02/08/2010
Revised guidance has been published by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP)
Grey Book, Volume 1: EN fire dampers
If you are involved in provision of a fire protection package, at any level, then you share liability for its usefulness and its operation when it’s needed in fire, and that liability will still be there in the event of a court case.
If it is your responsibility to specify the materials and/or appoint the installation contractor, it is also your responsibility to ensure that they can prove competency for the fire protection materials used, or the works to be carried out. It’s no longer simply a duty of care or voluntary – it’s a legal obligation.
If you knowingly ignore advice that leads to a failure in the fire performance of any element of installed fire protection within a building, then you are likely to be found to be just as culpable as the deficient installer.
You share liability for the provision of information required under Building Regulation 16B that tells the user of the building about the fire prevention measures provided in the building. Otherwise, the user cannot make an effective risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Advisory Note 1. Version 28-06-2010 "Safe use of Horizontal Fire Stopping"
Both these publications and more are available from ASFP at www.asfp.org.uk
• Construction Health and Safety Manual, produced by the Construction Industry Publications, has had many chapters updated. Some of the chapters which have been update include:
– Index
– Environment
– Lead
– Asbestos
– Falsework
– Piling
– Working at height
etc.
This and other publications are available from CIP at www.cip-books.com
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