Ignite March 2023

Read about upcoming changes within the ASFP on page 4 Page 20

EDITORIAL THE EX-CEO

By Steve Davies

Ex ASFP CEO Steve Davies says his goodbyes, reviews his achievements and wishes the ASFP continuing success in the future

2023 is already proving to be as hectic as 2022. The team and I finished last year having seen the biggest growth in membership in the history of the Association, up 18% to a total of 323 members. This trend has continued into 2023 with a further 21 members meeting our membership criteria and being appointed in January 2023.

This growth has also continued in terms of ASFP training, with over 230 courses being booked or undertaken in the first five weeks of the year!

So far this year, we have held a webinar, ASFP Regulatory Update: What is Coming in 2023, with over 500 people registered to attend and a regional event, Best Practice in Passive Fire Protection in Leeds with over 100 registered attendees.

It seems like the ASFP message is being heard, with enquiries and requests for information from all sectors of the construction industry. The Ask

We have individuals from all over the industry logging into asfp.org.uk, including:

the Expert and training sections of the website have seen the highest number of visitors since its launch with an average of ten questions per week.

Handing on the baton

Most of you may know that I stepped down as CEO at the end of February, handing on the ‘baton’ to our very own Mike Ward. I want to take this opportunity to thank Mike and wish him and the entire ASFP team every success in the future. Having been involved in developing plans for 2023-25, I can confirm that the Association’s aspirations and ambition will ensure it will continue to meet the growing expectations of the passive fire sector and ASFP members.

Since I started here at the ASFP back in March 2021, it has been a privilege to oversee the Association’s development and growth. So, I would also like to thank all ASFP members and of course the Council and Technical Committee participants, without whose support, the ASFP would struggle to remain relevant.

Also, a big thank you to Chris Miles, who has been Chairman throughout my tenure. His support and guidance has been invaluable as has his patience as I got to grips with the passive fire industry. I would like to also wish all the best to Clive Miles who takes over as ASFP Chair at the 2023 AGM in June this year and good luck to whoever is voted in as Vice Chair in the coming weeks.

Finally, I am very proud to announce that I have been invited to remain involved with the ASFP as a member of the Executive Board. I am pleased to be able to offer my continued support to Mike and the team and so, perhaps, I will see you at a future ASFP event. In the meantime, a final thank you to everyone who has supported me and the ASFP over the last two years and I wish you all a very profitable and successful 2023.

PASSIVE FIRE EXPERIENCE

ASFP Marketing Manager Reece Goodman showcases the new ASFP Passive Fire Experience

2023 marks the start of a new venture for the Association, with the mobilisation of many new ASFP activities. ASFP is proud to officially launch the Passive Fire Experience (PFE), a multi-role mobile platform that offers a range of uses to the ASFP and ASFP members.

Training

The primary use for the trailer is for the Passive Fire Experience, a brand new form of Passive Fire Protection (PFP) training using Virtual Reality (VR). VR will allow those learning to be transported anywhere the training requires, such as onto a building site, into a dangerous or precarious area, or face to face with a PFP product that they may not have access to otherwise.

The ten-person VR headset system gives viewers and learners a close-up and in-depth experience that will help improve their skills and knowledge in PFP in a much more engaging way. It will feature 360 degree video, 3D video, and infographics. The first of a series of VR training courses to be developed will be for firestopping installation.

FOR INFORMATION

Read more about the Passive Fire Experience here www.asfp.org.uk/page/asfptrailer or by scaning the QR code

PR and Marketing

The trailer will act as a mobile tradeshow that can be taken to large exhibitions such as the Fire Saftey Event, Firex International, London Build Expo and Construction Week, but can also be taken along to any ASFP event and will feature presentations and videos promoting the ASFP, the benefits of membership, technical and regulatory support, training provision, events and more.

Trailer for Hire

As well as being used for ASFP training, the trailer will be travelling around the UK and Ireland and is available for companies to hire and use for their own team training. The trailer is already scheduled to attend many ASFP events and to visit member sites. To see the timeline please scan the QR code to the left.

If you would like to talk about an opportunity for us to visit you please contact Rich on 07570 806902 or rich.green@asfp.org.uk

NEW YEAR

NEW ASFP

When watching or listening to the news, one could be forgiven for thinking there is no difference between what we left behind in 2022 and the events surrounding us in 2023. It may even seem like there’s never any good news anymore. Well in this issue of Ignite we hope to buck the trend and bring you only good news.

A New Arrival

Based on the historical demographic of the ASFP team, new arrivals are pretty rare. So you can imagine our wonderment when ASFP’s Events & Training Executive Georgina Fennel gave birth to a little girl, Erin, just before Christmas. We are so proud of Georgina and look forward to meeting Erin when they visit the office for a catch-up.

Whilst Georgina is on maternity leave, ASFP welcomes Andy Tyrrell to the team. Andy comes to us with events experience and has hit the ground running in transacting the bookings and

arrangements Georgina made before going on leave.

TAF (Trade Association Forum)

We all pretty much know what a trade association is. Some of you reading Ignite are members of the ASFP, but did you know there’s a trade association for trade associations? Trade Association Forum (TAF ) www.taforum.org is an association of associations of which the ASFP is a member. Our membership of TAF brings benefits to the ASFP team such as interassociation networking, allowing us to share ideas and experiences to improve member benefits and support.

Why am I telling you this, I hear you ask? Well, the ASFP was shortlisted for two of the categories for the TAF Awards 2023:

• ASFPTV for the Membership Engagement Award

• ASFP training for the Skills Development Award

The awards night took place days before this issue goes for print, and we are proud to say that we ended the night victorious, coming out with the award for Skills Development!

We want to send a special thank you to all the ASFP training and technical officers that contributed to help the association take home this award.

Office Move

As some of you will be aware, ASFP moved to the management and facilities support of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) back in 2020. This relationship has proven to be hugely beneficial to both associations, in fact, I would be bold enough to say that ASFP would not be in the position it is now if it was not for their support.

At the end of last year, the senior management teams of both associations reviewed their current and future

Mike Ward outlines new developments and exciting times ahead for ASFP in 2023

ASFP’S NEW TEA

strategies and demands and the potential impact of these on the existing relationship. ASFP’s membership has grown by 40% in two years. By the end of 2023, its employee and consultant headcount will be nearly 100% greater than it was at the end of 2019. Similarly, BCF has significant growth plans of its own, with the implementation of its Paint Care Scheme.

The outcome of the review was that, due to the success of both associations, the ASFP would fly the BCF nest, purchase its own office facility and – for the first time in its nearly 50-year history – have a place of its own to call home. Ironically, one of the properties the ASFP is looking at is only a few hundred yards from BCF’s headquarters. This would be ideal as ASFP and BCF have formed friendships and professional ties that will continue. The acquisition, refurbishment and the majority of the move will take place through the first half of 2023 and should be complete by the end of Q3.

We will keep you posted on activities throughout the move and provide details of the exciting features we plan to build into our new home.

Future Members of the ASFP Team

In the first half of this year the association will be looking to increase its team by another two members. As part of its ongoing investment in people, ASFP has budgeted for and created two new roles to commence in the first half of this year.

They are for an additional Technical Officer, reporting to the newly formed Head of Technical, plus another Training Officer. Both positions have been created to support ASFP’s growing training demand,

plus in support of the development of the Association’s Competency Pathway. They will also support ASFP’s strategic development creating more and better technical and regulatory assets, which is the foundation of the Association.

If you have an interest in either position please contact the ASFP with your CV and covering letter here info@asfp.org.uk

“And….it’s good night from him.”

I would like to finish my article in this issue by thanking our just departed CEO, Steve Davies. After two years of leading the next phase of the Association's growth and development Steve received an opportunity too good to turn down. He leaves us in a much better position than he found us, with a raft of opportunities to develop into member benefits and value to the ASFP. So on behalf of myself and the rest of the ASFP team, thank you Steve, we wish you all the best in your new role.

www.smokefiresafety.co.uk

A smoke control business in love with doing things right from the start

Passionate in what we do, supporting Clients through all project’s stages

the 2022 IFE PFP exams went to Rhea Akiens of Saint Gobain for Level 2 and Malcolm Williams of Quelfire for Level 3.

• Best Customer Service of the Year: Quelfire for its commitment to raising awareness of PFP through technical support, social media outreach and training initiatives, including the development of the Quelfire Knowledge Hub.

