36 minute read
Five common problems with lifts (and how to fix them
News Five common problems with lifts (and how to fix them)
by Tek Hussein, Head of Technical at WeMaintain
However well-designed, however well-maintained, lifts can—and do—go wrong.
But when a lift does go wrong, it is almost always for the same reason: someone is misusing it. Maybe there are more people in the lift than there should be. Maybe someone is trying to squeeze a sofa inside it to avoid carrying it down five flights of stairs. Whatever it is that causes the break down, you can confidently predict it involves a person using the lift in a way that it wasn’t really designed for.
Even when a lift malfunctions for a reason that has nothing to do with misuse, it usually involves human interaction. The doors, because they are the parts of the lift with which people interact the most, contain a number of safety devices that trip out easily. This means that 70 percent of all faults with lifts relate to the doors.
Problem: There are position faults.
In order for a lift to work correctly, its components, including its magnets and proximities, need to be aligned perfectly. If they are not aligned, breakdowns happen, and over time, these components tend to loosen or become dislodged in another way. Pencil switches and magnets, for example, have a set-up tolerance of between 8 and 12mm. If the gap is any wider or narrower, there are problems with the magnetic field, such as double pulsing or no pulsing at all.
Problem: The landing’s door locks fail to align with the lift as it reaches the floor.
The solution to this is simple: check all the locks and make sure everything aligns. Lift doors have so many moving parts that any number of things can go wrong. These parts are necessary, because they make sure the door runs seamlessly and closest with a minimum of noise and space between one another. But pick up, hanging or kicking rollers can all go wrong, and this means a breakdown.
Problem: There are problems with the drive.
Drive problems tend to come about with age. As lifts get older, the equipment deteriorates and discrepancies appear. The brakes wear down and the motor contacts become high resistance. The motor fields get weaker, and there’s a loss of traction, often due to a wearing down of the ropes or sheaves. Agerelated deterioration is hard to avoid, but it can be hastened if maintenance teams do not keep the load weighingdevice calibrated or if they do not fill up the oil pots that lubricate the guides.
Problem: The safety circuit switch feathers.
When a lift recognises that something is off, and any users are potentially at risk, it stops. This is because of the safety circuit. It’s therefore a very important part of the lift installation, and those maintaining the lift must make sure that everything is as it should be. Certain parts of the lift—the ropes, for example— may need replacing or adjusting over time due to wear and tear.
Problem: The contactors or relays deteriorate, creating high resistance.
You can normally tell if a contactor is pulling in correctly, but it isn’t unusual for a lift motor room to be filled with the sound of chattering relays. It’s worth checking whether terminal screws have become loose after thousands of operations, since loose screws can cause a contact to burn up, resulting in high resistance. If dust or dirt is allowed to get onto an open contact it can cause an arc which can also wear down the contact and produce high resistance. This is why it is hard to determine the life-cycle of a contractor: on-site conditions will vary in cleanliness, as well as temperature.
In order for a lift to do what it does—run at high speed, safely, without taking up more space than it needs—then the equipment and components need to be understood and maintained. The smallest anomaly can put a lift out of service, inconveniencing an enormous number of people, especially in tall buildings or ones with only a small number of lifts.
Why you should invest in a smart thermostat
The Green Homes Grant is a very welcome scheme to make English households more energy efficient. Earlier this year, we actually ran a study of over 100,000 tado° households in Europe and found that British homes lose heat faster than any other country, which is perhaps not so surprising as Britain has the oldest housing stock in Europe. So although there are many beautiful and historical homes this does not bode well for energy efficiency.
The average annual dual fuel bill is around £1,200 with the majority of this going into your heating and hot water. So, there’s a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on both personal finances and the environment.
Why you should invest in a smart thermostat
There are many things which can be done to make a home more energy efficient. Let’s begin with the low-hanging fruit by reducing the amount of heating that is wasted by heating empty homes. Almost everyone does it. Your thermostat warms up multiple rooms but many or all are unoccupied, some are hotter than they need to be, or the heating is left on when nobody’s home or when a schedule changes.
