Fire, Security and Safety

Building owners and operators have always played a vital role in ensuring the fire safety of their properties. However, with the Fire Safety Act 2021 becoming law this April, the responsibilities of those managing multi-occupant residential buildings are now more stringently defined. It states that they are accountable for reducing fire risk of the structure and external walls, and any entry doors between flats and communal areas. Although we are still waiting for the updated guidance to be released, it is imperative that housing associations of all kinds get to work now to ensure the safety of their tenants, including ensuring effective passive fire protection.

If you were selecting a car for security reasons, would you be looking for one that just had 4 wheels, an engine and a door you could lock? No, of course not! You would rightly be interested in its overall performance, verified roadworthy tests, the quality of its components, not to mention other safety features and naturally its appearance and stylish kerb appeal.   
Selecting the right Secured By Design (SBD) Doorkit is not dissimilar. It’s not simply a case of meeting the minimum requirement, with a piece of paper that says SBD Tested, anything will do! After all there is so much more to consider in the modern build environment, from fire rating to life cycle expectations and installation to design flexibility.  Portaro SBD Interior timber Entrance Doorkits from Vicaima provides just that scope, with ease of assembly, quality materials, outstanding performance and design appeal as standard, all encased in one of the most comprehensively certificated products on the market.

The UK Boxings pre-finished range of pipe and fire sprinkler boxing is designed to provide a consistent finish to retro-fit sprinkler installations, by concealing unsightly pipework, while also being quick and easy to fit on site to save time and money.

Manufactured from 9mm thick moisture resistant MDF, our fire sprinkler boxing is available in two-sided ‘L’ shaped and three-sided ‘U’ shaped profiles, with a choice of more than 60 different standard profile sizes and can be supplied in 2400mm or 3050 mm length options.

Lo-Carbon Revive 7 fans from leading British ventilation manufacturer, Vent-Axia, are proving crucial in a social housing disrepair case. The fans were installed as part of an extensive renovation of a social housing property to alleviate condensation and mould issues. Yet the problems persisted. Thanks to the fans’ datalogging ability, it has been proven that the fans have been tampered with by the resident. This data is proving crucial in protecting the landlord from being prosecuted.

As fire-safety concerns continue to pose major challenge for housing providers across the UK, successful remediations are to be celebrated. We spoke with Richard Izzard, managing director at aluminium decking manufacturer AliDeck, about a recent retrofit project in Lewisham.

With the ongoing flammable cladding and fire-safety crisis occupying the trade headlines on a daily basis, it is easy to begin to feel an uncomfortable familiarity with the scandal and to perhaps start to lose sight of its devastating impact, both on building owners in the housing sector and on residents.

Social housing providers are just one of a wide range of organisations that have warmed to the latest solution to letterbox security from Midlands-based Blockabox. Others taking up the options on the new solution include UK Fire and Rescue Services, Police Forces and wider landlord businesses keen on stopping residential and commercial properties from being targeted  by arson attacks, anti-social behaviour and nuisance and unsolicited mail dropping through doors of void properties and causing potential fire hazards.

Aico are delighted to have been selected as a supplier on all categories of the West Midlands Fire Service Framework, which will shortly be available to all UK Fire & Rescue Services (subject to contract).

The West Midlands Fire Service Framework will facilitate the procurement of Fire and Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms for all UK Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), in a move towards the standardisation of requirements as outlined in regulations. As part of the supplier status, market-leading Aico will provide Smoke, Heat and CO alarms, including their technologically advanced, award-winning alarms for total protection.