Critical fire safety weakness identified by Building Engineering Services Association

by Featured NewsPassive

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has issued an urgent warning about a potential fire safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation systems. 

The Association issued a technical bulletin (VH001) ahead of a full update of its industry guidance for the ‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers’ (DW145) which is due for launch at the Association’s National Conference in October. 

BESA said it was taking the unusual step of producing an interim announcement because of the urgent nature of the problem after annual inspections carried out by maintenance contractors found that “a huge number of dampers” had been installed incorrectly. 

Head of technical Graeme Fox said that many did not comply with manufacturers’ instructions and needed remedial action “without delay”. 

Fox explained: “We have been alerted to the very dangerous practice of using self-drilling ‘tek’ screws which do not melt when temperatures rise during a building fire. This means spring-loaded dampers will not be released to contain the spread of fire within the zone and ensure the integrity of the fire stopping measure.”

He added: “Dampers must be secured by fusible fixings that allow the duct to break away otherwise the collapsing duct could pull the damper out of place and break the seal between the fire zones.” 

BESA’s technical committee sanctioned the technical bulletin, which is freely available on the Association’s website, to give contractors the information and appropriate terminology to alert clients to this potentially life-threatening problem. 

The bulletin also updates the guidance and statutory requirements covering installation, testing and maintenance of fire dampers and smoke dampers including clients’ legal obligations to ensure their fire safety systems remain fit for purpose in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 

It outlines the crucial role played by the penetration seal in ensuring the overall fire stopping integrity of an installation, the importance of maintenance teams being able to find and access dampers for testing and repair, and the need for designers and installers to seek expert advice from damper manufacturers.  

Fox added: “While this is clearly a very worrying situation, we can take some reassurance from the fact that this problem is being brought to our attention by the increasing frequency of fire damper inspections and tests as awareness grows of this extremely important issue.

“We would urge contractors to alert their clients immediately so all the necessary checks and repairs can be carried out.” 

Scottish ministers called out over slow response to cladding crisis

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

Scottish ministers have been called out over the slow action surrounding the removal of Grenfell-style cladding on public buildings as the bulk of the removal work is earmarked for 2025.

The Scottish Government’s spending review pledged £180 million over three years to remove the potentially harmful insulation. The vast majority of funds equating £100m, however, will be allocated in 2025/26, while a £30m budget will start in 2023/24, increasing to £50m in 2024/25.

The cladding remuneration programme, which aims to replace insulation in high-risk buildings which are fitted with aluminium composite material, was initially expected to be rolled out in 2022.

A freedom of information request revealed that more than 100 public buildings, including hospitals and more than 80 primary and secondary schools, are believed to contain the potentially flammable material similar to that which caused the devastating fire at Grenfell tower in 2017.

Mark Griffin, Scottish Labour’s housing spokesman, asked for an update on how many surveyors and fire engineers had been procured to carry out single building assessments earlier this year. Housing minister Shona Secretary replied that 29 buildings had been contacted so far to offer the direct provision of fire engineers, adding that Once they ascertain consent and details, they will move to the contracting process.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our ban on combustible cladding from domestic and other high-risk buildings applies on buildings of 11m and higher, whereas elsewhere in the UK it is 18m. We have also banned the highest risk metal composite cladding material from any new building of any height.”

“The vast majority of buildings in the initial phase of our programme have secured fire engineers.”

“A new streamlined process for commissioning the assessments will help identify at-risk buildings more quickly. We still expect the vast majority of buildings assessed through this programme to be found to be safe. We have allocated almost £400m to this programme of work.”

Building Industry Partners forms fire and life safety platform company

by Featured NewsSafety

Building Industry Partners (BIP), a leading building industry-focused private equity investment firm, has formed a new fire and life safety platform company following its acquisition of Valley Fire Protection Systems.

Robert Lane, Vice President at BIP, said: We are extremely happy to announce the formation of Endeavor Fire Protection and the closing of the Valley Fire Protection Systems acquisition. BIP has deep relationships in the fire protection segment and has long wanted to build a platform in this vertical. Valley is an elite operator with a field-driven philosophy.

“The Company brings extraordinary capabilities and a long-standing reputation as a leader in the fire protection sector. Given the strong leadership at all levels of the Company, we believe Valley will continue to innovate and grow. We are confident that this will be a strong partnership.”

Lane also noted that Endeavor Fire Protection is BIP’s fourth platform under the company’s renewed people-focused purpose.

Founded in 1974, Valley Fire Protection Systems installs, services, and repairs fire suppression and plumbing systems throughout the Midwestern United States. The Company offers a suite of systems and services to a diverse customer base including the commercial, industrial, and government markets.

The acquisition is in line with the Valley management team’s plans to recapitalise and grow the business. The entire Valley management team is remaining with the Company.

Thomas Hartel, President of Valley Fire Protection, commented: “Choosing to partner with Building Industry Partners to form Endeavor Fire Protection was an easy decision for us, especially given the strong cultural fit, safety emphasis, and focus on people.