Our users are saving on average around 22% on their energy bills after installing a tado Smart Thermostat. For less than £200, homeowners can invest in a smart thermostat which is covered by the Green Homes Grant. A smart thermostat like tado° automatically turns down the heat when nobody is home and also gives residents individual multi room heating control with Smart Radiator Thermostats. They also automatically reduce the heating when open windows are detected and adapt to outside weather for maximum efficiency. These work seamlessly in the background or can be controlled via the device, an app, or voice for convenience.
Smart thermostats also provide a higher level of transparency to give residents a better idea of how they use their heating and how savings can be made. tado°, for example, has an Energy Savings Report which shows users when the heating was on, in which rooms, and where the savings were made. Saving energy doesn’t have to mean reducing the heat at the expense of comfort, it means using your heating in a smarter way.
An investment like this for £200 typically pays for itself within a year. Measures like better insulation or switching from a gas boiler to a heat pump will, of course, make a positive impact, but the cost, disruption, and effort are significantly higher.
Once homeowners start to better understand how energy is being used it can also improve behaviour in that people start to take more interest in making energy improvements after better seeing the impact and results of individual actions. www.tado.com/gb-en/
News Airthings Launches Virus Risk Indicator
This Remarkable Feature Will Help Schools, Offices and Public Facilities Stay One Step Ahead of Airborne Viruses
Airthings, makers of the best-selling indoor air quality and radon monitors for homeowners, businesses and professionals, today officially unveiled a brand-new capability today for its business solution: the Airthings Virus Risk Indicator. Designed to create an indoor environment where people thrive, but viruses don’t, Airthings’ Virus Risk Indicator is now available to all new and existing Airthings for Business customers. The new feature helps people understand their indoor air quality and how it contributes to spreading airborne viruses, providing personalised insights that will allow them to minimise the risk.
Indoor Air in the Spotlight
The global pandemic has driven an unprecedented increase in awareness and concern about indoor air quality and how it can impact on our health. As a result, we are living through a time where schools, offices and other commercial buildings are under immense pressure to foster an environment that preserves the health and wellness of their occupants, employees, and students. We’re all familiar with tactics to minimise the spread of COVID-19 such as avoiding close contact, using face masks, and washing hands frequently. As public health authorities have acknowledged the potential of airborne spread, there’s an increased focus on the role of ventilation in buildings too. Airthings’ Virus Risk Indicator provides a solution for businesses and schools to take control of their indoor air, by understanding their risk and minimising the spread of airborne viruses indoors.
How the Virus Risk Indicator Works
The Virus Risk Indicator uses data from Airthings core sensors that track CO2, humidity, and temperature into a custom-developed algorithm that calculates the risk of airborne virus spread in an indoor space. The Virus Risk Indicator evaluates
four factors that have direct relationships with indoor airborne virus spread and then assigns a ranked risk level ranging from one to 10. These factors include the following: • Virus survival rate: How long virus microdroplets can survive in the air. • Room occupancy: Densely populated rooms increase the chance that people breathe each other’s breath. • Ventilation rate: How much and how often fresh air is coming in a space. • The body’s natural defenses: The effectiveness of our bodies to defend against airborne viruses is affected by temperature and humidity.
Once integrated, Airthings for Business customers can access their Virus Risk Indicator data via the Airthings Dashboard, an online platform that provides access to realtime and historical sensor data.
“Airborne virus transmission is a scary topic, but with the right information and data, it can be reduced significantly,” says Oyvind Birkenes, CEO at Airthings. “By introducing the Virus Risk Indicator into our Airthings for Business solution, we can provide essential information for existing customers at no added cost by allowing them instant access to the feature in their Airthings Dashboard. Our mission has always been to help people live healthier, better lives through air quality monitoring, and we couldn’t be more eager to deliver this peace-of-mind than with our Virus Risk Indicator.”
An out-of-the-box solution for any building
The Airthings for Business solution is ideally suited for any office, school, or commercial space. By monitoring the air quality in individual rooms and spaces, users can understand which areas have elevated airborne virus risk and adjust accordingly. Airthings’ mitigation insights will provide advice on how to manage and reduce risk, such as increasing or changing ventilation systems or establishing occupancy limits on certain rooms. Different areas might need a different approach, and data is essential for planning preventive measures as part of virus risk reduction strategy.
