Here at Fire Doors Complete, we are in full support of Fire Door Safety Week 2023, which will run from Monday 25th September until Friday 29th September.
We are dedicated to raising awareness about fire doors and their vital role in saving lives and protecting property from the tragedy of fire.
This blog aims to explore the increased importance of fire door training, which has been amplified since the release of the Hackitt Report.
The Hackitt Report
The Hackitt Report was the final report of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. It was commissioned by the UK Government after the Grenfell Tower Fire tragedy in June 2017. It aimed to bring about changes to the construction industry and highlight the importance of fire door training for fire prevention and fire safety.
The Grenfell Tower Fire was one of the worst modern fire disasters, causing hundreds of former residents to become homeless, and sadly resulting in 71 deaths. As part of the Government’s response to the tragedy, the Home Secretary commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to undertake an independent review of Building Regulations and in particular their impact on Fire Safety.
What were the findings of The Hackitt Report?
The main finding from The Hackitt report was the necessity for a culture change to support the delivery of buildings that are safe in the present and the future. This was due to the existing system of building regulations and fire safety not being fit for purpose. The roles and responsibilities of those designing, constructing, and maintaining buildings were unclear, and the regulations and guidance was considered ambiguous and inconsistent. In addition, competence across the system was patchy at best, putting lives at risk.
What were the recommendations of The Hackitt Report?
The main recommendation from the Hackitt report was a new regulatory framework to address the weaknesses of the existing system of building regulations and fire safety. The overriding theme of the recommendations included a move towards an outcomes-based approach to building safety, where key decision-making personnel and the wider industry as a whole, can take accountability for its actions.
Key proposals included a set of detailed and demanding roles and responsibilities for the duty holders (such as building owners) to ensure a stronger focus on building safety, a package of regulations that are simpler to navigate yet reflect the varying levels of complexity in different building work; and continuous improvement of fire safety through in depth learning practises and thorough training courses that comply with updated regulations and new legislature.
The Importance of Fire Door Training
Following on from the Hackitt report, there has been an uptake in fire door training. Fire door training provides essential learning tools to enhance competency and ensure correct qualifications are achieved, in line with new UK legislation that details exactly how fire doors should be installed and maintained.
This is extremely important as the UK government have also created new requirements concerning the competency for installers, fabricators, inspectors, and maintainers. Housing, healthcare, and education are all sectors that demand their fire door installers, inspectors and maintenance contractors to have the suitable qualifications and accreditations.
At Fire Doors Complete, we understand the importance of these new government requirements, and that is why we provide a variety of high-quality, fully certified training in how to appropriately install, inspect and maintain fire doors. Our training courses make fire safety clear and comprehensive. In addition, upon completing one of our fire door training courses, each delegate will receive a certificate of achievement. Our training courses range from timber fire door installation training modules to inspection training modules just to name a few, so no matter your requirements, we have you covered. You can access our full list of fire door training courses here.
Get in Touch
To enquire about our training courses contact us here, or call us on 07599 425388 and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help you.