The Door Industry Journal: Health and Safety

Showing posts with label Health and Safety. Show all posts

Friday, 11 September 2026

Climate Change is with Us - Envirograf

This year has shown that climate change is no longer a future concern, with England experiencing an almost unprecedented heatwave in 2026, that is likely to surpass the record high temperatures set just a year earlier in 2025.

As periods of extreme heat become more frequent, architects, specifiers and building owners are increasingly looking for products that can protect buildings from high temperatures, whilst maintaining fire safety, durability and comfort.

Good Ventilation Can Come at a Price

With temperatures this summer often reaching in excess of 35°C, the UK Government has highlighted the importance of ventilation during periods of extreme heat. However, opening windows and doors can allow all manner of insects into buildings – such as flies, wasps and mosquitoes; plus non-native venomous spiders such as the False Widow.

Indeed, the UK Health Security Agency has warned of the risk that insect and spider bites pose, particularly in relation to occupants of hospitals and care homes, as well as vulnerable groups such as the elderly and infants.

Innovation to Combat Climate Change

Envirograf® has considerable expertise in producing fireproof ventilation grilles, so naturally saw an opportunity to integrate a new insect defence screen into their latest patent pending TaktaVent range of grilles produced with combatting the effects of climate change in mind.

The new TaktaVent grilles are available in a variety of configurations and are designed to fit traditional, modern, transom and casement windows. They make excellent direct replacements for smaller top opening windows, but can be installed into many existing windows by cutting and resizing the glass as necessary. The grilles are suitable for uPVC, metal and timber windows.

They provide adjustable ventilation ranging from fully open to completely closed, plus have an internal intumescent material which will expand when exposed to flame providing up to 65 minutes fire integrity, causing the grille to seal without the need for any human intervention, preventing the spread of fire and dangerous fumes. Insect mesh is also integral to the grille – keeping unwanted, potentially disease spreading, bugs out.

The Energy Efficient Solution

Unlike fans or environmentally unfriendly air-conditioning units, TaktaVents require no electricity, resulting in reduced energy output at a time of ever-increasing energy prices. Externally, the grilles feature ventilation slots to allow air to flow through, with subtly installed insect-mesh and intumescent material inside.

Internally, a small control handle allows air flow to be adjusted as required. The TaktaVent grilles for metal and wooden windows externally feature a large open square pattern, whilst the grilles for plastic windows feature a smaller flower pattern aesthetic.

Four Decades of Expertise and Product Development

Envirograf boasts over 40 years of experience in passive fire technologies, a specialist niche sector within the wider fire safety industry that is often more focused on reactive fire-retardant measures, such as fire extinguishers and fire alarms.

Established in 1983 by Managing Director Derek Ward, Envirograf employs over 120 people in Kent at its Barfrestone HQ, where Derek still plays an active role in the business, continuing to personally develop new products (even having recently turned 94).

Envirograf's technical experts based at the company's Kent headquarters, which is still the primary manufacturing base, are always happy to answer any questions and regularly arrange educational training sessions.

Extensive High-Quality British Manufactured Product Range

Envirograf's British manufactured range is one of the most extensive in the passive fire protection sector, with over 150 variations including fire-resistant grilles, barriers, fire door systems, intumescent coatings, sealants and specialist fire prevention solutions.

Products are regularly fire tested at accredited testing facilities, with innovative new products being systematically developed to meet ever changing regulatory requirements. Operating under an ISO 9001-accredited quality management system, door manufacturers, specifiers and glaziers can be confident in seamless product integration, performance and quality when it counts the most.

Envirograf – The Glaziers One Stop Fire Protection Shop

With over 150 specialist passive fire protection products, combined with their track record of over 40 years of proven British excellence, innovation, expertise and manufacturing, Envirograf is a one stop fire protection shop for the glazing, door and installation sector. Contact Envirograf by email at sales@envirograf.com or call 01304 842 555 to talk to one of their fire safety experts today.

www.envirograf.com

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Thursday, 10 September 2026

Section 35: An Opportunity for Excellence

As the call for demonstrable competency continues, Nicola John, Managing Director of Fire Door Maintenance (FDM) Training and Development, discusses what this means for the fire door industry, how we must stop working in silos and how, with Section 35 of the Building Safety Act, the government is offering us all an opportunity to rise to excellence.

The Building Safety Act (BSA) has raised the bar on competency and operational and professional standards; yet much confusion around what this looks like in practice continues throughout the industry.

Safer Environments Through Shared Commitment

Eight years after Dame Judith Hackitt’s pioneering report and amid the ongoing implementation of the BSA, the construction sector stands at a key moment of opportunity, as many professionals have yet to fully understand how the BSA shapes their responsibilities. 85% of respondents in a recent Constructionline survey revealed that many industry professionals misunderstand the legislation. This current ambiguity offers an opportunity to promote better understanding and encourage shared accountability across the industry.

The fact is, everyone involved in a building project has an essential role to play in upholding compliance and safety. Regulators also now have new means to sustain these standards, signalling a shift from simply meeting minimum requirements to embracing a culture of proactive safety leadership. By embedding safety as a core value, businesses can transform operations in ways that help protect people and improve reputations.

Together, the construction sector can turn this moment into lasting progress, building safer environments through shared values and innovation.

