The Building Engineering Services Association has released a revised version of its industry guidance DW145-‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers.’
The BESA fire damper update comes as the latest part of their campaign to improve building safety standards after the Grenfell disaster.
This also follows last year’s statement on issues with fire safety dampers, prompting government action on faulty dampers.
“Increasingly intensive scrutiny” in fire safety plans
The document covers the requirements for installing, testing, and maintaining fire dampers, including the client’s legal obligations to ensure the fire safety system complies with regulatory reforms, specifically the (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
The revised document also explains the penetration seal’s importance and its role in the overall fire-stopping integrity, as well as issues such as the importance of accessibility for maintenance and testing and seeking advice on installation from manufacturers.
BESA deemed the revision a priority after the Grenfell public inquiry due to the important role that dampers can play in fire prevention strategies.
Kevin Morrissey, chair of BESA’s technical committee, said: “Since the Grenfell Tower disaster the building services industry has, quite rightly, faced increasingly intensive scrutiny.
“As a result, the Association has been urgently reviewing its technical guidance and supporting this work with the provision of targeted training to ensure everyone involved in the design, installation and maintenance of fire dampers and smoke dampers is aware of what is needed to keep people and property safe.
“Unsurprisingly, UK fire authorities are taking an in-depth interest in this aspect of building safety and clients are now more aware of their legal and moral obligations. This, in turn, places greater pressure on damper and ductwork contractors to provide evidence of their competence and ability to comply with legislation.”
The BESA fire damper update clarifies and emphasises operational issues
The updates ensure ease of access and allow for contacting the manufacturer in case of confusion. They also provide guidance on things such as hanging and supporting dampers.
The intent of these revisions is to provide a quality benchmark for the industry by providing examples and ensuring that fire dampers are installed and maintained to be fully operational and carry out their purpose in the event of a fire.
Further emphasised is the recording of data during installation, including a schedule with specific damper asset reference, wall type, classification, boundary construction, and installation method, with photographs of the installation for peace of mind and risk reduction.
Morrissey added: “The committee behind the revision, who gave up so much of their valuable time and expertise, have done the industry a great service,” said Morrissey. “This new document delivers a new industry benchmark for the installation, testing, and maintenance of fire and smoke dampers and it can now take its place as a key part of the increasingly rigorous and more professional fire safety regime designed to protect building occupants and minimise future risk to life and property.”
BESA course offers education on dampers
Two years ago, BESA flagged a safety issue with fire dampers, saying that many buildings installed fire dampers that did not comply with their manufacturer’s instructions.
This can be very dangerous, as the issue was with the use of screws that would not melt during a fire, preventing many dampers from operating at all and allowing heat and smoke to spread further.
As part of their campaign, BESA also offers a free online short course to educate people on dampers.
The short course covers all the core elements of the revised DW145 document, including guidance and installation techniques, legal obligations, documentation best practices, and provides clarity on compliance standards for safety systems.
