FIRE SAFETY
Protection on a budget
While school buildings are closed , decision makers are gifted a period of low foot traffic and a sufficient amount of time to undertake compulsory maintenance periods without interruption . Whereas maintenance is key , research from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers ( GAI ) has previously revealed education buildings to have the highest average maintenance spend attributed to door hardware . Furthermore , after reviewing school spending as a whole , the Institute for Fiscal Studies ( IFS ) estimated that school costs would increase by 6 % across 2022 / 23 .
To support schools , the government continues to invest in projects for new and refurbished buildings through its School Rebuilding Programme . Retrofit projects for example , when approached professionally , can make a considerable difference to a building ’ s operation - improving its efficiency and fire protection and all without needing to replace the existing fire safety infrastructure . Although , when completing retrofit projects , decision makers must consider high quality , like for like alternatives as using sub-standard components may have the adverse effect - further raising replacement costs later down the line and potentially breaching fire safety regulations in the process .
With many academic groups already fearing budget cuts may affect their ability to run facilities as planned , responsible persons are also urged to review their maintenance programmes . Primarily , decision makers can look to decrease their total maintenance spend by choosing more durable products at the product selection stage . The use of higher quality , correctly specified and installed door hardware products will help to lower the rate of sustained wear and damage and thus reduce the costs associated with repair and replacements . The Code for Construction Product Information ( CCPI ) is an accredited programme designed to present clear , accurate and up-to-date product
information , and can assist decision makers in education by helping them to select trusted hardware that conforms to UKCA and CE certifications .
Above all , responsible persons must ensure fire doors and their hardware are routinely checked throughout the entirety of the school year , adjusting components where necessary to preserve the operation of fire doors . But while schools are closed , there ’ s truly no better time to get a head start on preparations and updated regulations - responsible persons must only seek professional advice where unsure .
How Allegion UK can Help
Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help responsible persons undertake product selection , installation and maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware . For information on product selection and installation , please speak to our experts or head to our download centre for technical fitting instructions . For post-installation support , Allegion ’ s simple toolkit provides information and tips on detecting potential faulty doors and poor installation , a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist . There ’ s also an option to order a free door gap tester or download Allegion ’ s general guide to service and maintenance for free .
www . allegion . com
https :// www . gov . uk / guidance / the-building-safety-act | https :// www . gov . uk / government / news / new-fire-safety-guidance-comes-into-force-on-1-october-2023 https :// www . gai . org . uk / GAI / GAI / Knowledge / end-user-guides / Door-Hardware-Costs-Report . aspx | https :// ifs . org . uk / publications / school-spending-and-costs-coming-crunch https :// educationhub . blog . gov . uk / 2022 / 07 / 13 / what-is-the-school-rebuilding-programme-and-how-is-it-benefitting-pupils / | https :// www . cpicode . org . uk
SEPTEMBER 2023
29
Magazine Sponsor Issue Takeover locksmithjournal . co . uk