Why third-party certification is so important ?
Failure to specify, install and maintain fire door products to the correct standards could compromise your contractual obligation and, more seriously, put property and lives at risk.
If you wish to know more about third-party certification and Timbmet Doors' range of approved fire door products contact your nearest Timbmet Doors sales office, today.
- 1. Why Independent Third-Party Certification ?
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First as in any industry, not all manufacturers maintain a 'best practice' policy and sometimes the provision of a fire test report is not necessarily a guarantee of performance. This makes it very difficult for anybody to tell the valid from the not-so-valid...the 'good' arrangement from the 'bad' arrangement.
Second, not every door arrangement can be fulfilled by using a standard fire rated product. So what happens to its fire-rating if it has to be altered after purchase...cut a door blank down or add a glazed aperture and then how does the claimed fire-rating stand up.
The answer is 'policing' and certification of manufacturers' fire-rated claims by a respected and responsible third party.
Which is confirmed by Building Regulations - Approved Document B-recommending only a third-party certified fire door assembly should be used.
- 2. Why Fire-Ratings For Door Products ?
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Building Regulations support a nationally recognisable standard of
fire-ratings or more precisely, a door with a fire-resistance rating or fire protection rating. Passive fire protection helps to reduce the spread of smoke and fire between rooms and along corridors. Lives and the rest of the building fabric are at risk if:
- the doors are not correctly rated for the use / application.
- the door manufactured and fitted does not meet the required standard in all its component areas including glazing and integral material.
- the door is incorrectly fitted.
As TDSL uses 3rd party test certification, and verification, customers and end building users can have the highest confidence in both the product and installation. This transparent fire-rating system documentation means that other professionals can correctly interpret and have confidence in the installation at any point in the buildings future.
- 3. Independent Third-Party Certification
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Timbmet Doors Blank fort Fire Door Blanks - the first UK door blanks to be granted the Q-Mark (BM TRADA Certification).
Timbmet Door Viscount Fire Doors - the first door product in the UK to be awarded both Q-Mark.
Timbmet Doors Fire spec Fire Doorsets (FD60, FD90 and FD120) - Q-Mark (BM TRADA Certification) approved.
Timbmet Doors Vision spec Fire Doors Glazing Service - Q-Mark (BM TRADA Certification) approved.
- 4. Schemes
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There are schemes currently in place in the UK for providing independent assurance to architects, specifies, users and building owners that the fire door products they are buying meet their specified technical and regulatory requirements:
Q-Mark - operated through BM TRADA Certification.
TDSL's unique life cycle and durability test evidence (Chiltern Dynamics) providing full scale third party mechanical and cyclic performance assurances.
- 5. Health & Safety
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The Company Policy Statement of Intent
Timbmet Door Solutions Limited Health and Safety Policy Statement
As a conscientious employer TDSL is committed to high standards of health and safety throughout the organisation. We endeavour to remove or minimise risks to the health and safety and for employees to take responsibility for their own and others safety.
Under this Policy we will:
Comply with relevant legislation, undertake risk assessments of all existing and new activities and ensure that safe systems of work and a safe working environment are put in place.
Reduce and maintain safe plant, machinery and healthy working environment at our business premises and risk assess external work locations so far as is reasonably practicable. We will provide mandatory training for any employee required to operate or maintain equipment and premises and must do so without danger to others.
Provide adequate safety and job training for all employees in accordance with their roles. Employees are expected to attend mandatory training.
Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety equipment. Employees and visitors are expected to use PPE or safety equipment when required.
Monitor control of any activity, material or substance known to be hazardous, including noise, dust remnant asbestos and others covered by COSHH regulations.
Ensure that materials and substances are used, stored, handled and transported in such a way that eliminates or reduces any risk to health. We will also ensure that employees have access to information that explains how materials and substances should be dealt with and what precautions are necessary for safe use.
Continue to consult between management, employees and safety practitioners to ensure that health and safety information is exchanged and acted upon.
Review measure and monitor group wide statistics relating to health and safety, accidents and incidents on a monthly basic at Director-level.
This Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated when necessary. Any changes to this Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated when necessary. Any changes to this Policy will be communicated clearly to all TDSL employees.
- 6. Quality Policy
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QUALITY POLICY STATEMENT
It is the policy of TDSL to give customer satisfaction by focusing on our customer's needs and expectations by delivering an impartial, confidential service aimed at delighting its customers.
To supply products and services, which are fit for purpose and conform to all aspects of their specification and their relevant standards.
The BSEN ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System is welcomed as a means of assessing our continual improvement in this aspect of our activities.
The Policy will be communicated to all personnel throughout the business via inductions and appraisals or any other appropriate forum.
Our performance targets and other objectives will be reviewed annually and at any other specific times as determined by the business needs.
We aim to create a continuous improvement culture in its staff by assessing and continued development of its staff competencies throughout its business.
The necessary training will be made available to its staff, ensuring their skills are appropriate to their role and business objectives.
TDSL will configure its internal resources and products to rapidly respond to changing market forces and opportunities to enable TDSL to grow in a structured and profitable manner.
- 7. Environmental Policy
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TDSL’s main business activity is the manufacture of high quality timber-based doors. We undertake to conduct this business and generate profit in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.
TDSL believes it is environmentally beneficial to contribute to a sustainable international trade in timber and timber products, which recognizes the importance of the global forest resource for today and the future. TDSL believes that using timber from legal and well-managed forests can cause less environmental damage when measured on a true life-cycle analysis than equivalent use of competing materials such as steel, concrete, plastic etc. Timber can be grown indefinitely, it biodegrades safely and it can be burned to recover heat energy to displace the use of fossil fuels. Increased use of timber in construction can play a positive role in global carbon management and slow down the effects of climate change.
Nevertheless any business activity has environmental side-effects and we at TDSL acknowledge we are no exception. Using our certified Environmental Management System(ISO14001:2004), we seek to understand, measure and minimise or mitigate
Those impacts over time through a process of continuous improvement and review.
This involves setting demanding but achievable objectives and performance targets and regularly reporting progress against them.
TDSL is committed to:
Obtaining our timber materials from legally and sustainable managed sources.
Measuring and progressively reducing our carbon footprint via our EMS.
Minimizing and eventually eliminating the production of waste that cannot be recycled.
Acting at all times to minimise the risk of pollution from our operations to air, land and water.
Understanding and complying with all relevant legislation.
Continuous improvement of performance against KP1 targets set in our EMS.
Regular reporting of progress against those targets.
Communicating our commitment to our suppliers, staff and customers.