Building Industry Values

Much of the lack of clarity and current confusion around the BSA comes from the fact that it doesn’t provide prescriptive, step-by-step instructions and instead offers a goal-setting framework. And while this approach may allow for uncertainty, we need to view it as an invitation.

Rather than waiting for a regulator to hand us a checklist, we have the opportunity to help write the rules. Rather than rigid guidelines stifling innovation, we can help create the standards as experts and professionals in the industry. Section 35 asks us to think about buildings as complex, interconnected systems rather than a series of isolated trades and insists that our buildings are safe and that we can prove it.

Dame Judith Hackitt referenced other high-risk sectors as the model to follow. In oil and gas, it was industry that led the charge, not government. ‘They sorted themselves out and then went back to government,’ she said. ‘That's how systemic change happens.’ The construction and fire safety sectors should learn from the post-Piper Alpha reforms and adapt those principles to the sector’s fragmentation and existing building regulation regimes.

This is our chance to build a commercial environment where quality wins contracts, making competency a distinct competitive advantage.

Untangling the Thread

For fire doors, this requires provable competence and confidence around specification, installation, and maintenance. Not only installers, everyone involved in the lifecycle of a fire door holds a piece of the puzzle, and competency must start at the very beginning.

The BSA requires a ‘golden thread’ of digital information, which creates an accurate, up-to-date, and secure record of a building’s safety data across its entire lifecycle. With fire doors, the building owner needs to know exactly what the door is, who installed it, what components it uses, and how to maintain it. Unfortunately, the golden thread is currently tangled, as the market remains fragmented and disconnected. This working in silos was part of Dame Judith Hackitt's criticism of the pre-Grenfell construction landscape, and it must change to allow the golden thread of information to become the brilliant safety concept it was intended to be.

Creating a Legacy of Safety

To achieve industry excellence, we must stop operating in silos. Manufacturers, specifiers, and installers should work together in a way that proves competence, helping ensure that everyone who walks onto a site knows exactly who’s accountable and can trust they have the necessary skills to do the job right. If we take the lead with this now, we’ll help to shape the future of our sector and start building a legacy of genuine safety.

Individuals and organisations now have a duty to demonstrate competence across the construction supply chain. This means having the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed for the role, and organisations must ensure their teams have the right support, capacity, skills and resources to meet the requirements of the BSA.

For the fire door industry, demonstrable competence is required from everyone involved in the lifecycle of the door, from specifiers and buyers to installers and responsible persons. The British Standards Institution (BSI) has a defined framework to outline what competency looks like through its four core pillars of skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEBs), demonstrating how each can be evidenced in practice. However, published in February this year, the Government’s Construction Products Reform Whitepaper stated there’s still a widespread lack of competence across the supply chain from product design through to installation, highlighting a continued lack of clarity around what competency actually means.

Demonstrable Competence is Key

For fire door installers, maintainers and responsible persons, competency must come from practical, hands-on learning and assessments, along with vital up-to-date theory. While installation qualifications can be gained from online or exclusively classroom-based courses with no product-handling element at all, let alone the real-world experience of installing or inspecting a fire door in actual site conditions, we need to ask: does this really deliver the competence the BSA demands?

Being competent to fit a life-saving piece of engineering simply can’t be achieved by clicking through a multiple-choice test on a tablet. A computer can’t teach a fitter or maintenance worker how to deal with a warped frame, an uneven floor, or a non-standard wall structure. Real competency requires practical proof, and those who deal with fire doors need to get their hands on the materials. They need to feel the tolerances, understand the hardware, and physically work with the systems they are signing off on. Unfortunately, theoretical knowledge doesn’t stop fires.

A Driver for Change

The continued call for demonstrable competency offers a powerful leadership opportunity for large contractors, who have the ability to steer substantial change and establish new standards for the entire supply chain. By advocating accredited practical training and regulated qualifications, industry leaders can establish a culture of safety in which every site requires provable expertise. As this new benchmark ripples throughout the sector, professionalism, quality and trust will be strengthened across the industry.

With Section 35 of the BSA, the government is giving us the space to help define what excellence looks like, and the industry needs to take on this task as true experts and thought leaders. We have an important chance as a collective to set standards high for the built environment of the future and an opportunity to rise to excellence.

www.allegion.com

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Tuesday, 1 September 2026

EM-B EXPANDS INTO CERTIFIED FIRE DOOR SETS

Architectural ironmonger and door specialist Em-B Solutions has expanded its product offering with the introduction of a new range of independently certified fire door sets.

Em-B has secured BM TRADA Q-Mark certification for its fire door set offering and will initially provide FD30 and FD60 timber fire door sets designed to meet the requirements of commercial, education, healthcare, residential and social housing projects.

The move enables Em-B to provide a more complete door solution, bringing together certified fire door sets, architectural ironmongery, access control and door automation under a single specification and supply partner.

Unlike many traditional door set suppliers, Em-B is positioning the new offering around the complete door set rather than the door leaf alone. The company believes that increasing regulatory scrutiny and a growing focus on building safety are driving demand for more coordinated approaches to door specification and compliance.

