467mm from the top rail and a lower bottom rail is positioned 433mm from the floor. These modifications ensure that the Kee Gate range is compliant with the revised BSI standard.

Designed to work both internally and externally, on ladder and stair access points, roof hatches, walkways and roof tops, Kee Gate, ensures maintenance, inspection and warehouse staff can fulfil their job, follow best practices and comply with current safety standards, without putting their safety at risk. Kee Gate safety gates are spring loaded so can automatically close behind the user, providing an added level of security and overcoming the potential for human error. This type of system is the preferred solution to chains, bars or sliding tubes, as these traditional forms of protection can lead to a hazardous void, when used incorrectly.

The Kee Gate range is available in galvanised steel and if required can be powder coated in safety yellow. It is available with standard ‘U’ bolts for fixing to uprights of 33.7, 42.4 and 48.3 mm diameter, enabling the gate to be fixed quickly to existing support structures, posts or stringers. An additional fixing pack is provided which allows the gate to be fixed to square, flat or angle uprights. Kee Gate is 1 metre wide and is designed to be trimmed on-site, saving companies the time and money it takes to fabricate their own gates.

As well as being compliant to BS EN ISO 14122-3:2016, Kee Gate also complies with the requirements of EN 13374 Class A, and is CE marked to EN 1090. The system has undergone extensive testing to ensure total reliability of the gates. These include salt spray testing to ASTM B117-11 Neutral solutions over 200 hours to assess the coating’s corrosion resistance, life cycle testing to BS 6375-2:2009 Clause 6.5 – Opening and closing of Gate through 90 degrees 50,000 cycles and Abuse Testing where 9 x 25kg weights were suspended from the gate to test what happens if pressure is applied. This ensures durability, superior corrosion resistance and defence against signs of wear.

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