Because the Airthings for Business solution continuously monitors indoor air quality, it is feasible to evaluate where methods are working and where they aren’t. Armed with this data, users can then test different methods to find a sweet spot that keeps any airborne Virus Risk levels low. Users can even generate a Virus Risk Insight report to receive detailed analysis of all monitored rooms in your building. The report provides insight into indoor air quality and the factors that might impact the spread of airborne viruses. Airthings sensors do not measure nor detect viruses in the air.
Airthings’ Virus Risk Indicator is now officially available as a monitoring feature in the Airthings for Business solution, which also measures CO2, humidity, temperature, radon, airborne chemicals (VOCs), pressure, occupancy and relative light intensity. To find more information on the Virus Risk Indicator, how to get started with Airthings for Business, or indoor air quality and why long-term monitoring is important, visit the Airthings website at www.airthings.com.
News Hands, face, space and monitoring technology: the new necessity for critical infrastructure
By David Pownall, VP of Services at Schneider Electric
The lifeblood of any building is its energy supply. This is especially true in hospitals, where critical equipment such as ventilators and scanners rely on a secure supply of electricity. While in factories, producing essential items such as food, medicine and PPE it is also important to constantly be able to work at full capacity to meet demand. In these cases, and many others, energy supply is non-negotiable.
Maintenance of the equipment that ensures a secure supply has traditionally been conducted physically, on-site, which is clearly sub-optimal in today’s ‘work-from home’ climate. These site visits, even under normal circumstances, can be inconvenient due to obtrusive interventions like turning off the power supply, and ultimately can only give a snapshot of the situation at the moment the engineer performs the task.
Such measures are not only unfavourable, they’re no longer necessary. In turn, there is a need to shift from in-person to automated to services, made possible through the adoption of advanced communication and software technology. Using sensing technologies, temperature and moisture readings can be taken and stored in the cloud. This allows for monitoring, diagnostics and remedial action to be completed remotely, at any time. This can be taken even further by using software algorithms, which can constantly monitor key parameters via the cloud and predict failures before they occur. In this way, corrective actions can be taken in a managed and planned way before a potential catastrophic incident occurs.
Healthy buildings create a competitive advantage
While social distancing is becoming common place in the ‘new normal’, a crucial part of the return to ‘business as usual’ process will be ensuring everyone feels safe in the knowledge that they are returning to a healthy and clean indoor environment. Many tenants say they want to be able to assure clients, employees and customers that their office or storefront offers cuttingedge health protections, making facility specialists’ jobs increasingly demanding. Tenants are likely to want more than minimum guarantees of thorough and ongoing sanitization protocols and expect landlords to be able to verify that their HVAC system is fully maintained, disinfected and circulating clean, healthy air. They may also want verification of when and how long a space was in use, so scheduled cleanings can be optimized.
Properties that offer a variety of hands-free control options with touch-free access, elevator control, illumination, temperature moderation, amongst other incentives, could well be viewed as a superior choice over those that don’t.
In order to accelerate their business resiliency, organizations may want to shake up strategic planning and rethink their building infrastructure investments. With such steep changes on the cards, it has never been more important to keep staff focused on advancing and maintaining an up-to-date and cost-effective operation. Remote monitoring and services is one of the easiest ways building managers can outsource time consuming tasks, allowing their teams to focus on core functions, like creating a safer, more appealing environment to attract and retain quality tenants.
The industry has already seen many examples of operations resources being stretched to breaking point during lockdown. Restricted access to site meant these issues took a lot longer to resolve and caused several knockon issues. In the face of further workplace restrictions, tolerance for an interruption in supply or service will only decrease further.
Move forward with partners you can trust
Whilst the current landscape is unusually volatile, both socially and economically, it is more important than ever to grasp opportunities during periods of uncertainty. Understanding how remote services and support can help building professionals more safely deal with crisis like maintaining mission-critical services, and rapidly restarting facilities, while saving valuable time and money, is an important starting point. The digital technology involved in telecommunicating may pose an ironic risk to the demand for commercial real estate, however, these advancements also present significant opportunities to provide healthier, safer and more profitable indoor environments.
Now is not the time to take chances with your energy supply. Instead, the answer is to work with a partner with whom security, reliability and optimal performance is guaranteed.
IS YOUR FLAT ROOF ESTATE... AN ASSET OR A LIABILITY?