As part of the new service, architects and contractors can specify a wider range of hardware, finishes, access control systems and automation solutions than is often available through standard door set packages, helping maintain design intent while ensuring compatibility across the complete assembly.

The launch also reflects wider changes taking place within the fire door sector as the industry prepares for the transition from BS 476 fire testing towards the European BS EN 1634 and BS EN 13501 framework ahead of the 2029 deadline set out in Approved Document B.

Philip Goldberg, Managing Director of Em-B Solutions, said: "Fire doors are becoming increasingly complex from both a compliance and specification perspective. A certified door leaf is only one part of the picture. The frame, hardware, seals, access control and automation systems all need to work together as a tested and compatible assembly.

"Our decision to expand into certified fire door sets reflects the way projects are delivered in practice. Architects and contractors are looking for greater accountability, better coordination and more flexibility than many traditional supply models can offer. By combining certified door sets with our expertise in ironmongery, access control and door automation, we can provide a more complete solution while helping clients navigate an evolving regulatory landscape."

Em-B is also developing a Door Compliance and Assurance Framework designed to support customers with the specification of complete door sets, including hardware, access control and automation systems. The initiative is intended to provide greater assurance that all elements of the assembly have been considered as part of a coordinated specification.

The new fire door set range is available immediately and forms part of Em-B's wider strategy to provide integrated door solutions that combine performance, compliance and design flexibility.

Founded in 1966, Em-B Solutions is an award-winning architectural ironmonger and door specialist based in Leeds. The company works with architects, contractors and building owners across the UK, providing architectural ironmongery, access control, door automation and specialist door solutions for projects in the commercial, healthcare, education, hospitality, heritage and residential sectors.

www.em-b.co.uk

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Monday, 31 August 2026

Delivering high-quality and durable ironmongery for a pioneering education project

The doors to Wednesfield Technology Primary School in Wolverhampton were opened to its first cohort of pupils in September 2024. HOPPE (UK) products were selected for the architectural ironmongery package...

They were specified and supplied by Mark Parry at Locks and Fittings, a family-run business based near the site and a long-term partner of HOPPE (UK). As a GAI-registered architectural ironmonger, Mark led the specification to ensure full compliance with British Standards and the particular needs of a primary school setting.

Commissioned by Shireland Multi Academy Trust and delivered by main contractor Tilbury Douglas, the 446-place school is designed to support a technology-led curriculum in a purpose-built environment.
It is situated on the site of the former Edward the Elder School, which was demolished in 2022 after 112 years, replacing a derelict building with a forward-thinking, low-carbon facility designed to Passivhaus standards.

To maximise fire safety and energy performance – aligning with the Trust’s ambition to reduce its carbon footprint across the region – the school was constructed using a Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS) method.

Architectural ironmongery tailored to modern teaching environments

All ironmongery was packed door-by-door to streamline on-site installation and was supported by early sample provision to the door manufacturer, allowing precise machining of factory-prepared doorsets.

A range of HOPPE (UK) products were supplied across the school, each selected for durability, user safety and low-maintenance operation:

Cam action door closers were used throughout classrooms and internal fire doors, offering ease of use for younger pupils while maintaining compliant closing forces.
Grade 4 stainless steel lever handles provided high durability for a high-traffic environment, designed to withstand regular use and occasional misuse.
Pull handles were chosen in extended lengths, ensuring accessibility for both children and adults.
Heavy-duty projection and floor-mounted doorstops, including magnetic collapsible versions, were used to reduce damage from impact and tampering.

Specification to suit a school environment

The ironmongery specification was shaped by the practical demands of a primary school, where hardware must withstand frequent use, support safeguarding and remain straightforward for staff to manage.

Non-coin turn and release sets were fitted to toilet doors in line with the Department for Education requirement for schools to use a bathroom lock “that can be locked from the inside by turn or lever and can be released from outside by a non-coin slot key”.

This allows authorised staff to gain emergency access using the appropriate release key while reducing the risk of misuse, tampering or improvised opening by pupils. This makes them particularly well suited to school environments, where privacy, supervision and safe intervention all need to be balanced.

Euro-profile escutcheons complemented the ironmongery with a clean, tamper-resistant finish.

Locks, sash locks and bathroom locks were supplied to the door manufacturer as mortice samples for precision cutting ahead of installation.

Intumescent packs were included to meet fire resistance requirements across all relevant doorsets.

Supporting sustainable education

While the ironmongery specification was not directly influenced by the building’s Passivhaus status, the selected HOPPE products aligned with the overall ethos of quality, longevity and reduced environmental impact through low maintenance and high durability.

Seamless delivery and local legacy

The ironmongery package was delivered over a six-month period from January 2024.

Despite typical late-stage variations such as additional doors and keying requirements, all components were supplied and scheduled efficiently, helping to ensure a smooth handover.

The project also carries personal significance for the delivery team. Both Mark Parry and colleagues from HOPPE (UK) had family connections to the former school on the site, adding a sense of pride to the successful delivery of a landmark facility for the Wednesfield community.

HOPPE (UK)’s involvement in the Wednesfield Technology Primary School showcases the brand’s ability to meet complex performance, safety and compliance requirements in demanding educational environments.