• Training and Development of the Year: Alec Purdie, Quelfire. Having joined Quelfire in early 2020 with no prior fire industry knowledge, Alec quickly completed the IFE Level 3 training, passing the IFE exam in 2022. He was accepted into membership of the IFE at Technician level and continues to maintain his CPD learning. He also conducts training for Quelfire customers.

• Advocate of the Year: Will Pitt of Laing O’Rourke for his dedication to the industry and commitment to the improvement of standards through work such as the Passive Fire Knowledge Group of which he is one of the founding members.

• Marketing Campaign of the Year: Minster. The ‘Spread the Word’ campaign focused on heightening awareness of Minster’s passive fire protection (PFP) range. The drive successfully stimulated interest and delivered unprecedented levels of sales of Minster PFP products.

REAPING THE REWARDS

The ASFP represents the needs of its members and the wider passive fire protection industry, by raising standards and competence through training, testing, certification and quality of installation and maintenance, by:

• Advancing knowledge and guidance on all aspects of ‘built-in’ fire protection

• Providing technical support and impartial advice

• Leading regulatory and behavioural change as an independent authority

• Improving competence and quality through training

Key benefits of ASFP membership

ASFP Membership Officer Tony Corcoran outlines the benefits of ASFP membership

ASFP membership covers a broad spectrum of the construction industry, with each member having access to specific benefits which provide them with the opportunity to align with a strong industry voice, to access guidance and technical documentation, while also accessing promotional capabilities available to ASFP members.

Membership provides a variety of both direct and indirect opportunities, including specific member discounts for training, access to technical support and guidance, the ability to link your company to the ASFP brand identity and gain from the ASFP’s lobbying activities and its influence on legislation and standards.

ASFP members benefit from being associated with the ASFP’s efforts to raise standards in the industry. Members of the ASFP are known for offering professional, competent and technically correct products and services. Our strict entry requirements enable ASFP members to differentiate themselves from others in the industry, which otherwise has no barriers to entry. 1

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Professionalism and competence

Expertise and Guidance

ASFP members can access the full range of ASFP guidance and technical knowledge via the ASFP’s Technical Task Groups. The ASFP provides support and advice relating to the latest technical innovations, industry best practice and legislative developments. Regular member updates keep members in touch with the latest industry news, whilst the technical guidance documents, ASFPTV and the ongoing ASFP webinar programme, provide updates on industry-specific topics and member support programmes.

Voice and Influence

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The ASFP sits on a range of national and international industry, standards and government bodies and works on the behalf of members to influence legislation and standards

Via the ASFP’s Technical Task Groups, members have the opportunity to participate in the development of specific industry best practice guidance, which is often referenced in Government guidance and national standards.

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Training and Development

The ASFP’s Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection, Level 2 and 3 Foundation Courses, CPD seminars and webinars deliver essential knowledge and understanding. Individuals who undertake the Foundation Courses can study to obtain Ofqual-recognised Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in Passive Fire Protection provided by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). ASFP members obtain significant discounts for ASFP training courses while also having access to exclusive member-only webinars.

Promotional and Marketing Support

The use of the ASFP logo, and being able to link guidance documents and videos to their own website, enables members to align with ASFP values and link to key ASFP promotional campaigns. The member company profile on the ASFP website creates visibility to thousands of website visitors, who constantly access guidance and information on ASFP member services; while the weekly ASFP updates offer members a free of charge opportunity to promote products and services to the ASFP’s huge database of industry contacts . Members also have the opportunity to link with the ASFP at many events and seminars, while receiving preferential rates for exhibiting at national exhibitions and ASFP outreach conferences and seminars.

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Professional Support

The ASFP Member Hub on the ASFP website is a collection of discounts, free support and advice, and industry initiatives – available to all members. It provides access to business support services that allow you to obtain much more from your membership. These enhancements to the member benefits offer will help to make your membership more rewarding.

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Networking and Community

Exclusive Member Support Services and Discounts ASFP members receive discounts on ASFP training courses, access to exclusive member-only webinars and updates, technical guidance and support; free use of the ASFP Jobs and Member Noticeboards to promote situations vacant and offer services and discounts to other ASFP members

The ASFP works continually to increase its profile and to encourage industry influencers to select only ASFP members for all their passive fire protection products, services and installations – a real benefit to all members. ASFP members can be proud to display the ASFP logo, linking themselves to the strength of the ASFP’s industry presence while also having access to the many services available to them.

CavGuard MSC

An intumescent solution to fire protect Masonry Support Brackets that interrupt Cavity Fire Barrier locations.

Fully Fire Tested for 120 minutes

Fast Fit Solution

Maintains a continuous free air space

Our experienced teams can install solutions to contain fire and aid safe evacuation for occupants.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Formed in 2006, AWB and Son is a family-run business which has significantly expanded its reputation within the fire protection and compliance industry. We have achieved this by giving our clients a top-quality service, which keeps them coming back for more. We offer a range of services from fire protection to water treatment and training.

As a company, we can assure our customers a costeffective, quality service which meets standards and regulations. We are certificated and qualified in our areas of operation, which means you can trust us to have the expertise and experience you need. Our fire protection services range from firestopping, fire compartmentation surveys, fire damper testing, fire risk assessment and fire door inspections. The firestopping products we use are all third party certificated and we work closely with firestopping manufacturers to ensure our installations are in line with their guidelines and published tested details.

Our software allows our clients to track all works completed in real time, with detailed pictures showing all stages of work. Our trained engineers can expand on these pictures to explain to the client exactly what they mean. From this, a history of the works is created which can be referred to at any time.

AWB & Son

URL: www.awbandson.com

Phone: 01909 768799

Email: info@awbandson.com

AWB and Son also offers water treatment services including Legionella Risk Assessment, Cleaning and Disinfection and Sampling. We are in the process of adding a new learning centre on our website where we can cater for all your different training needs. This can be done either through e-learning or through classroom-based training.

Our promise

• Customers first – our main aim is to ensure customers receive the best service possible.

• Certificated and qualified, means you can trust us from start to finish.

• Our services will always meet British standards and legislation.

AWB and Son are currently in the process of providing firestopping solutions for the Bike and Boot Hotel Group. Ensuring their new-build is fully firestopped to a high standard by our engineers. We are currently working closely with a number of NHS, university and public sites providing fire damper inspection and remedial works.

AWB and Son became members of ASFP late in 2022. We felt that this was an important milestone in our journey to becoming one of the leading providers of fire protection services. Our team have already completed the first of the ASFP courses and will soon be enrolling in the next levels.

Flooring System (RiserSafe®) that is cast into the structural frame to form and protect the riser opening during the construction of the structural frame.

Riser shafts occur in every multi-storey building in the world. Because risers begin as a series of stacked holes, the construction industry tends to manage the visible risk of working at height. Ambar Kelly’s focus on riser shafts gives us a unique understanding of the complexity of this area of construction and the risk of fire.

We are working with the passive fire protection sector towards the common goal of removing the risk of fire and falls from height in one solution. We are developing a set of construction details to deliver welldesigned, easy-to-install passive firestopping measures, tested in combination with RiserSafe® for the specialist fire protection contractor to apply to everyday situations.

Additionally, we are looking at fire testing in the environment in which products are to be employed. Because the risk of fire is not always obvious, there is a misconception that fire compartmentation will control fire outbreaks. Common combustible fall protection products used in the riser during construction should be temporary, but become permanent following the installation of services.

Recognising the visible and invisible risks requires a major rethink in the approach to riser shaft design to incorporate non-combustible flooring. Ambar Kelly has launched The Whole Story, Not the Hole Story campaign to highlight the need for a collaborative approach to riser construction, with the obvious buildability benefits and safety assurances.

RiserSafe® is a flexible system that meets various project requirements; the value of which comes from the bespoke design and fabrication of each individual unit, allowing us to incorporate over 16 separate interfaces between the riser shaft and the other disciplines. When mechanical and electrical (M&E) subcontractors fit their services, they simply remove the lids protecting the penetrations and install the services based on the M&E coordinated design. When the need for horizontal fire protection occurs, we set the floor plate down inside the individual units during their manufacture to allow for fire compounds to be installed in the recess created on site. This provides 120 minutes of passive fire protection without loss of integrity or insulation.