The Government’s response to the Naylor Review acknowledged the importance of the collection of data to support strategic estate planning and stated:
reducing backlog maintenance not only provides a safer and higher quality estate but reduces running costs in the longer term.
A roof is a significant ‘out-of-sight’ asset and when its condition is unknown, often issues can develop over time.
Easily accessible data is a crucial element in managing any estate. Without reliable data, any long-term strategic approach is unattainable and the management of the estate budget is rendered a purely reactive one. Langley provides a long-term approach by creating a full asset management plan for your flat roof estate by carrying out a comprehensive roof condition survey. The data gathered then supports preventative planning and cost-effective budget management, this is achieved by minimising the risk of sudden unexpected remedial expenditure. If work is required immediately, we are a trusted single-source of responsibility and handle every aspect of your project, from initial consultations and design, right through to final installation, after sales care and maintenance - for peace of mind.
We provide systems that are durable, guaranteed, safe and fully compliant with Building Regulations.
BOOK YOUR FREE ROOF CONDITION SURVEY TODAY
W: www.langley.co.uk E: enquiries@langley.co.uk T: 01327 704778
SUITABLE FOR ALL SECTORS DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER HERE
HOW TO ENSURE A ROBUST AND SAFE FLAT ROOF SYSTEM SPECIFICATION
The White Paper, supported by Zurich, covers: Regulations, Broof(t4) classification, fire performance materials, the risk of non-compliance and specifying the correct system.
News Kooltherm Pipe Insulation Delivers Modern Performance At Grade 1 Listed Spa
Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation has been used to insulate pipework distributing ancient thermal spring water around a stunningly refurbished Georgian spa hotel in Buxton.
The Crescent, Natural Baths and Pump Room were constructed during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The historic buildings have now been restored as part of a £70 million project by Buxton Crescent Limited, which is jointly owned by CP Holdings and the Trevor Osborne Property Group Ltd, established to deliver the project and manage it on completion. The regeneration project includes a thermal natural mineral water spa, visitor attraction (managed by the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust), retail units and an 81-bedroom luxury spa hotel to be operated by ENSANA. Freehold of the buildings is held by High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council who alongside the Heritage Lottery Fund also provided grant funding for the project.
The Crescent building’s Grade 1 listed status, its poor state of repair and close location to the town’s historic springs presented significant challenges to the project team, which included Vinci Construction UK and Imtech. Whilst the focus has been on sensitive restoration, the building services specification also makes use of modern technologies which will make the building both comfortable and cost efficient to run. As part of this approach, Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation was installed on concealed pipework throughout the buildings.
Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation is one of the most thermally efficient pipework insulation materials on the market today, with an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/ mK (at 10 °C). This performance allowed pipework, including that transporting the naturally heated thermal water, to be effectively insulated with the thinnest possible thickness of insulation. This was a key requirement for the project as Richard Drew, managing director of installers
Gill Insulation, explained:
“This was a highly complex installation due to the Grade 1 listed nature of the building which limited the scale of alterations that were possible and meant pipework had to be lagged in highly confined spaces. Our highly experienced installers were able to overcome these challenges through careful detailing and installation along with the reduced overall diameters of the insulated pipework which could be achieved with Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation.”
In addition to its excellent thermal performance, Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation also supports a healthy environment for guests at the luxury hotel. The product is certified as a bestin-class low emitter of harmful VOCs under the Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold standard, showing it complies with some of the most demanding voluntary specifications from across Europe.
Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation also possesses excellent smoke and fire characteristics, with a Euroclass reaction to fire rating of BL,s1,d0. A BIM object can also be freely downloaded from the bimstore in Revit format.
With Kingspan Technical Insulation’s free Pipeline Technical Advisory Service, which can be contacted on 0808 168 7363, clear advice and guidance can be accessed at every stage in a project.
www.kingspantechnicalinsulation.co.uk
News Fast-growing NuServe gains coveted B Corp certification
A leading family-run cleaning contractor is celebrating after being recognised by the prestigious B Corporation (B Corp) for meeting rigorous social and environmental standards.
NuServe, which has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, takes pride of place in being only the second UK company providing services in cleaning and facilities management to achieve the accolade.
Companies certified as a B Corp must meet stringent social and environmental standards that reflect commitment to goals outside short-term profits, and excel in practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency.