Through its trusted partnership with Locks and Fittings, HOPPE has once again delivered reliability to help support the next generation in a safe, secure and future-ready school.

www.hoppe.com

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Tuesday, 14 July 2026

How the New Police-Backed Accreditation is Reinventing Mobile Safety

The modern smartphone is no longer just a communication tool; it is the remote control for contemporary life. From unlocking front doors and adjusting smart heating to managing finances and navigating dating landscapes, mobile apps hold the keys to our most sensitive data and physical spaces.

Yet, as our reliance on these digital gateways grows, so too does a silent, pervasive vulnerability. Behind the sleek interfaces of millions of apps lies a fragmented security landscape that leaves users exposed to data breaches, financial fraud, and physical stalking...

In response to this escalating digital threat, Secured by Design (SBD) - the official UK police security initiative - has expanded its pioneering 'Secure Connected Device' (SCD) framework to include standalone mobile app certification. Developed in collaboration with the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and the National Centre for Violence Against Women & Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), this landmark, police-endorsed standard aims to revolutionise cyber hygiene. By introducing third-party certification, the scheme provides a trusted benchmark, assuring users that accredited apps have implemented rigorous security controls to safeguard personal data.

The Invisible Threat in Our Pockets

The evolution of automated systems and the Internet of Things (IoT) has seamlessly integrated mobile apps into domestic infrastructure. White goods, lighting systems, voice assistants, and security locks are now routinely managed via mobile screens. However, this convenience has created a prime target for cybercriminals. Malicious software, including viruses, trojans, and spyware, is increasingly deployed to exploit weak app architecture, granting unauthorised access to private lives.

The scale of the vulnerability is staggering. Industry benchmarks reveal that a vast majority of mobile apps fail to meet baseline security standards. A 2023 analysis by security firm NowSecure evaluated nearly 6,500 leading mobile apps and discovered that an alarming 95% failed at least one of the seven security categories established by the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS).

In the UK alone, the digital marketplace is vast; by early 2025, the Google Play store featured more than 25,000 apps built by British developers. When the overwhelming majority of available apps fall short of internationally recognised safety standards, the collective digital attack surface becomes a national security concern. Police crime statistics increasingly reflect this reality. While data rarely isolates insecure apps as a sole variable, it consistently underscores digital platforms as the primary conduit for fraud and cybercrime. Traditional criminal activities are becoming increasingly cyber-enabled, magnified in scale and efficiency by exploiting flawed software.

The Disproportionate Toll on Women and Girls

While weak cyber hygiene poses financial and data risks to all users, the real-world consequences of insecure apps often fall heaviest on women and girls. Insecure apps are frequently weaponised to facilitate offline harm, including harassment, blackmail, and stalking.

A History of Smart Home Abuse

Smart-home abuse is no longer a hypothetical threat; it is happening right now. In 2018, the UK saw one of its first convictions for IoT-related abuse. A man stalked and harassed his former partner by compromising a wall-mounted smart home tablet. Through its connected mobile app, he manipulated the home's heating and lighting systems and routinely eavesdropped on private household conversations.

This crossover from digital vulnerability to physical terror highlights why the SCD scheme applies a universal standard, regardless of what the app does. Whether an app is a complex smart-lock controller or a basic utility tool, the underlying security risks remain identical.

Even apps explicitly designed to protect vulnerable demographics are vulnerable if their l code is weak. An international example is the U.S.-based ‘Tea Dating Advice’ app. Designed as a female-only safety forum with 1.6 million users, the platform allowed women to run background checks on prospective partners and anonymously report abusive behaviour. Despite its protective mission, a catastrophic data breach exposed 72,000 user images - some alongside official identification documents. The resulting fallout triggered widespread doxxing and targeted online harassment, proving that good intentions cannot substitute for robust encryption and rigorous testing.

By extending SCD accreditation across all app categories, SBD aims to combat violence against women and girls (VAWG) at the source, securing the digital tools that intersect with physical environments.

Shared Responsibility

Securing the digital ecosystem cannot rely on a single entity; it requires collective accountability from developers, companies, and regulators. Developers serve as the first line of defence. They bear the responsibility of writing secure code and embedding SCD principles into the earliest stages of software architecture.

However, developers operate within corporate structures. Companies must provide the necessary infrastructure and commercial incentives to ensure that rigorous security protocols are not sacrificed in the rush to market.

Finally, regulators hold the framework together by enforcing essential legal compliance. If any single pillar fails - whether through poor coding, corporate cutting of corners, or weak regulatory oversight - safety is compromised.

Building a Self-Sustaining Ecosystem

The ultimate objective of the SCD accreditation scheme is to shift the market dynamic, creating an ecosystem where digital safety is an expected norm rather than a premium feature. Organisations can accelerate this shift by integrating SCD accreditation directly into their procurement and governance lifecycles. By mandating that only accredited apps are permitted within corporate and institutional frameworks, the business community can establish a non-negotiable standard for digital safety.

When combined with visible customer-facing branding - such as the SCD logo displayed prominently on app store downloads - the scheme leverages consumer demand. Much like the physical Secured by Design branding on windows and doors has influenced security in properties for decades, the digital SCD stamp will empower consumers to vote for privacy with their downloads, forcing unaccredited, insecure competitors to adapt or be held to account.

