Ignite Nov 2021

IGNITE 1st Edition

See pages 14-17 for the Awards night itinerary, finalists and much more

DISCUSSING Pages 18-20

WWW.ASFP.ORG.UK

CONTENTS ASFP 2021 02 CEO welcome 03 ASFP operations update 04-05 New governance structure 06 Events 08-09 Industry affairs 10-13 ASFP Awards 14-17 Competency 18-20 Training 21 Publications 23 Technical enquiries 24 Technical Task Groups 26-27 ASFP Ireland 28 Our members 30-31 Member benefits 32-33

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18 24 Visit our website: www.asfp.org.uk

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at: @ASFPUK

Be sure to follow us on Linkedin at: @Association for Specialist Fire Protection

CHAIR

EDITORIAL

By Chris Miles

13 1 ASFPTV

2 Tra

de

Sh

ow In 2021 we got the chance to 13 webinars to exhibit at two trade thousands of people shows - Fire Safety Event across the world and London Build Expo

In 2021 we started our new YouTube channel ASFPTV

1 NEW MAGAZINE

In 2021 we doubled our staff with the addition of five new members, including our new CEO Steve Davies

In 2021 we are unveiling the first edition of our brand new magazine IGNITE In 2021 we gained a whopping 41 new In 2021 we had members, 29 of which 26 Technical are contractor Group meetings members

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s er

In the many years I have been involved with the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), I never saw myself in the role of Chair. It may sound like a cliché, but at the heart of why I supported the ASFP was a genuine drive to make our buildings safer. However, people with some type of persuasive powers encouraged me into applying for Vice-Chair, which developed into the role of Chair.

w Staff Me m b 5 Ne ers

Ignite is the perfect amalgamation of news, statistics and updates from both the ASFP and the wider passive fire protection industry. Ignite will help us better communicate with our members whilst also enabling us to demonstrate their skills to the wider industry.

rs ina In 2021 b e W we presented

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We are so proud of how far we have come in just 12 months. With so much new in 2021, we thought, how better to round off the year than with the first edition of our brand new magazine!

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ASFP Chairman Chris Miles welcomes the first edition of Ignite and looks to the role of members in the future

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itees

41 M em

For years, the ASFP has been playing its part in making our buildings safer, but it was never able to make those big leaps forward necessary to fully achieve this goal. Of course, the landscape has changed recently and now there is a construction-wide drive to change for the better. It’s a privilege to be associated with the ASFP at this time and I now truly feel like the Association is making a real difference. The full results of the efforts from the employees, partners and members are yet to be felt but will start to come to fruition in the next year or so.

”

As the ASFP Chair, I can now play a greater role in driving change in the construction industry that has been missing for so long. For that, I need all members not to be ‘passive’ (sorry!) in their involvement with the Association. Support it as best you can, by embracing the competency requirements and telling those around you what you’ve achieved; by operating at the highest possible quality levels; and by acting with integrity in everything you do. Together we can make a difference in ensuring the safety of our buildings.

Chris Miles is director of UL’s Built Environment Business for Europe, Middle East and Africa. With over 30 years of experience in the testing, assessment and certification of fire-resisting elements, he has worked throughout the certification process in the UK, Europe and internationally and was instrumental in developing UL’s business for fire safety in Europe.

02

ASFP 2021

ASFP IGNITE

CEO

WELCOME

By Steve Davies

ASFP CEO Steve Davies welcomes you to the first issue of Ignite magazine and outlines some of the ASFP’s upcoming plans

“

I would like to start by introducing myself and giving a short overview of my plans for the ASFP over the coming weeks and months.

Firstly, I am thrilled to be here and excited about all the new projects and activities we have planned.

My initial impression of the passive fire protection sector has been nothing but positive, with many members and related organisations expressing their ongoing support for the Association.

Before joining the ASFP, I was CEO of the Lighting Industry Association (LIA), the trade association for the lighting industry. This offers services including a UKASaccredited test laboratory; and a dedicated industry Training Academy, endorsed by the University of South Wales.

The Academy offers a range of qualifications, including a Level 4, Higher National Certificate (HNC); and a Level 5, Higher National Diploma (HND). It also offers a raft of industry-specific CPD courses.

Prior to the LIA, I worked in the rail industry at Bombardier Transportation, both in the UK and Germany; and at Make UK (formerly EEF) and the National Skills Academy for Power.

ASFP IGNITE

When deciding to join the ASFP, I was struck by three key factors: 1. The passive fire sector has a real need (and desire) to raise its profile and importance in the wider construction sector.

2. The construction industry is ready to listen and is demanding more support in respect to passive fire protection technology.

3. The ASFP is ideally placed to meet these two challenges and has already made significant progress.

Here at ASFP, we have a great team and I’m delighted to be further building our capabilities, providing the resources needed to deliver the highest quality information and education programmes. The focus is on developing the Association and making it the ‘go-to place’ for passive fire protection information, while at the same time offering our members services that enable them to grow and thrive.

We are developing the courses and qualifications that we offer with new training programmes due to be rolled out over the next 6-12 months. These new schemes will be delivered using our ‘intelligent’ online learning platform and will be tailored to different audiences.

We will also use new technology to maximise our ability to reach as CEO WELCOME

many people as possible. We will soon be launching a new website and Membership/Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system which will improve our ability to engage with members and industry stakeholders.

At the same time, we plan to introduce several member-only services which will make the ASFP membership offering better than ever before. As an Association, we only thrive if our members thrive, so we will be working hard to make sure membership within the ASFP brings credible benefits, while also being recognised as a mark of compliance and competence.

It is going to be a very interesting time and I am thrilled to be leading the ASFP through this next exciting phase of its development.

If you have any questions about the Association for Specialist Fire Protection and our plans, please feel free to contact me directly at steve.davies@asfp.org. uk or on 07768 713 842

” 03

TOP TEAM SUPPORTS

ASFP GROWTH

Mike Ward introduces ASFP’s strong new HQ team and highlights the Association’s growth despite all challenges

New beginnings

I joined the ASFP team in December 2019, having spent 12 years in a senior position at a member company.

During my first week, I was told the Association was seeking a new provider for its administrative services.

We were too big for our previous provider but too small to go it alone, so where to go?

The next three months was a cycle of tenders and meetings with prospective providers. One of these was the British Coatings Federation (BCF). BCF’s offices were in Coventry, an ideal location; their meeting facilities and systems were excellent but above all the culture within the BCF team was perfect for supporting and nurturing ASFP’s rapid expansion in membership, training provision and technical support. After negotiations with the BCF management team, and agreement from the ASFP Council, a service level agreement was finalised that would support ASFP’s growth over the coming years.

ASFP’s new management

Believe it or not, at the time, the ASFP management team was small for the output it generated. In early 2020, when the move to BCF was initiated, it comprised of only seven members (some working part-time). However, this was to change in mid-2020, Georgina Fennell was recruited as Training & Events Executive and, soon after, Sona Chandi joined as Finance & Membership Executive, both supporting the respective training and membership officers, as well as myself through the handover.

Sona Chandi

Membership & Finance Executive

Georgina Fennell Training & Events Executive

The move was no small task due to the extent of new systems and processes that needed to be established as the previous ones were no longer fit for purpose. BCF’s finance and accounts team supported implementation and maintenance of new accounts software and the transfer of bank accounts and authorities. While BCF’s office manager supported the transfer of the existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and created a framework of controls and protocols that will one day form the foundation of ASFP’s aspirations to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation. We even introduced a proper Human Resources function for the very first time.

Marketing ourselves

In 2021, the next stage of the team’s expansion took place. ASFP needed to improve its reach and voice, with the Association’s membership and to stakeholders in all facets of the design and construction industry. As a result, Reece Goodman joined as Marketing Executive and Max Joyce as Production / Digital Content Reece Goodman Executive. This move solved marketing resource and capability Marketing Executive gaps, meeting the constant need for content and offering the ability to deliver messages across a multitude of platforms and media.

Max Joyce

Production/Digital Content Executive

Adding value

The year also saw Steve Davies appointed as the ASFP’s new CEO and Rich Green as Commercial Project Manager. Steve’s previous position as CEO of the Lighting Industry Association brings trade association senior management experience to reinforce financial controls and develop strategic planning and delivery of ASFP’s continuing growth objectives. Rich was recruited to capture new value-adding opportunities, which might otherwise be missed.

04

ASFP OPERATIONS UPDATE

Steve Davies

Chief Executive Officer

Rich Green

Commercial Project Manager

ASFP IGNITE

Non-combustible stone wool insulation

Most recently, Chris Sharman joined the ASFP to reinforce the Association’s technical and training function and support the development of new courses and course material.

Total building solutions for fire resilience and fire protection

Chris Sharman

Training Manager All this growth has been achieved in a very short space of time and in spite of the challenges presented by Brexit, COVID-19 and the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy. Without the ongoing support and enthusiasm of the team at BCF, the journey to where we are today may have taken much longer and have been more challenging than our experiences to date.

The ASFP is now in a stronger position in terms of finance, systems, resource and talent than ever before, enabling membership growth and diversity, creation of new training courses, methods of learning and qualifications. We will improve the support available to our members and the wider construction industry with world-class technical guidance and best practice publications, as well as becoming a strong voice to represent the passive fire industry. To enable this, we have invested in a new CRM system, website and online trading platform, plus developed relationships with specialist third parties to provide support in delivering new training courses and continuous development in competency.

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THE REST OF THE

ASFP TEAM Mike Ward

Business Manager

Tony Corcoran Membership Officer

ASFP IGNITE

Niall Rowan

Andrew Taylor

Anna Hayes

Phil Brownhill

David O’Reilly

Nadine Saxon

Lorraine Beard

Jo O’Neill

Technical & Regulatory Affiars Officer

Operations Officer Ireland

Technical Officer

Office Manager & Company Secretary

Marketing Officer

ASFP OPERATIONS UPDATE

Finance

Training Officer

Hospitality

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READY FOR Chris Miles

Steve Davies

Mike Ward

ASFP Chair Director of UL

Chief Executive Officer ASFP

Business Manager ASFP

Clive Miles

ACTION

ASFP Vice-Chair Director of CLM

Clive Atkins

Managing Director Fire Protection Coatings

Carl Atkinson

Barry Beavis

Sharon McClure

Nigel Morrey

David Murphy

Jamie O’Hagan

Bob Westcombe

Ian Woodhouse

Regional Technical Director Etex

Managing Director

Fire Protection Specialists Ireland

Director IDFC

CEO Structural Fireproofing System

Sales Director Sharpfibre

UK FP Manager Rockwool

Director Avesta Scotland

Director IFC Group

ASFP Business Manager Mike Ward explains the Association’s governance and management structures The ASFP has experienced significant growth in recent years, which continued in 2020 despite the Covid pandemic. This growth led to a decision to re-evaluate the Association’s management and administration services, which offered an opportunity to review its entire governance and management structure.

The first step in the change process was to move the ASFP’s secretariat services to the British Coatings Federation (BCF) in August 2020. This was soon followed, in April 2021, by the appointment of a new CEO and the restructuring of the Association’s Management Team.

A thorough review of the Association’s Memorandum, Articles of Association and its Bylaws was undertaken and a new Executive Board was created to take responsibility for legal and operational activities. The Executive Board (shown above with red boxes) is comprised of the current ASFP Chair and Vice-Chair, the CEO and Business Manager.

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The composition of the ASFP Council was also reviewed and a new Council was elected in the usual way at the Association’s Annual General Meeting in April 2021.

The ASFP’s new governance structure facilitates quicker and more proactive decision-making. It ensures the Association’s operational, commercial, technical and regulatory activities are supported more effectively while maintaining member representation, experience, and knowledge in the Council.

The Council (shown above with blue boxes) maintains responsibility for the strategic direction of the ASFP and ensures the Association’s work continues to reflect its overall vision, values, aims and objectives. It continues to provide support in maintaining the ASFP’s prominent position as the UK’s leading trade association for passive fire protection.

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EXHIBITIONS

EVENTS

The ASFP regularly holds events to encourage engagement and develop exposure for its members, wider communities and stakeholders. Through events, the ASFP aims to increase understanding of the Association’s values and message of competency and continuous improvement in the passive fire protection sector.

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Expert passive fire protection presentations

ASFP at the Fire Safety Event The Fire Safety Event was a great reintroduction to trade shows for the Association after COVID-19, meeting so many new and familiar faces around the ASFP stand and show. We offered 12 insightful presentations in the Tall Buildings Theatre, 2 Main Theatre sessions from Niall Rowan, and spoke to all of our attending members for ASFPTV. Don’t worry if you were not able to attend. We were able to capture many of our speakers’ presentations on film and they have all been uploaded to ASFPTV!

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Attendees to the ASFP Tall Buildings Theatre

ASFP at London Build This leading construction show was a great success, with visits from all our attending members and show visitors. The show consisted of amazing content from guest speakers such as our own Niall Rowan and Andrew Taylor discussing Building Compliance and Safety and Competency Throughout Installation and Maintenance. ASFP networked with industry specialists and supported the Women In Construction panel of industry leaders as they celebrated successes and discussed challenges, with the help of our two ambassadors Georgina Fennell and Sona Chandi.

Planned events in 2022 08

EVENTS

ASFP IGNITE

UPCOMING Save the Date EVENTS

17 - 19 May 2022, ExCeL London

ASFP holds events for members and non-members (where applicable) throughout any given year. These include, but are not exclusive to: • Trade show events (members are encouraged to exhibit at these) • Firex International • Fire Safety Event • London Build Expo • Fit Show (if appropriate to your busness) • Regional one-off and/or one-day events • Member engagement and social events • ASFP Annual General Meeting • ASFP Awards • Classroom training and exams • CPD training • Seminars • Webinars and podcasts • Task Group meetings: • Standards and Compliance • Technical • Contractor • Marketing

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TIME FOR

LEGISLATIVE

CHANGE?