“My family has been in the Fire Protection business for over 120 years. We greatly valued BIP’s shared commitment to employee growth and education as well as the complementary focus on teamwork and customer service. Our team believes this partnership will enhance our commitment and investment in our people and allow us to better serve our customers and communities. We feel confident in a bright future together.”

Dave Sobota, Executive Vice President at Valley Fire Protection Systems, added: “We could not be more excited. Building Industry Partners’ focus on people development strongly resonated with our entire team. We are on a mission to not only be the very best fire protection and plumbing contractor, but also to be the very best place to work for our employees.

“BIP’s talent resources, access to growth capital, and deep industry relationships will allow us to greatly strengthen the wonderful foundation Valley has built over the last 40 years. This partnership will allow us to provide even more opportunities to our employees and better serve our customers.”

Justin Gilson, Principal at BIP, said: “We are excited to launch Endeavor Fire Protection with the objective of building a leading national fire and life safety organization both organically and through acquisition. Valley Fire is a preferred provider of fire protection services with a proven track record of operational excellence and a passion for high-quality service. We have been extremely impressed with the entire team at Valley and the strong relationships they maintain throughout the Midwest. We look forward to supporting Tom and his team in the Company’s next phase of growth.”

Growth opportunities ahead as fire protection material market grows

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The rapid growth of the construction industry is expected to cause growth in the Fire Protection Material market going forward due to the latter’s wide use at construction sites to protect users from fire.

Fire Protection Material Market size was valued at USD 2.8 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 5.98 billion by 2029. It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% from 2022 to 2029.

Fire protection materials are those used in applications that help ensure safety of buildings from hazards associated with fire including fire detection, coupled with fire suppression through manual or automatic means which aid in curbing fire and damages resulting therefrom. 

The Fire Protection Material market is anticipated to grow with the implementation of fire safety regulations and strict building codes.

There is also a demand for automotive power and utilities, mining, petroleum, chemicals, and oil and gas exploration. These factors have the potential to shape the market path from 2022 to 2029. 

North America is expected to account for the largest market share in the fire protection materials market during the forecast period. 

According to the US Census Bureau, construction spending during February 2022 was estimated at USD $1,704.4 billion compared to USD $1,533.3 billion in February 2021. Around 1,859,000 building permits and 1,769,000 housing permits were authorized in February 2022 as per the latest data provided by the US Census Bureau and US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Panel formed to enforce fire safety norms for vulnerable buildings in Maharashtra

by Featured NewsSafety

The Maharashtra government has informed the Bombay High Court Monday that it has issued a government resolution to set up a four-member committee to enforce fire safety norms for vulnerable buildings.

Led by former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Pravin Pardeshi, the committee will prepare a report with recommendations for implementation of draft regulations for fire safety in buildings vulnerable to man-made disasters.

The regulations were established in 2009 in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attack, which took place in 2008. The court directed the panel to submit its report with recommendations in two months.

The panel will submit a report in consultation with the concerned experts in the field. “The draft rules are of 2009. We are now in 2022. The committee shall see if we need to improve the rules and our system,” the court said last month.

This week, government pleader Hiten Venegaonkar told the bench that the proposal was approved by the state government, which issued a GR in that regard on August 18 with eight terms of reference for the panel to deliberate upon. The court also asked the panel to give a personal hearing to the petitioner to give her suggestions for its consideration.

The bench said that final recommendations of the panel shall be placed before the state government as soon as they are prepared and same shall be placed before the court on October 20, when the PIL shall be listed next for further consideration.

Delhi Fire Service clears building fire safety proposals

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry SectorsSafety

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has cleared seven proposals for fire safety systems in buildings being constructed under the Government’s Central Vista Project. The proposals were cleared by the DFS after the building designs were presented for approval by the government as senior official said.

Each of the seven proposals consist of plans for more than two building. These buildings include New Parliament Building, New PMO building, Amenity block, and Common Central secretariat being made under the Central Vista project, and a few other office buildings.

various in-built fire-fighting arrangements are recommended to be installed in the buildings such as a fire exit, a hose reel, a wet riser, hydrants, an automatic sprinkler system, internal hydrants and yard hydrants, pumping arrangements, and captive water storage for fire-fighting, the fire officers said.

Automatic fire detection and alarming system, manual-operated electric fire alarm system and a public address system are also recommended in the National Building Code of India Chapter 4 on fire and fire safety.

“All the recommendations suggested are being followed and implemented in the building designs which had altered,” the officer said. Atul Garg, Director of DFS said.

“The buildings under the Central Vista project have state-of-the-art technology as far as the fire department is considered. We have tried to provide the best infrastructure for the fire safety system. This is going to have in-built fire safety systems with a set up of a huge fire control room as well.”

The fire officials said that initially it was not easy to convince the architects of the project to make certain specific changes in terms of fire safety system as they were of the view that any such changes could affect the beauty of the buildings.