The Future of Digital Safety

As the lines between physical devices and digital software blur, schemes like SBD's SCD accreditation will serve as a critical bridge. The framework harmonises technical requirements from both national and international standards bodies, translating complex cyber concepts into clear, actionable guidelines. Crucially, the scheme acts as a direct conduit for UK police data, meaning that its security benchmarks are continuously updated to counter real-world crime trends.

As traditional security hardware evolves into IoT-enabled devices, the SCD accreditation provides the definitive stamp of approval, ensuring that an app's digital defences are just as impenetrable as a physical lock. Furthermore, the framework recognises that cyber threats are dynamic. To maintain accreditation, apps must undergo annual testing and face mandatory re-evaluation whenever significant updates are made to their code.

Ultimately, the SCD accreditation will become a fundamental tool for frontline policing. By embedding these standards into police training and victim support protocols, officers will be equipped to confidently guide the public toward certified, secure apps. In doing so, the initiative will systematically shrink the digital attack surface, offering a safer, more resilient connected world for everyone.

www.securedbydesign.com

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Friday, 3 July 2026

Protect Fingers with Finprotect Plus

When fingers are trapped in a door, it can lead to severe pain, long-term injuries, and in some cases, irreversible damage. Finger protection guards help to eradicate this painful problem and are an important safety feature for doors in high-traffic public spaces, commercial buildings and settings that cater for children, such as schools and nurseries.

Finprotect Plus finger guards are precision-engineered to prevent finger trapping incidents on both sides of the door. Designed for universal application on all door types, Finprotect Plus minimises the risk of fingers being crushed on the hinge side of the door where gaps can easily trap fingers.

The Finprotect Plus range is rigorously tested to the highest safety and performance standards, helping fingers to remain safe whilst maintaining compliance with the latest building regulations. Assessed to BS 8613:2017 (Class 2) and durability tested to 1,000,000 cycles, the system offers reliable anti-entrapment performance in the most demanding, high-use environments and is successfully tested to Grade 4 (240 hours neutral salt spray exposure) in accordance with BS EN 1670:2007.

The Finprotect Plus is also fire-rated and suitable for use on internal and external fire doors in accordance with BS EN 1634-1:2014. In line with modern fire safety compliance, the independently tested system successfully provides fire protection regardless of the direction of exposure and can be installed on steel-based fire doors for a duration up to 240 minutes and timber-based fire doors for a duration up to 120 minutes.

Beyond its reliable safety features, FinProtect Plus finger guards are easy to install and feature concealed fixings, ensuring minimal interruption to your door’s aesthetic and its surrounding visuals. Available in 1980mm & 2500mm standard lengths, the range accommodates various door sizes and styles too, with white, black, light grey and anthracite dark grey finishes seamlessly integrating into modern designs.

Finprotect Plus proves that small changes can make a big difference – safeguard small fingers and prevent injuries in your building year after year with Finprotect Plus finger guards.

www.zeroplus.co.uk/finprotect

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Saturday, 20 June 2026

ASSA ABLOY expands Test Centre to offer ultimate customer experience

ASSA ABLOY is delighted to announce the expansion of its enhanced UK test centre – UKAS-accredited in recognition of its commitment to the very highest testing standards.

Now spanning 691 square metres, Heywood Williams Components Limited trading as ‘ASSA ABLOY Test Centre’ has increased testing capability within its facilities. This enables it to offer enhanced capacity and a smoother workflow, providing customers with quicker results alongside complete confidence that their products are being rigorously assessed.

ASSA ABLOY promises to provide all test reports and certificates within two weeks of a successful test, highlighting its dedication to delivering market-leading service to customers.

100% independent testing

Fully independent, secure, and confidential, the facility welcomes the products of all external customers and offers a comprehensive range of tests. These include PAS 24 enhanced security testing for doorsets, BS EN 1670 corrosion resistance for doorsets, and BS 6375-1 weathertightness.

The efficient testing processes in place and increased capacity, mean quicker results and reporting. Each test serves to validate the security and durability of the product in question, ensuring they meet the relevant standards while improving their performance and reliability.

In addition, real-time test-viewing is available for customers who wish to observe tests in dedicated viewing areas; there is an on-site training room for collaborations and presentations; and ASSA ABLOY’s technical services are on-hand to advise on any adjustments and improvements that may be needed to advise compliance.

Conveniently situated

Based in Daventry, Northamptonshire, the fact that the ASSA ABLOY Test Centre is in the UK helps to remove reliance on overseas facilities and reduce lead times. It is easily accessible from the motorway and conveniently positioned for both northern and southern routes, as well as offering free on-site parking and EV charging.

Staff Cooke, Technical Director at ASSA ABLOY, comments: “We’re thrilled to be opening our expanded Test Centre, now with UKAS accreditation to give our customers absolute assurance that our testing meets strict, nationally recognised standards. Just as importantly, tests are carried out by specialists who understand the products inside out—because we test windows and doors every day.

“What the ASSA ABLOY Test Centre really offers is this: an independent, first-class testing facility that combines accredited processes with real product know-how. Unlike generalist centres that may switch from one type of test to the next, our team understands what matters when setting up and assessing windows and doors—right down to the details that can affect performance. This gives UK manufacturers everything they need to innovate and produce the best compliant security and safety products they can.”