As a pioneer of modular riser shaft flooring, we believe ASFP members are the key to challenging perceptions. We hope that the construction industry will become increasingly cognisant of fire safety, using preventative, non-combustible products such as the RiserSafe® in building design, construction, and use.

We also welcome

Hassan Ahmed

Simon Madeley

Gary Jones-Boast

Mike Lea

Alex Green

Gary Pearson

James Pyner

Andy Champion

Robert Holland

Rick Cullen

Jonathan Rose

Simon Daly

Lee Brocklehurst

Paul Craig

Aidan Cusack

Bogdan Cosacenco

Young(Yong) Ryu

Grant Jones

John Ridley

Charles Geeves

Fire protection made simple.

DEGREES OF LEARNING

We are extremely pleased to announce another milestone project launch for 2023 with the ‘ASFP Academic Pathway’ giving FREE Membership to students and apprentices with an interest in FIRE!

As the world of construction grows and the changes brought forward by the Building Safety Act create more work, there has never been a better time to work in the Passive Fire Protection (PFP) industry. But where are our members going to find the additional personnel needed to meet this new demand, with the whole of the construction sector needing more.

A recent quote from the Construction Skills Network (CSN) report says, ‘more than a quarter of a million extra construction workers will be needed by 2026 to meet growing demands on the UK sector’. The paper shows that the built environment requires an additional 266,000 workers to meet projected UK construction demand over the next four years, which is equivalent to an extra 53,000 recruits each year. A total of 2.78m construction workers will be needed by 2026, if projected growth within the industry is met.

The answer can be found with the leaders of tomorrow, students. We must reach out and support the next generation of passive fire experts to provide them with a route into our industry. Working with our members, universities offering fire-related courses, and other academic institutions, ASFP will help provide a pathway for students into the world of PFP.

It is the intention of the Association to aid students in as many ways as possible focusing on both the present and the future. Below are some of the benefits we think will most help students on their way into the PFP industry, some to aid them in the present such as; a free ASFP Introduction to Passive Fire Protection Course, or free access to the ASFP document library, including Colour books and others.

Working with universities

Joe Hart BSc (Hons) MSc MIFireE MSFPE AMEI, Lecturer in Fire Engineering, University of Central Lancashire, School of Engineering one of the many academic establishments said:

The fire team at the University of Central Lancashire are delighted to be working with the ASFP to provide our students with access to the latest material and guidance from the ASFP’s team of in-house experts. We pride ourselves on ensuring that our students receive the highest quality teaching from leading industry practitioners and that’s why our partnership with the ASFP is crucial to ensuring that our students understand how to put all the theory into practice when they graduate.

If you are a Student in Fire or Engineering or represent a university then please in the first instance take a look at our website www.asfp.org.uk/page/Membership_Student or contact Rich Green at rich.green@asfp.org.uk for more information.

Page

Free Introduction Course

A roughly 3 hour long online course providing an overview of PFP (covering key elements of design, installation, and inspection)

Be In The Know

Quick access to what’s new in Technical and Legislation

Free Technical Webinars

ASFP offers a wide range of PFP related webinars join live or see the library of previous webinars on our website

Discounts for Networking Seminars

These events bring together members and industry professionals from all over the industry to discuss a key topic in PFP

The Careers Hub

The ASFP’s job vacancy service ensures the best opportunities for finding work in some of the top PFP companies in the UK

Discounts of Dell Products

Discounted Dell computer equipment

Free Access to Documents

Full access to a wide range of technical guidance documents, best practice guides, and publications such as the ASFP Colour Books

Need Insurance?

Discounts on car and life insurance. With easy-to-follow on-line customer journeys that can be completed in less than 10 minutes

08 shows the benefits for our members. Below we have highlighted what may be of most use to student members:

ASFP Commercial Manager Rich Green describes the benefits available to student members

MY FIRST SIX MONTHS

ASFP Technical Assistant Sadiyah Begum goes through her first

six months in this newly created

position

There are many points in my life when I recall being very proud of myself for achieving goals and accomplishments. My most recent would be joining ASFP only one month after I finished university studying chemical engineering. Getting this job was very important to me as it gave me independence.

Since starting my journey at the ASFP, I have met a lot of great people from within the industry. Being fresh out of university, I was inexperienced in the technical sector and so everything was new to me. However, the ASFP team have made me feel very welcome, and after working here for the past few months, I can already see the improvements.

Not only have my work skills improved, such as working as a team, managing my time better and being more organised but, most importantly, my technical knowledge has increased. Working alongside Dr Andrew Taylor, our Technical Officer, I support all the resource functions within the technical services and administer compliance, technical and regulatory information where appropriate. I also help with the technical meetings which consist of me drafting agendas, writing up meeting minutes and speaking to our technical members.

My day-to-day tasks include managing and administering most aspects of the ASFP’s Technical Task Groups and their meetings. I also represent the ASFP at conferences, and industry and government meetings as necessary. My first event with ASFP was at London Build in 2022. This was an amazing experience, where I got to network with different people from industry sectors including manufacturers, architects, developers, housebuilders and contractors. My second event, at the end of last year was the ASFP awards. Here I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people from the technical meetings that I organise. This was nice since I had only met them online up until that point. I also enjoyed working with the rest of the ASFP team preparing for the awards event and making sure everything was organised and set up nicely for our members. As I am writing this, my next event will be the Women in Fire Engineering conference in February. I am really excited about this as I will get to meet more women from within the industry.

Alongside my role at ASFP, I have also been studying for the Level 3 Foundation Course in Passive Fire Protection exam via the ASFP’s online course. I will be taking my exam in October, so wish me luck!

This has been an amazing opportunity for me to grow my confidence and gain a sense of the industry. To gain a better understanding, I have been invited by member companies to visit their test labs across the UK, the first being a visit to British Gypsum.

Overall, my time at the ASFP has been great and I cannot wait for the future with the ASFP team.

Ventilated Cavity Barrier

Kingspan Safire™ Ventilated Cavity Barrier, provides an effective ‘open-state’ barrier against the spread of smoke and fire within the cavity of rainscreen façade systems.

The barrier is composed of compressed mineral fibre within a foil laminate which is retained by a heat activated securing mechanism. In the event of a fire, the compressed stonewool is released, fully closing the cavity to provide horizontal compartmentation.

Safire™ Ventilated Cavity Barrier can provide up to 120 minutes integrity and 90 minutes insulation. For further information, contact us at passivefireprotection@kingspaninsulation.co.uk

CAN CLOSE THE CAVITY IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE

YOUR DIARY DATES FOR

These dates are accurate as of Monday 28th February 2023. Any changes made after this point can not be accounted for. The accurate dates will always be available at asfp.org.uk.

KEY:

ASFP Events

If you are reading this live, here is Todays Itinerary

Trade Shows

REGATTA CHALLENGE 21/06/23

At every ASFP event we try to encourage guests to look into their hearts and their pockets to donate to the Children’s Burns Trust, a national charity dedicated to providing rehabilitation support for burn and scald injured children and their families.

A burn injury is for life. Being burned or scalded as a child means years of painful treatment and in the worst cases hundreds of operations to release the scar tissue as they grow.

Your support to continue this vital work, and of course your money, will be helping the lives of hundreds of children. And in return, you will have something to smile about, and every reason to feel proud of your contribution.

To donate today, simply scan the QR code and follow the instructions or visit www.cbtrust.org.uk/

PUBLICATIONS UPDATES

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andy Taylor introduces the latest new and updated documents in the ASFP library

The evolution of ASFP’s best practice advisory and guidance documents is a permanently ongoing process. In December 2022, ASFP published three new Advisory Notes and updated another.

The first new publication, Advisory Note (AN) 13 covers the testing of partial penetrations, for example, socket boxes, which are installed into dry wall systems. Firestopping products are made to help maintain the performance of a wall where such electrical boxes have been added. A CEN standard is currently being drafted to cover the testing of these products. However, in the interim period AN 13 suggests that the firestopping of these products

is done using an ad-hoc approach, based on testing to BS EN1364-1. The draft Advisory Note was produced some time ago by TG3, but never actually published, so after a recent review, we have finalised and published this advice.

Advisory Note 30 was also published early in December. This covered the transition from CE marking to UKCA, explaining how all of the ASFP’s different product families were affected. A simplified version of the text of the AN 30 was also published as an article in the last issue of Ignite. Of course, no sooner had we published it, than the Government published new advice on the matter. We have published an update on the website, and I cover this topic in greater detail on page 26. We will need to amend the text again, and I know that as soon as I do, the Government will no doubt change their advice once more.

The final new publication, Advisory Note 31 covers smoke seals used in conjunction with active fire curtains. This document was produced by TG7 in response to false claims that manufacturers used draught excluders to prevent the passage of cold smoke and that these would be of limited use in a fire resistance test scenario. TG7 members confirmed that the performance smoke seals used are the same technology as might be used in smoke leakage rated fire resisting doors. They noted that where smoke seals are added for the leakage test, they also have to be present for the corresponding fire test.

approach to flexible wall interchange, and a CEN project is underway looking at producing some guidance on this topic.

The situation with AN 30 highlights one of the key issues for ASFP’s technical information. Our knowledge and understanding is constantly developing, and the regulatory framework evolves, therefore we have a constant quest to keep things up to date. We already have a further five technical documents nearing completion, which I hope to be able to

. One of the five is a refresh of the Grey Book, Volume 1, covering

GOVERNMENT TO FUND LEGACY FIRE SAFETY REMEDIATION IRELAND

In November’s issue of Ignite, I concluded with the statement that core to new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BCAR) introduced in 2014 was the desire to change culture and practice in the Irish construction sector. This followed guidance published in ASFP’s 2003 Best Practice Guidance, which called for a change from confrontation to a more collaborative approach in construction. This guidance has been referenced in Irish Building Regulations since 2006 and Dame Judith Hackitt has been looking for a similar cultural shift in UK construction industry practices since she reported following the Grenfell tragedy.

The Building Control Act 1990, enacted in July 1991, is Ireland’s primary construction legislation providing for both building and building control regulations. In 2012, it was decided to, ‘Provide for mandatory certification of compliance and lodgement of documents demonstrating compliance’. BCAR specified new roles for professionals operating within construction, requiring supervision throughout the process with ultimate certification backed by Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Strengthening the Building Control System, a document to inform public consultation on Draft Building Control (Amendment) Regulations outlined the Statutory Framework in place at that time,

‘The Building Control Act 1990 provided for the establishment of building control authorities and the making of Building Regulations and Building Control Regulations in respect of the construction of buildings. Although the building regulations were introduced and came into operation in the years immediately following the Act, enforcement arrangements developed more gradually across the local government sector leading to the nationwide system of local building control authorities that has been in place for the past 10 years or so.

‘A clear statutory framework for construction activity, underpinned by the Building Control Act 1990, is therefore in place and is based on:

• clear legal standards as set out in the Building Regulations

• detailed Technical Guidance Documents to outline how these standards can be achieved in practice

• the burden and responsibility for compliance resting first and foremost with developers/builders, designers and building owners

• a statutory responsibility for professionals to design in accordance with the building regulations; and

• the responsibility for enforcing compliance with the building regulations resting with the 37 local building control authorities

‘In view of a number of recent high-profile failures on the parts of developers/builders and their agents to meet their statutory responsibilities it is considered that sticking with the existing arrangements is no longer tenable.’

Addressing the issues

The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations were introduced on 1st March 2014, achieving the desired objective of a more collaborative industry achieving higher standards in design, installation, inspection, and certification. They followed the 2011 High Court eviction of residents from the Priory Hall Apartment Complex at the request of Dublin Fire Brigade due to fire safety concerns and the resulting media outcry. Speaking to the BBC, Priory Hall developer Tom McFeely said, ‘I don’t think it is any different than most of the other buildings in Dublin.’

So how right was Tom McFeely in 2011?

In the intervening years, we have seen media reports of many issues relating to fire safety in homes. Ten years on from the decision to introduce new building control measures to address the systemic failure of existing arrangements, in July 2022, an Independent Working Group to examine defects in housing reported to the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Minister and stated:

ASFP Ireland COO David O’Reilly outlines moves that will see fire safety legacy deficiency remediation in certain apartments in Ireland funded by Government

‘The Working Group estimates that of apartments and duplexes (or associated common areas) constructed between 1991 and 2013, the number that may be affected by one or more defects, ie. fire safety , structural safety, or water ingress defects, is likely to range between 50% and 80%, which equates to between 62,500 and 100,000 apartments/duplexes. Fire safety defects were found to be the most prevalent defects; it is estimated that 40% to 70% of properties may be affected by fire safety defects. Water ingress defects may affect an estimated 20% to 50% of properties, while structural safety defects may affect an estimated 5% to 25% of properties. The Working Group estimates that the average cost of undertaking the remediation of defects is likely to be approximately €25,000 per apartment/duplex. This translates into a potential overall total remediation cost ranging from approximately €1.56 bn to €2.5bn. Remedial works may already have been completed in respect of up to 12% of the affected properties. Up to 34% of the affected properties may now be in the process of carrying out remedial works.’

In January 2023, Government approved the allocation of €2.5bn to fix deficiencies in apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013, stating that:

‘The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today received government approval to draft legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes with fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The legislation will provide a statutory basis for the establishment of a remediation scheme aimed at protecting the safety and welfare of those living in apartments or duplexes with such defects that occurred during construction.

‘A “whole building” approach will be taken, ensuring common areas and shared spaces are also remediated where required to the relevant standard. It’s envisaged that the Housing Agency will play a central role in the administration of the scheme and that Owners’ Management Companies will be funded to carry out the necessary remediation works, with specific limitations or exemptions on certain commercial owners.’

We await the promised legislation and the Code of Practice being developed to implement the scheme. The Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022, promised in 2012 is also now in place, although much of the detail is still a work in progress. With a revised Technical Guidance B – Fire Safety recently released for public consultation we are in for interesting times.

CULTURE CHANGE IN CONSTRUCTION

Technical Officer Dr Andy Taylor provides an overview of upcoming legislation changes

The Building Safety Act gained Royal Assent in April 2022. The Act is primary legislation, which gave the Secretary of State powers to make secondary legislation and ultimately translate to the new regime of building control. Since April, progress in completing the secondary legislation has been a little slower than originally intended. This is due in no small part to the political upheaval at the ministerial level in 2022. The original target is expected to have much of the secondary legislation in place by April this year.

In Quarter 3 last year, Government restarted the process with a series of consultations covering: building control regimes; the Golden Thread; and key premises information. We have also seen the extension of the Defective Premises Act. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has set up a number of key committees, including the Building Advisory Committee and the Industry Competence Committee. Government has also implemented the findings of Grenfell Tower Enquiry Phase 1, through the implementation of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (see our overview on page 28-31)

The secondary legislation covering construction products was planned to be in place by April 2023, according to the original prediction, but we have yet to see either the draft secondary legislation that will underpin this, or any consultations on the proposals. The only consultation relevant to ASFP members is the one covering the recognition of BS 476 based testing and assessment in Approved Document B in England (again see page 28-31 for details of the ASFP position towards this consultation).

ASFP

Preparing for the future

Whilst we wait for the secondary legislation on construction products to come through, we can still start to prepare, so that we are ready when it does happen. I have on a number of occasions used quotes from Dame Judith Hackitt encouraging industry to do the correct thing rather than wait for regulation to come into force.

At the end of 2022, Dame Judith wrote in her HSE briefing note:

‘It is clear as I continue to meet with various stakeholders that the level of activity is rising in preparation for the new requirements and responsibilities under the Building Safety Act…2023 really is the

year to stop seeing building safety as a regulatory compliance issue and join the group of leaders who understand both the moral imperative, and also the market advantage opportunity, of doing the right thing.’

One of my major concerns for the whole construction industry is the looming deadline in October 2023 when the HSE will introduce Gateways 2 and 3. These Gateways will place a number of requirements on the principal contractor involved in high risk residential projects. Gateway 2 will require the principal contractor to place a large quantity of technical documentation with HSE,

including full plans, in order to obtain permission to construct. Gateway 3 checks the constructed building against those plans to give permission to occupy.

ASFP has been collaborating with the Tier 1 contractors, through the Passive Fire Knowledge Group (PFKG) in order to help them understand the processes needed to avoid issues at Gateway 2. We have explained how ASFP manufacturer members can provide performance evidence where none has existed previously. ASFP hopes that this collaboration, along with all the others that we do can lead to safer buildings in future.`

ON YOUR MARKS

In the last edition of Ignite, I wrote an article covering the transition from CE marking to UKCA marking, explaining how ASFP's different product families would be affected and the confusing situation we had at that time.