NuServe – founded in 1996 - has also acquired a number of other accreditations which underline its track record in establishing itself as a planet conscious company. These include being awarded a Planet Mark certificate after achieving a carbon-neutral status by offsetting emissions it produces through its operations with programmes and funding for carbon reduction. Its target next year is a further five percent reduction in its overall carbon footprint.
NuServe is a recognised Living Wage Service Provider and celebrates its team successes through its ‘Above and Beyond’ recognition programme. It is also transitioning its entire workforce to Living Wage Foundation pay rates by 2022. NuServe has additionally made a contribution to the World Land Trust’s (WLT) Carbon Balanced Programme to offset the equivalent of 27 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions from buildings, travel, waste and procurement.
Simon Duke, MD of NuServe, said: “Our mission is to uphold the right to good work and fair pay, to protect our people and our planet, and to deliver quality services that honour the trust afforded us. Fundamentally, we’re a family business, with family values, but with a modern and innovative approach”.
“At the heart of our business is a commitment to sustainability. In fact, in 2019, we amended our articles of association, making our directors legally responsible for ensuring that through our business and operations we have a material positive impact on society and the environment”.
Simon added: “NuServe hopes achieving the B Corp certification will resonate with business leaders keen to work with suppliers that can demonstrate a genuine and concerted effort to limit their environmental impact and work towards a fairer society.”
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome NuServe to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates, who believe business really can be a force for good. We know that NuServe are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward”.
Ten years ago, NuServe pioneered the adaption of bioenzymatic cleaning agents, utilising the power of nature to keep customers’ offices clean. Its ‘green’ range of cleaning materials are certified under EU Ecolabel, Ecologo and the Defra Approved buying scheme. The fast-growing company, which employs nearly 600 people throughout London, the
South East and West
Midlands lists clients including large London employers such as Ion
Group and international consultancy and construction company Mace.
The B Corp community in the UK represents a broad range of industries and sizes, comprises over 360 companies and includes well-known brands such as The Guardian, innocent,
Patagonia, The Body
Shop, and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole. www.nuserve.co.uk
Procurement organisation and social enterprise Fusion21 has announced the launch of its national Building Safety & Compliance Framework – worth up to £880m over a four-year period - and is now inviting bids from interested suppliers.
The updated framework has been designed and positioned to meet emerging requirements particularly in relation to fire safety and the building a safer future agenda. Once awarded it will be open for a wide range of public sector organisations to use including housing, local authorities, blue light, central government, education and health.
Opportunities are available for both large organisations and SME’s. The framework has introduced three, completely new lots including; Lot 5 – Fire Safety Surveying, Engineering & Consultancy (Multi- Disciplinary), Lot 7 Fire Safety Inspections and Lot 14 – Local Exhaust Ventilation and will allow interested suppliers to bid for lots specific to their capability. The full, new 14 lot structure includes:
Lot 1 – Asbestos Surveying & Consultancy
Lot 2 – Asbestos Abatement & Removal
Lot 3 – Legionella & Water Hygiene Consultancy
Lot 4 – Legionella Monitoring & Control
Lot 5 - Fire Safety Surveying, Engineering & Consultancy (Multi- Disciplinary)
Lot 6 – Fire Risk Assessments
Lot 7 – Fire Safety Inspections
Lot 8 - Passive Fire Protection - Fire Doors
Lot 9 - Passive Fire Protection - Fire Stopping
Lot 10 – Active Fire Safety
Lot 11 – Electrical Testing & Electrical Works
Lot 12 – Electronic Security
Lot 13 – Warden Call & Tele-health
Lot 14 – Local Exhaust Ventilation
Providing geographical coverage across the UK, suppliers can bid for the lots suited to their delivery model and areas of technical expertise. The framework includes flexible call-off processes with options for both Direct Awards and Further Competitions.
Peter Francis, Director of Operations at Fusion21 said: “Set for launch in April 2021 this framework has been developed in response to market demand – reflecting feedback provided from both our members and the supply chain. It builds on an existing framework and marks the next stage in developing Fusion21’s building safety and compliance offer which has grown from strength to strength over recent years.
