The Practitioners Forum and the Business and Community Safety Forum鈥檚 recent report to the minister makes some valid points on the fire risks of timber-framed buildings during construction, and they urge the government to review the 黑洞社区 Regulations

However the report perhaps exceeds its brief by questioning an 鈥渁pparent systematic failure of passive fire protection鈥� 鈥� implying that this applies to completed timber-framed buildings.

There has already been research undertaken in the Timber Frame 2000 project, backed by the forerunner of the communities department and supported by research into the quality of installation of passive fire protection. This latter work led to a best practice guide published in 2003 (see www.pfpf.org.uk). But not all their recommendations have been implemented.

All buildings under construction are likely to be vulnerable, and poor installation by construction trades that have no specialist fire product training is a concern for anyone in the fire protection industry. The fire industry has addressed this issue by establishing independently audited, third-party certification schemes for installers. These address some of the concerns expressed by the Practitioners Forum, but until they are mandatory there will always be problems with measures being unknowingly compromised.

David Sugden, chairman, Passive Fire Protection Federation

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