Category: Press Releases

The Corporate Livewire Manchester Prestige Awards have recognised Chute Fire Certification UK’s continuous commitment to professionalism and knowledge in its sector by awarding it with the ‘Laundry Chute Service Provider of the Year’. A total of 2,145 award nominations were received this year to celebrate small and medium-sized enterprises consisting of localised businesses and sole traders that have thrived in their highly competitive community and have proven their success. Judge Andrew Walsh commented “It’s clear Chute Fire Certification UK® recognises the importance of continual professional and personal development, and that they continually strive to develop their abilities.” The judges also found Chute Fire Certification UK® to be ‘highly knowledgeable, thorough and professional laundry chute specialists.’ Director Avene Furness-Monk was delighted with the recognition for maintaining the highest standards in the industry; only using Certified Fire Technicians and manufacturing chutes that meet and exceed all relevant British Standards through independent testing. She says “Receiving this award makes all the hard work and dedication that every member of the Chute Fire Certification UK® team put into our product fabrication, installation and services worthwhile. Now customers can choose an award-winning chute specialist to keep their residents, staff and buildings safe.” The full winners guide can be found here.

Just six months after announcing its new hopper doors had passed a third party 2.5 hour fire test, Chute Fire Certification UK® has launched its new 2-in-1 Chute System – currently the only system in the UK that has a 4 hour certification by an independent UKAS accredited fire research facility. Managing Director Avene Furness-Monks is delighted with the results of the test and says “The unique benefit of this system is that it acts as a two in one system. The two elements work together to provide the ultimate combination in passive fire safety; the first is an automatic interlocking blade that will close when temperatures reach 72 degrees. The second element is a separate chute closure door which is fitted at head heights to ensure easy access by maintenance staff for safe change-over of bins and maintenance of the bin rooms.” The new system undertook its four-hour fire rating in accordance with BS476: Part 21: 1987 at Cambridge Fire Research, which also confirmed that the interlocking blade shut 46 seconds into the test. Chute Fire Certification UK® remains the only chute inspection and service provider to ensure that only certified technicians inspect refuse or laundry chutes.  As a UK manufacturer of chutes, the organisation can provide bespoke solutions, such as the twin-refuse system. The images above show the benefit obtained by Wates Living Space following refurbishment works from Chute Fire Certification UK® (photographs care of Birmingham City Council).

Inspecting and installing chutes can be a pretty dirty job but Managing Director of Chute Fire Certification UK®, Avene Furness-Monks is taking dirt to another level to compete in her 5th Tough Mudder event on 12th September 2019. Avene’s daughter was born with Trachea-Oesophageal Fistula (TOF), a rare congenital condition that affects one in every 3,500 babies and meant that she had a conjoined windpipe and oesophagus. Many children born with this condition also have other deformities, such as limbs and organs that are not fully formed, and her daughter also had a left Microphthalmia (micro eye) with no sight.  As soon as she was born, she was transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and within 24 hours had undergone major surgery. She spent four days in intensive care and was eventually allowed home after two weeks in the neonatal unit. Avene is pushing herself through 12 gruelling miles of mud and obstacles to raise money and awareness for the charity MACS (Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia and Coloboma Support) the UK’s national charity for children born without eyes or with underdeveloped eyes. If you want to show your support to provide confidence-building activities for these children and emotional support for their families, you can donate via Avene’s JustGiving page below.

To complete its Refuse Chute Safe System, Chute Fire Certification UK® now offers hopper doorsets, providing a one-stop refuse chute solution for owners of multiple occupancy buildings.  The five new models of hopper doorsets easily passed the required 2.5 hours fire test and are now certified to BS476: Part 22: 1987. Existing customers of Chute Fire Certification are delighted that the new hopper doorsets are now available, having pre-ordered with confidence that they would achieve the British Safety Standard.  Managing Director Avene Furness-Monks was at the test and said, “We have incorporated within our design products supplied by industry leaders, Pyroplex Systems and Quelfire and It was fabulous to see that even after the test was complete, the hopper doorset maintained its full integrity.” One of the first customers is Steve O’Neill, Facility Manager at First Ark, responsible for the facilities management at Knowsley Housing Trust.  He said “We have full trust in the Chute Fire Certification UK® team to inspect, manufacture and install chutes to the highest standards required in the industry.  We ordered the new hopper doorsets in all the refurbishments where they were required.  Not only do they look smart, the inspection date and relevant safety information is clear for everyone to see.” Refuse chutes need to be inspected regularly by a Certified Fire Technician.  Depending on what is found during the inspection, the dedicated Chute Fire Certification UK® Fire Technician will advise on the best course of action to ensure that the refuse chute will not be a fire risk in any building.  This may include minor or major refurbishments to the chutes, but customers are left safe in the knowledge that the highest possible standards have been used to keep people and assets safe from fire. Click here for more information about our comprehensive chute refurbishment systems.

Jigsaw Homes (part of the Jigsaw Group) is one of the largest housing association groups within England, providing more than 34,000 homes across the North West and East Midlands. Chute Fire Certification UK® has inspected, serviced and repaired refuse chutes in several of Jigsaw Homes’ tower blocks, and are now focussing on the hopper door replacement on each floor. Ron Devine, Electrical & Service Contracts Manager, Jigsaw Group has worked with Avene Furness, Director of Chute Fire Certification UK® for the last 12 months in order to ensure that FRA regulations are adhered to in their properties.  “Previously, we repaired the chute fire plates when they were broken. However, the FRA recommendations require us to have a more structured and proactive approach, and this is what Chute Fire Certification UK® has been able to introduce to Jigsaw Homes. We now have all the relevant paperwork giving evidence of the chute’s bi-annual certification to ensure compliance. But what really adds value is the report that they provide. Before we started working with Chute Fire Certification UK®, we didn’t have a clear picture of what the contractor had done. Now we have written and photographic evidence, and you can really tell from the before and after photos exactly what they have done” summarised Devine. One of the findings that Furness and her team bought to Devine’s notice was the fusible links in some of the fire plates that had been installed when the building property was built. These play a vital role in passive fire protection, and need to be inspected, tested and replaced regularly, especially in the environment of a bin room. After working with Chute Fire Certification UK®, Devine has developed a deep understanding of all the elements required to be in place to ensure that any fire is contained until the emergency services arrive. They are now working on a programme to ensure that the hopper doors inside the tower block provide the same level of protection as the E120 Chute Fire Safe Protection System installed by Chute Fire Certification UK® at the bottom of the chute. “Avene is extremely passionate about chutes and won’t let anything slip through the net.  If they say they’ll be there, they are there. We’ve set up a maintenance agreement to make sure we provide the highest level of passive fire safety for all the refuse chutes throughout our estate, and ultimately, our residents” Devine concludes. Furness adds “When we first presented Jigsaw Homes with our Chute Inspection Reports they were quick to take action and chute refurbishment works began immediately. It is clear that the safety of their residents is of paramount importance. I’m not the only member of Chute Fire Certification UK® to be passionate about chutes, our passion is what drives myself and my dedicated team to provide the very best in installation and service every day.”