“Fusion21 is an established framework provider that is well respected throughout the public sector. Our procurement teams are experienced technical experts in their fields who understand the needs of suppliers when tendering. One contributor to our success is how we work for the mutual benefit of both our Suppliers and Members.
“We welcome applications from interested organisations that meet the criteria set out in the tender documentation now available on the Delta e-Sourcing Portal via the following link – https://www.delta-esourcing. com/tenders/UK-UK-Prescot:Building-services./6UBJ9B62NH”.
The submission deadline is Thursday 28th January 2021 at 12 noon.
Fusion21 specialises in providing compliant procurement solutions for the built environment to the public sector and is committed to making a difference in communities across the UK.
To date the organisation has saved its members more than £268 million through the procurement process, created 6,500 jobs and generated more than £80 million of social impact.
New “making buildings healthier” whitepaper
Humidity specialist, Condair, is releasing a new whitepaper entitled “Making Buildings Healthier”. It contains information on how building managers can protect occupant health with a holistic approach to controlling their indoor environments.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has focused public attention on the risks posed by viral transmission in buildings. Contributory factors that have been known about for some time, have now been placed centre stage, emphasising the influence that elements such as fresh air, temperature, minimum relative humidity and even sunlight all have on the spread of viruses.
The aim of Condair’s whitepaper is to provide an overview of these factors and promote dialogue between facility managers, users and health and safety officers, enabling the right package of health protection measures to be considered. The whitepaper also includes a checklist so that readers can take stock of their building’s current situation, discover the extent to which their premises protects against the spread of infections and identify where improvements could be made.
Oliver Zimmermann, CEO of Condair Group, commented, “The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist on humidity control and for years we’ve collaborated with scientists and healthcare experts to understand and promote the importance of optimal humidity for health. Through this research we appreciate that humidity control is just one, but a decisive, weapon that can be used in the fight against respiratory infections.”
“Upgrading our built environment to better protect human health from the current COVID-19 and future potential pandemics, whilst not sacrificing the important gains we have made in energy efficiency, is the single largest challenge the HVAC industry will face in our lifetime. To achieve this objective, we must act as a sector to educate, cooperate and implement practical solutions as rapidly as possible. This whitepaper presents a clear and concise overview of the steps building operators can and should be taking to enhance occupant health, using a holistic approach, rather than a one-size-fits-all, to indoor environmental management.” Oliver concluded.
Condair’s Making Buildings Healthier whitepaper can be downloaded from www. condair.co.uk/healthy-building.
The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist in humidification, dehumidification and evaporative cooling, with technologies for commercial, industrial and heritage applications. Condair is represented in the UK by Condair plc, which offers system design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and spares. You can find out more by visiting the company’s website at www.condair.co.uk.
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News Cleanology’s Christmas Appeal collects a tonne of donations for The Hygiene Bank!
Staff at leading London commercial cleaning and FM company Cleanology – as well as customers and suppliers - have bagged up a whopping tonne of hygiene products to go to families around the UK this Christmas. And there is more to come!
The donations campaign aims to make the Christmas period less stressful for people struggling with poverty across the UK. The products collected have been distributed by Cleanology to The Hygiene Bank’s local community projects.
Cleanology’s CEO, Dominic Ponniah, said: “A fifth of the population is living in poverty and Christmas places even more pressure on those families struggling to make ends meet. Figures show one in three people living in the UK has had to go without hygiene essentials – up and down the country, people are faced with having to make a choice between buying presents for the children or stocking up on toiletries or cleaning products. We hope that, with our help, they won’t have to make those choices.”
So far, Cleanology has collected over a tonne of products, ranging from hand sanitiser and cleaning spray to toilet roll and tissues. Cleanology’s own donation of hand sanitiser amounts to over £13,000 in value.
Edgar Penollar, CEO at The Hygiene Bank, said: “Many people were experiencing hygiene poverty before the Coronavirus hit and the number is expected to rise due to the knock-on effects of the pandemic. As we move into winter, there are many who simply cannot afford the products and amenities they need in order to stay clean, safe and well. We are very grateful Cleanology is supporting The Hygiene Bank this Christmas. Their donations will help alleviate some of the pressure individuals and families face when unable to afford the basics, which is especially stressful during Christmas.”