ASFP Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan asks if modern methods of construction should be treated differently in Approved Document B to the building regulations So-called modern methods of construction (MMC) comprise a variety of techniques, including lightweight steel frames, modular and volumetric buildings, structural insulated panel systems (SIPS), mass timber in the form of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and of course timber frames. The benefits of MMC include the speed of construction, independence from the weather, less waste and improved quality of construction by offsite manufacture. The main benefit is that MMC have a much lower carbon footprint than traditional methods of construction such as masonry and concrete. MMC construction, especially that using timber, is genuinely sustainable.

However, fires in MMC buildings appear to spread faster and further than in those of traditional construction. In 2019/2020, several high profile fires resulted in significant damage, or even total building loss. These included the Premier Inn at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, the residential Hamptons complex in Worcester Park, Surrey and Beechmere care home in Crewe, Cheshire.

These buildings were either burnt to the ground or substantially damaged and, in the case of Beechmere, it was fortunate that the 150 residents were evacuated safely. Thankfully there were no fatalities or any significantly injured in any of these fires. This suggests that the regulations ‘work’, but three considerations arise: • The speed and extent of damage in all three fires concerned fire professionals – these were more than ‘near misses’ and we were lucky that there was no loss of life or significant injury • There is increased public consciousness about fire since Grenfell and greater recognition of the need for sustainable buildings. It is becoming less acceptable for buildings to burn down provided everyone gets out and property protection is now on everyone’s lips • The public will not tolerate more dangerous buildings for greener ones 10

Defining scope

So, should design codes for MMC buildings fall outside the scope of Approved Document B (AD-B) and its equivalents in the devolved regions?

Currently, the statutory guidance does not discriminate between different types of construction. It has long been a criticism of AD-B that it was written with traditional construction in mind and has not been revised to reflect changes in construction materials and techniques.

The AD-B working party of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC) is undertaking a technical review of AD-B and is considering some key questions concerning MMC, including: • The ability of such structures to survive burnout and the need for extra protection, for example by including extra passive fire protection and/or suppression • The different needs for MMC used in single dwellings, as opposed to multi-household high rise structures; for instance, should small buildings be allowed to fail, but larger ones not?

The functional requirement of the Building Regulations B3 states: ‘The building shall be designed and constructed so that, in the event of a fire, its stability will be maintained for a reasonable period’.

This requirement was written when ‘common building situations’ involved traditional types of construction, such as masonry and concrete.

Its aim was that the structure would resist burn-out of all combustible material within the building without failure and the main elements of construction would not be involved. With MMC, this is often not the case, since the structure is combustible, meaning that burnout will lead to collapse and extra protection will be needed to avoid this.

INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

ASFP IGNITE

The Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing is considering some fundamental research into large-scale system behaviours to generate the knowledge to develop industry guidance and standards on safe design methods and assessment.

It should be possible to develop a standardised assessment method and establish a simple codebased model for defining minimum performance linked to the current fire resistance ratings. But this is some years away.

A thorough (and long overdue) review and revision of AD-B must address these issues, either by limiting the scope of buildings included, or by providing extra guidance on the enhanced passive protection or suppression system that might be needed for such types of buildings.

Niall Rowan is the ASFP Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer and sits on the AD-B working party of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee.

Satisfying the requirements

Designers will generally follow the statutory guidance in AD-B and its national equivalents, since it is largely accepted that by satisfying AD-B you will satisfy the building regulations. But if AD-B is not adequate for ensuring protection for such combustible structures or for means of escape and firefighting, then an AD-B designed building may NOT satisfy the functional requirement B3 or ensure the building’s ‘stability will be maintained for a reasonable period’.

Niall Rowan

Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer

Consequently, a designer must establish whether AD-B covers their particular building situation, in other words, whether it is a common building situation. For designs where AD-B is not applicable and standard methods of assessment are not suitable, designers must demonstrate in an alternative manner that the building regulation requirements will be met. They could use other codes such as BS 9991 or BS 9999, or even fire engineering techniques.

But will this happen? It is too easy to use AD-B and a design that claims AD-B compliance will not be examined rigorously enough to see if it meets the functional requirements for structural stability. So, AD-B must be changed, or it must be identified as applying only to certain construction types, with alternative justification required for those types outside of its scope.

ASFP IGNITE

INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

11

SUPPLY CONCERNS

FUEL PRICE RISES

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andrew Taylor assesses the current pressures affecting the passive fire protection market An upcoming area of development for the ASFP is to gain an understanding of market dynamics and trends that can have a major effect on both manufacturer members and installer members.

As an Association we have not had the necessary resources to collate meaningful statistics to help inform our members. But, with the recent expansion of the ASFP team, it is now time to rectify this situation.

Over the coming months, we will be putting in place a series of measures to help validate what is going on in the marketplace. One of the key trends we need to investigate is the extent of spending on passive fire protection (PFP) measures in both new build construction and remedial work to bring the existing building stock up to current standards.

In the last 12 months, manufacturer members have all been struggling with increasing costs and a shortage of supply for key components. This has had a knock-on effect on the supply of firestopping and intumescent coatings.

Global shipping concerns have seen prices for containers from the Far East rise fourfold.

This is a key supply route for key PFP raw materials and has had an impact on their price in the UK. This increase in price for PFP manufacturers is being passed on down the contractual chain to construction sites. In the Construction Product Association’s (CPA’s) August briefing, 100% of construction product manufacturers reported being adversely affected by raw material price rises and their shipping costs rising.

There have also been shortages of various chemicals, including vinyl acrylate monomer (VAM), a key component in acrylic emulsions used in firestopping mastics. This was as a consequence of planned maintenance closures coinciding with a plant fire in Europe, and unseasonably cold weather in the USA in Q1 closing a significant number of plants. Although VAM production is back to normal, costs remain high.

The trials and tribulations of the UK haulage industry have been well-documented in the media over the last few months, with UK transportation problems resulting in increasing difficulties for manufacturers both to get raw materials into factories, and also to get finished goods delivered to site. Many ASFP installer members will therefore be coming under pressure as PFP system prices increase.

To end on a positive note, the CPA reports that UK construction continues to grow at a rate that outstrips inflation. If only the supply situation would ease.

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INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

ASFP IGNITE

‘STAY PUT’ POLICIES ASFP Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan discusses the validity of Stay Put policies

Is this the end of ‘Stay Put’?

Following the Grenfell and Lakanal House fires, where residents were told to stay in their flats leading some to perish from the effect of smoke and fire, questions have been raised about the wisdom of the ‘Stay Put’ policy for purpose-built blocks of flats.

What is ‘Stay Put’?

Fire safety guidance in England has for many years stated that in a purpose-built block of flats, it is normally safer for residents who are not near a fire to ‘stay put’ in their own flat, rather than evacuate during a fire. This advice rests on the assumption that both the individual dwellings and the common parts of flats, including the means of escape, are protected by adequate fire-resisting construction, as required by building regulations.