Life safety training events announced by C-TEC

by Featured NewsTraining

Life-safety systems manufacturer, C-TEC, has announced plans to roll out a series of free CPD training events for people working in the fire safety, housing, consulting or risk assessment sectors. The events are designed to boost knowledge of the latest legislation, technology and trends. 

Worth four hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time, they will be held at seven locations across the UK from September to November 2022 and feature seminars titled:

  • Integrated Fire Alarm Solutions for High Rise Residential Buildings
  • A Guide to BS 8629-2019 Evacuation Alert Systems
  • Reducing false alarms – how the type, location and settings of different fire detectors can significantly reduce the incidence of unwanted alarms
  • Hearing Assistance Solutions: The Route to Equality Act Compliance

The seminars will run from 10am to 3pm with registration starting at 9.30am. Refreshments and lunch will also be provided.

Said Andy Green, C-TEC’s Marketing Manager: “We are delighted to be launching another series of CPD events which are designed to be of interest to anyone involved in the specification and installation of life safety systems particularly housing professionals, fire engineers and consultants. Demand is expected to be high so we would advise anyone who is interested to register their interest quickly.”

ASFP to host building safety seminar in September

by EventsFeatured News

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has announced it will hold a seminar in London onMonday 5th September 2022. 

The event is scheduled to run from 10am-3pm and will be held at the Aviva Building London, 1 Undershaft, London.

Keynote speakers from across Government and the fire industry, along with ASFP passive fire protection experts, will be at the event to discuss the topic: Building Safety Act and Competency Pathway – how they will affect you?

The seminar will focus on two key areas: the Building Safety Act and the implications of subsequent secondary legislation. Discussions will also examine how competency requirements will be introduced and managed.

Planned Topics include the latest legislative changes, and amendments to product standards, including the creation of Safety Critical Product groups. There will also be suggestions on the various ways in which passive fire protection professionals can demonstrate their competency.

Cladding crisis: landmark ruling puts liability on building contractor

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The High Court in London has delivered a landmark judgment that establishes legal liability for remedial safety work on buildings in a ruling that could help resolve one of the biggest unanswered questions from the Grenfell Tower fire.

In a ruling last week, Mulalley & Co, an Essex-based contractor, was ordered to pay damages towards the cost of removing cladding it had fitted to four residential tower blocks in Gosport on the south coast of England which had been deemed to unsafe after the Grenfell blaze.

The ruling marks is the first time financial liability for remediation work on unsafe cladding has been established in court. It is thought that the outcome could have far-reaching ramifications for leaseholders, building owners and contractors in England.

Andy Hulme, chief executive of housing association Hyde Group which brought the claim via its subsidiary Martlet Homes against Mulalley, said the case had ‘massive implications for the market’.

He said it should help unblock disputes between leaseholders living in blocks fitted with flammable cladding and the buildings’ owners over who should pay to have it removed.

“It’s the first time a contractor has been held accountable for the quality of work and the materials they have used,” he said. ”Based on this case we now know where the lines of accountability lie.”

The court has yet to decide what the extent of the damages will be. According to Financial Times Hyde is looking to recoup as much as much as possible of the £8mn it spent fixing the blocks.

Criminal proceedings are expected to follow. Ahead of the inquiry laying out its conclusions, the High Court’s ruling could provide a legal precedent and a new path for leaseholders and property owners to recoup the costs of fixing blocks found to be unsafe in the aftermath of Grenfell.

Mary-Anne Bowring, a fire safety expert and group managing director at property consultant Ringley Group, said of the ruling is: “A landmark that gives hope to millions of residents living in unsafe buildings by opening the potential for legal action against other construction contractors who installed unsafe cladding”.

She added: “However, it is not enough to simply expect developers and housing associations to launch further legal action off the back of today’s judgment in order to recover the money spent on fixing unsafe buildings.”

Lord Greenhalgh resigns as Building Safety and Fire Minister

by Featured NewsPeople

Lord Stephen Greenhalgh has resigned as Building Safety and Fire Minister amid the flurry of Government resignations last week. Greenhalgh published his letter of resignation to soon to be former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It read:

“As Building Safety Minister I have worked hard to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell never happens again. The Building Safety Act is the landmark legislation that delivers on that mission. This act has brought about the biggest changes to building safety legislation in our history. The act not only addresses the total building safety regulatory system failure head on but also protects leaseholders who are the victims in the building safety crisis.

“As Fire Minister I set out the most comprehensive plans for reform in decades in the government’s Fire and Rescue Service Reform White Paper with the Home Secretary on 18 Ma.y

“It has been a privilege to serve you alongside you in both City Hall and in your government. I am saddened at the turn of events that has resulted in your decision to stand down as Prime Minister. Now that the die has been cast, I have decided that this is the right time for me to resign. Of course, I will continue to serve the Government from the back benches.”