Ponniah added: “We have been overwhelmed by the response. Christmas is meant to be a time of peace but, for those juggling tiny budgets, it is stressful trying to make ends meet while meeting extra demands. Research shows that people stop buying toiletries long before they approach a food bank. We want to fill that gap.”
Cleanology’s Christmas Appeal runs until the end of January 2021 and is:
Donating all profits from December sales of hand sanitiser to The Hygiene Bank.
Collecting donations of unwanted Christmas presents such as soap and perfume.
Cleanology teamed up with The Hygiene Bank in September 2020 to help promote the first ever National Hygiene Week, to raise awareness of UK hygiene poverty.
All the products donated will be distributed by The Hygiene Bank, which was launched to tackle the shocking reality of hygiene poverty. The Hygiene Bank operates 789 drop-off points including all Boots stores and Cleanology’s HQ in Clapham, South West London. It uses the products to support 1,398 organisations around the UK.
https://cleanology. com/services/office/
Buy Cheap, Pay More
Lee James, General Manager – Product Marketing, Nittan Europe Ltd. looks at what happens when you try to cut corners on fire detection systems
No reputable organisation readily opts for a fire detection system that doesn’t meet British Standards. However, installing a fire detection system that meets the standards but errs towards the cheaper end of the spectrum can bring problems and may find you paying a higher price one way or another.
Here are five aspects of fire detection systems that are impacted when you buy low cost, low quality product.
Detection Algorithms
An algorithm is a set of instructions designed to perform a specific task. It takes input and changes the data according to the pre-set ‘instructions’ to create an output. In fire detectors, that input includes smoke and non-combustion products such as steam, aerosols and dust. The sophisticated part of the process is to identify and differentiate these and only activate the sounder in the presence of smoke. If the sounder is activated when it’s only non-combustion products, then that’s a false alarm.
There are many types of fire detection algorithms in use and you get what you pay for. Go cheap and you leave yourself open to a greater risk of false alarms. A quality fire detection system, on the other hand, employs advanced detection algorithms which are able to clearly distinguish between smoke and noncombustion products, providing extremely reliable fire detection without - or considerably reduced - false alarms.
Transmission Protocol
When a device’s detection algorithm has identified smoke the output data needs to get back to the control panel as quickly as possible. This is achieved through the transmission protocol – the system’s ‘language’.
The most commonly used protocol in the fire industry is square wave pulse based, but it’s quite susceptible to noise and interference and has limited information capacity. This can compromise system operation and limit your choice of devices.
One that avoids these issues is the Sine Wave, Frequency Shift Key (FSK) protocol, but comes at a higher price. However, it does bring further benefits, including very high speed transmission, minimal transmission errors, ability to take more inputs/outputs, more controllable features and more type codes for devices.
Product Range
Poorer quality fire detection systems frequently have a limited range of devices and accessories, meaning you may have to take a mix and match approach to get the system you want. It’s far better to create a fire detection system from one manufacturer as the different elements of that system have been designed to work in harmony for endto-end system performance.
Better quality systems also frequently come with more innovative product. A Smoke Sensor with a built-in sounder, such as Nittan’s EV-PYS Sensor for example, saves you the cost of buying two separate products i.e. the sensor and a separate base or wall mount sounder, plus it’s quicker to install and doesn’t require any additional wiring.
Installation Times
A considerable part of the cost of a fire detection system can be attributed to labour. Equipment that is quick and straight forward to install and commission is therefore an important consideration. Better quality systems nearly always have this aspect designed into them so that whilst they may come at a higher price, they work out to be quicker to install and therefore more cost effective than their cheaper counterparts.
System Expansion
Buildings are frequently reconfigured to take into account extensions and change in usage. When this occurs, the fire detection system will also need to be adapted. This can be disruptive, time consuming and expensive, but can be minimised if, in the first instance, you install a panel that allows a peer-to-peer network. Panels that use this can easily expand the system to enable the panel to communicate with any other compatible fire panel, remote terminal or network peripheral.
Buyer Beware
A good quality fire detection system doesn’t just meet the minimum criteria set down in the relevant standards; it has years of experience and R&D invested, to deliver a system that is reliable, that understands the needs of the customer, and that is forward looking. To dismiss these benefits and opt for a low cost, low quality system is ultimately a false economy.