Compare this with the policy for a single house, where the advice is to ‘get out, stay out and call the fire and rescue services’. Surely, a confusing dichotomy? Not really. In a single house, the escape while you can policy makes perfect sense, and with only a few persons likely to be involved, a false alarm is of no great consequence.

But what happens in a block of flats? If there is a fire alarm and everyone tries to escape at once, then the stairways will become blocked with people trying to evacuate, resulting in a risk of injury or even death and also preventing access for firefighters who need to climb the stairs to try to fight the fire. This is especially a problem in many blocks of flats in the UK which are served by only one staircase. It is for this reason that there are no common fire alarms in flats to evacuate everyone together.

The difference between Lakanal and Grenfell

The fire at Lakanal House in 2009 resulted in the deaths of 6 people, while 72 died in the 2017 Grenfell tragedy. The buildings did not behave as expected due to failures in their ability to resist the spread of fire and smoke. At Grenfell, rapid fire-spread up the outside of the building via the cladding and then in through inadequately firestopped windows was a significant factor, whilst at Lakanal rapid fire-spread was assisted by compartmentation failures, primarily caused by poor refurbishment in the years preceding the blaze. Both Grenfell and Lakanal House were markedly safer buildings before their refurbishment.

Time for change?

It might seem that the case for halting stay put is strong, but analysis of statistics shows that, in the majority of fires, stay put is still relevant. In 2017-2018, the following fires were contained in the room of origin: • Purpose-built flats 93% (744 out of 801) • Hostels and hotels 78% • Hospitals 93% • Houses 85% • Communal living (barracks, boarding schools etc) 94% Out of 54,000 fires in high-rise buildings from 2010-2017, only 216 (0.4%) required the evacuation of more than five residents with the assistance of the fire and rescue service. Such an evacuation was required in only 16 (0.2%) of the 7,500 fires in high-rise buildings in 2019-2020.

Those questioning stay put have valid concerns and there are questions to be asked about the quality of compartmentation in some buildings. But perhaps we should pause and investigate further before we widely ban stay put policies.

Consequently, when the fires occurred, despite it becoming clear that buildings were not performing as they should, residents were wrongly told to stay put in the building instead of evacuating when they had the chance. The long delay in being instructed to get out was instrumental in the large number of deaths. The Grenfell Public Inquiry recommended that national guidelines be drawn up to enable a change in policy from stay put to get out to be made much more quickly and effectively.

ASFP IGNITE

INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

13

While the face-to-face awards ceremony was cancelled back in 2020 due to Covid-19, the Association ensured that the outstanding achievements of their members were recognised. The winners of these awards were announced at ASFP’s virtual AGM on 28 April 2021.

The 2020 awards ceremony consisted of five categories of awards, each recognising key achievements within the industry, with the high calibre of nominations received demonstrating how ASFP members can succeed even in times of adversity.

This year we have chosen to celebrate even more accomplishments within the community and present six incredible members/individuals with an award, including new awards for rising stars within the community and a lifetime achievement award. The 2021 awards are taking place at the Edwardian in Manchester with a record number of 270 guests attending. We are so proud of how far the ASFP and its members have come and look forward to celebrating these achievements with you all on the day.

We would also like to thank all of our sponsors and our guest speaker Monty Halls.

MONTY

HALLS

The ASFP 2021 Awards aim to recognise excellence within the passive fire protection industry. They will showcase these achievements to industry peers, as well as other stakeholders within the construction industry who have an interest in procuring the products and services of suppliers at the pinnacle of the passive fire protection industry.

Monty Halls is a broadcaster, speaker, naturalist, former Royal Marine, marine biologist, travel writer and leadership specialist. His experience covers over two decades of leading teams in some of the most remote environments on earth, presenting wildlife and adventure documentaries, and working with blue chip companies both in the UK and overseas.

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#ASFPAWARDS2021 ASFP AWARDS

ASFP IGNITE

ASFP takes this opportunity to give back to the community by partnering with the Children’s Burns Trust, an organisation dedicated to providing rehabilitation support for burn and scald injured children and their families. The Trust also develops prevention and awareness campaigns for which there is little or no national funding.

If you are at our Awards Lunch please donate today using the envelopes on your table. Alternatively you can donate via our link justgiving.com/fundraising/asfp

We have been truly overwhelmed by the support and engagement of all our members. After a long year of not being able to meet new and existing members in person, it has been a privilege for the whole team to put together this year’s awards event and bring everyone back together to celebrate the achievements of the last year.

This is the first time the ASFP Awards will be held outside of London. Going forward the ASFP plans to host the awards in different cities across the UK to ensure even better access for all members.

This year’s event is bigger than any we have done before and we hope to continue this trend, making every year bigger and better than the last.

Arrival Drinks reception / Networking ASFP Chair speech CEO speech Lunch service Guest speaker Monty Hall Awards ceremony ASFP CEO closing speech Please join us in the hotel bar

We look forward to the future and your journey with us there.

11:30 - 12:00 12:00 - 13:00 13:00 - 13:05 13:05 - 13:15 13:15 - 15:15 15:15 - 15:55 15:55 - 16:50 16:50 - 17:00 17:00

SPONSORS

Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors.

You can find out more about them throughout the magazine. Simply look for the blue and red badges.

ASFP IGNITE

AWARDS 2021

Award Sponsor

ASFP AWARDS

15

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Alec Purdie

Neville White

Team at NEO

Alec has learnt so much in such a short time, especially considering the challenges of the past year. His passion, tenacity, knowedge and ability is clearly evident and now he is sharing that with others he is clearly having a positive impact on the industry.

Neville really stands out as

The large programme of activities delivered by Neo to stakeholders in the past year is an outstanding achievement. The business has demonstrated its commitment to its staff and the wider community by developing knowledge around Passive Fire Protection.

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someone who wants to see others succeed and develop. He recognises by sharing his own knowledge in an effective and understandable way, he can make a difference.

ASFP AWARDS

ASFP IGNITE

ASFP The Individual Rising Star of the Year will be awarded to an individual who has shown exceptional potential in just a short period of time in the industry (less than 5 years). This person is not yet at a senior level within their company but showing promising signs at a young age (under 30). This individual is someone who strives to achieve success and results and who is recognised by others as having the potential to become a future leader in the industry.

The Lifetime Contribution of the Year will be awarded to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional practice over a significant period (20+ years). This individual will have made an impact on people, organisations, or companies with a display of wisdom and depth of service / leadership. This nominee is recognised throughout their organisation for all they have contributed to the sector.

The Passive Fire Protection Advocate of the Year will be awarded to a non-member of ASFP who can demonstrate that they are a major advocate of high-quality installed PFP. The nominee provided significant evidence of activities undertaken between 1st September 2020 to 1st September 2021 to raise awareness, educate and promote quality passive fire protection.