The expanded ASSA ABLOY Test Centre is one of the first ASSA ABLOY sites to fully reflect ASSA ABLOY’s new 2026 identity, featuring a clean, modern aesthetic and enhanced customer-journeys designed around clarity, innovation, and trust.

To find out more, please visit: assaabloy.com/test-centre

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Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Creating Safer Homes for Everyone in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter

Lady Pirrie House and Dargan House in Belfast have achieved a Secured by Design (SBD) Gold award. Secured by Design awards recognise projects that apply SBD principles to prevent crime through environmental design, alongside the implementation of police-endorsed third-party tested products such as secure windows, doors, locks, CCTV and lighting.

Lady Pirrie House and Dargan House form part of Loftlines, a new urban community in the Titanic Quarter, featuring sustainable homes across a range of tenures; including Build-to-Rent, affordable apartments, and social housing in the city centre. The development was approved as part of Belfast City Council’s broader housing strategy to address housing shortages along with enhancing public spaces and providing commercial and leisure amenities such as gyms, co-working spaces and community areas.

The development block offers a mix of social and affordable housing. While all social housing in Northern Ireland must meet SBD Gold standards, this is not the case for other residential properties. It was important to the Titanic Quarter and the developers, Lacuna Development, to create a residential area that was consistently safe across all the homes whether they were social housing or for sale.

Construction began in May 2022, and the project was signed off in January 2026 with SBD principles adopted throughout. SBD Licensed Consultant Pete Connolly had an instrumental role providing technical guidance, for example finding solutions for the stair and building floor plates that required additional access control, sourcing suitable suppliers and products and facilitating workshops with contractors/ developers GRAHAM to come up with workable solutions to problems. Regular communication and collaboration with GRAHAM resulted in a successful and smooth build.

Loftlines forms part of an ambitious multi-million-pound regeneration in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, an area spanning 185 acres of waterfront on the former Harland and Wolff Shipyard. Once a thriving dockyard and the location where RMS Titanic was designed and built, the Titanic Quarter has been transformed into a vibrant mixed-use zone including tourist and heritage sites, residential housing blocks, commercial workspaces, leisure and entertainment facilities and venues. The centrepiece of the project is the Titanic Belfast museum which draws in crowds from around the world.

Pete said, “This has been a great project for me. To work with the development team from the early concept state, I consulted throughout all the development, and the team were on site and in regular contact seeing assurance and guidance. That level of consultation allows for a smoother integration of SBD."

Anthony Best, Managing Director of Lacuna Developments said, “Lacuna is delighted to see this award recognised all the hard work by the team over the last number of years. At the heart of Dargan House and Lady Pirrie House at Loftlines has been a commitment to setting new standards for social and affordable housing in Belfast and this award is testament to that.”

James Eyre, Chief Executive of Titanic Quarter said, “We are delighted to see Watkin Jones, GRAHAM, Lacuna Developments and TODD Architects presented with this award. It clearly demonstrates their commitment - and that of their wider team – to achieving the highest Secured by Design Gold standards here in Titanic Quarter.”

Michael Bunyan, Group Development Director at Watkin Jones said, “This accreditation reflects the rigour behind our collaborative approach and commitment along with our partners to create safe, high-quality homes which are also built with a high level of security in mind. As we continue delivering Loftlines, this award reinforces the value of designing responsibly as we help shape a sustainable new neighbourhood for the residents of Belfast.”

Michael Daly, Chief Officer of Belfast Harbour Police, said, “Secured by Design recognises developments that follow nationally recognised police standards for crime prevention through construction and design. These principles were built into Loftlines from the very beginning and are shaping a neighbourhood that is safe and welcoming. Creating places where people feel secure is central to community wellbeing, and developments built to this standard make a meaningful contribution to supporting policing and fostering safer neighbourhoods”.

Find out more about SBD Developers Awards here: www.securedbydesign.com/services/sbd-awards

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Sunday, 14 June 2026

“Compliance has to be ongoing, evidence-based and supported by properly trained people”

Nine years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) has reflected on the major changes that have taken place across the construction and built environment sectors and the continuing work required to improve building safety standards across the UK.

The Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 claimed 72 lives and exposed major failings across parts of the construction, products and regulatory system. On 19th May 2026, the BBC reported that police and prosecutors are now considering potential criminal charges against up to 57 individuals and 20 organisations connected to the disaster, with possible offences including gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter, fraud and health and safety breaches.

The same reporting highlighted findings from the Grenfell Inquiry, which described “systematic dishonesty” by some companies involved in the manufacture and sale of cladding and insulation products, alongside failures in oversight, testing and accountability across the wider system.

Since the tragedy, the construction and built environment sectors have undergone significant regulatory and cultural change, with much stronger focus on accountability, competence, compliance, product transparency and resident safety. The introduction of the Building Safety Act has reshaped responsibilities across the built environment, placing greater accountability on clients, designers, contractors and those responsible for managing higher risk buildings.

The Building Safety Regulator has also introduced stronger oversight and enforcement powers, alongside increased focus on maintaining accurate building information throughout a building’s lifecycle through the “golden thread” approach. The sector has also seen far greater scrutiny around construction products, including testing, certification, traceability and ongoing compliance. There is now much wider recognition that product performance alone is not enough and that competence in installation, maintenance and inspection is equally important.