Finally, on 9th December 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) updated their advice regarding the recognition of CE marking when placing construction products on the market in Great Britain (GB). The Government removed the deadline of 31st December 2022, extending it to 30th June 2025.

Until this date, CE marking can be used to fulfil legal obligations under the UK Construction Product Regulations and / or the requirements of Approved Document 7.

The 2.5 year extension of the recognition of CE marking for Construction Products is slightly longer than that announced in November by the Department for Business, Energy, Innovation and Skills (BEIS) for most other product families. For these other products recognition of CE marking will end at the end of 2024.

The latest Government advice on this topic states:

‘Until 30 June 2025, products can continue to be supplied to the GB market without any need for reassessment or re-marking if EU requirements are met (including CE marking). To affix a CE mark, any third-party conformity assessment must continue to be carried out by an EU recognised notified body during this time. In addition, products that meet NI [Northern Ireland] rules (including CE marking or CE UK(NI) marking) can be supplied to the GB market. Businesses should prepare for these provisions to end on 30 June 2025.'

The Government has given itself 2.5 years to finalise their part of the process. Given everything else occurring with Building Safety Act consultations etc., I do not expect the draft legislation to appear until some point in 2024. However, manufacturers should probably be aware that this deadline is unlikely to be extended again. I would not recommend waiting until we see sight of the draft legislation before planning for June 2025, that will leave insufficient time to complete any certification actions.

There could also be a number of other developments that link into the adoption of UKCA, including the possible end to recognition of BS 476 based testing in Approved Document B and the proposed introduction of enhanced requirements for safety critical products and systems. Therefore, predicting the precise order of implementation for all these changes, and what the ultimate end state looks like is a job for someone with a much better crystal ball than mine.

It should, of course, be mentioned that the above guidance covers Great Britain only, as separate rules apply in Northern Ireland.

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andrew Taylor reports on the delayed transition from CE-marking to the UKCA mark

TASK GROUP SUMMARY

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andrew Taylor reviews the work of the ASFP’s Technical Task Group 1 – Reactive (Intumescent) Coatings

The ASFP operates a number of Technical Task Groups which undertake the Association’s important work in developing industry guidance and best practice. In the last edition we summarised the work done by each of the TGs. In this article, we will look in more detail at the work of one of the TGs – TG1 which looks at intumescent coatings.

TG1 was the first group set up within ASFP, and alongside its sister committee TG2, passive fire protection, is responsible for the Yellow book: Fire protection for structural steel in buildings

The current version of the Yellow book is the fifth edition, and work has started on drafting the sixth edition, although this is temporarily paused, whilst the Governments consultation on the future of BS476 is underway.

The work programme of TG1 is one of the biggest of all the TGs. The work is divided out into various sub-groups. One of the more active sub-groups is the engineering group, which investigates the end use application of intumescent coatings, evaluating the structural performance of various types of steel section to produce generic advice and guidance including default limiting temperatures and the cellular beam protocols.

Other topics considered within sub-groups include testing methods, sustainability, and most recently, a group looking at the interactions between structural steel and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor slabs. CLT floor slabs are finding increasing use in construction as a more environmentally friendly alternative to concrete. However, there is no set standard for the testing of a steel beam supporting a CLT deck, and guidance in how to treat these sections is needed.

Another major topic that is under discussion is the interaction between structural steel protected with intumescent coatings and fire-resisting dry wall systems. This is one area which I get the most technical enquiries, and highlights the need for guidance based on ad-hoc testing, as this is not covered in any of the test standards. This is one topic highlighted by Passive Fire Knowledge Group.

Recent publications from TG1 include Advisory Notes on how to protect secondary steel sections, coatback and corrugated web sections. As always, work is ongoing to revise and update the existing guidance as well as produce new guidance where it is needed to support the construction industry.

Like many of our TGs, there are other trade associations that TG1 can collaborate with. One of the main areas of collaboration, given this group contains a number of paint manufacturers, is with the British Coatings Federation (BCF). There has long been a link between the two associations, going back prior to ASFP using BCF as its secretariat. There are a number of joint ASFP/BCF Advisory Notes covering various intumescent topics. No doubt that relationship will stay just as strong once ASFP moves into its new offices, just along the road from the BCF in Coventry.

CONSULTATION ON APPROVED

DOCUMENT B

ASFP Technical &

Regulatory

Affairs Officer Niall Rowan explains the ASFP’s position regarding proposals in the Government’s latest consultation on Approved Document B

The latest Government consultation on Approved Document B was published on 23rd December 2022 and closes on 17th March. There are four areas being put forward for possible amendment. In this article, we discuss the two proposed amendments which will impact on the passive fire protection (PFP) industry:

A. Recommendation of sprinklers in new care homes, regardless of building height.

B. Removal of the national classification system for construction products (BS 476 series) - including Class 0 – and requirement that all relevant construction products to be tested to the British Standard version of the European Standard.

Removal of the national classification system

A significant area of concern for ASFP members and the wider PFP community is the proposal to remove testing based on BS 476 from AD-B. While we recognise that this has been the Government’s direction of travel for some time, this will have a significant effect on some PFP market segments. The consultation text recognises this, for example, noting the effect on the fire door and associated ironmongery market; which is likely to be the worst affected sector.

Reaction to fire

In principle, the ASFP has no objection and would even support the move to remove national classifications for reaction to fire from AD-B. This is a continuation of our direction of travel since the mid-1990s. The industry has undertaken an almost wholescale shift to European testing, so the removal of the British

Sprinklers in new care homes

There is currently no blanket recommendation for sprinklers in all care homes within Approved Document B (AD-B), however, the benefits of sprinklers are recognised in the guidance. Several allowances are made in Approved Document B for care homes where sprinklers are provided, this includes:

A. fire doors not needing self-closing devices,

B. protected areas that are permitted to accommodate more than 10 beds, and

C. an allowance for individual bedrooms to contain more than one bed.

The current consultation states that research conducted on behalf of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

ASFP position

Standard (including Class 0, which is not a British Standards class) should be no great obstacle.

The European standards test a range of scopes of severity which are similar to the British Standards, from Non-combustible/Euroclass A1 down to small scale ignitability tests/ Euroclass E. The European tests measure different parameters to the existing British ones and/or use different measurement technologies, making direct transposition impossible. However, the broad range of classes and their separation is similar.

This was highlighted in the RADAR 2 (Research on Approved Document And Revision 2) project undertaken on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in the early 2000s. In this project, a series of materials/products were

(DLUHC) showed that there is an overall cost benefit for sprinklers in care homes, mostly through the protection of property and avoidance of damage. It is stated by DLUHC, and widely recognised, that AD-B and the whole thrust of the Building Regulations is on life safety, not property protection and DLUHC has no intention of changing this. So this research is not helpful to the critical life safety objectives of AD-B.

In addition, further research – in the form of an updated impact analysis – shows that sprinklers no longer provide an overall cost benefit either for life safety or property protection in care homes. This is generally a result of increased sprinkler costs and a

tested to British and European standards ‘back to back’ to determine a transposition equivalence for AD-B. DCLG wanted to know which European class to ask for to match the then current provisions.

Class 0

The RADAR 2 work was highly successful, highlighting a good correlation between A1/A2 and non/limited combustibility, for example; so the next version of AD-B contained provisions expressed in European classes. The exception to this is Class 0. This was originally created as a simple class incorporating flame spread and heat release for internal wall and ceiling linings. In this respect, it was also largely successful. However, no tests were undertaken on cladding materials and certainly none on aluminium composite material. Such an omission is telling in hindsight.

decrease in fire incidents and associated deaths and injuries. This is hardly a ringing endorsement. Although it must be said, this impact assessment does not include the often large societal impact of a badly damaged care home which can result in the rehoming of residents, often for a protracted period.

However, the Government is minded to change the guidance anyway, adding that an alternative is to set the level at which sprinklers are recommended at 10 beds –perhaps because otherwise there might be too much objection? And they don’t intend to mandate retrospective fitting. It’s almost as if they aren’t sure themselves that they want to do it.

The ASFP position is clear on this. We support the introduction of sprinklers. Sprinklers are an excellent fire safety measure and many studies over the years show their reliability and effectiveness.

