How Important Is Building Security Specification To All Of Us In A Post-Grenfell World?
On 14 June 2017, witnesses watched in amazement and horror as the Grenfell Tower in West London burnt to the ground. This tragedy shed more light on the design, construction, and safety of high-rise residential buildings in the UK. The several inquiries and considerations made by the UK government seem to emphasise the importance of building security specifications to prevent such preventable loss from happening yet again.
The Grenfell Tower Fire
In the early hours of June 14th, a fire reportedly started from a malfunctioning freezer on the fourth floor of the Grenfell Tower. With the help of 250 firefighters and 70 fire engines, they finally extinguished the blaze after 60 hours. Although 223 of the residents escaped, more than 70 were seriously injured, and 72 residents had lost their lives in the fire. Three months after the fire, the first Grenfell Tower Inquiry began, and the report was released in October 2019. It affirmed the earlier suspicions that the building’s exterior did not comply with established building regulations.
According to the report, the building’s aluminium cladding, external insulation, and the air gap between (due to poorly installed windows and cavity barriers) caused the fire to spread more rapidly, causing more damage than it should. From 2017 till 2020, the government has made several building security specification regulations to ensure those building elements such as materials, windows, and doors meet the required security regulations. The PAS 24 is one such security specification in regards to doors.
Building Security Specifications
The building regulations were put in place to ensure security and safety within buildings. The regulation applies to thermal performance, air supply, and available means of escape.
Since it is a minimum requirement, it simply requests engineers to ensure that their doors provide suitable protection where needed.
UK Fire and Security Doors And Building Regulations
In the approved documents of the Building Regulations concerning Security and Dwellings, the various requirements for doors are outlined. In purchasing a door, you would want to rely on a company that adheres to these regulations to ensure you are protected. UK Fire and Security Doors offer a wide range of security doors such as crime-safe doors, home security doors, and other safety doors. The company ensures that all its products adhere to the necessary building regulations.
Once the testing house is satisfied with the doors, the company can sell its goods on the market. Therefore, UK Security Door clients are guaranteed to receive doors that meet the various security door standards. Visit UK Fire and Security Doors today to upgrade your building’s safety.
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