WHITEPAPER | Outcomes from a lively FSE event
Rutland was delighted to take part in the Fire Safety Event at the NEC in Birmingham once again this year. The Fire Safety Event is part of the Safety and Security Event Series, and with over 56,000 professionals attending and over 1,200 exhibitors, it is undoubtedly Europe’s leading event for the safety of people, places, and assets. Our Fire Safety Consultant, Neil Smith, was invited to take part in two lively panel discussions covering important developments in the industry.
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Please email sales@rutlanduk.co.uk, or ask us a question on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/rutland
WHITEPAPER TEXT ONLY
Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans: A new name, but what difference does it make?
This session explored the importance of establishing effective RPEEPs for vulnerable residents with disabilities or mobility impairments.
The implementation of RPEEPs has been a topic of ongoing discussion, and legislation will soon be in place as part of the Grenfell phrase 2 report. Neil Smith joined a distinguished panel, with many collective years of experience around the fire safety and evacuation of residents.
Engage with residents and be proactive
According to the ONS, 24% of the population have a long-term disability, so this was a crucial panel discussion. The message from the panel was not to wait for the legislation, because it makes sense to properly engage with residents about these matters anyway. In fact, throughout the exhibition, this was a message that resonated everywhere – resident engagement is the foundation of everything, no matter where you sit in the industry.
Key points from Neil covered the practical consideration of fire doors in any RPEEP:
- All doors represent an obstacle in an emergency, so it’s important to include all doors within any RPEEP.
- Instructions on how to hold a door open (and release it) on evacuation are important. Fire doors form compartments which help to contain a fire – if these doors are left open, all compartmentalisation is lost.
- The key to a fire door opening and closing reliably in the event of a fire is proper installation and maintenance. Fire doors, including door closers, hinges, latches and seals, are part of the life-saving fabric of a building, and should be serviced regularly accordingly, particularly in areas where RPEEPS apply.
- BS8300 accessibility stipulations are particularly critical in RPEEP situations – a door must be easy to open for a person who may have difficulty escaping. This comes down to having the right closer fitted and all other aspects of the door being correctly adjusted.
Fire door takeaways within RPEEP:
Block the blaze and clear the way
A true fire door must be a protective barrier and a seamless means of escape – no trade-offs.
Match speed to need
Adjusting the speed of the closer to the speed of the resident is critical within any RPEEP.
Don’t fit and forget
Fire doors must fit the resident, not just the frame – residents’ needs change over time.
Preparing for life after BS476
As of 2nd September 2029, BS476 will no longer be part of Approved Build Control Document B, and any existing testing evidence will no longer be viable to put a product to market. Neil has been involved in fire door testing and certification for more than a decade, and works closely with door manufacturers, advising on issues around testing and certification. He’s very aware of the challenge that this presents to the industry (read our whitepaper for more) and was keen to form part of the panel and provide some clarity and confidence in the face of uncertainty about the change.
The panel acknowledged that while change is difficult, it is important to accept that it is coming, and be decisive and proactive:
- Define exactly what your product is, and the product family around it, as this will inform the type of classification you want to achieve.
- Familiarise yourself with the relevant EN standard and associated testing criteria (EN 1634-1 for fire resistance and smoke control for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware).
- Products covered under the EXAP may not require retesting for every variation, but this depends on strict criteria and should not be assumed.
- Engage with certification bodies early on to obtain a good understanding of what good practice looks like.
- Participate in industry discussions to stay updated on changes and share best practice.
- Engage with other manufacturers in your product family to build products into testing.
- Create a detailed road map to phase out BS476 products and launch EN-compliant offerings.
- Allow plenty of time for testing ahead of the 2029 deadline, as test houses will be busy.
A key event in the fire safety calendar
Once again this year, FSE proved itself to be a key event in the fire safety calendar. It was fantastic to connect with industry professionals and see packed theatres. Quite rightly, there was discussion around the path forward from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry – have we changed enough, and have we changed the right things? And of course, fire doors, fire door testing and certification were front and centre of the conversation. There was also a lot of optimism about changing things for the better and working towards meaningful accountability from all those working with fire safety responsibilities. Two and a half days of packed auditoriums and lively discussions confirmed that this annual event is a great platform for collaboration and innovation within the industry.
If you have any questions on this topic, please get in touch with us. We would be glad to help.
Please email sales@rutlanduk.co.uk, or ask us a question on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/rutland
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