However, we cannot support trade-offs, and specifically in this case, the removal of self-closing devices from fire doors. To take this allowance to its logical extreme, if one is going to disconnect the self-closer on fire doors, then one might as well not specify fire doors at all because an open fire door is no better than an open ordinary door.

The ASFP does not agree with trade-offs on the principle that there is no point in introducing one type of safety measure to increase safety and then negating it or diminishing that increased safety through the removal of another type of measure. As a similar example, we did not stop wearing seatbelts in our cars when air bags were fitted and we do not allow the use of bald tyres, when cars are fitted with ABS.

Subsequently, this led to Class 0 being attained by materials which, when tested under the European system, would typically yield a much lower, worse performing class such as C, D or even (in some cases) E. Then couple that with Class 0 being one of the main determinants of what can be used for cladding on high buildings and it is clear that the potential for an unsafe material being used as external cladding was created (however unintentionally). The rest is history.

The confusion and poor transposition of Class 0 – particularly in respect of cladding materials highlighted in phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry – means that removal of BS classes for reaction to fire is long overdue.

Fire resistance

Similarly to above, the ASFP has no objection in principle and would even support the move to remove national classifications for fire resistance. Again this is a continuation of our direction of travel since the mid-1990s and we recognise the European Standards for fire resistance are technically better, more reproducible and repeatable.

In addition, even though we have left the European Union (EU), the use of European Standards within ‘UK’ regulations/statutory guidance is logical. In many cases, products used to satisfy those regulations regardless of where they come from are used in the EU market as well. There is no sense in diverging away from using common standards.

However, as it is currently proposed, ASFP cannot agree with this proposal for a number of reasons.

If the intention is to use only European classifications for fire resistance – as currently stated in the latest AD-B – this leads to a situation where the products and the end use applications of such products will be very restricted. There are several reasons for this:

I. Classification as defined in 13501-X is a process which converts or expresses the results of fire tests, Direct Applications (DIAP) and Extended Applications (EXAPs) into European Classes in a fairly rigid framework. There is no ‘expert judgement’ in this process. This was intentionally introduced at a European level to prevent a ‘rogue Notified Body’ producing classes that are unconservative by using ‘fast and loose’ expert judgement. Consequently, everything is written down in rules which must be followed.

This is a rigid, limited and conservative system and consequently, the resulting scope of products which can use that class is, in some cases, very limited. For smoke controls ducts, for example, the EXAP standards are not yet written. This means one can only classify what has been tested, which is extremely restrictive.

II. There is no role for ‘expert judgement’ or ‘assessments’ under the EN system. The results of a fire test (BS or EN) are only applicable to the item tested – no variation at all is allowed. So, in the case of a fire test on a simple single swing, single leaf fire door hung on hinges, the result does not cover a double swing door, or a double door, or one hung on using pivots. Neither does it cover overpanels, side panels or glazing or the huge variation in ironmongery.

It soon becomes apparent that the combinations and permutations are overwhelming. If Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) were to insist on a fire test on every combination and permutation of building product, there are simply not enough fire test laboratories in the world to cope with the demand, even if the timing and economic aspects are disregarded. This is where the role of assessments comes in; to cover the many combinations and permutations of products and end-use application that

The upshot of this is that if only European Classes derived from EN 13501-X can be used then the scope and number of passive fire protection products will be severely limited since assessments cannot be used in the European system. You will only be allowed to classify what has been tested (with inclusive DIAP) and with any EXAP undertaken. Some currant EXAP standard standards are very restrictive –often unnecessarily – or are very complex to perform or as was mentioned earlier, do not yet exist.

III. The EN tests are notably more severe than the BS tests. We refer to DETR report Ref: 39/3/572 cc1849 RADAR

1 Project – Modifications required to Approved Document B following the introduction of new European fire resistance test methods on currently acceptable products and constructions. Part 1: UK and European test data, comparison of performances obtained.

CONSULTATION ON APPROVED

CONTINUED... DOCUMENT B

using the EN tests. Where there was a reduction, this was typically in the range of 5 to 20%, with the average reduction being approximately 10%.

'In many cases, this reduction would lead to a lowering of the European classification obtained compared with the existing classification under AD-B.'

What this means is that an insistence on using EN testing will lead to a significant increase in the cost of passive fire protection, with no technical or life safety justification. We are in the process of obtaining best estimates of the cost increases as this article goes to press.

However, the report also goes on to say:

'The results of the project clearly show that the best way to lessen the impact on the market would be to retain the existing classifications and leave industry to develop their existing products to meet the new market requirements.

'A clear view was expressed within the Industry Advisory Group (IAG) that changing the classification periods given in AD-B would cause confusion and loss of credibility with specifiers, purchasers, regulatory authorities and other end users who are generally seeking continuity.

'Industry had, in many cases already identified modifications required to products to enable them to achieve current levels of performance when tested to the EN methods. In many cases, these modifications could be achieved at little additional cost.

'Consequently, the view of industry, as expressed unanimously by the IAG, was that existing classification periods should be retained when testing against the new ENs.'

ASFP position

In other words, industry could run with this, but there will be on-costs. The ASFP does not object to this per se, but wishes to stress that it will not be ‘cost-free’. There will be increases in the cost of passive fire protection. As soon as we have the figures for this we will publish them.

IV. Whilst not an objection in itself, has the department considered the implications of removing national classes in AD-B without a parallel effort in changing the various British Standards, for example, BS9999, BS9991 etc, NHS Health Technical Memorandums and other fire safety guidance documents such as BB100?

If this is not considered in the round, there is likely to be confusion. Designers are likely to design to codes of practice that still allow BS tests/classifications because it will allow them to include products/systems that are not available under European classes. This will only further undermine the effectiveness and influence of AD-B.

If the intention is to use only the results of European tests (as opposed to classes) for fire resistance – and these can be supplemented by assessments to EN standards, then the situation will be much easier and ASFP can agree to the proposals providing there is a sufficient transition period.

There will still be the problem of a loss of the vast amount of BS testing, but possibly that could be used in support of assessments as secondary supporting evidence under the PFPF guide. This would require some editing to Appendix B of Approved Document B.

Proposed transitional period of twelve months

In principle, the ASFP supports the use of a transitional period. Twelve months may be enough for reaction to fire, but is not nearly enough for fire resistance. Manufacturers will need to replicate a vast amount of expensive fire testing which takes time (many months) and current lead times for fire resistance furnaces are around a year. A period of 4 to 5 years should be considered.

Cost concerns from industry

The current situation with some industries, particularly the fire door and hardware industry, is that whilst there is a lot of testing of steel doors to EN standards, the bulk of the timber fire door sector still tests to BS476. The timber fire door market comprises predominantly UK-based manufacturers who look to solely supply the UK market.

The vast majority of their existing test evidence will become useless. Existing designs will need to be upgraded causing a massive reduction in product variations, and an increase in product costing. If supporting data for products in the market is tests based on BS476 , assessment and third party certification will not be allowed to be used going forward.

In other industries – such as structural fire protection – there is widespread test evidence to European standards, as the vast majority of the manufacturers are multi-national companies looking to provide systems to the UK and EU market. However, the loadings of reactive coatings will see a typical 20% increase, with a consequent increase in costs and materials required. There may also be a decrease in permitted scope of products, especially at higher time periods eg 90 or 120 minutes’ fire resistance.

Effects will be similar in other industry sectors. For example, for fire-resisting ducts, the maximum permitted duct size will be reduced, due to limitations in the test and assessment method. Fire-resistant ducts are limited to 2500mm x 1250mm or 1250mm diameter; smoke control ducts to 1250mm x 1000mm or 1000mm diameter. This will lead to either increases in construction complexity – two smaller ducts replacing one larger duct – or a reduction in air flow. A reduction in duct size will also result in a greater drag within the duct, and consequently an increase in fan power needed to keep the air flow moving.

The consultation on AD-B can be accessed here www.is.gd/com54j

The ASFP will articulate our opposition to the withdrawal of national classes for fire resistance in AD-B, unless appropriate safeguards, such as the continued use of assessments and a suitably long transition period, are included.

A NEW ORDER

ASFP Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan reviews changes being introduced by the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The passing of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 extends duties imposed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended). The new regulations, which came into force on 23rd January 2023, introduced changes to dutyholder responsibilities and give legal status to recommendations from Phase 1 of the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower Fire chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick.

