Fire Door and Fire Dampers Testing
The Site: Group of buildings built in the 70s comprising a wide range of public spaces and domestic residences. The large properties comprise multiple ventilation systems, fire protection systems and complex infrastructure.
Customer Industry: Commercial Buildings
Maintenance had identified that a number of the sites fire dampers did not have testing records to show they had been operated to show they would operate in the case of a fire.
Fire dampers form part of a buildings passive fire protection strategy (including other elements such as fire stopping and fire doors) a critical “life safety” protection system that must operate correctly to reduce the spread of fire. Fire dampers are located win any ductwork penetration through a fire patrician and are designed to close should a fire occur stopping the spread throughout a building.
In line with the Fire Safety Reform Act 2005 all building owners / managers have a responsibility to reduce the fire hazards within their properties.
In order to demonstrate best practice BS9999 and BESA TB001 give clear guidance that should be complied with including:
1. Record locations of dampers
2. Annual check of spring loaded dampers
3. Check operation of damper
4. Clean as required
5. Document process with photographic evidence
Compliance with these standards ensures that any failures are quickly identified and can be rectified.
AAF team carried out a full condition survey of the building. Working from the original site plans we digitized the plans and identified all dampers located within the property and created asset IDs for each damper for future tracking and auditing.
On the first round all accessible dampers were cycled and documented with photographic evidence tied back to the site plans.
A compliance report was produced identifying failures with associated remedial works required to rectify faults. As the dampers had no been inspected for some time a range of failures were identified including access and operational issues.
A further return visit was completed to replace any failed dampers and make access for hard to reach dampers to allow for annual inspections.
Due to the clear easy to understand reporting and asset management process the client has actioned further works to include fire door inspections and further buildings within the estate to the management system in order to systemise compliance data across the estate and protect occupiers of the buildings should a fire take hold.
The Site: Group of buildings built in the 70s comprising a wide range of public spaces and domestic residences. The large properties comprise multiple ventilation systems, fire protection systems and complex infrastructure.
Customer Industry: Commercial Buildings
Maintenance had identified that a number of the sites fire dampers did not have testing records to show they had been operated to show they would operate in the case of a fire.
Fire dampers form part of a buildings passive fire protection strategy (including other elements such as fire stopping and fire doors) a critical “life safety” protection system that must operate correctly to reduce the spread of fire. Fire dampers are located win any ductwork penetration through a fire patrician and are designed to close should a fire occur stopping the spread throughout a building.
In line with the Fire Safety Reform Act 2005 all building owners / managers have a responsibility to reduce the fire hazards within their properties.
In order to demonstrate best practice BS9999 and BESA TB001 give clear guidance that should be complied with including:
1. Record locations of dampers
2. Annual check of spring loaded dampers
3. Check operation of damper
4. Clean as required
5. Document process with photographic evidence
Compliance with these standards ensures that any failures are quickly identified and can be rectified.
AAF team carried out a full condition survey of the building. Working from the original site plans we digitized the plans and identified all dampers located within the property and created asset IDs for each damper for future tracking and auditing.
On the first round all accessible dampers were cycled and documented with photographic evidence tied back to the site plans.
A compliance report was produced identifying failures with associated remedial works required to rectify faults. As the dampers had no been inspected for some time a range of failures were identified including access and operational issues.
A further return visit was completed to replace any failed dampers and make access for hard to reach dampers to allow for annual inspections.
Due to the clear easy to understand reporting and asset management process the client has actioned further works to include fire door inspections and further buildings within the estate to the management system in order to systemise compliance data across the estate and protect occupiers of the buildings should a fire take hold.