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A certification scheme to approve installers of fire resistant compartment wall systems was launched yesterday by BRE Global.
The updated scheme – LPS 1500: 2 – covers installers of construction products such as compartment walls and partitions, external walls, curtain walls and cavity barriers already approved to LPS 1208. It represents a further move towards approval of installers of fire safety systems, rather than just the approval of products.
“This is a new approach to passive fire safety installation schemes,” Ian Stewart, passive installation scheme manager at BRE Global told delegates at the launch seminar at BRE’s headquarters in Watford. “Each project will have to be inspected and signed off by a responsible person in the [approved] installation company.”
The approval process examines the professionalism of companies involved in installing LPS approved products, and covers contractor competency and training, record keeping and management of sub-contractors.
BRE Global aims to inspect “up to 15% of projects” on which approved firms work. “We are not going to under resource this – it’s vital that we have sufficient technical inspections and we maintain the expertise at this level,” added Mr Stewart.