The regulations apply to all buildings in England that comprise two or more domestic premises, usually converted or purpose-built blocks of flats and student accommodation. In particular, they apply to common parts such as communal corridors and stairways (as they always did) but these now include flat front doors and the external walls. Previously, flat front doors were not explicitly included and external walls were not encompassed at all. Some sections apply specifically to high rise buildings –. those greater than 18m high or seven storeys or more – but there also some provisions for those greater than 11m high.

Duties of the Responsible Person

The regulations state that the Responsible Person must

• display fire safety instructions in a conspicuous part of the building which cover: the evacuation strategy for the building (for example, stay put or simultaneous), instructions on how to report a fire and any other instruction that tell residents what they must do when a fire has occurred

• provide relevant information about fire doors, particularly residents’ flat front doors. They must ensure they are shut when not in use, self-closers should not be removed. Any faults must be reported to the Responsible Person.

For buildings above 11m, the Responsible Person must

• Check all fire doors in communal areas every three months, in particular ensuring they are self-closing when opened from any angle and when closed fit snugly into the frame overcoming any resistance by a latch, for example. Check the condition of any intumescent/smoke seals and any glazing. Defects should be repaired as soon as possible.

• Check all flat front doors every 12 months. Checks as per communal areas. For both fire doors in communal areas and flat front doors, these should be able to be undertaken by the Responsible Person or their staff. Specialists are not required.

For high-rise buildings, the Responsible Person must also

• Send required information to the local Fire and Rescue service, details available here www.is.gd/b7SQGi

• Provide wayfinding signage that indicates the floor level and the numbers of flats on that floor; this must be visible from any firefighting lift and in smoky or low light conditions

• Provide a secure information box readily accessible to the fire service containing a copy of the building floor plan and the contact details of the Responsible Person and any other staff working on their behalf

• Provide information on the external wall construction comprising: an overview, a brief description of materials and construction including any cladding, any known defects, an evaluation of risk presented by the external wall (possibly carried out by specialists) and any mitigating steps in relation to the risk as identified in the fire risk assessment.

A code of practice for fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding is published by the British Standards Institution as PAS 9980 (www.bsigroup. com/en-GB/standards/pas-9980/).

A suitable template for recording the information (www.nationalfirechiefs. org.uk/Information-sharing-with-fireand-rescue-services) must be provided electronically to the fire and rescue service.

• Provide information on the building including floor plans for each floor (except when identical) on: surroundings for fire service access, use, dimensions, number of storeys/basements, information on maisonettes and scissor section flats, locations of wet/dry risers, shut off for any sprinklers, secure information box, controls for any smoke control system, firefighting shafts, controls for any evacuation alert.

• Check the operation of firefighting lifts and any other essential firefighting equipment.

ο Lifts used by firefighters will need a monthly check of the firefighters’ switch to ensure it returns to evacuation level after which it can only be controlled from within and disables landing controls

ο Smoke control systems will need a monthly check that they operate on a signal from any associated fire detection and alarm system and can be overridden by the fire service

ο Fire doors that are held open by ‘hold open door closers’ release on operation of a fire detection system

ο The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has developed templates for recording information as indicated above.

Further details of new responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order can be found here www. is.gd/k2qXUl

CERTIFICATION THE IMPORTANCE OF

ASFP Compliance and Quality Assurance Manager Tariq Malik explains the role of certification schemes

With so many products and services out there, supplied by just as many companies, how can you ascertain what is a good product or service? Often, you only find out the suitability and reliability of a purchased product or service once you have started using it.

While reading customer reviews can be a good way to find out about everyday consumer products and services we use, how can you identify appropriate products used in industrial applications, such as construction? This is where testing and certification becomes important.

Certification involves an independent third party assessment of products and services by a suitably qualified organisation. This independent review assesses not only the products or services, but also the manufacturer or supplier’s capability to ensure consistent output; something that is incredibly important, especially when large projects are involved.

So how does certification work? When the independent certification body conducts a product certification, these are typically done against a recognised test standard such as BS (British Standard) or EN (European Norm) standards. The exact test standard used is subject to the type of product being tested and where the product is to be sold. While testing to a BS standard may be appropriate for the UK market, it may not be recognised in territories such as Europe where EN standards are the recognised documents.

By testing to a recognised standard, the certification body has a fair and reproducible way of assessing the technical characteristics of a product. Many of the test standards, particularly those for product safety and performance, also have pass and fail criteria, so they give a clear method for checking if a product meets certain safety and reliability requirements. During the certification process, product testing is typically carried out by a reputable accredited testing laboratory which has the capabilities and expertise to carry out such tests.

In addition to testing products, many third party certification schemes also require factory inspections, the purpose of these inspections is to check not only how products are consistently manufactured, but also what controls a manufacturer has in place to make sure noncompliant products are dealt with. This is particularly important when you want to make sure a product you specify today, still meets the same safety and performance requirements when you want to specify it again in say a year’s time.

Once a manufacturer or service provider meets all the requirements set out by the certification body, they are granted certification and provided with certificates and sometimes marks that can be applied to their products to show that they are certified. Many certification schemes also require ongoing checks of both the products and the manufacturing processes. These checks are intended to give an assurance that products still meet requirements.

But does all third party certification carry the same weight? The answer is no. When choosing a certification provider, those who are accredited by a national body, such as UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service), are deemed the most reputable. This is because they have undergone audits and checks themselves to ensure the certification services they provide are truly unbiased.

ACCREDITATION AND

CERTIFICATION WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE

We often hear the phrase that something is accredited, or a company holds accreditation but what does it actually mean?

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) gives the definition of accreditation as: ‘Accreditation is the independent evaluation of conformity assessment bodies against recognised standards to ensure their impartiality and competence to carry out specific activities, such as tests, calibrations, inspections and certifications.’

Many people often confuse accreditation with certification, or use the terms interchangeably, but there is actually a distinct difference between the two. The definition of certification is given as ‘third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons.’

Certification is most often associated with ISO 9001 and the environmental management systems standard ISO 14001. However, certification programmes exist for a range of management system standards, as well as a myriad of product and personnel certification programmes.

What does this mean?

So, what makes accreditation different to certification? Accreditation activities are carried out by national accreditation bodies whose authority is derived from government. In the UK, the accreditation body is UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service). The primary function of UKAS is to assess organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services against internationally agreed standards. For instance, for a testing laboratory, the standard would be ISO/IEC 17025, while for a certification body, the standard is ISO/IEC 17065.

Certification on the other hand is one tier down on the chain. An accredited certification body provides certification to standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 as well as to various product standards. Essentially, a certification body checks that a company is compliant to the

international standard against which it is being certified.

In order for a certification body to be accredited they have to follow strict impartiality requirements, but they also have to make registers of certified companies, products and services freely available so that anyone can check if they are genuinely certified. This is what gives certification its value, as the end user can check for themselves and be reassured whether a company or product is compliant.

Who checks the checkers?

Whilst certification bodies are checked by their respective national accreditation body, the accreditation bodies also have to be checked to make sure they are conducting their assessments fairly and in the right way. Accreditation bodies operate on a Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) and peer review each other, so UKAS may be checked by its counterparts COFRAC in France or JAB in Japan, for example.

Many test laboratories and certification bodies will recognise test reports and certificates from other accredited organisations, due to the mutual trust created from the MLA. This is great if you are a product manufacturer who supplies into different countries, since it can save time and a fortune on product testing and certification.

The ASFP position has always been that third party certification should be the preferred route to demonstrate product conformity, and that if you are having products certified, make sure it is done by an accredited certification body.

ASFP Compliance and Quality Assurance manager Tariq Malik investigates the meaning of accreditation and certification

MATTERS TRAINING

The ASFP has long been associated not only with the technical support we offer to, and in conjunction with our members, but also with the training and education we provide. As we discussed in our recent podcast on ASFPTV, the association’s training function is really important, not only to us, but also to our members and the wider construction, fire safety, and property management sectors. We have a number of offerings across a range of levels within the passive fire sector, and we are often asked: ‘Who is this course aimed at?’; ‘What will we gain from it?'; 'How do I get on a specific course?’. These questions are asked so often that we thought it worth offering a breakdown.

Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection

This course is aimed at those either completely new to the industry or who work in passive fire organisations but whose role is only tangentially linked to the works carried out. This may include back office staff in administrative roles or new starters who will be going on to work in the manufacture or installation of passive fire products. We would also include those who may need to have an understanding of passive fire work being carried out on site by others, and individuals in the supply chain or involved in fire risk assessment.