Simon Ince Simon achieved the highest grade in the Institution of Fire Engineers Level 2 Exam in 2020 ASFP IGNITE

Cathie Wilson Cathie achieved the highest grade in the Institution of Fire Engineers Level 3 Exam in 2020 ASFP AWARDS

17

COMPETENCE IN PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION

ASFP’s new Training Manager, Chris Sharman TIFireE MIFSM, asks how competency in PFP can be defined The Oxford English Dictionary describes competency as “Having enough skill or knowledge to do something well or to the necessary standard.”

and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The relevant RICS guidance document on completing EWS1 forms states in note 2 that: for “Option A – Where In specialist sectors such External Walls are Unlikely as passive fire, there to Support Combustion”, may not be any formal the signatory would competency pathways “need the relevant that can define those who expertise to identify the are truly competent and relevant materials…”; differentiate them from while in “Option B – those who are not. So, Where Combustible how do we define what Materials are Present in specific competencies are an External Wall”, note required?

3 states that this “could be a chartered engineer To understand the within the Institution confusion over of Fire Engineers or competency we only need equivalent”. to consider the recent introduction of the EWS1 It therefore seems form, brought about by contradictory that UK Finance, the Building someone could be a Societies Association, member of a professional body within the construction industry with

18

the capability to identify those materials but may not have a level of expertise enabling them to identify the risks arising from said materials?

The sector may need to consider the requirements of the insurance industry; not only for the buildings and organisations they are insuring, but also those underwriters providing professional indemnity (PI) cover for contractors, engineers, or consultants.

An insurance underwriter may consider withdrawing cover from, or refusing claims against, policyholders, for instance, involved in the design and commissioning of a building or system, if it were discovered that they did not possess the required level of competence, which

COMPETENCY

enabled them to conform to the terms of their PI insurance. Additional requirements may also be imposed on sectors of the construction industry by other organisations.

On the subject of competency itself, it comes in two forms; academic and experiential. While many in the construction industry, and specifically the fire safety sector, may have achieved what is considered pre-requisite levels of academic learning, be it an HND, BSc, or MEng, they may not have the experiential learning required to apply their purely academic qualification in ‘realworld’ environments.

Similarly, an individual with 20+ years of experience in a particular field may not have a level of academic learning that many organisations and

ASFP IGNITE

regulatory bodies may desire to be symbolic of a level of demonstrable competence.

The academic and experiential requirements for different levels of membership of several construction industry bodies provide examples of the current standards of accepted competency.

The Institution of Fire Engineers requires that a technician grade membership (TIFireE) has a minimum of a Level 3 qualification with two years of documented CPD; while a full membership grade (MIFIreE) requires a higher level of ASFP IGNITE

qualification, two years of documented CPD and five years of experience within the fire protection sector.

Other bodies such as the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM), RICS etc have similar requirements for their different levels of membership. As it stands, the passive fire protection sector has no such specific level of qualification for membership of professional bodies, as there is no specific institutional body for the

passive fire protection sector. Despite this, the ASFP requires its members to meet specific qualification requirements to join.

Working with the team at the ASFP and their members, I aim to create a formal competency pathway for the industry and improve skills and knowledge within the professional bodies.

I aim to raise awareness

COMPETENCY

of the requirements for competency within other disciplines of the construction industry, from architects and consultants to regulatory bodies. This will ensure that best practice and the highest standards of competency in passive fire protection are understood by all those involved in the built environment.

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DEFINING A

COMPETENCE PATHWAY

ASFP Technical & Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan and ASFP Training Officer Phil Brownhill outline the ASFP’s plans to develop a new competence pathway for passive fire protection It is well known that some ‘trades’ in the construction industry are served by relatively low-skilled and inadequately supervised operatives. Furthermore, throughout the industry, there is a lack of evaluation of individuals’ skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour (SKEB).

The problem is not confined to contractors; for instance, fire safety knowledge is often lacking among those that design and specify fire protection in buildings.

Consequently, individuals may not be adequately competent and this, coupled with the culture in the construction industry of ‘cheapest is best’, has led to some truly dreadful decisions being made – the Grenfell Tower fire being but one result of this.

Legislative focus on competence

Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety mentions competence some 115 times and made 53 recommendations, all accepted by the government. The review defines three Gateway Stages in the construction process and recommends the appointment of defined Dutyholders.

The Building Safety Bill, expected to receive Royal assent in 2022, legislates for these three new Dutyholder posts: Principal Designer, Principal Contractor 20

(both derived from the CDM Regulations) and Building Safety Manager. These roles are crucial for delivering buildings that are safe, well made and share all the relevant building information in the ‘Golden Thread’, which looks likely to be digitally-based. The Building Safety Bill currently only applies to buildings above 18m (or six storeys), but the requirements for competence will apply to individuals working on all buildings.

For the Dutyholder roles to be effective, the competence of individuals must be assured. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) (formerly MHCLG) has sponsored the British Standards Institute (BSI) to create three Publicly Available Specifications (PASs), which will detail for each role, the content of the competency framework.

In a ‘top-down’ approach, these frameworks will then be developed by the relevant professional body, such as the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), etc.

Competency frameworks

At the other end of the process, trade associations such as the ASFP and other authorities will develop competency frameworks for individual trades and roles. The idea being that these ‘bottom-up’ competency frameworks will follow the ‘SKEB’ model and be enshrined COMPETENCY

in the BS 8670 competency frameworks. Then, once the new regulator is in place within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the competency frameworks will be registered by a professional body, or certified by an accredited certification body. But has anyone considered how the ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approaches will interface? If not adequately considered, a two-tier system could develop, or systems for the ‘professionals’ that conflict with those that physically construct buildings.

Is anyone managing the system overall? Is it possible for the HSE to regulate such as system, bearing in mind the numbers of individuals and trades involved and the different levels of competency within a particular trade or profession, not to mention the fragmented nature of the industry and the vested interests?

Competence pathway

The ASFP is developing a competence pathway for those that design, construct and maintain passive fire protection in buildings. Based on SKEB and enshrined in BS 8760, it will use a mixture of online, classroom and practical training, academic qualifications and third-party certification appropriate to the individuals or companies being evaluated.

ASFP IGNITE

GETTING

QUALIFIED

ASFP Training Officer Phil Brownhill outlines the training and qualification pathways currently available by ASFP The ASFP offers training in a range of formats, meeting the differing needs of all those involved in the construction industry. We offer courses suitable for new entrants to the passive fire protection sector; designers and specifiers; contractors and specialist installers; as well as building owner occupiers and enforcement agencies.

Online Introduction

The ASFP Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection provides a basic overview of the industry covering key elements of design, installation and inspection. It is intended to provide the first step for those considering a career in the passive fire protection industry. The course is delivered in 13 video modules, each covering a specific aspect of the industry. Successful completion of a multiple-choice test at the end results in learners receiving a Certificate of Completion.

Learners that complete the course will have a sense of what good fire protection in buildings looks like. This will allow them to better understand the role of the various fire safety measures in the built environment, and in

ASFP IGNITE

particular passive fire protection.

