The Need For Continued Maintenance & Repair of Smoke Ventilation Systems
The testing and maintenance of life safety systems such as smoke ventilation in buildings is mandatory under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. Following the advice of our Government on 23 March 2020, it remains essential that the continued protection of residents living and working in multi-storey premises are kept safe, regardless of the current lock down implemented due to Covid-19.
Life safety systems need to be maintained and repaired in order to keep them functioning to their optimum capacity. Property managers and those responsible persons need the frequency of this maintenance to continue as specified under BS 9999 – at least once a year. The current situation has meant that many companies have reduced this maintenance to call-out emergencies only. This could be regarded as dangerous, as life safety systems are generally left in stand-by and only called upon in an emergency, so system failures can go undiscovered for an excessive amount of time or until an emergency occurs. Even in normal circumstances we recommend bi-annual maintenance for residential properties.
The responsible person for any property requiring smoke ventilation has a duty of care to ensure that if faults are identified in their building’s smoke ventilation system, which reduce its effectiveness, that measures are instigated to reduce the risk to occupants in the event of a fire. These can be mitigating factors such as a fire watch or even the evacuation of the building’s residents. Therefore, we recommend you continue with your planned maintenance.
Maintaining life safety systems are essential where buildings are still being occupied at a time when many are being occupied more than normal. Apart from just residential properties this also includes medical properties and premises providing essential support – this can include essential factories and warehouses.
Our core engineers are still operating, where possible and with the necessary protective precautions. Critical maintenance is being conducted to ensure smoke ventilation systems continue to operate as originally designed to keep their occupants safe and assist the fire service in dealing with the fire. SVS Ltd’s staff are working in line with government guidelines on social distancing and travel avoiding public transport.
Our business retains core staff in the office with all other functions being managed by home working. We are understandably not accepting callers to the office apart from deliveries and pick-ups for essential supply only orders. Rest assured, our contact number and emails remain unchanged.
Please contact us today so that your system is maintained, and any faults are rectified quickly to ensure the continued safety of the buildings’ occupants.
Best Wishes from all of us at SVS Ltd. Stay safe.
