Since the Grenfell Tower Disaster 7 years ago, which killed 72 people, and left hundreds without their home, there has been mounting pressure across the UK and Europe to ensure existing high rise buildings and residential properties are effectively protected against the devastating impacts of fire.
But with the inquiry still ongoing, and legislation taking even longer, there has been a unanimous appeal for businesses and building owners to take the ‘common sense approach’; which has been solidified by the Building Safety Act. For many, this involves huge phases of retrospective work – costing billions of pounds – to make sure that structures comply with best practice.
And slowly, stakeholders are beginning to understand that the provoking question “what price do you put on the lives of your occupants?” isn’t rhetorical at all.
Unless buildings are remediated and made safe, it’s vital that we continue to talk about the preventable devastation that is caused by fire.
We must keep talking about Grenfell.
Building Back Better
But in the much needed drive to ‘build back better’, there’s a huge safety risk that is being frequently overlooked – the fire safety of the temporary structures of every construction site.
It is almost ironic that when retrospectively making structures safer, during construction and remedial works the risk of a catastrophic fire can be significantly higher. And while danger to life is the most important concern, the financial tragedy of fire can strip countless people of their very livelihoods.
Construction sites and temporary structures – such as scaffolds – are subjected to the same types of fire-related emergencies as any permanent structure, but with added hazards such as:
- The lack of passive fire protection
- Fires that ignite inside the building and spread outwards
- The generic nature of fire risk assessments carried out by Principal Contractors or scaffolding sub-contractors (with “Guidance issued by the HSE not fit-for-purpose…PAS 9980 must be adhered to. [Cross Safety, 2023] )
- The lack of fire safety systems – sprinklers, alarms, or detection
- Rapid spread of fire after ignition
- The temporary and easily collapsible nature of the structure
- More ignition sources, such as flame from gas powered tools or torches – and even cigarette butts
With the site already vulnerable to fire risks, some of the worst disasters can occur during construction.
This is highlighted by the Notre Dame Fire of 2019, which didn’t trigger an alarm until more than 2 minutes after the fire started – with a guard being sent to the wrong location, and causing between 300 and 600 million euros worth of damage.
More recently, the historic Copenhagen stock exchange in Denmark went up in flames, again, while ‘shrouded in scaffolding as part of extensive renovations’.
In the UK alone, there were 309 serious fires in buildings undergoing renovations in 2022. Gary Ellis of CE Safety stated;
“Every year we see fires in construction in regions of the UK…They are dangerous, can cause injury [and death] and ruin projects, not to mention extremely costly. Ultimately though, they are avoidable. More vigilance is vital.” [Pro Builder Mag]
In America, the figures are higher, with the NFPA reporting an annual average of 3,840 fires in structures under construction and 2,580 fires in structures under major renovation.
So, How do we Avoid Construction Fires?
In addition to comprehensive fire risk assessments, specifying non-combustible materials, and adhering to correct site health and safety measures, early detection is absolutely fundamental to preventing widescale disaster.
This is stipulated by several governing bodies, including the Fire Protection Association, in their 10th edition of The Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire or Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation [2023].
“Early detection and effective response to a fire situation during construction is essential for both life safety and protection of property. As a project progresses to the fit-out stages the fire load and corresponding risk of fire spread increases. To ensure effective early detection and fire response, especially outside of normal working hours, where practicable automatic fire detection should be implemented on a considered risk-based approach.”
The most important areas of consideration are: early detection that can pinpoint the area of concern without risk of false alarm.
There’s a solution for that.
Linear Heat Detection – the Smart Solution
Thermocable’s EN54-28 approved fixed activation Linear Heat Detection (LHD) can do everything specified above. Employing heat sensing cable to detect increases in temperature, the system provides an accurate location of an overheat event anywhere along its length.
Providing almost instantaneous fire detection, this mitigates time lost, and enables instant reaction to extinguishing – via a suppression system or alternative method. This heat sensing cable can be installed along scaffolding runs to ensure optimum protection across all areas of the structure, using stainless steel braiding to protect it from any mechanical damage.
Suitable for use in dirty, dusty, damp and hazardous environments, and interfacing easily with existing protection systems, It is easy-to-install, cost effective. and can easily be relocated or altered if the scaffolding is changed or removed.
Putting it Into Practice
“Government data estimates that approximately 12,500 residential buildings over 18 meters and an additional 78,000 buildings between 11 and 18 meters require assessment for cladding remediation. To perform necessary remediation work, contractors are erecting major scaffolding structures, which in turn adds an additional fire risk factor.” [Ramtech Global Press Release]
Recognising such a concern, Thermocable joined forces with sister Halma company, Ramtech Global, to design a solution.
As the UK’s leading wireless systems technology specialist, their WES technology interfaces with Thermocable’s ProReact fixed activation LHD system to deliver a fully automated temporary fire system – ensuring continuous on-site safety. This is already being used across scaffoldings on several construction sites.
Our Commercial Manager, Harry Buck, said:
“In open aired environments, typical fire detectors can be prone to false activations. Linear heat cable is designed for these challenging conditions, while still providing early detection at the point of risk. This technology allows site managers to react more quickly and confidently to any activation. Integrating our skills with Ramtech’s experience, both in fire and water detection systems, has created a reliable solution to the cladding remediation operations taking place across the country. We’re already seeing such significant demand in the industry and look forward to protecting more sites.”