The ASFP Foundation Course in Passive Fire Protection provides essential knowledge and understanding in this key fire protection specialism. The course is academic in nature and aims to equip candidates with the knowledge required to demonstrate competency, while also offering a route for progression and academic recognition. It is the first course in the UK and Ireland to enable candidates to study to obtain a recognised qualification in passive fire protection.

enforcement agencies.

The courses are offered in the form of classroom training or can be accessed via the ASFP E-Learning Platform, which uses high-quality adaptive learning techniques to allow learners to study remotely.

Qualifications

The E-Learning course can be accessed via most digital media, PC/laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Candidates are able to proceed at their own pace and the software that runs the course is able, through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), to establish the learner’s level of knowledge of the subject and tailor the content accordingly. In this way, the course is delivered in line with the requirements of each learner, giving them a Personalised, Adaptive Learning Experience.

Individuals who undertake the training can study to obtain Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in Passive Fire Protection provided by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), a nationally and internationally recognised awarding organisation regulated by the qualification regulators Ofqual. The scheme is suitable for all involved in the construction industry from designers and specifiers to contractors and specialist installers. It is also suitable for building owners/occupiers and

TRAINING

The classroom version of the course is delivered in a series of lectures that are spread across several weeks. The Level 3 course is offered over seven days and the Level 2 course over four days. Both versions of the course will follow the IFE syllabus.

E-Learning

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TECHNICAL GUIDANCE There are over 50 publications on the ASFP’s website providing industry guidance for the various industry sectors we represent.

These include: • ASFP Colour Books: These popular handbooks provide detailed guidance and are referenced in the building regulation guidance, Approved Document B • Technical Guidance Documents: These are mainly codes of practice and extended documents of around 10-20 pages in length • Advisory Notes: These are simple 1-2 page documents covering specific topics. In the last 12 months, ASFP has published three new advisory documents: • Advisory Note 23: Fire Protection Requirements for Secondary Steelwork and Coatback

• Advisory Note 24: Requirements of the Machinery Directive for Active Curtains • Advisory Note 25: Firestopping of Combined Penetrations

There have also been a number of documents revised as a result of industry review, including Technical Guidance Note 21: Position of CE Marking for Active Fire-resistant Curtains. Next year, the review will gather pace, and we hope to complete reviews on two colour books: • Yellow Book: Fire Protection of Structural Steel • Grey Book: Smoke and Fireresisting Dampers We also will look to review the Purple Book: Fire-resisting Partitions.

Updating these documents is a never-ending task, as they need to be amended in line with changes to the UK regulatory framework.

Over the next 12 months, we expect further significant changes to how construction products will be certified/marked, as a consequence of changes in Construction Products Regulations (CPR) and the end of CE marking post-Brexit. Furthermore, the introduction of ‘Safety Critical Products’ within the Building Safety Bill’s secondary legislation will no doubt have a profound effect on how passive fire protection systems can be brought to the market. As a result, a review of nearly all the documents will need to be completed. ASFP will, of course, lobby to keep raising standards of installed PFP, and no doubt publications will need further amendment in future as new regulations are introduced.

SCAN HERE

FOR ALL PUBLICATIONS

ASFP IGNITE

PUBLICATIONS

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TECHNICAL

EVALUATIONS

1. A combined penetration

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andy Taylor answers your queries about designing passive fire protection systems Each year, the ASFP answers a range of technical enquiries and often we find that themes develop. Over the last 12 months, many enquiries have concerned the topic of designing passive fire protection (PFP) systems and the subsequent liabilities that might arise.

This is becoming an important issue for ASFP members. One of the challenges in the post-Grenfell era is that everyone has become increasingly risk-averse. While the growth in awareness of PFP requirements and systems is a good thing, some designers and main contractors are doing everything they can to avoid any liability, which may cause problems for construction in the long run.

Don’t be unconsciously incompetent

Earlier in the year, ASFP ran a webinar entitled Don’t be unconsciously incompetent with the design of PFP systems. We examined when design is undertaken and by whom. One of our key messages is that the design of PFP should be considered earlier in the construction process than has been the case historically. For instance, firestopping has, of late been handled as a contractor design portion. If a contractor gets to site, and is faced with the scenario in Image 1, then they will be unable to offer a fully tested and certified solution, as there is no published test method for a combined penetration (duct or damper in combination with pipe and/or cable).

New standards

A new standard, EN 15882-5 is coming soon, but even so it will be a while before manufacturers are able to complete the necessary testing programmes. As a result, designs need to be carried out collaboratively between all parties to ensure the safest outcomes for building residents, and to avoid extensive rework and modifications to achieve the required fire resistance performance. It can be difficult to develop a suitable design; products and systems are tested individually, but then they are installed in buildings where these systems interface with one another. Given there are no particular fire test standards for these interfaces, generic guidance or technical evaluations are the only way such scenarios can be resolved. Some people shy away from technical evaluations and demand fire test evidence. However, this isn’t always possible, and ASFP Advisory Note 17 explains why technical evaluations need to remain as a part of the construction industry going forward.

There have been some organisations/individuals who refuse to accept technical evaluations, even when carried out in the absence of a test standard and in line with the recommendations in the PFPF Guide to Undertaking Technical Assessments of the Fire Performance of Construction Products Based on Fire Test Evidence.

2. Poorly designed penetrations running through a cellular beam 24

There are, however, some scenarios where a technical evaluation will prove very difficult. Image 2 shows a number of different systems interacting: the cell beam is tested for structural fire resistance to one standard; the compartment wall to another; and the ducts and dampers to two further standards. Currently, the way in which all these elements interact in real life can only be demonstrated via a technical evaluation. Hence, to ensure a safe outcome for residents, all parties need to work together to understand the risks, rather than looking solely to mitigate their own liability.

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THE TASK IN HAND

ASFP Technical Officer Dr Andy Taylor reviews the work of the ASFP’s Technical Task Groups The ASFP operates several Technical Task Groups In addition to the development of four Advisory Notes, which undertake the Association’s important work TG1 has undertaken practical testing to investigate in developing industry guidance and best practice. the performance of deep web beams and the results Formed of member representatives from each passive will soon be published. The group is also exploring fire protection discipline, these groups offer members potential guidance on the use of cross laminated the opportunity to address concerns in the industry timber (CLT) in conjunction with steel; reducing carbon and influence legislation and standards. footprints; and a further review of coatback guidance.

