The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (London) is one of the most densely populated areas of the UK. The borough owns almost 9500 homes, including several tower blocks.
Challenges
Kensington and Chelsea Council had an urgent need to understand the level of compliance in the refuse chutes in each of its tower blocks.
The council had also identified that the hopper doors used for refuse disposal on each floor of the tower were too small to meet the current needs of its residents.
Consultation
Chute Fire Certification UK was commissioned to survey the refuse chutes in the tower blocks owned by Kensington and Chelsea Council. Over 150 surveys were carried out. Each refuse chute was photographed floor by floor, and written evidence was provided to reflect the current state of the chute against the latest British Standards and legislation.
The team from Chute Fire Certification UK identified that the termination system needed replacing in each of the tower blocks they inspected. This is one of the key components in passive fire management and is a demonstration of the high standard of the surveys, all carried out by Certified Fire Technicians.
Solution
In order to meet the needs of the residents, who found the doors to the chutes too small, Chute Fire Certification designed and manufactured a bespoke sized hopper doors certified to a 2.5-hour fire rating (BS476: Part 22: 1987). Each hopper door is sealed with an industry-leading 4-hour rated Quelfire sealant. Each chute that was surveyed was fitted with the Chute Fire Safe Protection System at the chute termination. This two-in-one system provides the ultimate combination in passive fire safety.
Following the initial surveys, Kensington and Chelsea Council renewed their inspection contract, built upon a working relationship of trust and honesty.
Customer verdict
“The high standards and professionalism that Avene and her team work to is exactly what we need to ensure that our chutes are fully compliant. Their flexible and innovative approach to the new hopper doors provided exactly the solution we were looking for.“
Jane Mooney, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea