This ASFP Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection (PFP) course for Installers provides a more ‘hands-on’ overview of PFP covering key elements of design, installation and inspection, specifically designed for those new to the industry or returning to installation work. It is intended to provide a first step for those considering a career in the installation of PFP systems.
The course is delivered in eight learning modules, that on average take around three hours to complete, however can be done in your own time, stopping and starting as you wish. Successful completion will provide learners with a sense of what good PFP 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 particular PFP.
SCAN HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR COURSE
Having taken over from the Association’s exCEO Steve Davies at the beginning of March this year, I am pleased to say that I have successfully completed my first 100 days as Managing Director. Having been the ASFP’s Business Manager since December 2019, I was already deeply invested in our short and medium term plans, and I believe we remain in a very strong position for the future.
However, I am keen to develop a longer term strategy for the Association and (more importantly) tangible objectives for delivery. As a result, I have been working with the ASFP team, our Council and our actively involved members to devise some key objectives to meet the needs of members and those of wider stakeholders with whom our members engage. We will discuss these in more detail in other articles in this issue of Ignite
However, I am pleased to say there has been good progress in all aspects of the ASFP. Membership continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, as we attract an ever more diverse range of members from up and down the spectrum of the design, construction and occupation sectors. We’ve seen more Tier 1 contractors join in the last six months than in the previous couple of years. We are also seeing increased membership from industries such as fire-rated glazing, fire doors, digital data and modular manufacturing and assembly.
This growth in membership is driving the ASFP to produce an increased and broader range of best practice and guidance publications in support of these new membership groups. So, in terms of tangible deliverables, we will see these new publications coming through this year.
Planned new products and services
The first part of the Association’s Competency Pathway will be launched later this summer, with a focus on firestopping. As part of this, the Association will be launching new training courses in the second half of this year. Our new Firestopping course will be launched on our interactive e-learning platform, which already hosts our online IFE Level 2 and 3 passive fire protection courses. Following that, we will be launching another new firestopping course for the ASFP 360° virtual reality Passive Fire Experience, which is available to hire for members and non-members alike. Finally, the new Introduction to Passive Fire Protection for Designers will be made available towards the end of the year. This will include support for the design relationship between principal designer and principal contractor.
Early in 2024, the ASFP will also launch its overarching Quality Mark for its members to achieve, thus increasing the value of membership yet further.
Meanwhile, the ASFP’s events roadshow will continue unabated, spreading the word of improving standards throughout passive fire protection. The Association will continue to support its members in as many trade shows and events as possible.
The ASFP has never been in a more prominent position, front and centre in the industry sector(s) we represent, but this is not without its challenges.
One of our biggest challenges is to service the many credible opportunities that are presented to us on a weekly/monthly basis, while balancing strong demand and limited resource against the value each opportunity offers. As many of you know, the passive fire sector spans
many other professions, markets and trades. To varying degrees of context and complexity, passive fire protection touches the lives of many, from designers and engineers to Tier 1 contractors and facilities management. ASFP members are at the centre of this world. To reflect this and benefit our members, the ASFP team has, this year, developed more alliances with other association peers than in any prior period.
The current post Brexit and Grenfell climate continues to pose a whole series of challenges to be resolved and managed. UKCA is dragging on, with some senior voices in the construction industry now questioning its value versus the cost proposition.
Creating and supporting the required deliverables for the relevant Construction Industry Council (CIC) working groups, plus engaging with and contributing to the outputs from the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been the focus of the majority of the ASFP Technical & Regulatory team’s work. This is in addition to working on the ASFP’s own strategic objectives, as discussed above.
There is also a proposal to remove BS 476 from Approved Document B (ADB) and replace the series with the equivalent European classification standards. For some of our members, this would be a relatively smooth transition, for others it would require significant time and investment to transition. If BS 476 is removed, then the ASFP will engage with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), to petition for a reasonable transition period.
And finally, the Construction Product Testing Regime report by Paul Morrell and Anneliese Day has been released. Most testing laboratories and certification bodies
ASFP Managing Director Mike Ward outlines the Association’s key aims and upcoming activitiesare ASFP members and benefit from the same rights and privileges of membership as everyone else. The ASFP team and the Certification Task Group are working hard on developing outputs in support of the outcomes from the Morrell and Day report, see page 26 - 27
All of the above, coupled with the Association’s planned office move and the development of its Competency Pathway and Quality Mark, really does mean we have never been busier or in such a dominant position to engage and influence for greater improvements in best practice and improved standards within the passive sector.
ASFP Team
In July, ASFP’s Training & Events Executive Georgina Fennell will return from maternity leave with her daughter Erin. At about the same time the Association’s Finance & Membership Executive Sona Chandi goes off on maternity leave. We wish Sona and family all the best and we look forward to welcoming another young member to the ASFP family.
(Image 1)
Whilst on the subject of new people, ASFP welcomes Stuart Southall to the team as the latest member of our Technical & Regulatory department. Stuart comes from member company Encon. With over 18 years of experience in the construction industry as a Sales Manager, Stuart possess strong technical knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of specifications in various markets, specialising in passive fire protection.
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Finally, after six months of service and support, Andy Tyrrell leaves the team.
Andy had been covering Georgina’s maternity leave. In his short time at the ASFP, Andy has delivered the Leeds Regional Event, Fire Safety Event, Firex, ASFP AGM and the ASFP Regatta Challenge. The team and I would like to thank Andy for his service and wish him all the best for the future. (Image 3)
The ASFP’s new office refurbishment will soon be underway. Post-acquisition, we have taken some time to value engineer the designs to maximise the value for money offering, based on the quotes we received from bidding contractors in line with the design layout. As some may have seen, we called out to members for support for the provision of products and/or services. I will report more on this in November’s issue of Ignite, which is also the ASFP Awards Special.
The opening of the office will be in two phases. Phase 1 covers the first floor office space, where the Association’s team will work. Phase 2 will be the ground floor, which will house the ASFP Academy to support the ASFP Competency Pathway. This area will also house the Association’s boardroom and meeting rooms. Don’t forget, the new space also provides a home for ASFP members and the meeting/training facilities will be available to all members at very competitive/preferential rates.
The new building will also incorporate catering facilities, a meeting break-out/rest area, practical training facility and a permanent home for the famous ASFPTV.
Closer to the time, we will announce an official opening date and details of an opening event. We hope many members and their employees will visit the headquarters.
The ASFP Chair serves a two year term, at the end of which the Chair steps down and the Vice Chair steps into the position of Chair for the next two years. It also means that a new Vice Chair is appointed for the same two-year period.
Chris Miles (latterly from UL and now with the Fire Protection Association) stepped down at the ASFP AGM having completed his two year period in office. On behalf of the ASFP team and Council, I want to thank Chris for his support and diligence over the last two years; in which he has presided over some of the most significant growth and seismic change that the ASFP has ever experienced.
Clive Miles of CLM now moves from his position as Vice Chair to Chair. Clive has also been involved with the significant changes at the Association, so is in the perfect position to guide the ASFP through the next two years of transition. (Image 4)
Finally, we welcome Sharon McClure of Avesta Scotland to the position of Vice Chair. Sharon has been on Council for a significant number of years and, as such, has also been involved in supporting the ASFP with sound advice and guidance. Sharon brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and is the ASFP’s first female Vice Chair, and our first Vice Chair from Scotland. (Image 5)
When I was voted to represent the membership on Council several years ago, I felt very privileged, and I looked forward to the challenge. To now find myself your chairman for the next two years is an honour, and you can be assured that my efforts will be directed towards making improvements for the entire membership.
Six years ago, our industry was thrown into the spotlight. Since then, some great work has been done across our sector to answer all the questions that have been thrown at us and plug the gaps that existed as well as dealing with new legislation requirements. Nobody has worked harder at this than the ASFP. But we still have a long way to go.
Whilst the ASFP is here to help and support our membership, we also need help from the membership to shape and evolve our industry. As an association we are fortunate to have a diverse group of members with a huge amount of knowledge and expertise. But only a small percentage engage with and are involved in the activities of the ASFP. I would like to invite all our members to consider becoming more involved in what is ultimately your association and your voice to the industry.
I think that we all recognise that the construction industry stands on the precipice of great change and indeed, opportunity; driven by both legislative and technology advancements. Our sector is particularly affected by this change in relation to the following points which means our industry, the ASFP and our members must evolve in new and innovative ways to adapt to this new, everchanging world...
• The Building Safety Act has given rise to the Golden Thread meaning a greater reliance on technology
• Increased pressures from legislation, media coverage, insurances, and skill shortages; driving unprecedented transformation in our market
As an Association we need to focus on three key areas to address this significant change and maximise the opportunity. This will be my focus over the next few years.
Both legislative demands and digital advancements are driving innovation in the construction sector, but also specifically within passive fire protection. The rise of BIM, the increased reliance on digital recording and even Virtual Reality are changing the way we interact with clients, products, environments, and end users. The ASFP and our members need to be at the forefront of this digital transformation.
Skill Shortages: Inspiring the Next Generation of Passive Fire Protection Professionals
YouGov research shows that only 3% of people between 18 - 24 searched for a job in construction. The industry is suffering both from an ageing workforce and a skills shortage. More needs to be done to attract and retain young passive fire protection Professionals. Through a combination of apprenticeships, academies, and outreach programmes, the ASFP can help secure the next generation of our profession.
Knowledge Sharing: Engage. Educate. Enhance
Following the Building Safety Act, there has been an increased demand for competent and qualified fire safety professionals. By creating and implementing new ways to train, engage and promote passive fire protection, we can ensure the ASFP becomes the industry benchmark for 'educational best practice'.
As I said in the introduction, you can be assured that my efforts will be directed towards making improvements for the entire membership and I look forward to working with you.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mike Ward on becoming Managing Director of the ASFP following the departure of Steve Davies. Thank you to Steve for bringing a different approach and skill set to the ASFP over the last couple of years and best wishes for the future. Finally, I would like to thank our outgoing Chairman, Chris Miles for his unwavering contribution to the ASFP and his continued support through Council.
New ASFP Chair Clive Miles describes his plans for the Association over the next two years
The ASFP was formed in recognition of a need to bring together passive fire protection manufacturers, contractors and testing/certification bodies to encourage, develop and give guidance on essential standards in passive fire protection.
Mission
The ASFP serves and 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.
The ASFP provides industry knowledge and guidance on all aspects of ‘built-in’ fire protection, technical support and impartial advice. It leads on regulatory and behavioural change as an independent authority, while improving competence and quality.
Covering a broad spectrum of the construction industry, ASFP members have access to their own specific benefits which provide them with the opportunity to align with a strong industry voice, to access guidance and technical documentation while accessing promotional capabilities available to ASFP members.
The requirements of ASFP membership
Recognised as the leading industry authority on the importance of specification, procurement and installation of passive fire protection products, the ASFP works hard to promote best practice, with an emphasis on raising quality and standards.
To qualify for membership of the ASFP, businesses have to meet a set of criteria specific to their nature of business, the services provided and in relation to the market sector in which they operate.
For instance, they must:
• Provide evidence of appropriate insurance cover
• Provide details of passive fire protection products and systems manufactured/distributed
• Provide evidence of employed staff
• Submit one year’s accounts/submit a most recent ‘Company Accounts’ statement
• Make a commitment to participate in the ASFP training programme for Passive Fire Protection at a level determined by the Council, or as defined in Association Byelaws
• Hold third party certification* for the manufacture / installation of passive fire protection products.
* Certification should be accredited by a body that is a signatory to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) e.g. UKAS/INAB
• Be certified to ISO 9001 or submit details of a quality system, identifying the method of operation and management appropriate to their status
• Comply with the Association Code of Practice for the manufacture, supply and installation of passive fire protection products or systems
• Members operating as fire consultants or offering professional services eg software provision shall have
appropriate experience/qualifications by, for example, membership of a professional body/qualification
• Members operating as fire risk assessors shall either be a Member of a UKAS-accredited third party certification scheme, or be listed in an appropriate register, eg operated by IFE, IFSM etc
Any applicant approved for membership must meet all applicable membership requirements as shown in Table 1. Acceptance for membership shall be determined by the Association’s Member verification process and is deemed to meet all ASFP membership requirements as detailed within the Association’s Byelaws.
All Members are required to act in such a way that the reputation of the ASFP is protected and enhanced in accordance with the Association’s Code of Conduct.
To continue in ASFP membership, each member is required to make an annual declaration at the start of each year to confirm they continue to comply with the ASFP Byelaws, Code of Practice and other requirements of the Association.
ASFP membership qualification and competency requirements
An essential aspect of ASFP membership is that all members must commit to the qualification and competency requirements aligned to the different membership categories. The aim of this is to ensure ASFP members can demonstrate professionalism, and evidence knowledge, while exceeding the competency expectations of industry.
When ASFP member applicants have passed through the rigorous approval process and have been appointed as ASFP members, they are able to access a wide range of benefits and align their organisation to the ASFP values, which are promoted to the wider construction community.
Membership, through involvement with the many working groups driven by the ASFP, provides a voice to members involved throughout the supply chain of PFP, including manufacturers, distributors, contractors, installers, specifiers, certification bodies and end users.
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.
1. Professionalism & competence
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.
2. Voice & Influence
The ASFP sits on a range of national and international industry, standards, and government bodies and works on 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
3. Expertise & 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, that are all free to ASFP members. 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.
4. Training & 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 the 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 whilst also having access to exclusive memberonly webinars.
5. Promotional & marketing support
The use of the ASFP logo 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. The weekly ASFP Update offers 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, whilst receiving preferential rates for exhibiting at national exhibitions and ASFP outreach conferences and seminars.
6. Networking & community
The ASFP offers members access to a rapidly growing network and community of contractors, manufacturers, distributors and others with knowledge and expertise in passive fire protection. It also offers opportunities to reach industry influencers
throughout the construction supply chain, who recognise the ASFP and its members as the professionals in passive fire protection. 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.
7. Exclusive member support services and discounts
ASFP members receive discounts on ASFP training courses, Events tickets, Sponsorship opportunities, exhibitor opportunities, discounts at certain trade shows that ASFP are partnered with, access to exclusive member-only webinars and updates, and technical guidance and support.
8. 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 give you much more from your membership.
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 whilst having access to the many benefits and services available to them.
Building Safety Case and Safety Case Report under the new Building Safety Act 2022.
protection services for over 22 years, with experience in delivering fire safety solutions in the residential, commercial, healthcare and public sectors.
Whether you are managing the tallest residential block in Europe (like Landmark Pinnacle), a museum, or a hospital, our expert team is here to help with a comprehensive Third Party Accredited fire safety solutions. These are designed to provide the highest standards of passive fire protection for your property.
Our services include:
• Compartment surveys
• Cavity barriers
• Fire barriers
• Fire door installation
• Fire door maintenance
• Fire risk assessments
• Firestopping and penetration sealing
• Injectaclad
• Linear gap seals
• Structural steel protection
We also offer laser scanning and fire strategy consultation services which are valuable assets for clients who want to create their
Our goal is to provide peace of mind for building owners and occupants in new builds and refurbishment projects.
Installation with Integrity and Compliance at our Core At Gunfire, we take pride in our highly reputable Third Party Accreditation schemes, which endorse all our works and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to high quality. Our detailed records also assist clients with evidence for the Golden Thread and satisfying Building Regulation 38.
We have a dedicated Compliance Team consisting of 10 managers who meticulously inspect and approve all installations under our accredited schemes. They also conduct surprise on-site checks to identify and fix any issues, ensuring there are absolutely no defects when we hand over the project to our clients. We take quality control seriously and strive to deliver flawless results every time.
Fire Door Maintenance Subscription Service
Due to the Building
Safety Act, it is now more essential than ever to have an ongoing maintenance programme and we now offer clients a costeffective subscription service to survey and maintain their communal and front entrance doors to help take the pain out of managing it themselves.
These inspections and remedial works are also put through our Quality Assurance process and we keep all necessary compliance documentation organised in a secure cloud-based systems so clients can access all the information needed with just a tap of a button.
Get In Touch and Find Out How We Can Help You.
We would love to talk to you about how we can help you with our comprehensive range of Third Party Accredited fire safety solutions for your building(s) so please get in touch.
We also welcome
• Joanne Mulvey
• Kristian Williams
• Justin Moir
• Robert Mcmullen
• Chris Shepherd
• Sergiu Novac
• Andy Arnold
• Arwel Williams
• Dave Hanrahan
• Ajay Droch
• William Lyle
• George Bainbridge
Our range of passive fire protection products include coated batts, cavity / fire barriers, sealants and mastics for fire protection in walls and floors.
Our products are supported by a complementary Technical Advisory Service, providing guidance for designers, specifiers and installers. Kingspan Insulation Ltd
Our range of passive fire protection products include coated batts, cavity / fire barriers, sealants and mastics for fire protection in walls and floors. Our products are supported by a complementary Technical Advisory Service, providing guidance for designers, specifiers and installers. Kingspan Insulation Ltd
FireDNA is the professionals choice, developed in collaboration with Passive Fire Product Manufacturers, Installation Contractors and Qualified Fire Door Inspectors. The FireDNA benefits are numerous and extensive and include the following:
• Facilitates the Golden Thread of information
• Helps to enforce regulatory compliance
• Creates time and cost savings
• Enables accurate auditing and reporting
• Builds an accessible ‘digital’ O&M Manual
• Delivers critical data at the time of need
• Supports BS 8644-1 2022 ‘digital management’
SERIAL NUMBER:
Why not try it out for yourself. Scan the QR Code on the Fire Door Label opposite. Alternatively contact one of our team to book a full software demo to see how FireDNA can work for you.
The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is extremely pleased to announce another milestone project launch for 2023 with the ASFP Academic Pathway offering FREE Membership to students with an interest in passive fire protection (PFP).
As the world of construction grows and the changes brought forward by the Building Safety Act creates more work, there has never been a better time to work in the PFP industry. But where are we going to find the additional personnel needed to meet this new demand? The answer is, among the leaders of tomorrow, students. We must reach out and support the next generation of PFP experts and provide them with a route into our industry.
The skills shortage in construction
The skills shortage in the construction industry has been a growing concern for construction companies, and as time goes by, this problem is becoming more pressing. One of the main reasons for the UK construction skills shortage is the aging workforce, with many construction workers reaching retirement age and fewer people entering the industry to replace them. The UK Government had pledged to build 300,000 new homes each year, but evidence suggests the workforce is not large enough to deliver such a high target.
The lack of suitable, qualified candidates will directly affect the industry-fulfilling projects. The UK job board CV-Library found that in Q3 of 2020, construction vacancies increased by a huge 213.4%. Despite the massive number of job postings coming from the industry, according to CHAS, the construction sector had a quarter-on-quarter 53.9% decline in applications per vacancy.
How can you help?
Our initiative is far from finished. We would like to hear from our members and universities which offer fire-related courses, and from other interested academic institutions so that we can reach out to more students and help to provide a pathway for them to enter the world of PFP.
Rich Green, ASFP’s Commercial Manager, states:
‘In 2023, we would like to hear from universities and academic bodies from the UK and around the world who would like to investigate being part of this programme and to help us to support their students in becoming the next generation of passive fire professionals.’
What we offer students
• Free Online Introduction to PFP course: This 3-hour online course provides an overview of PFP (covering key elements of design, installation, and inspection)
• Free technical webinars: ASFP offers a wide range of PFP related webinars
• Free access to documents: Full access to a wide range of technical guidance, documents, best practice guides, and publications, including the ASFP Colour Books
• A whole lot more: Check the ASFP website for details www.asfp.org.uk/page/ Membership_Student
Help us to secure our industry for the next generation.
Female 13.6%
Male 86.4%
Our most popular video on the channel is a two minute video on the topic of Fire Doors with 178,000 views.
83.1% of the people who watch our content are subscribed
ASFPTV is an award winning video platform venturing ASFP into the world of video content. The platform aims to broadcast updates from within the passive fire protection industry, explore the role our members play within it, and showing more insight into ASFP as a whole. The ASFP YouTube channel has been around for years, but two years ago it was rebranded to ASFPTV, and over those two years the engagement has skyrocketed. We have collated some of our favourite stats from the channel, below.
Meet The Member is a series dedicated to our members, discussing their company, projects, upcoming events and why they joined the ASFP. We have now visited 13 of our member companies for this series, with many more already in the pipeline. Below are the companies we have visited. If you want to be a part of this series, please email Max at max.joyce@asfp.org.uk
• Novus Property Solutions
• Gunfire
• Gateley Capitus
• Ambar Kelly
• RECOM Solutions
• Global HSE
• BSI Identify
• Nullifire
• Actionair by Swegon
• PFP Specialists
• Ian Williams
• TBL Fire Protection
• FSI Limited
The channel was born on Wednesday 29th February 2012.
ASFPTV was born 2nd June 2021
On the same day the channel was made, Dick Van Dyke got married, and "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye was #1 in the charts.
Where are our viewers based?
How many subscribers we have reached every year
On the Sparking Interest Podcast we invite industry specialists to come and discuss their opinion of the sector, recent industry affairs, and their area of expertise!
So far, we have had the following guests on the Sparking Interest Podcast
• Chandru Dissanayeke DLUCH
• Sir Ken Knight
• Tristan Norman / Fire Safety Event
• Gerry Dunphy / FIREX
• Andrea White
• Joe Cilia
• Neville White Encon
• Steph Sheppard WiC
• Simon Plummer Smoke Control Association
If you have any suggestions of who we should have on next, please let us know through our social media.
How do people find our videos?
Suggested Videos
External
Direct
Youtube Search
Other
As one of the first members of staff to join the ASFP HQ in 2020 upon the change in secretariat, I have seen the Association grow massively in the last three years. I feel proud to be part of this growth and excited to see the upcoming changes in the passive fire protection industry.
When starting my role, I had the challenge of implementing new processes that would make the management of membership and finance of the association cleaner, more structured and accurately organised. After getting on top of this task, I decided to get involved in other ventures within the industry.
In 2021, I became a Women in Construction Ambassador for London Build, a construction industry exhibition. This gave me the opportunity to learn about breaking the barriers to women working in the roles. Seeing the work put in by these networking groups has been inspiring. I have since been involved with the Women in Fire Safety Awards, following their excellent work and recognising the change in gender equality in fire-related roles. Most recently, I was part of the first Women in Fire Engineering Conference in February of 2023, where we first showcased our ASFP Passive Fire Virtual Reality Experience.
Working at the ASFP has been an ongoing learning curve. All our team put in a great deal of hard work to implement a high quality and membership-focused Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, which we launched in March 2022. This has helped me immensely in both the membership and finance side of my role. I can gather member data more accurately, help our members more quickly, obtain financial reports more easily and overall, shorten the time previously spent on tasks before we had the system. In turn, this has helped our member engagement and member retention – a win-win for all involved!
The ASFP have also allowed me to further my education. I have started my AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting, which is of great assistance in helping me better understand the finance side of my role, while progressing my career, and helping with the more complex financial elements of work for the Association in due course.
My day-to-day tasks, tend to be varied, depending on whether we are running events or training. Being a small in-house team, we all help each other behind the scenes in all the various elements of work, to keep the ASFP strong and engaged. I can generally be reconciling bank payments and chasing invoices one day and the next, be travelling to support our successful events...
I generally aim to keep the costs of running the ASFP low, so we can put more into our member services, training, and technical support. Our greatest cost currently is the purchase of our own building, which will be a huge asset for the Association and its future.
I have a new role that seems to be approaching very quickly which will probably be my most challenging to date – that being motherhood. So, I will be heading off on this new venture at the end of August, before returning next year (However you may still see me at a few events until then!).
We identified all the business processes. 1
2
We documented all our key processes and procedures.
We created a quality manual and other quality system documents. 3
ASFP Compliance and Quality Assurance
Manager Tariq Malik describes the ASFP’s approach to gaining ISO 9001 certification
With our commitment to improving the passive fire protection industry, the ASFP has always been keen to practice what it preaches. With this in mind, we began our ISO 9001 certification journey in late-2022.
The first step was to plan how we would achieve our goal. Following the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle mentioned in ISO 9001, we initially considered what the Association was looking to achieve and what type of quality management system (QMS) we thought would best meet our members’ and our customers’ needs.
We soon discovered there is a good reason that ISO 9001 has whole sections dedicated to planning, it really does pay to do your homework!
After creating a project plan, we then set out all the tasks we needed to achieve. We soon found that what we had thought were simple activities, actually involved a lot more
We researched ISO 9001 certification providers and selected an independent certification body (LRQA).
tasks and actions than we had initially considered. All of these tasks were just as important in achieving our goal.
Our next challenge was to start putting together the bones of our QMS and the documentation – the ‘Do’ part of the ISO 9001 cycle. Simplicity was the goal since the more things you include in a system, the more
things can go wrong. With that in mind, we set out to minimise the number of documents produced and, where we could, consolidate them as much as possible.
Those familiar with the current version of ISO 9001 will know that, unlike in previous versions of the standard, it is not now mandatory to have everything documented, or even to have a quality manual. However, after much consideration, we opted to have a
Stage 1 assessment audit was conducted by LRQA, the purpose of this audit was to check if we had all the processes and documents required in ISO 9001 in place.We worked on corrective actions from the stage 1 audit.
We received our ISO 9001 certification and certificate.
quality manual since this would make auditing our systems much easier.
Keeping with the theme of simplicity, we also decided to use technology to help manage our QMS. There are many software systems available that can help companies achieve this, but we opted to use tools already available within the Office365 suite. With a little bit of tweaking, we were able to use SharePoint, PowerApps and Power Automate to handle all the mundane tasks. This was a great benefit for ASFP’s small team.
Having put the structure of our QMS together, it was now time for our next big hurdle: who we should choose to certificate us. The ASFP always advocates the use of UKAS-accredited organisations and also impartiality. After doing some research into UKAS-accredited organisations, we settled on LRQA due to their history of conducting independent assessments and their impartiality in relation to the Association.
We were now ready to have the first independent audit of our systems, according to the ‘check’ part of the ISO 9001 cycle. The
Stage 2 assessment audit was conducted by LRQA, the purpose of this audit was to check how we do things and make sure it matches what our quality processes say.
LRQA reviewed the audit report and considered whether certification should be awarded.
stage one assessment of our systems took place in February this year. During this audit our systems were reviewed to see if we had put in place all the requirements specified in ISO 9001 and to identify any gaps. As with any new system, we expected to have a few gaps in our QMS, and this was found to be the case. The first assessment raised five findings that needed further work.
The final part of the ISO 9001 cycle is ‘Act’ and that is what we did, undertaking the necessary work. The stage two assessment took place in May this year. As a result, we are pleased to announce that in June, the ASFP finally achieved ISO 9001 certification.
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On the previous four pages we talked you through our year so far, including the event you may be currently at if you joined us for our Scotland Seminar. Before we move onto the events we have to look forward to, let's take a break to check out the year calendar.
If you have an IFE exam coming up, you may want to pay close attention to our training courses.
Council Meetings
Regional Event
Regatta
ASFP AGM
Scotland Seminar
September Seminar
ASFP Awards
The Fire Safety Event
Location: NEC, Birmingham
Stand Number: 3a/H30 & 3a/J30
Firex International Location: ExCel, London
Stand Number: FI1224
UK Construction Week Location: NEC, Birmingham
London Build Expo
Stand Number to be confirmed
The year started off with a bang at our first event of 2023, the Leeds Regional Event. With a whopping eight speakers, 11 exhibitors, and 116 people attending, you were sure to meet some new faces and catch up with some old ones too. The day relvoved around best practice in passive fire protection, and what it looks like in terms of two key elements, design and installation. The event was held at the beautiful Headingley Stadium in March and was a great way to start the year. Thank you again to our two sponsors, OneTrace and SFS.
Next we travelled back down to the Midlands to attend the Fire Safety Event in Birmingham. This event was bigger and better than any previous year for us, and we had heard similar from our members. With a large footfall throughout most of the event, we were able to rack up 611 new people added to our CRM. This year we hosted three areas, first was the ASFP Pavillion where you could find us to enquire about membership, training or anything technical. Right next door was the Passive Fire Theatre which held four talks a day. We are proud to say that these
fully booked up as eager listeners gathered to hear discussions on improving standards, the passive fire culture, and the ASFP Competency Pathway. Finally was the Passive Fire Experience, our new venture involving a mobile classroom that houses the new ASFP virtual reality training course. Our goal was to use this year's trade shows to gain information on what the market wants to see and how much interest there would be. We will be releasing more information on this course later in the year.
Three weeks later we travelled further south to London and carried on the Trade Show hype at Firex. For Firex we only had one stand to host but that didn't stop us gathering a further 450 additions to our CRM. During the show we also partnered with the FPA to create a new type of debate where the audience could send in their votes as the debate was happening, giving the panel live feedback from the "industry" on what was being discussed. This was a very interesting discussion and will hopefully be something we continue in the future.
For our fourth event of the year we went just north of London to Hertfordshire for the ASFP AGM.
This year we announced our newly appointed Chair, Clive Miles of CLM Fireproofing, As the successor to Chris Miles after his two-year term. We also introduced Sharon McClure of Avesta Scotland as the ASFP's first female Vice Chair. We look forward to seeing how they lead the ASFP for the next two years.
Finally, the latest event we attended was the ASFP Regatta Challenge. An exciting race with a valient effort from all 12 boats. In third place was member company Minster, Second place went to a team comprised of companies Consort, R Lewis, and Revolutionary Systems. And in first place was Corrosion Resistant Products Limited. A huge congratulation to them and a well done to all teams that participated.
On Wednesday 19th July 2023, or today if you are reading this live at the event, ASFP is holding a seminar in Scotland. The discussion was surrounding Competence / Compliance / CultureThe Need for Change in Construction
This engaging discussion, led by a distinguished panel of experts, will delve into the crucial aspects of enhancing industry standards. The featured lineup of esteemed speakers share their expertise, insights, and practical experiences, providing attendees with valuable knowledge. Paying particular focus to areas including: fostering a positive culture shift, examining the impactful efforts of the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group, and advancing the building standards system in Scotland through the Building Standards Hub.
Guests to arrive for Teas, Coffees & Networking
Opening Remarks -
Mike Ward, ASFP MD
Opening Remarks
Sharon McClure, ASFP Vice-Chair, Avesta Scotland
Operations Director
Presentation: Ireland - the changes needed. BCAR and it implementation in Ireland
David O'Reilly, ASFP Ireland Operations Officer
Presentation: English Regulations
Dr Andrew Taylor, ASFP Technical Officer
Presentation: The work of the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group and Building Standards
Future Board
Discussing British regulations Dr Andrew Taylor provides an update on the lastest moves in legislation in England. He will be discussing the Building Safety Act, the Morrell report and upcoming secondary legistlation.
The event took place at the University of Stirling Venues and offered two hours worth of CPD accredited presentations, with networking opportunities, member exhibition stands, lunch, and ended with the Q&A panel.
This is the first ASFP event that is also available as a free webinar to watch online if you weren't able to attend in person.
The webinar consisted of the Q&A panel at the end of the event where all the presenters sat down together and answered questions on their presentations. This has been recorded and is available to watch on our website. simply visit asfp.org.uk/page/ WebinarsCPDs, or scan the QR code, and select the "Previous Webinars Tab".
Stephen Garvin, Head of Building Standards Division, Scottish Government
Presentation: Overview of the Building Standards Hub and its role in improving the building standards system in Scotland
Alan McAulay, Building standards hub director
Lunch
Panel Discussion and Q&A session
Thank you to our sponsor
Including all speakers (The webinar will start here)
Closing Remarks
Mike Ward, ASFP MD Event Ends
ASFP’s Contribution to Improving Irish Passive Industry Standards: David O’Reilly, ASFP Ireland’s Chief Operating Officer will explain the background of ASFP generic guidance and how this is being used to improve the standard of design, installation, inspection & maintenance of passive installations in Ireland. The introduction of the new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BCAR) in 2014 was a game changer for Irish Construction, achieving its purpose of ensuring a strong culture of compliance with Building Regulations. This presentation will explain why this change was so welcome, the challenges it presented, how ASFPI members are working within this new environment and how the Association is engaging with them in developing effective strategies for demonstrating knowledge-based competence.
The work of the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group and Building Standards Futures Board: Dr Garvin will provide background and key outcomes from the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group to date. One of these outcomes was the creation of the Building Standards Futures Board to take forward recommendations from the Compliance and Fire Safety reviews immediately following the Grenfell Tower fire. Dr Garvin will provide an overview of the Futures Board workstreams including the local authority verifier workforce strategy, compliance plan and compliance manger role for high risk buildings, verification delivery model, digital strategy and penalties.
An overview of the Building Standards Hub and its pivotal role in advancing the building standards system in Scotland: This session aims to shed light on the transformative impact of the Building Standards Hub and how it is driving positive change within the industry.
Easily record and report on reliable, up-to-date, and accurate information about surveys, remedial, and installation works in real-time through a Common Data Environment.
SCAN HERE TO DONATE TODAY
The Children’s Burns Trust is a national charity dedicated to providing rehabilitation support for burn and scald injured children and their families, as well as prevention and awareness campaigns for which there is little or no national funding.
ASFP have supported the Children’s Burns Trust for their incredible charitable work that they carry out day on day throughout the year. So far, and with your help, we have managed to help them raise over £15,000!
CBT makes a positive difference in three ways:
• Raising awareness of burns and scalds to children with PREVENTION campaigns
• Working with NHS professionals to provide direct help and funding for REHABILITATION
• Giving direct financial SUPPORT to families and hospitals, providing advice on how to access burn related information
Why does the UK need a charity like this?
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. The psychological impact of a burn injury is also immense, particularly when burn survivors reach their teenage years and have to cope with self image and self confidence issues. The Children’s Burns Trust is the only UK children’s charity working nationally who are devoted solely to these areas.
Be a part of the change. 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 below and follow the instructions or visit www.cbtrust.org.uk/
The Complete Building Compliance System
The ASFP September Seminar aims to provide valuable insights, knowledge, and updates on various aspects of passive fire protection to ASFP members and nonmembers alike.
These seminars are designed to address important and current topics that are present in the industry to help get a better understanding and grow the industry.
This year's seminar will be held at the Aviva Building in London on Wednesday 13th September 2023. We will be discussing the Building Safety Act and how it is developing.
The presentations will be on the following topics:
• Gateway 2 and 3
• Product testing
• The Competency Pathway
• ASFP quality mark
• Golden thread
• Digital data
The event will also include many ASFP member table top exhibitors showing off their goods and services. This is a great chance to network with ASFP members to get a better undertsanding of what they do.
To read more about the event, including who the speakers are, more information on what they are discussing, to see our exhibitors or to buy your tickets, please visit www.asfp.org.uk/page/Seminar or scan the QR code.
Thank you to our sponsor
The ASFP is pleased to be attending UK Construction Week for the first time in the Association's history. By partnering with the show we aim to better showcase the importance and prominence of passive fire protection to a new audience.
The ASFP's participation in UK Construction Week represents a significant milestone for the Association. This event provides an excellent platform for us to amplify our message and emphasise the crucial role of passive fire protection in the construction
industry. Through our collaboration with the show organisers, we aim to enhance the visibility and understanding of fire protection measures among a fresh audience.
The ASFP's pavilion, prominently positioned and encircled by our members, serves as a central hub for knowledge exchange and industry engagement. Within this vibrant space, attendees can expect a wide range of activities designed to enrich their understanding of passive fire protection.
The event takes place at the NEC in Birmingham on the 3rd - 5th October 2023. You can find us at stand B700 where our experts will be on hand to answer all your passive fire protection queries, discuss the latest regulatory requirements and to explain how our training courses can help to demonstrate competency.
The event is free to attend. To register please visit www.ukconstructionweek.com
The ASFP Awards will return to celebrate individuals and achievements of our industry. 2021 and 2022 saw the event sell-out in record time so you will want to book early to secure your place.
Join us on Thursday 23 November 2023, at the prestigious Leonardo Royal Hotel in St Pauls, London, EC4V 5AJ, for this year's highly anticipated event. The dress code remains unchanged from last year, with attendees expected to adhere to the elegant Black Tie attire.
The award catergories are:
• Best Installation/Project of the Year
• Passive Fire Innovation of the Year
• Advocate of the Year
• Training and Development of the Year
• Individual Rising Star of the Year
• Lifetime Contribution
• Best Customer Service of the Year
• Marketing Campaign of the Year
• Highest Engagement of the Year
The finalists have now been selected, you can see them on at our website www.asfp.org.uk/page/ASFPAwards or by scanning the QR code.
Tickets have also now been released for the first time with early bird prices. Don't miss your chance, book your tickets today at this reduced rate while it lasts by visiting the same site above or again by scanning the QR code here.
We will be joining the London Build Expo again this year. Our participation is driven by our desire to actively engage further with professionals in the construction and design industry to raise awareness
of the importance of passive fire protection.
London Build Expo attracts a wide range of professionals from various sectors within the construction industry, including architects, engineers,
contractors, and suppliers. We aim to promote our expertise, services, and the value of fire protection measures to this diverse audience.
The event will be taking place on the 15th - 16th November at Olympia in London. The
event is free to attend, register by visiting www.londonbuildexpo.com
We will be at stand H63 so be sure to drop by.
Over the last 12 months we have conducted a number of training courses in support of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) Level 2 and Level 3 Passive Fire Protection examinations. We have also introduced two new courses: the new Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection, and the Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection For Installers. Both of these courses have been very well received and delegate numbers are continuing to grow steadily.
In addition to providing an up-to-date introduction to the passive fire world these two courses also highlight the Association’s aim of tailoring our training offerings so they specifically target learning provisions to the needs of the audience receiving them. The intention over the rest of this year is to develop additional packages aimed at those with specific designer roles, with both entry level and higher level continuous professional development (CPD) packages aimed at architects.
New courses at a higher level are also being envisaged. These will be aimed at those with technical inspection responsibilities. Firstly though, and in response to numerous enquiries and suggestions from our members, we are launching a course specifically aimed at installers to sit between our current Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection For Installers and the Level 2 Foundation Course
The experience and knowledge of our training staff and our membership has enabled us to relate our training to the specific needs of installers as they develop their career in passive fire protection. Those first joining the industry as an installer will be directed towards the Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection For Installers. For those already working in the passive fire sector as installers who require more formal learning, we are proud announce the launch of a new ASFP Installer Course in July 2023.
This course is an online video series utilising the same Area 9 platform we use for our Foundation course to provide a more interactive package than the introductory courses. This course provides an ideal stepping stone to those wishing to progress on to supervisory roles, where the Level 2 Foundation Course is applicable, and then for those moving on
to managerial or senior technical roles, where the Level 3 Foundation Course is more suitable.
This offering now demonstrates a clear academic level of progression for installation operatives and site supervisors for the first time in the passive fire sector in support of the ASFP Competency Pathway.
An additional training offering is the ASFP Passive Fire Experience, our mobile training centre, recently demonstrated at the Fire Safety Event and Firex. This fully immersive mobile learning experience is based on our Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection. As this mobile classroom offering develops, more course options will become available. The ASFP Passive Fire Experience can be transported to various locations around the country. Should you wish to enquire about its availability, please drop us a line via the ASFP website to discuss your requirements.
As always, our training continues to develop and expand to reflect the needs of our industry and our membership. We continue to look for ways we can support you all going forward.
When it comes to specifying passive fire protection (PFP) products and solutions, it is mandatory to include the fire resistance rating, which is the period for which these products perform their protective role and can contain a fire. Different fire ratings will be required, depending on local fire regulations, building types, fire strategy, etc. A product will only be awarded a classification, and therefore assigned a fire rating, if it passes rigorous fire testing.
This article explains the basics of fire protection testing and certification and the documents required to ensure the appropriate level of building safety.
The certification process is performed by a third party certification body to assure that a system, service, product, or a person meets the requirements specified in a standard or reference document. Being a voluntary act, certification is an important competitive tool for a company. Though, an existing certificate does not guarantee that products and services necessarily meet the quality offered by a company, since it meets the specified compliance requirements.
Here, it is important to distinguish voluntary certification from CE marking, The latter is an independent assessment, mandatory for products covered by a hEN (harmonised European standard) or European Assessment Document (EAD), which enables these products to circulate freely in all countries of the European Economic Area.
Indeed, firestopping products are not covered by a hEN, so a manufacturer must decide whether to obtain a CE mark to prove that the product meets all the safety, health, and environmental requirements of the EU.
Each firestopping product is evaluated according to the following stages:
1. Fire testing to estimate fire performance
2. Preparation of test reports and extended field of application (EXAP) assessment reports including raw results to characterise fire performance after a series of tests
3. A Classification Report
4. A European Technical Assessment (ETA).
What are the main fire protection testing documents?
There are several documents to refer to when considering fire protection testing to ensure basic safety requirements at all levels:
1) Test reports
Used for fire-resistant products, these reports characterise the fire resistance of a building element and include raw results only. Reports describe everything that happened during the specific fire test and provide the temperature evolution of every seal, which afterwards can be expressed as a fire rating. Firestopping products are tested in accordance with European Test Standards, typically EN 1366-3 for Service Penetrations, and EN 1366-4 for Linear Joints.
Test reports cannot be used to justify fire resistance performances of a product, according to a fire safety regulation.
2) EXAP or Assessment Report
Being linked to test reports, an Assessment Report describes the modification and fire performance of the building elements and construction system. The reference standard for penetration seals is EN 15882-3, and EN 15882-4 for linear seals.
3) Classification report
Based on one or multiple fire tests, these reports validate the fire performance of products and building materials. Classification reports are issued by a third-party accredited organisation in accordance with the standards approved by several independent laboratories. These reports must follow the EN 13501-2 standard and normally include the following information: an explicit description of the product or material, its classification, expected performance, and the field of application.
For firestopping products, the classification is expressed in terms of EI, where:
• ‘E’ stands for integrity: The term demonstrates that flames or hot gases cannot physically pass through the surface from one side (the side exposed to fire) to the other side (the side non-exposed to fire) through holes, gaps, and service openings, showing its ability to contain the fire. E-integrity is described in terms of the time taken to fail due to fire exposure. It means, while testing pipe penetration seals in the uncapped situation on the unexposed side, the end of the integrity for the related seal is realised by the ignition of a cotton pad.
• ‘I’ stands for insulation: In other words, the product should be able to withstand fire exposure from the Fire Side to Non-Fire Side without transmitting heat. This classification is measured by an accredited facility and described in terms of time taken to failure. The failure criteria of insulation (I) is typically a rise in temperature exceeding 180°C across the seal or integrity failure.
Testing is undertaken in the laboratory. Thermocouples are placed in different key locations of the seal, and, as soon as the temperature goes over 180°C plus, the ambient temperature, related to one specific seal, which means the insulation of the related seal has failed.
4) European Technical Assessment
European Technical Assessment (ETA) is established by the Construction Product Regulation (EU regulation no. 305/2011). An ETA is issued by a Technical Assessment Body (TAB), upon the request of a manufacturer, using an European Assessment Document (EAD), which is a basis for writing an ETA.
Providing effective fire protection
Effective fire protection can only be achieved with a combination of both passive and active fire protection . The use of these complementary systems offers the best chance for occupants to exit the building safely in the event of a fire and minimise the damage caused.
Technical support and early involvement
We all know that most of the time PFP is considered and installed too late in the design and building process. Fire resistant sealing, for instance, should be planned in the initial design stages to avoid unplanned costs, time losses and ensure compliance.
By engaging manufacturers at the briefing and design stage, architects, specifiers, and main contractors can be assured that compliance and a golden thread approach will be easier to achieve.
For further information about CPG visit www.cpg-europe.com/en-gb/
In the March edition of Ignite we reported on the Government’s decision, earlier this year, to allocate €2.5bn towards remediation works in apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013. But why was this considered necessary, and why this timeframe?
This timeframe was specified as it coincides with the period between the enactment of the Building Control Act 1990, signed into law in July 1991, and the implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BCAR) in March 2014. The reason such remediation is necessary is that, for over 20 years, there was no formal system of inspection and sign off for completed
construction. There is little or no evidence of enforcement during this period. Conveyance of buildings was achieved by issuing ‘Opinions of Compliance’ with substantial qualification statements, such as:
• We were not retained to supervise construction
• Not a report on the condition of the building
• No opening up
• Visual inspection only
• Substantial compliance with building regulations
• Providing evidence for title purposes.
Things started to change following the October 2011, high court eviction of residents from the Priory Hall Apartment complex in North Dublin. Strengthening the Building Control System, a review of building control arrangements was published in the April 2012. This explained official thinking at that time and heralded the introduction of BCAR in 2014. The document stated:
• ‘In the light 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 purpose of the lodgement of plans,
mandatory inspection by registered professionals, statutory certificates of compliance and registration of certificates and accompanying documentation is to ensure a strong culture of compliance with the Building Regulations, and greater transparency in the process.’
A principal tenet of Building Regulations is to ensure that fire resisting compartments are designed and built to provide egress for occupants and access for firefighters. The failures referred to here are mirrored elsewhere and have led to well-documented catastrophic fire spread and consequent loss of life, property, and livelihoods.
In the UK, the 1998 Construction Task Force report which followed the earlier Egan & Latham reports identified the confrontational and competitive situation that exists in the construction industry and the need for improvement in training and skills levels.
• Many buildings are constructed and operated with Passive Fire Protection either badly installed or missing altogether.
• This situation is compounded by subsequent alterations to the building as changes in occupancy, occupations and systems take place.
ASFP’s guidance document, Ensuring Best
Practice for Passive Fire Protection in Buildings provides more detail on these reports and offers the following recommendations:
1. Culture and processes should be changed so that collaborative, rather than confrontational working is achieved.
2. Traditional processes of selection should be radically changed because they do not lead to best value.
3. An integrated team which includes the client should be formed before design and maintained throughout delivery.
4. Contracts should lead to mutual benefit for all parties and be based on a target and whole life cost approach.
5. Suppliers should be selected by Best Value and not by lowest price.
6. Performance measurement should be used to underpin continuous improvement within the working process.
This best practice document was first referenced in an appendix in the 2006 revision of Technical Guidance Document B (TGD B). Reading the BCAR Code of Practice, it is evident that the authors are seeking to deliver on these recommendations. While initially highly contentious and not perfect, it is widely recognised that BCAR brought about the
desired cultural shift, resulting in higher fire safety standards.
ASFP Ireland was formed in 2011 with the aim of supporting those responsible for legislation, specification, inspection, and installation of passive fire protection throughout Ireland. The aim was to benefit from the experience of an association that had led the development of passive fire protection for 35 years at that time. We support a committed membership, which is striving to improve standards by providing guidance and training towards internationally recognised qualifications through the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).
It is unfortunate that in most jurisdictions legislation tends to be reactive. In Ireland the Building Control Act was formulated in the aftermath of the 1981 Stardust Night Club fire that claimed 48 young lives. The decision to introduce new building control arrangements followed the High Court eviction of residents from the Priory Hall apartment complex due to fire safety concerns, at the instigation of Dublin Fire Brigade. In addition to the 2012 Strengthening the Building Control
consultation document mentioned above we have the Fire Safety in Ireland Task Force report, approved by Government in 2018 following the Grenfell Fire Tragedy where 72 lives were lost.
In combination, the 2012 and 2018 documents demonstrate clarity of government thinking in how strategies have been and continue to be developed to improve fire safety in Ireland. This is welcomed by ASFPI. Through the acquisition of knowledge and the demonstration of relevant competence, our members are committed to delivering the highest possible standards. Registration of Specialist Installers of Fire Safety systems is government policy, we welcome the Regulation of Building Works Bill 2022 and look forward to playing our part in its development.
In the next issue we will discuss the Building Regulations Draft Technical Guidance Document B 2023. Public consultation concluded in April and has highlighted many contentious issues.
Product standards play a key role in ensuring that products of all types meet particular performance, quality and safety standards. They are developed over many years by industry representatives who come together to agree the appropriate requirements and testing procedures. This enables purchasers to understand exactly what performance to expect from a product since it meets the requirements of a specific standard.
Product standards for active fire curtains are no different – they clearly set out performance requirements and put in place tests which put the products through their paces, enabling them to prove their performance. In the UK, there are three main standards which apply to active fire curtains:
• British standard BS 8524: Active fire curtain assemblies, Parts 1 and 2;
• International standard ISO 21524:2021: Requirements for active fire curtains; and
• European standard BS EN 16034: Pedestrian doorsets, industrial, commercial, garage doors and openable windows – Product standard, performance characteristics
- Fire resisting and/or smoke control characteristics
BS 8524
The British Standard BS 8524 supersedes and builds on the former fire curtain specification, PAS 121:2007. In addition to laying out stringent testing requirements, it provides a code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning, and servicing of such products. This offers specifiers, fire authorities and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) with a high level of confidence in both the product and its installation as a life safety device.
BS 8524-1: Active fire curtain assembliesSpecification, outlines requirements for the design, testing and classification of active fire curtain barrier assemblies. The standard also recognises that the maintenance of fire curtains throughout their lifetime is just as important as the initial specification through BS 8524-2: Active fire curtain barrier assemblies. Code of practice for application, installation and maintenance.
BS 8524 not only tests the product for fireresistance, but also covers every aspect of the constituent parts that make up the finished assembly; including the fabric curtain materials, the motor drive systems, its frame, and its electrical power and control systems with all associated ancillary devices. It requires a series of operational tests to be undertaken prior to testing on the furnace. These ensure the components all work independently of each other.
BS 8524-1 is a rigorous and complex test standard and is specific only to fire curtain barriers. All of the annexes (A to I) and references must be achieved by the product for it to be fully compliant.
Four of the most critical elements in the annexes are detailed below. These, in combination with the other annexes, provide confidence that the fire curtain will continue to perform as expected for many years after it has been installed.
This annex states that the barrier assembly must be tested for its reliability and response
time, using the control system with which it is intended to be used to modify its speed. The annex requires the specimen to be tested in the orientation intended by the manufacturer.
The reliability and durability testing simulates usage of the curtain, with the required 500 cycles representing one test each week for 10 years. Importantly, the curtain is cycled prior to the fire test, providing assurance that the fabric still provides a fire barrier, even after years of usage.
Annex D also includes a requirement for the barrier assembly to be tested for impact. This simulates a body colliding or falling into the closed curtain, which is especially important when the curtain is used within a means of escape. A 50kg soft weight is dropped against the face of the curtain (at two different heights) with an impact energy of 100Nm prior to cycling the curtain for 500 operations. At the end of cycling, the curtain is subjected to the impact test again and the curtain is checked for damage.
Annex E (normative) Test method for the durability and reliability of alternative or additional motors
Motor reliability and durability testing provides assurance that the motors fitted to BS 8524 fire curtains will function well beyond the required lifetime of the fire curtain, mitigating as much as possible the risk of motor failure due to general usage.
The motor being tested must lift a weight equating to 90% of the maximum load, over a distance of 3m before it is released. A classification is given to the number of cycles attained: C1 for 500 cycles, C2 for 10,000 cycles, C3 for 50,000 cycles.
Annex G (normative) Test method for the reliability of motor operation at elevated temperatures.
This test is carried out by placing a motor specimen in a furnace and operating it at maximum load following a prescribed timeline heat curve for a specified number of cycles. Elevated temperature testing of motors provides evidence that the motor will continue to function during the start of a fire, allowing the fire curtain to be retracted to release anyone trapped or for the Fire and Rescue Service to pass under the curtain.
The other remaining annexes include:
• Annex A (normative) Overlapping multiple barriers. This explains that the values for the minimum width of the end curtain and the minimum width of the overlap are calculated based upon values recorded during the fire test
• Annex B (normative) Order of testing. This defines the order of testing for each specimen
• Annex C (normative) General
requirements for testing. This includes dimensions, fixing methods, joints and seams etc
• Annex F (normative) Calculation of ambient temperature smoke leakage
• Annex H (normative) Test method for ancillary and optional equipment
• Annex I (informative) Typical product performance summary
The annexes and test methods are all designed to demonstrate the performance of the product in use and are relevant to its application.
Part 2 of BS 8524 is a code of practice for the design intent, common applications, the installation, commissioning and servicing of the product. There are strict requirements for installation; both the standard and code of practice recommend independent third party approvals, by UKAS-approved laboratories or certification bodies and this is now an industry requirement. Therefore, as part of BS 8524-2, these bodies will regularly audit installations to ensure competency, and that the products installed are as per the certification and the original tests. This is especially important following the recommendations of the Hackitt review of building regulations and fire safety, following the Grenfell fire. Part 2 also recommends a series of regular checks. Some of these can be undertaken as part of regular risk assessments on site, while others must be undertaken by a competent engineer.
BS 8524 advises checking for obstructions that might prevent the curtain from deploying, such as alterations to cosmetic finishes, lighting, shelving, or racking, furniture or temporary displays. It also recommends that the curtain should be operated at least monthly, and on escape routes weekly. If it forms part of a smoke control system protecting a means of escape, the barrier assembly should be operated in conjunction with the smoke control system, at least quarterly.
There should be a test at least monthly of self-closing devices and automatic release mechanisms via a test switch. They should also check that the sensory detection equipment and self-test facility is functioning correctly.
BS 8524 is designed to be a fully ratified and audited product, installation and service scheme. The standard ensures through periodic audits that the provenance of the product’s components is the same as those that were tested originally. Installations are also picked at random for site visits by the approved laboratories or certification bodies to audit for compliance with best practices.
Other standards
ISO 21524 is an international standard for fire curtains which builds on many of the aspects
within BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2. It enhances some of the requirements and introduces new features such as pass doors and vision panels. It also introduces a new requirement to include repair patches to tears in the fabric. The forthcoming new release of BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2 refers to ISO 21524 for the test method of the new features, and in some cases makes further improvements.
The European Standard BS EN 16034 is one of a series of standards covering windows and pedestrian doorsets, industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates. It covers only fire resisting and/or smoke control characteristics, including the ability to release and self-closing. Further product characteristics are covered in the relevant harmonised European Product Standards EN 14351-1, prEN 14351-2, EN 13241-1 and EN 16361.
As a result, BS EN 16034, unlike BS 8524, is ambiguous in its application to fire curtains. In fact, in its Foreword, BS EN 16034 standard states: “Users’ attention is drawn to the fact that fabric curtains tested in this standard only apply to the fire door sets fire text. This standard does not cover their operation deployment speeds, initiation devices or warning devices, and as such should comply with BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2.”