Convenor: Carol Fleetwood The membership of each Technical Task Group (TG) is typically a mix of manufacturers, installers and test Task Group 2 – Boards and sprays for and certification bodies. Each TG meets between 2 and structural steel 4 times per year, depending on the work programme TG2 works alongside TG1 in efforts to review the involved. The work of the TGs is peer-reviewed by an Yellow Book. In addition TG2 is currently reviewing overarching Technical Committee. The following recent Technical Guidance Document (TGD) 15: Code of activities have been undertaken by the TGs. practice for the installation and inspection of sprayed non-reactive coatings for the fire protection of Task Group 1 – Reactive coatings for structural steelwork. Convenor: John Adams

structural steel

TG1 on reactive (intumescent) coatings has a full Task Group 3 – Firestopping programme and meetings are regularly attended by TG3, which considers firestopping and cavity barriers, over 20 delegates. TG1 and TG2 below are responsible is our best attended TG with meetings regularly for the development of the Yellow Book. exceeding 30 members. It is responsible for the Red Book, and TG3 members were heavily involved in the development of the Joint Industry Guide, Firestopping of Service Penetrations. Best Practice Design and Installation (jointly developed by ASFP/BESA/BSRIA/ FIS /GDPA). Current projects include working on an AWAR DS 20 21 update to Advisory Note 15, which offers guidance on Suppo Sponsrting flexible wall interchange, to align with a future revision or EN1366-3. Cavity barrier testing involving several ASFP members is being considered by the Structural Timber Association. Convenor: Chris Mort

Task Group 6 – Ducts and dampers

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THERMSHIELD FD/FDC

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TG6 meets regularly to consider the Blue Book which covers fire-resisting and smoke control ductwork, and the Grey Book, which will ultimately cover fire-resisting or fire and smoke-resisting dampers. One of the key documents we have published in the recent past is TGD 20: Fire test standards and the Construction Products Regulation in relation to fire-resisting ventilation and smoke control ductwork. However, this is one of the documents that obviously needs a rewrite following on from both Brexit, and the implications of the draft Building Safety Bill. The Group is considering how to approach developing a new product standard for fire-resisting ductwork, which is needed to cover a kit approach. This cannot be addressed until legislative change related to the Building Safety Bill is clear.

TECHNICAL TASK GROUPS

ASFP IGNITE

ASFPTV IS ASFP ventures further into the world of video content with our newly updated Youtube channel ASFPTV! Our brand new series explores the world of ASFP, our members and the passive fire protection industry as a whole.

ASFPTV - A series on everything ASFP. Find out about our Awards lunch, the events we will be attending and much more.

Meet The Member - A series were we go out to our members to really get to know what they are about.

Sparking Interest - A series where we delve deeper into the industry, interviewing key individuals and showing you the world of passive fire protection.

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ASFPTV

TG6 has been working with TG3 on a new guidance document on combined penetrations, covering the situation where a duct or damper is contained in the same service penetration as pipes and/or cables. Convenor: Darren Webster

Task Group 7 – Active fire curtain barriers

TG7 maybe one of the smaller TGs, with a typical attendance of 10 members, but it still represents a mixture of manufacturers, test and certification organisations and other enforcement officers.

This TG published the latest Colour Book, the Black Book, just over 12 months ago.

Progress on a TGD to cover installation and maintenance has been halted whilst BSI reviews BS 8524. TG7 has been working on an update to the TGD on CE marking post Brexit and the Building Safety Bill. In addition to these, new Advisory Notes on the Machinery Directive, and on the Performance Smoke Seals are being developed. Convenor: Chuck Lewis ASFP IGNITE

Technical Committee

The Technical Committee also meets three times each year and brings members from all the Technical TGs together to peer review each other’s work and share best practice. This is an important component in the rigorous process that ASFP has in generating its library of publications. Convenor: Craig Abbott All our Technical Group meetings include an agenda item to consider the development of standards. Many of our TG members are also involved in reviewing standards within BSI and CEN. Indeed, several are convenors of these standards committees.

There has probably never before been such a period of regulatory flux. The development of the Building Safety Bill and the continuing impact of Brexit on issues such as CE marking are both starting to affect the regulatory landscape. ASFP technical staff continue to monitor all the latest legislative amendments and at every TG we present updates to members on the possible effects of these regulatory changes and ASFP’s actions in lobbying for a future with safer buildings.

TECHNICAL TASK GROUPS

27

CONTRIBUTING TO IRISH FIRE SAFETY

ASFPI COO David O’Reilly describes the development of its education framework and guidance in Ireland ASFP Ireland (ASFPI) was established in 2011 to support those responsible for legislation, specification, inspection and installation of passive fire protection (PFP) throughout Ireland.

ASFPI offers a structured and professional approach to PFP, working with government and industry to improve the knowledge base of all involved in its manufacture, approval, specification, installation and management. The Association’s mission is to be the leading authority for passive fire protection in Ireland for the purpose of protecting life, property and sustaining the environment from the effects of fire.

The game changer for fire safety in Ireland is generally recognised as the High Court’s eviction of 136 residents from the North Dublin Priory Hall Apartment Complex in October 2011, as requested

by Dublin Fire Brigade. In fact, changes were already in process in response to reports from the Building Regulation Advisory Body (BRAB) and other stakeholders.

In April 2012, the government published Strengthening the Building Control System which stated: “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.”

The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (BCAR) then brought about a culture change in Irish construction, challenging the knowledge and competence of all concerned. ASFP’s Ensuring Best Practice for Passive Fire Protection in Buildings published in 2003 (TGD B 2006 revision) describes similar UK construction failures and provides direction and feasible ‘cradle to grave’ guidance for design, installation and management of PFP. But, recognising that guidance alone wasn’t sufficient to address the shortcomings identified by government in 2012, and to enable compliance with the 2014 BCAR Code of Practice, ASFPI took on the task of creating an education framework.

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The ASFP Foundation Course in PFP sets knowledge standards examined by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). IFE qualifications provide ASFPI members, and others, with the means to demonstrate knowledge-based competence as BCAR Ancillary Certifiers.

ASFP Colour Books and Technical Guidance Documents set industry standards used by designers and certifiers. Organisations such as the Health Services Executive (HSE) rely upon this guidance, requiring ASFPI membership and IFE qualifications for tender pre-qualification.

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ASFP IRELAND

ASFP IGNITE

NEW

MEMBERS OF 2021

In 2021 we gained a whopping 41 brand new members (not including those we hope to gain later this year). This is our page dedicated to them. Each issue of Ignite will also feature two ASFP member spotlights that dive deeper into what it is they do.

These members will be selected from ASFP’s biggest member categories: Manufacturers and Contractors.

www.cryotherm.co.uk 0127 458 9175 enquires@cryotherm.co.uk

Specialist protection from Cryotherm For over 40 years, Cryotherm has specialised in passive fire protection, designing and fabricating systems to protect buildings from the effects of fire.

Cryotherm is an independent family-run company which coordinates its bespoke service from a 20,000 sqft facility in Shipley, West Yorkshire. A personal service is guaranteed and our technical knowledge, innovation and customer focus ensures we consistently deliver the optimum solution.

Cryotherm’s fire-rated systems are supported by testing and assessments conducted by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). They provide a costeffective means of upgrading steel structures to meet regulatory requirements for fire resistance.

We offer a broad range of standard fire-rated systems and bespoke fabricated insulation products. Our fully-equipped factory facilitates the fabrication of products, with metalwork, lining and product conversion at the core of our production processes.

Fabrication can be undertaken on a one-off basis or in partnership with companies looking to subcontract all, or part of, their system fabrication. Tackling the most challenging fabrication briefs for unusual and 30

complex applications, specialist needs, decorative finishes and designs, our professional and technical services include everything from design, engineering, prototype and manufacture through to delivery.