This is an online course which is broken down into a number of individual modules and should take the user approximately three hours to complete. The course features a combination of video, text, audio, animations and infographics. On completion, course delegates can take a final assessment, completion of which provides the learner with a certificate that awards 3 hours of CPD. Once signed up for the course, the user receives 12 months of access to the material so they can return for a refresher at any time.

Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection (Installers)

This is a variation of the above course which features extended modules in each of the passive fire system modules to show some general principles of installation. This course is aimed at those entering the industry as installers of products and systems who will require a more in-depth understanding of installation processes.

Both the online introduction courses can be accessed via the ASFP website.

ASFP Foundation Course in Passive Fire Protection

This course is available at two different levels as below:

ASFP Level 2 Foundation Course

Offered either online or as a 5-day classroom course, it is aimed at those working at higher levels in passive fire

ASFP Training Manager Chris Sharman provides an overview of available and planned ASFP training offerings

protection, such as supervisors and first line technical staff. It provides a wide-ranging underpinning knowledge in fire protection and fire safety, along with specific technical knowledge in passive fire protection products and systems. Those completing the course may then choose to undertake a Level 2 examination with the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) at their local IFE examination centre. As a Level 2 course registered with Ofqual, this is seen as equivalent of a higher level pass at GCSE.

The online version of the course is based on an interactive Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven learning system that responds to each learner’s inputs enabling them to get the best out of the course material in the way that is

most appropriate for them. While the online course is available for the candidates to study at any time, the classroom courses are run either at our offices in Coventry or in-house at a client’s office over 4-5 days.

ASFP Level 3 Foundation Course

The ASFP Level 3 Foundation Course is currently the highest level of qualification available in the passive fire sector. Available as a 7-day classroom course or online, it is designed to provide an in-depth knowledge of the whole passive fire sector and a wider understanding of the other sectors of fire protection including detection and alarm, suppression and extinguishing systems, as well as the interaction between these systems and passive fire systems.

The classroom course is available as an open course at one of our regional learning centres or as an in-house course at your own premises. The course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge they require to take the Ofqual-registered Level 3 exam with the IFE. This qualification is equivalent to an ‘A’ Level and is aimed at those working as site and project managers, fire risk assessors, higher level technical support staff and technical sales and marketing staff. Those who obtain a Level 3 qualification are eligible to applyfor membership of the IFE at Technician Grade.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Installer Course

As expected, this course is more practically-based and is aimed at those working to obtain their third-party accreditation in passive fire protection systems. A mixture of classroom and practical training will prepare the candidates for their role installing passive fire protection products in a professional construction environment. This course is designed to sit between the online introduction course and the Level 2 Foundation course. It is due to become available during early 2023.

Virtual Reality Training

The ASFP is going on the road with a mobile classroom within which we will be running an interactive virtual training suite. The exact course content is in development and further updates will be given via the ASFP website and newsletters when it becomes available.

CPDs and Webinars

Our regular subject matter CPDs and webinars are available, with regular live webinars, and previous presentations available on ASFPTV. We are always open to new study matters, so if you feel a particular subject would benefit from a webinar please feel free to suggest a subject matter, and to offer any support that we may require.

Future Opportunities

As an expanding organisation with a mission to improve training, development, and competency in the construction industry, we are always looking for opportunities where we can support our members in their development. To do that effectively we need to know what industry needs from us. If you have any ideas where you would like to see training offered please let us know.

For training enquiries or suggestions Chris can be contacted at chris.sharman@asfp.org.uk

COMPETENCE BUILDING A CULTURE OF

Kate Milford describes the ASFP’s work to develop a new competence framework for passive fire protection

The idea of building, measuring, and proving competence has been under constant discussion, across many industries, for decades. The idea that people should be capable of doing the work that they are asked to carry out isn’t a new one, but it is coming under increasing scrutiny as the need to improve safety and wellbeing is coming to the forefront of people’s minds. In the built environment sector, this focus is crystallising through the introduction of the Building Safety Act, the biggest change in building safety legislation in a generation. With its introduction comes some clear messaging from Government: the inherent risks of construction and building maintenance must be reduced and that people are key to doing that.

This focus is emphasised by the creation of the Building Safety Regulator. In addition to its role in overseeing the safety and performance of high-risk buildings, it also has a mandate to promote competence and organisational capability in the built environment. In other words, there is now more emphasis than ever before on ensuring that organisations have staff which are capable of carrying out their work safely and effectively, but also that the organisations that they work for are creating a safe and effective environment for them to work in. The solutions required to ensure that this happens must be designed and embedded by industry to ensure that a culture of competence is developed which persists throughout time.

Understandably, the idea of developing a comprehensive approach to competence across passive fire protection may be daunting. If we look specifically at the ideas of individual competence and organisational capability in this area, there are some clear challenges that can be identified.

Multiple organisational certification schemes exist for the installation of passive fire protection measures and products and are overseen by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). However, specific inclusions relating to passive fire protection are (in some cases) limited. UKAS, after all, are not sector specialists. Some disparity therefore exists between these schemes and this may be confusing to the end user.

In terms of individual competence, few industry-agreed benchmarks for what competence looks like exist across the range of activities needed to ensure that buildings include appropriate passive fire protection. Whether these activities are specifically covered by certification schemes or not, there is still a need for organisations to ensure that people are competent to carry them out.

In many cases, specific mechanisms to develop, measure, record and validate competence are also missing. A transparent way of ensuring that people meet an agreed benchmark for competence is not in place.

Developing a framework

The passive fire protection sector will be stronger if it comes together to address these challenges in a consistent way. ASFP has an important role in supporting that and continues to invest in measures which allow industry to create innovative solutions to meet this key priority. In doing so, the ASFP Competency Pathway has been launched to tackle both specific organisational and individual competence requirements for passive fire protection. Its purpose is to allow industry to adopt a unified approach to building, evidencing, and promoting competence across the passive fire protection sector. To achieve that, ASFP is doing three things:

• Working with industry to create a framework of competencies covering passive fire protection activities

• Operating an industry-wide scheme to validate individual competence against that framework

• Recognising certification schemes operating in passive fire protection that adopt agreed best practice in both measuring organisational capability and confirming individual competence

But what does that mean in practice?

ASFP is already working with certification bodies to define and adopt key minimum requirements specific to the passive fire protection sector. This will strengthen the more general requirements already in place through their existing scheme schedules and bring clearer focus to the specialist requirements for passive fire protection. The aim of this work is to ensure that the schemes operated by certification bodies have consistent provisions and rigour in a number of areas. This includes minimum standards for installer inspection, the requirement to promote the use of certified products, and a common approach to workforce competence within certified organisations.

ASFP will recognise those schemes that both achieve UKAS accreditation and meet the ASFP minimum requirements adopted. ASFP recognition will set these schemes apart, making clear their commitment to supporting and delivering value to those in the passive fire protection sector. Those using and

specifying third-party certification can then be confident that the recognised schemes are robust, and that the organisations certificated by them are capable of performing the work that they require.

Individual competence

In terms of individual competence, ASFP is working with its members and other key stakeholders to look at the requirements for competence across passive fire protection, from design through to occupation. We know that the activities carried out in passive fire protection are cross-cutting –they often form part of people’s jobs rather than the whole scope of their work. We’ve taken the decision to focus on those specific activities, rather than occupations as a whole. This will result in a framework of activities, each specified in terms of the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour that individuals need to reach in order to be considered competent.

Alongside this framework of competencies will sit guidance on building, validating and revalidating competence which meets the requirements of BSI Flex 8670 (Built Environment – Core Criteria for Building Safety in Competence Frameworks – Code of Practice). This will allow ASFP to produce tools and systems which support industry in identifying and proving the competence of its workforce in relation to passive fire protection. This includes mechanisms to ensure that currency of competence is maintained and evidenced over time.

It is clear that the journey of making improvements in organisational capability and individual competence across the passive fire protection sector is just beginning. We know that there is a lot of work to do to address these challenges, and that work needs support from you – the individuals and organisations active within the sector. If you want to actively support that work, you can sign up to our Skills Pledge today and register your interest in working with ASFP to turn this into a reality through the website at www.asfp.org.uk/page/ ASFPSkillsPledge

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