ASSA ABLOY Opening
Solutions UK & Ireland is advising fire safety professionals on the
importance of properly certified hardware and training, following warnings from
experts in fire safety law that they may now be deemed responsible for any
breaches.
Liability for fire
safety breaches is being increasingly pushed down from building owners and
occupiers to those that have been consulted, assessed and advised on the
appropriate fire safety solutions for a site. Should these products fail to
perform as expected, then those professionals will be held accountable, and
could potentially even be prosecuted.
ASSA ABLOY Opening
Solutions UK & Ireland believes that this issue will be a real game changer
for the industry, with architectural ironmongers, merchants, and safety and
security consultants all set to be deemed responsible.
Only recently, a
representative from leading law firm Russell Cooke LLP cited a growing trend
for building owners to hold suppliers responsible for a lack of suitable fire
risk assessments and the use of inappropriate materials and products. In 2014 –
for the first time ever – a risk assessor went to prison for nine months for a
breach of health and safety rules. It is clear that accountability surrounding
fire safety will fall to the supply chain more and more in the future.
David Hindle, Head
of Door Control Sales at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland,
explains: “We believe this issue will increasingly affect the entire industry.
From architectural ironmongers that might be selling product with little or
questionable certification, to merchants providing hardware that might not be
fit for purpose, and consultants that are potentially not carrying out the
right risk assessments for clients, the liability for fire safety in buildings
will fall to professionals in the industry. After all, they should be the
experts on this matter.
“It is therefore
vital that all of these groups have the right accreditation in place to meet
these demands. Relevant schemes include Warrington Certification’s FIRAS
Installer Certification, BM TRADA’s Q-Mark Fire Door Installation and the Guild
of Architectural Ironmongery’s diploma. It is also vital that architectural
ironmongers, merchants and consultants have a comprehensive understanding of
the legislation covering fire safety matters in and around buildings, such as
Approved Document B, BS EN 1634 and BS 476. Only by combining this specialist
industry knowledge with recognised accreditation can professionals advise on
and specify the best fire safety products.
“At ASSA ABLOY, all
our products are tested and certified to the appropriate fire safety standards,
and we are taking increasing steps to ensure that those throughout the supply
chain can feel confident that they have put forward a compliant solution.
“We predict that we
will be seeing many more instances where professionals will be held accountable
for any breaches around fire safety. As a result, it is critical that those
throughout the supply chain ensure products are certified, and they have the correct
training and qualifications to be able to advise customers on the most
appropriate fire safety solutions.”
