The main article in the latest issue BFM (Building & Facilities Management) magazine reported on the updated 2019 edition of Building Regulations ADB (Approved Document B), which took place on 30th August. Considerable progress has been made on improving residential safety, particularly within high-rise buildings, since the Grenfell Tower fire.
Approved Document B addresses fire safety precautions which must be adhered to, to ensure the safety of occupants, firefighters and those close to a building in the event of a fire.
The building regulations already require residential buildings over three storeys high to be fitted with smoke control systems, which protect escape routes and keep them free from smoke. Therefore, any move to supplement this protection with other kinds of safety solutions must be welcomed.
What the report emphasises – and Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (PTSG) backs wholeheartedly – is the fact that each fire safety system is only as good as its maintenance regime. The performance of even the best systems can be fatally compromised by lack of correct maintenance. That’s why PTSG places great importance on maintenance for its 20,000 customers, with many benefitting from annual contracts to ensure their assets are protected at all times.
PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd is the fastest-growing of the Group’s four business divisions. Half of its 29 UK centres of operation are dedicated to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of fire solutions. This not only includes dry and wet risers, sprinkler systems and hydrants but also security systems (CCTV, access control, intruder alarm and door entry systems), public address/voice alarm systems (PA/VA) and all-important service support and maintenance packages – including planned and preventative maintenance, compliance and asset management, fire risk assessment and fire training.
