New fire safety audit for timber frame building sites

The Site Safe scheme, launched by the UK Timber Frame Association, is intended to improve fire safety on timber frame building sites in response to a major fire which began on a timber frame building site in Peckham last month.

The body will require its members, who manufacture timber frame systems, to get documentary evidence showing they have explained the fire risks to contractors and developers using their systems on large sites and the firms have taken action to mitigate fire risks from the end of January 2010.

The recommended actions are laid out in the UKTFA’s guidelines on fire safety on timber frame sites, published 18 months ago. UKTFA members will be required to get their independent health and safety inspectors to check whether the fire safety measures have been carried out on site from March 2010. Problems found by the inspectors would be reported to the main contractor to remedy and the heath and safety executive if necessary. Most timber frame manufacturers already use independent inspectors to look at site safety, according to UKTFA, so this recommendation would simply expand their remit into fire safety. UKTFA will also fund research into product enhancements which could mitigate fires on timber frame sites, such as mixing fire retardants into wood preservatives and compartmentalising unfinished buildings to reduce fire spread. The research will be available at the end of the year.

Geoff Arnold, chair of UKTFA, admitted that there were concerns that UKTFA’s safety guidelines were not ‘embedded in day to day practice’. ‘That is something I undertake to remedy quickly with Site Safe.’ He also said the body wanted to deal with any concerns that fire chiefs have over timber frame sites. ‘I do not think they should have real concerns but they obviously do and we need to address them,’ he said. A report by a body which advises the government on fire warned of the dangers of fire on timber frame building sites and expressed concern about the use of the building system in social housing was sent to the fire minister in June. (Inside Housing 4 December 2009)

Have your say

You must sign in to make a comment