SECTOR INSIGHT
DHF throws its support behind new fire safety regulations
» THE INTRODUCTION OF THE Building Safety Act 2022 , and specifically Section 156 , has brought in Phase 3 of the Home Office plan to improve fire safety in higher risk buildings .
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 ( BSA ) makes a number of amendments to the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 ( FSO ) to improve fire safety in all buildings regulated by it . These improvements form Phase 3 of the Home Office ’ s fire safety reform programme , building on Phase 1 ( the Fire Safety Act 2021 ) and Phase 2 ( the Fire Safety ( England ) Regulations 2022 ). The new fire safety legislation comes into effect on 1st October 2023 .
In particular , Phase 3 further strengthens fire safety in all FSO regulated premises by improving cooperation and coordination between Responsible Persons ( RPs ), increasing requirements in relation to the recording and sharing of fire safety information , thereby creating a continual record throughout a building ’ s lifespan , ensuring residents have access to comprehensive information about fire safety in their building and making it easier for enforcement authorities to act against non-compliance .
DHF ’ s General Manager & Secretary , Michael Skelding : “ The updates can be viewed as a further move toward putting into practice the principles from the ‘ Golden Thread ’ proposed in the Dame Judith Hackitt report , and we welcome this . It is hoped that by implementing the amendments at the beginning of October 2023 , the following will be achieved . Firstly , an improved cooperation and collaboration between Responsible Persons ( RPs ) and building owners , greater simplicity in the enforcement of fire safety regulations by authorities , allinclusive access to fire safety information so residents can feel safe , and finally ,
a more rigorous management of fire safety information and record-keeping throughout a building ’ s lifespan .”
DHF has continually championed fire safety , including third-party certified complete doorsets , and has been especially vocal about this since the Grenfell fire disaster in June 2017 . In particular , it has advocated that checks on fire doorsets must be carried out by competent persons .
www . dhfonline . org . uk
IRONMONGERYDIRECT CELEBRATES NEWLY GAI QUALIFIED STAFF
» SIX EMPLOYEES FROM IronmongeryDirect have successfully gained qualifications in architectural hardware from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers ( GAI ).
The specialist retailer is committed to providing a comprehensive learning and development programme for all employees , with its category and customer service teams encouraged to pursue further study to ensure they can answer technical queries with confidence and give customers knowledgeable advice . The GAI education programme , which has been developed over the course of 50 years , is globally recognised for being the only one of its kind to offer qualifications in architectural ironmongery to British and European standards .
IronmongeryDirect congratulates Phoebe Judd , Roland Etheridge , Leia Syme-Chapman , Ella Duggin , Maison Riggs and Iain Campbell on the successful completion of their Stage 1 Certificate in Architectural Hardware ( CiAH ). The year-long course is designed to give students the confidence to make informed decisions when working with a range of products from hinges to seals to door closing devices – all of which are sold by IronmongeryDirect as part of their 18,000-strong product range . Additionally , it covers topics such as specification best practices and industry standards .
Roland Etheridge , Category Manager at IronmongeryDirect , said : “ Gaining my certificate in architectural hardware from the GAI has aided my understanding of how the products we stock are used by our customers as well as the different requirements for various projects . I now have a greater understanding of the many standards governing product specification , which enables me to help fulfil our trusted to deliver promise to customers by ensuring we have a broad range of quality products to meet their needs .”
“ We are so pleased for Phoebe , Roland , Leia , Ella , Maison and Iain on the successful completion of their qualification ,” said Kelsey West , HR Manager at IronmongeryDirect . “ The CiAH requires a lot of hard work and independent study , so they should be very proud of themselves and their achievement . At IronmongeryDirect , we are dedicated to the professional development of our staff , creating new career opportunities and delivering the best service and advice to our customers .”
www . IronmongeryDirect . co . uk
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DECEMBER 2023
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