“The Grenfell tragedy changed the dialogue around building safety permanently,” explains DHF’s Deputy CEO, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens. “The inquiry findings and the recent updates around potential criminal charges have reinforced the importance of accountability, transparency and competence across the whole supply chain.

“One of the clearest lessons from Grenfell is that safety cannot rely on assumptions or disjointed responsibility. Everyone involved in the process has an important role to play in ensuring products are correctly specified, tested, installed and maintained.”

DHF continues to work closely with Government departments, regulators, certification bodies and industry stakeholders to help support practical and effective implementation of ongoing reforms. The federation has submitted comments and feedback to the Government consultation on Construction Products Reform and continues to engage with proposals linked to the Building Safety Regulator and wider construction products reform programmes. DHF is also currently preparing comments on BS 8670-2 and gathering feedback from members to help inform its response.

The proposed reforms represent one of the most significant overhauls of construction product regulation in decades. Current proposals place greater emphasis on product traceability, accurate product information, digital record keeping, testing, certification and accountability throughout the supply chain.

“We are seeing a much greater focus on evidence based compliance, product traceability and demonstrable competence across the sector,” says Patricia. “There is also increased demand for third party certification, audited processes and stronger quality assurance. The industry has moved into a far more compliance focused environment. Organisations are expected to show clear systems around risk management, training and ongoing monitoring.”

In addition to its regulatory engagement work, DHF continues to support members through technical guidance, training programmes and competency development initiatives. This summer, it will launch its new Core Competence in Building Hardware Training Programme.

The programme has been designed to help address knowledge gaps and improve technical understanding and compliance awareness relating to building hardware products. DHF has also contributed to the development of competence frameworks covering the installation of metal doorsets, industrial doors and shutters, and automated gates. These frameworks help define the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for safe and compliant installation.

“Competence is now central to regulatory expectations across the built environment,” concludes Patricia. “Compliance has to be ongoing, evidence-based and supported by properly trained people throughout the supply chain. At DHF, we remain fully committed to supporting the industry through guidance, training, technical leadership and competency development. The goal is to help create a safer and more compliant built environment for everyone.”

www.dhflonline.org.uk

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Wednesday, 3 June 2026

TENANTS REFUSING IMPROVEMENTS COULD PUT CARBON TARGETS AT RISK

A new social housing industry survey has uncovered a growing issue in the sector that could be putting providers' carbon targets at risk.

Holistic Approaches to Low Carbon Retrofit at Scale, sponsored by Eurocell, a leading manufacturer and recycler of PVC-U windows and doors, surveyed a broad area of the industry, with respondents including housing associations, local authorities and social housing organisations.

The responses revealed a major shift in the obstacles facing social housing providers. Tenants refusing improvements is now the fourth most common barrier - sitting only behind regular challenges like costs, the age of housing stock, and a lack of external skills.

But why is this happening?

The rise of tenant refusals

Tenants blocking improvements has moved up from eighth in the same survey in 2024 (out of 11 factors). Compounding this issue, the report found that a lack of resident education has also risen to become the fifth most significant barrier to decarbonisation. This issue ranked at the very bottom of concerns in 2023.

Tenants have the right to refuse access to teams looking to improve properties, but it’s clear that this has become a more prominent issue in recent years.

A major driver of this resistance is the fear of upheaval. The report backs this up, showing that 31% of housing organisations cite "resident and occupancy constraints" - specifically pointing to disruption, the loss of room space, and the need to temporarily rehouse residents - as a primary barrier to delivering whole-house upgrades.

But the industry is also using terminology that tenants lack understanding of, with 37% of social housing professionals admitting the term "retrofit" is confusing for tenants and another 22% saying it was "somewhat problematic".

The research further exposed a critical shortfall in how residents are prepared for the physical reality of these home upgrades, including the necessary disruption. While half of respondents rely on in-person meetings, other methods fall short of explaining the complex new technology being installed;
45% use phone calls or texts.
Only 16% use demonstrations or workshops, and a mere 13% utilise apps.
17% of providers admitted they have "no formal engagement" with tenants regarding these works full stop.

This lack of communication likely leads to the 24% who report "resident confusion or misuse" of the new systems after installation.

Better dialogue on disruption and benefits crucial to hitting national targets

Speaking on the findings of the report, Gary Doxey, Commercial Manager at Eurocell said: “Overcoming these tenant blocks is critical given the pressing national timeline. The Warm Homes Fund has allocated £1.29bn of funding for projects to introduce a series of combined retrofit measures to properties across the country until September 2028.

“Furthermore the target of EPC ‘C’ remains for all privately rented and local-authority run homes by 2030, which will mean that the intensity of retrofits and upgrades is going to need to significantly increase to deliver the scale required. If communication and open dialogue is key, we need to as an industry define how we approach tenants to make sure in cases where there is confusion or a lack of awareness of the reasons behind these upgrades - and the temporary upheaval involved - it’s all made clear.”

Holistic and whole-house approaches to retrofitting housing are acknowledged as the most effective means of tackling the upgrades in one-hit, and ensuring the balance is struck between different, often competing elements, and residents’ needs.

