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BESA prompts Government intervention in smoke control damper controversy

THE OFFICE for Product Safety and Standards has stated that it will act to address the continued controversy surrounding the installation of smoke control dampers in buildings.

The intervention follows a series of meetings with the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), an organisation which had issued several urgent warnings about this potential ‘Achilles heel’ in fire safety strategies for buildings.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards said it was responding to potential problems that had been brought to its attention by BESA and was now carrying out a documentation review. A statement reads: “Some manufacturers, importers or distributors of smoke control dampers are being contacted to provide documentation, which includes – but is not limited to – declarations of performance. We aim to provide targeted, risk-based and proportionate enforcement of construction products regulations and will act fairly and firmly where product risks exist.”

BESA produced a detailed Technical Bulletin (VH001) to address concerns about the way in which many smoke control dampers and fire dampers were being installed ahead of a full update of its industry guidance focused on the ‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers’ (DW145), which is due to be issued later on this year.

A BUILDING owner and a property managing agent appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Monday 27 February having entered guilty pleas at a previous hearing in relation to fire safety breaches at a high-rise residential building in the city centre. Both the building owner and the managing agent pleaded guilty to offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has a robust inspection programme in place and, as part of that process, several inspections and audits were carried out at the seven-storey. multi-occupancy block of flats.

Continuous engagement led to the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service issuing several notices regarding fire safety issues. The issues outlined were not resolved. As such, the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service took the decision to prosecute under Article 32 of the Fire Safety Order.

Building owner and managing agent sentenced for fire safety breaches