The Nittan Group is at the forefront of the international fire protection industry. sales@nittan.co.uk www.nittan.co.uk.
On The Cover Making Time for Essential Building Maintenance
Karen Trigg of Allegion UK provides insight on the safety standards that buildings must meet and why now seems an opportune time to carry out essential maintenance in a bid to help to achieve them.
Regular building maintenance has and always will be a fundamental part of a facilities manager role. Work can sometimes feel continuous, ensuring everything from ventilation to water systems are in good working order and all while making sure health and safety standards are maintained along the way.
Each building has a set of unique needs that must be addressed, and, for that, maintenance is key. Yet, facility managers must also recognise the importance of ‘essential maintenance.’ For example, both the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 cite door safety requirements and call for any fire safety system to be subject to routine maintenance.
And with several public buildings now either empty or operating with far fewer staff – and with the Christmas break on the horizon – it’s an opportune time for decision makers to schedule a comprehensive check on those ‘essential maintenance’ areas, starting with fire doors and their accompanying hardware.
Maintaining Safety
Despite the recognisable dangers, fire doors are often not operating as they should be and thus an industy report from the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) has highlighted the issues of many building’s fire doors. This has subsequently led to government investigations and the launch of fire safety guidance on some of the more recurring issues, including fire doors with excessive gaps, poorly maintained door closers and problems with intumescent seals.
There’s no doubt that poorly fitted and maintained fire doors don’t save lives in the event of a fire. The safety and security of a building and its occupants rely on the effective operation of all fire doors – without them, safety is truly compromised. And regardless of a reduced footfall across 2020, so many fire doors are still not meeting standards. With an eventual ‘return to normal’ expected, it has never been more important to turn attention towards essential maintenance checks.
With that in mind, it’s not only fire doors that must be up to standard either. All hardware and furniture must meet the stringent EN classification codes and Health & Safety requirements. Additionally, exit devices must comply with the latest revisions of EN1125:2008, which applies to panic applications that can be used by any member of the public, and EN 179:2008, which refers to emergency applications used by trained personnel. So
how can facility managers ensure they’re meeting these standards?
Checks are key
Essential maintenance is far more than checking the cosmetic condition of fire doors. When ensuring fire doors are functioning correctly, a stringent five-point check is necessary, inspecting certification, gaps, seals, hinges and closure. To meet all British and European legal requirements, fire doors must have all the necessary components and they must work as designed, because even the smallest of changes can reduce effectiveness.
Take a door’s intumescent seal, for example. Fire doors have a number of ratings, ranging from FD20 to FD120 which show they will provide protection against fire from 20 minutes and then up to 120 minutes. The intumescent seals expand in a fire, sealing the gap between door and frame when temperatures reach 200°C, so it’s essential they remain intact, undamaged and in good condition. Failing to keep them in top condition means smoke can leak out with ease and create a potentially dangerous situation in the event of a fire.
When it comes to door furniture, it’s important to consider the main elements of the door such as the handle. The door handle, itself, must be fitted correctly – not loose, or even worse, missing. Screws too must be checked over to ensure none are missing and that each one is tight and secure.
Hinges – of which there should be a minimum of three – should be marked with a CE stamp or BS EN 1935 to meet the necessary safety standards. Furthermore, they should be free of any metal fragments and signs of oil leakage as these could be signs of wear and tear. Finally, check the locks and latches as these should also be fixed securely, leaving no room for movement when the latch secures firmly into place.
Outside of functional checks, it’s also key to consider the visual elements such as certification labels and ‘Fire Door, Keep Shut’ signage, amongst others. These signs and labels provide essential information to both building occupants in the event of a fire and installers who can use certification labels when looking for manufacturers and tracability.
Vital timing
Outside of healthcare, these times present building managers with a rare opportunity. With so many buildings experiencing reduced footfall, perhaps it’s the perfect time to carry out essential maintenance and build towards a safer tomorrow.
After all, maintenance – whether regular or more essential – should never be neglected, and those fire safety and health standard requirements should always be met and are arguably even more important in today’s climate.
Resources
Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help facilities managers undertake their maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware. This simple toolkit provides information and tips on how to guarantee the safety of the doors, a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist. There’s also an option to order a free door gap tester. Or, download Allegion’s general guide to service and maintenance for free.