However, to deploy these whole-house solutions effectively, the sector must secure resident buy-in as this method is very disruptive to those living in social housing.

The industry largely agrees on the solution: 67% of providers agreed that improving communication is the key to reducing complaints and ensuring residents know how to operate their upgraded homes too. However, this communication must start long before installation, addressing fears of disruption head-on to ensure these vital upgrades aren't blocked before they even begin.

For the full findings of the report, visit here

For more information about Eurocell visit, https://www.eurocell.co.uk/

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Thursday, 21 May 2026

Competence and Transparency: A New Era for Fire Door Safety

As the built environment navigates a period of significant reform, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK examines the two principles that are proving fundamental in reshaping fire safety standards.

The fire door safety model is changing. Improved building safety requirements and the demand for greater accountability have been the driving force behind new regulation and guidance. However, it is the growing relevance of competence and transparency that is redefining how responsibility is understood across the supply chain.

Competence and transparency are far from new concepts, but in the wake of regulatory updates, their interdependence is helping to form a framework through which higher standards can be achieved. More than ever before, the ability to specify, install and maintain effective fire safety systems - such as fire doors and their hardware - hinges on demonstrable expertise. Crucially, that expertise must now be reinforced by clear, accurate and accessible information.

Whether approaching a new development or retrofit project, displaying a sufficient level of capability and clarity is now a prerequisite for compliance. Not only must decision makers show confidence in the products specified and installed on fire doors, but also in the data that underpins those choices. Whilst legislation outlines what is expected of responsible parties, how are competence and transparency defined in theory? And in what way can professionals translate this into practice?

Concepts defined

In the context of fire doors, both safety and compliance are compromised when gaps emerge between regulatory expectations and execution. A certified fire door will typically compartmentalise a space for 30 to 60 minutes, preventing the spread of smoke and fire and providing occupants with a critical opportunity to escape. However, an ineffective fire door system can lose its integrity within minutes, with common failures often identified as the result of incorrect specification, poor installation and inadequate maintenance.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that fire doors should be installed by a ‘competent person’, yet the demand for competency extends beyond installation alone. Specifiers, maintenance professionals and responsible persons must all demonstrate capability past general awareness. In fact, individual competence is defined as possessing the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (also referenced as SKEB), as outlined in The Building Safety Act, BS 8670-1:2024.

The Building Safety Act also stresses the importance of transparency, whereby those involved in building design and the management of high risk buildings must refer to the ‘Golden Thread of Information’ as part of their duties. Following years of legislative reform, there is a higher expectation for clear product documentation, with greater transparency able to support more informed decision making. For this, the ‘Golden Thread’ acts a single source of truth, providing clear, accessible and accurate records of buildings and the systems used within them.

Further emphasis is being placed on product information through the Construction Products Reform Green Paper and the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI). These initiatives focus on how manufacturers communicate product information and aim to eliminate misleading claims by ensuring performance data is clear, verifiable and up to date. The emergence of Digital Product Passports (DPP) - expected to become a legal requirement for CE marking - will strengthen this approach further and, when implemented, will enable stakeholders to access product performance records and testing data in real time.

Converting theory into practice

These evolving standards send a clear message: both competence and transparency must be embed into every stage of the decision-making process. Professionals across the supply chain must demonstrate that fire door assemblies meet the required standards, and in doing so, it is critical to recognise that these two principles go hand in hand.

From specification and installation to inspection and maintenance, even the most capable individual is limited without access to accurate information. Equally, comprehensive product data holds little value if it is not understood or properly applied. In line with the SKEB framework, continuous learning and professional development are essential, with ongoing training helping to ensure that individuals maintain and enhance their capabilities as industry standards, products and regulations continue to evolve.

Manufacturers also play a pivotal role in advancing the relationship between competence and transparency. Many conscious manufacturers are investing in end-to-end product support, including detailed technical literature, installation guidance and training resources. These efforts are helping to build awareness and skills in key areas, whilst assuring capability and raising industry benchmarks. The implementation of digital tools is making information more accessible too, and is equipping professionals with the means to specify, install and maintain fire door safety products with confidence.

In practice, professionals are encouraged to review fire door hardware specification, installation and maintenance as specialised tasks. During installation, for example, installers must look to follow manufacturer guidelines and fitting instructions, which should be supplied with all third-party certified fire doors and hardware. Similarly, competent fire door assessors must ensure that the entire assembly is fit for purpose, reviewing certification, door integrity, glazing, gaps, seals, hinges and closing mechanisms in the process. When a fire door is not operating as intended, it is essential to seek out expert advice where required, ensuring maintenance is carried out both quickly and professionally.

With this in mind, reliable fire door systems should always be supplied with comprehensive product information, including performance records, third-party certification, technical product data sheets and installation guidelines. Transparent, accurate construction product information verifies whether a system complies with necessary standards, and by combining this with the development of SKEB, professionals are making the right steps toward effectively managing fire door safety across the built environment.

The relationship between competence and transparency is about more than compliance, however. By following both principles, professionals will be equipped with the right knowledge and are supported by reliable information, fostering a much-needed culture of trust. Ultimately, this integrated approach may contain the key to raising fire door safety standards and delivering a safer built environment for all.

www.allegion.com

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