Why Cryotherm?

• Over 40 years of serving the construction industry at home and abroad • System owners: researched, designed and independently tested to British Standards to meet ASFP Yellow Book 5th edition guidance • Systems capable of providing up to 4 hours of fire protection • Cost-effective, even at higher fire-ratings • Technical advice on all aspects of fire, thermal and acoustic requirements • High customer satisfaction • Quality control and management procedures compliant with BSI ISO 9001: 2008 We are proud to be a Manufacturer member of the ASFP as we passionately promote best practice for the supply and installation of passive fire protection systems and welcome the ASFP’s regulatory advice, education and training.

OUR MEMBERS

ASFP IGNITE

We also welcome: • TAD Contracts Ltd • JTL Fire Ltd • SFS (Aberdeen) Ltd

And our individual members: • Anthony Tiernan • Paul Craig • Russell Marks

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Clients singing Firesafe’s praises

Firesafe Installations has been praised for the quality of their work by the owners of Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, following a fire which could have destroyed this listed historic music college.

Firesafe installed Rockwool firestopping products, which prevented the fire from spreading, containing the large blaze in just one area of this beautiful historic building.

The company has recently received two industry awards. It attained the ASFP Project of the Year Award 2020 for the £multi-million firestopping package at Liverpool’s new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre; and was also awarded Best Specialist Sub Contractor by Kier for its work on the Manchester-based Birley Fields student accommodation project.

Firesafe has been trading since the mid-90s and has many years of experience in firestopping, steelwork fire protection, specialist firewalls and fire barriers, as well as soffit insulation and air sealing. We work on projects of every size, with current project values ASFP IGNITE

ranging between £50,000 and £10 million. Our regular clients include many major contractors, such as Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Kier, Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, Willmott Dixon and more.

Firesafe is an installer for all major manufacturers, including Rockwool, British Gypsum, Sherwin Williams, and Nullifire. All installations are Firas accredited, with projects including hospitals, schools, offices and industrial premises. Completed projects include Liverpool Royal Hospital, Liverpool and Everton FC Stadia, Manchester Airport, Edinburgh St. James Shopping Centre, Canary Wharf and GCHQ Cheltenham.

Firesafe also carries out inspections and surveys of existing firestopping and steelwork fire protection.

With upwards of 35 years of service, our experienced operatives are able to identify many older products.

This can be beneficial, reducing costs by allowing for product repair instead of replacement.

OUR MEMBERS

31

THE BADGE OF

PROFESSIONALISM

ASFP Membership Officer Tony Corcoran outlines the many benefits of ASFP membership The ASFP aims to serve and represent the needs of risk assessors, certification bodies and other its members and the wider passive fire protection associated groups and organisations. industry. It aims to do this by raising standards and competence through training, testing, certification Membership provides a variety of direct and and quality of installation and maintenance. indirect opportunities. Direct benefits include This is done by: member discounts for training, access to • Advancing knowledge and guidance on all aspects technical support and guidance; while indirect of ‘built-in’ fire protection opportunities include being able to link your • Providing technical support and impartial advice company to the ASFP brand identity and gain • Leading regulatory and behavioural change as an from ASFP’s lobbying activities and its influence independent authority on legislation and standards.

• Improving competence and quality through training The ASFP works continually to increase its profile and to encourage industry influencers to select ASFP members cover a broad spectrum of the fire only ASFP members for all their passive fire protection industry including manufacturers, system protection products, services and installations. and product installers, distributors, product testing Members can be proud to display the ASFP logo and assessment authorities, fire engineers, fire and access the many services available to them.

STANDING BY YOUR SIDE

Siderise has developed, manufactured, tested and supplied high quality passive fire protection solutions on projects all over the world for over 45 years.

We recognise that effective passive fire protection relies on the interaction and competency of several project partners and are dedicated to not only helping our customers to meet their requirements at every stage of the building lifecycle, but also to supporting them and the wider industry in demonstrating their own commitment to fire safety, compliance and integrity.

1 202 S D R sor AWA pon

e adlin

He 32

S

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MEMBER BENEFITS

ASFP IGNITE

1 2

WHY JOIN

Professionalism & competence

THE ASFP?

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 within the industry and allign themselves with the strength, vision and values of the ASFP brand.

Voice & influence

The ASFP sits on a range of national and international industry, standards and government bodies and works on the behalf of members to influence Promotional & marketing support legislation and standards. Via the Members can align with ASFP values through ASFP’s Technical Task Groups, members the use of the ASFP logo and the ability to link to have the opportunity to participate in ASFP guidance documents and videos on their the development of specific industry own website. The ASFP member search offers every member best practice guidance, which is often a company profile on the ASFP website, which receives referenced in Government guidance and thousands of monthly visitors; while the quarterly ASFP national standards. e-bulletin offers members a free of charge opportunity to Expertise & guidance promote products and services to ASFP’s huge database of ASFP members can access industry contacts. 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, video library and the ongoing ASFP webinar programme, provide updates on industry-specific topics and Training & development member support programmes.

Individuals who undertake the Foundation Courses can study to obtain Ofqual-recognised Level 2 and Level 3 Networking & qualifications in Passive Fire Protection provided by the community Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).

The ASFP offers members

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access to a rapidly growing network of contractors, manufacturers, distributors and others with knowledge and expertise in passive fire protection. Reach industry influencers throughout the construction supply chain, who recognise the ASFP and its members as the professionals of the passive fire protection industry. The ASFP offers a wide range of networking opportunities from Task Groups and general meetings to exhibitions, seminars and webinars, social media discussions and jobs and member noticeboards. The ASFP CPD provider portal also gives members the opportunity to upload their CPD presentations for public access, creating a ‘go-to’ CPD service for the passive fire protection industry.

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Professional support

ASFP members can access the ASFP Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover Scheme. Offered through a third-party insurance broker, the scheme offers the potential for preferential rates.

Exclusive member support, services and discounts

ASFP members receive discounts on ASFP training courses; access to the Professional Indemnity Insurance

Scheme; access to exclusive member-only webinars and updates, technical guidance and support and free use of the ASFP Jobs and Member Noticeboards.

ASFP IGNITE

MEMBER BENEFITS

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PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION TRAINING The ASFP offers flexible passive fire protec on training solu ons for all levels of instruc on

CLASSROOM TRAINING

The ASFP’s acclaimed classroom courses have a proven record of preparing learners for the IFE Level 2 and Level 3 cer ficates in passive fire protec on. They are the ONLY Ofqual recognised passive fire protec on qualifica ons

E-LEARNING PLATFORM

An innova ve online training solu on to allow learners to study remotely at their own pace towards the IFE Level 2 and Level 3 Cer ficates

ASFP ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION

This CPD course offers an excellent overview for learners new to the sector

Whatever your training needs, choose the experts at the Associa on for Specialist Fire Protec on

WWW.ASFP.ORG.UK