To obtain a CE mark, a curtain must comply with the harmonised product standard BS EN 16034. However, this mark can only be applied in combination with either BS EN 14351-1:2006 + A2:2016, which is a standard that relates to windows and doors; or BS EN 13241:2003 + A2:2016, which in turn relates to industrial, commercial, garage doors and gates. Confusion results from the fact that neither of these standards identify Operable Fabric Curtains within their scopes.
As a result of this confusion, the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) produced guidance in the form of Technical Guidance Document (TGD) 21: UKCA / CE Marking of Operable Fabric Curtains. This document recommends that manufacturers wishing to CE mark operable fabric curtains seek further independent legal advice on this issue or consult with bodies such as the Construction Products Association (CPA) for further clarification. In addition, it advises that, since BS EN 16034:2014 does not cover the operation deployment speeds, initiation devices or warning devices, for operable fabric curtains, they should comply with BS 8524:2013 Parts 1 and 2. As such, ASFP notes that BS EN 16034:2014 and BS 8524:2013 are complementary standards, and recommends that, where compliance with BS EN 16034:2014 is mandated, this should still be augmented with certification to BS 8524-1 and 2.
Unlike BS 8524, BS EN 16034 does not include tests for reliability and response time of fire curtain assemblies; motor reliability and durability; reliability of motor operation at elevated temperatures; or impact. Similarly, there are no installation or maintainance requirements contained within BS EN 16034.
Why has BS 8524 been embraced by the UK market for fire curtains?
BS 8524 was the first product standard in the world to apply solely to active fire curtain barrier assemblies. It provides assurance to end users that the product has been through, and achieved, a whole series of third party witnessed testing, against a set of discerning criteria, all of which must be met by the product for it to be fully compliant. If one or more tests are not completed then the whole system, including all the individual assemblies and components and the process of manufacture, installing and servicing cannot be signed off as reaching the minimum requirements.
BS 8524 includes tests for safety features critical to securing a safe protected escape, including smoke resistance, gravity fail safe, backup power for retract facilities, fire resistance of motors, ancillary devices, control panels, power supplies, calculation procedure to assess heat resistance, etc. The test configurations are clearly defined in the standard’s annexes. BS 8524 is also the only standard that recognises the importance of correct installation and maintenance of fire curtains throughout their lifetime.
Fire curtains are lifecycle products so, when specifying a system, it is essential to consider the whole package from quality, performance, installation and maintenance. No other standard defines requirements for all of these vital features and tests all the constituent parts of the system.
With this in mind, it is not surprising that those involved in the design or sign-off of a building’s construction – such as architects, fire engineers or building control officers –will use a product-specific standard, like BS 8524, to ensure that the overall quality of the products used within the building are the best possible and meet the highest fire safety standards.
Ensuring the competence of professionals engaged in specifying or approving fire curtains is vitally important. This can be achieved by following the most stringent and appropriate standards available. BS 8524 was developed specifically for the purposes of providing a dedicated fire curtain standard, covering not just the product but also its effective installation and maintenance, to ensure that the highest standards are achieved.
This time of year is always a time for reflection, as our thoughts go back to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the ongoing ripples spreading through society as a result of it. The impact of that day was, and still is, felt keenly by those working in the built environment. Its anniversary is a timely reminder of the reasons for the renewed focus of industry on building safety.
As a direct result we have seen much discussion around competence of the workforce throughout the built environment. The need for a competent workforce was highlighted in the Hackitt Report – which mentions competence over 150 times – and has been enshrined in the Building Safety Act. A competence steering group (CSG) was set up, which established 12 working groups, each with a key focus on developing competence standards and frameworks across industry. The Building Safety Regulator was introduced with a mandate not just to ensure safety in highrisk buildings, but also to promote individual competence and organisational capability throughout the built environment.
Over the last year, the ASFP has spent considerable time focusing on competence. It is currently supporting industry to look at competence at both organisational and individual levels to improve standards across passive fire protection and increase building safety. Part of this work has been representing the interests of its members and the passive fire protection sector and advocating for more robust approaches to competence across industry.
ASFP has been leading the work of CSG’s working group 2 on installation of passive fire protection. This has started with a focus on competence requirements for firestopping specialists but will expand in future to encompass other areas of installation. We are also working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ensure that appropriate standards for competence are embedded within competent persons schemes aimed at tradespeople. These are currently being strengthened to ensure that fire protection is a key component of self-certification under the building regulations.
ASFP is also engaging with sector groups and federations to ensure that the work that we
are doing is being embedded throughout industry and our approach to competence is recognised across the sector. The purpose of this work is to create a unified approach to raising competence across passive fire protection, placing organisations at the heart of the process, with ASFP providing a central recognised presence.
Finally, we are looking to close gaps in the priorities of sector organisations, for example in specific system design or in product distribution, and looking to address these directly with members.
Creating supporting tools
The mandate for improving competence has been made clear – new approaches and attitudes to workforce competence are expected. How that manifests has been left for industry to determine. New initiatives are needed that deliver on the competence agenda but also really add value for industry. ASFP is also working with industry and relevant stakeholders to create tangible supporting frameworks and tools that will directly enable its members to develop, measure and evidence the competence of their workforce.
Creating a framework of competencies
ASFP has committed to working with industry and other relevant stakeholders to create a framework of activities and competencies relevant to passive fire protection and to develop an industry-wide scheme to validate individual competence.
We know that passive fire protection is cross-cutting. People with roles throughout the building lifecycle will touch passive fire protection in different ways. For some of those people, interfacing with passive fire protection will be part of their wider role. For others, it will be central to their work, but even in this case the scope of work that one individual carries out might be quite different to another. At the start of our development work, that made it important for us to understand not just the roles that exist within passive fire protection, but the actual activities that people carry out on a day-to-day basis.
We started by setting out these activities as a functional map. This clarified the work undertaken across the sector and allowed us to really consider what competencies needed to be addressed within our framework. The functional map originally contained nearly a hundred activities and continues to grow and adapt as we address new sections of it with industry groups and validate what’s included.
The activities within the map extend across the building lifecycle from design and specification through to ownership and occupation. They’re also split into five levels of increasing complexity from foundation up to authoritative. These levels are linked to those already established, for example, in national qualifications frameworks, professional frameworks, or competence frameworks being produced in other sub-sectors of the built environment.
Next, for each of the activities identified, we are working with industry to break them down into underpinning competency statements to set out the skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviour required to perform them effectively. This will form the standard for competence in each activity. This work has initially focused on installation in support of CSG priorities but is now starting to move on to addressing design and specification, as well as sales and distribution.
Throughout this work, we are pulling in existing descriptions of competence, where fit for purpose, such as National Occupational Standards and agreed industry training standards. For example, the framework will adopt the outputs of work being carried out by the CSG priority occupation group for Firestopping Specialists (FSSG). We are also building in other important elements of competence, for example, by aligning our work with BSI Flex 8670 and the emerging requirements for construction products competence, and taking into account the Code for Construction Products Information.
Together the functional map and framework of competencies will create the first, formal, common industry expectations for those working within the sector. Using an activitybased approach will allow people to select the activities that are directly relevant to their role and demonstrate their competence accordingly.
Although the framework itself and the definition of competence is an important piece of work, it needs to be made useful. Individuals and organisations need to be able to engage with the framework to develop themselves and to evidence that they meet the standards set, on an ongoing basis. To support this, ASFP is doing two things.
Firstly, we are working with industry to set out routes to competence. These form the ‘recipes’ for how individuals can develop and evidence their competence against the framework. The intention is for these to be as flexible as possible, allowing individuals to demonstrate their competence in a variety of ways, so long as they are robust and accepted by industry. The recipes will differ depending on the activity and area in question but are likely to be formed from a few components. They may include regulated qualifications and training, professional registration (which already measures skills, knowledge and experience), approved training, records of experience and demonstrations of behaviour. There are some important considerations here.
Where qualifications are included, it is important that we don’t see these as the central component of competence. Although they provide a valuable starting point, they are a snapshot in time and generally require no formal refresher training or assessment as time progresses. Depending on the qualification, they may not address the full requirements for competence, particularly in terms of experience and behaviour. We need to think about what else is required in addition to qualifications to evidence competence.
Where training is included, it is important that this is high quality and fit for purpose. It is essential that individuals who attend training have a positive experience as well as gaining the skills and / or knowledge required in order to demonstrate competence. ASFP is working with industry to develop mechanisms to recognise high-quality training and map it to the framework of competencies. This will also help to recognise equivalencies in training, to maintain flexibility.
It is also important that consideration is given to currency of competence. Individuals will need to demonstrate their experience and behaviour on an ongoing basis and update their knowledge and skills where required.
Alongside this, ASFP is also working on mechanisms to validate and evidence competence against the framework. This will allow individuals to register as competent in activities which are relevant to their role. This will both meet the requirements set out in BSI Flex 8670 and be specific to the sector and its needs. This will support individuals to demonstrate their own competence, organisations to evidence the competence of their workforce and certification bodies to recognise the robust approach to competence management of those organisations.
