SECTOR INSIGHT
Celebrating a hugely productive 2023 , DHF faces 2024 with great optimism
In spite of a turbulent year overall , with the energy and cost-of-living crisis , tax hikes and a downturn in the housing market , Tamworthbased trade association , the Door & Hardware Federation ( DHF ), has declared 2023 one of its most productive years . Representing all the key players in the locks and building hardware , doorsets , industrial doors and shutters , domestic garage doors and automated gates sectors , the federation remains the ‘ go to ’ source of information , support and technical guidance to both its members and the industry .
» THE ORGANISATION HAS , THIS year , welcomed 42 new members , taking its membership number to 537 and it has continued to publish documents that offer guidance on industry standards , CE marking , and safety . In January , for example , it launched a best practice guide to CEN / TS 17814:2022 , ‘ Master Key System Data Protection ’; this was followed by a technical briefing from the GAI and DHF , ‘ Access Control on Escape Doors ’ in February . In July , DHF took a further step toward the Golden Thread , with the ‘ Product Data Templates ’ for doorsets , and in November , it published a new Best Practice Guide , ‘ Industrial Door Maintenance ’ and templates for members only .
“ At the very heart of DHF ’ s operations , of course , is its training programme and we pride ourselves on keeping the industry informed by delivering training that enables safe and compliant products to be put on the market , as well as provide the tools for the industry to prove its competence ,” says DHF ’ s Commercial Director , Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens . In 2023 , the organisation trained 1366 people and celebrated 10 years of DHF training by launching three new courses ; the Fire Roller Shutter course in collaboration with BRE , a Level 2 Award in Dock Leveller Safety with The Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers ( ALEM ), and a Security & Emergency Exit Doorsets ( non-fire ) course . Over the course of this decade , it has trained a staggering 5235 unique learners , with many of these learners taking more than one course .
“ The emphasis is all about proving competence in the workforce and DHF is no stranger to assisting the industry in doing this ”, adds Patricia . “ It offers a suite of courses to suit the various industries it serves , with some courses being formally accredited and that sit on the Ofqual Register . To further prove competence , there were a few other initiatives launched to complement the already established refresher courses , three newly introduced CPD certified webinars and one CPD certified course all registered with the CPD Certification Service .”
DHF ’ s profile continued to rise throughout the year ; it was an important voice at The Security Event , Fencex and the MLA Expo . It also had representation at members ’ Open Days , sponsored the Association of Fencing Industries ( AFI ) Awards 2023 in the Gate & Barriers Category , and has continued to support Fire Door Safety Week , and its own campaign , Gate Safety Month , an initiative that it launched in 2014 .
“ 2024 will see Gate Safety Month celebrating its 10th anniversary ,” adds Patricia .
2023 also saw DHF launching a quarterly electronic newsletter specifically for its members in Ireland , providing all relevant updates regarding legislation , standards , training , webinars and meetings .
“ There is little doubt that DHF ’ s accomplishments in 2023 have been reinforced as a result of its hands-on team , and the expertise and efforts of its workforce ,” concludes Patricia . “ The organisation now employs 14 team members and continues to be a powerful voice in the press . An enduring commitment to training , and supporting our members through challenging legislation has helped to underpin our reputation as a centre of excellence . We will continue to ‘ rise to the challenges ’ that face the industry and will support our members and the sector . We look forward to 2024 with great enthusiasm .”
www . dhfonline . org . uk
FEBRUARY 2024
45
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