FSSG has produced a consultation document, setting out a proposed future state for developing, measuring, and validating competence for firestopping
specialists. This includes the functional map and statements of skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviour. Comments on the proposals made are welcomed and will be considered by the group as part of its ongoing work. The consultation document can be accessed here www. asfp.org.uk/page/Consultation
In addition, ASFP will shortly be starting consultation on the functional map and competency statements for design and specification and supply and distribution. We are currently in the process of forming groups of appropriate individuals to review the work done so far and to discuss appropriate routes to competence for those activities. If you would like to support that work, please contact rich.green@asfp.org.uk
Over the next few months, you’ll start to see some of the information and systems I’ve discussed here emerging. Keep an eye on ASFP publications for more details of the ongoing work and more information on how you can get involved and contribute to this important activity.
The approach that we’ve taken might seem complex, but it is important to do the detailed work to really define what competent looks like in passive fire protection. Without this the systems which evidence it will not be detailed enough to show what people are really capable of – their areas of expertise won’t be able to be made visible and the overall picture of competence across the sector will be lost. The ASFP will also shortly announce a series of simple management tools that will allow
members to evidence the competence of their staff against this framework.
We also know that individuals and organisations need to be given a simple way to engage with the requirements for competence so that it’s easy for them to understand what people need to demonstrate and how to achieve that. The ASFP’s framework of competencies will be available to all in a dedicated online tool as part of ASFP Index, alongside other standards documents the ASFP hosts.
Six years on from the Grenfell fire, we have a new Building Safety Regulator, a regulator for construction products (the Office for Product Safety and Standards), and we are due to receive guidance on the Golden Thread of building safety information.
This is set against the backdrop of Schedule 11 of the Building Safety Act 2022, which gives wide-ranging powers to the Secretary of State to make regulations changing the system by which construction products are currently assessed, marketed and regulated. There will also be secondary legislation this year which, by reference to Schedule 11, supplements the existing Construction Products Regulation. The aim of these changes is to provide safe, reliable manufacturer information about construction products.
And now we have the long delayed report on construction products, Testing for a Safer Future – An Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime commissioned by Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and written by Paul Morrell and Annelise Day QC.
Systemic failings of the current system
The report identifies several areas of concern:
• There is uncertainty over the arrangements being put in place for conformity assessment following Brexit, particularly in respect of product marking. This has been a particular problem for industry. During the course of the review, the implementation date for mandatory UKCA marking was postponed from 1 January 2022 to 1 January 2023 and now to mid 2025. There are some who say UKCA marking is a colossal waste of time, essentially duplicating the workings of CE marking in the EU and that it only exists because of Brexit
• There is no comprehensive listing of companies engaged in the manufacture, import or distribution of construction products. Who will host this database? I don’t believe the government will even consider it and no trade association can handle all construction products
• There is no generally accepted standard classification system by which the industry and its products can be monitored and analysed. Regulation and statutory guidance such as Approved Document B (AD-B) is confusing and only partially uses classification systems. These were not really used under BS 476, except for reaction to fire; and even then, UK
classes like Class 0 are not enshrined in any British standard but come from the AD-B. They have also changed in meaning over the years
• No comprehensive database of products that have failed. I cannot see manufacturers agreeing to that
Module 2 of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry suggests poor behaviour on the part of those manufacturing and assessing construction products, severely undermined confidence in the system by which such products are regulated and come to market. The report suggests that these allegations fall broadly into four categories:
1. Failure by manufacturers to disclose all information relevant to the product and its assessment
2. Failure on the part of those responsible for testing to follow proper procedures in conducting the assessment process
3. Failure to ensure that certificates or classification reports were properly supported by the assessment process
4. Failure by manufacturers to ensure that performance claims made for their products were limited to those that were supported by the assessment process and were not misleading. Indeed, some would argue that some manufacturers deliberately did this
Regarding the use of the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) in support of product safety, the report concludes:
• The CPR was transposed from EU legislation when we left the EU but fails to recognise or take into account that the CPR is only mandatory for products where there are designated standards. This does not include most passive fire protection products, for which CPR is voluntary via the EOTA route
• The Regulation was primarily designed for the purpose of creating a level playing field for a single market, and not for ensuring safe or sustainable products
• With five different Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) levels and up to six steps through the system, the CPR assessment process is so complex that few people properly understand it
• Surveillance and enforcement has been almost totally non-existent, so that bad actors feel that they can bypass the regulations without consequence, as far
as can be ascertained, there have been no prosecutions under the CPR since it was enacted
Suggestion made in the report
• All construction products will be brought into the scope of the CPR by virtue of a “general safety requirement”. This is being covered by a new designated standard (or an existing standard newly recognised as “designated”); or by being added to a list of “safety-critical” products to be set out in regulations by the Secretary of State. We are still awaiting this list of what ‘Safety Critical’ entails
• A National Regulator for Construction Products (OPSS) within the Department of Business and Trade (DBT), who will work with a new Building Safety Regulator based in the HSE
• Requirements for manufacturers to share technical documentation and information with the National Regulator for Construction Products and/or enforcement authorities
The report comments that the general safety requirement is too open ended, vague and unspecific to be of any use. We tend to agree, at least until we see any detail.
Another way of covering all products would be to require all manufacturers to issue a Declaration of Performance as per CE marking.
Recommendations within the body of the report
• To apply the regulatory AVCP system only to products that are listed as safetycritical
• To redefine the AVCP system as a single level comprising the six steps of the existing AVCP system level 1+ with the addition of a requirement for labelling/ traceability
• To set a minimum standard for all thirdparty voluntary schemes, so that they replicate or surpass the rigour of the regulatory AVCP system
The above three recommendations are in general supported by ASFP as providing sufficient rigour to the system.
Other recommendations include:
• To develop the Code for Construction Product Information (developed by the industry) into something equivalent to the Advertising Standards Authority Code, with a view to resolving most low-level
infractions without the Regulator needing to intervene
• To develop an awareness/education programme to reconnect the world of design and construction with the world of standards, testing and certification, and to promote awareness of the process by which products are regulated and assessed for conformity. This is very much in line with thinking in the Passive Fire Knowledge Group (PFKG – www.pfkg.org) of which ASFP is a member
The report also takes a swipe at ‘value engineering’, stating:
• It is for constructors (Tier 1 contractors) to bring everything together with the same objective in mind ─ using imagination to find better ways of doing things by all means, but not, in a careless moment, throwing away all of the good work that has brought the product and design to that stage in order to save cash in in the short-term, leaving the building owner and occupiers with a problem
Annex 1 recommendations
This annex contains recommendations describing what a properly functional testing system should look like. It then lists 20 recommendations (some quite vague) to address the situation. Below are the most pertinent:
Regarding safety-critical products: to increase the focus on products essential to safetycritical construction:
i. Government to publish a fact sheet on the interpretation, operation and enforcement of provisions relating to safety-critical products to demonstrate how the complications noted in this review, and any others arising from consultation, can be addressed to ensure that the provisions will be both effective and proportionate
ii. Government to list products (or products marketed as a system) as ‘safetycritical’ in the context of safety-critical construction, the safety function of the product, its susceptibility to fault or failure, and the consequences of failure. All products or systems meeting the criteria for listing should be listed as safety-critical, whether or not they are covered by a designated standard
iii. Government to mandate that ‘safetycritical’ products or systems are subjected to the most stringent level of conformity assessment that is practical for the
particular product or system (AVCP 1+)
iv. Government and industry to examine the practicality and implications of producing an inventory or directory of ‘safetycritical’ products and systems
Regarding standards, the report recommends addressing the coverage, quality and oversight of UK standards. It recommends that government satisfy itself that the British Standards Institution (BSI) is free to act on mandates to develop or revise standards required as a UK national priority, unconstrained by the rules for CEN/CENELEC membership. There are huge problems with this being accepted by CEN and its members (not just EU countries) and we suspect this is a non-starter even if it could be useful.
i. Government to adopt all existing current CPR-GNB guidance notes, and set out plans for reviewing and updating the notes and for producing new guidance in the future
ii. Government to impose upon Approved Bodies a duty to inform the Regulator where there is good reason to suspect that a manufacturer is “shopping around” for a test pass; or is misrepresenting the conclusions of the conformity assessment process in the Declaration of Performance (DoP), any related product information or other marketing material; or is manipulating the system in any other way that could undermine confidence in its outcome. [This could be seen as a ‘snitches’ charter and is unworkable]
iii. Government, UKAS and CABs to consider whether any functions of the Oversight Committee recommended to oversee the conduct of voluntary third-party certification schemes (see recommendation 14.2) might usefully
and appropriately be extended to the regulatory conformity assessment process
Regarding the Conformity Assessment system
i. To simplify and strengthen the Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance system by:
ii. Ensuring the transparency and accessibility of assessment documentation
iii. Manufacturers to be required to make available the full suite of documentation that supports the DoP
Again, good luck with this, but I cannot see industry agreeing to the publication of confidential information in the form of test reports etc. If the system is rigorous enough, the DoP and classification report should be enough and more suitable for end users.
Conclusion
The report is interesting and is a good summary of the current situation and its failings. There is not much we did not know and the conclusions are fairly obvious and logical. We particularly like the idea of a single AVCP system for Safety Critical products, the use of a DoP, and the strengthening of voluntary third party product certification systems, although we would recommend that, if so strengthened, such systems could be the route of compliance for safety critical products.
It is worth reiterating that the Morrell Review is not government policy, rather it is a set of recommendations which should inform the forthcoming secondary legislation around construction products emerging from the Building Safety Act. It is expected that draft regulations will be published later this year.
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