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Blog Posts (16)

  • March Event: Architect CPD on Fire Safety, Principal Designer Role and Building Safety Act Updates

    Save the date 5th March 2025 for our next showroom event held in association with  Manchester Society of Architects  and  Beplas UK . Are you confident in your compliance with the Building Safety Act?  With evolving regulations, architects and specifiers must stay ahead to ensure fire safety compliance and avoid costly mistakes. The Building Safety Act places greater responsibility on professionals to specify products that meet rigorous fire performance standards - are you certain your choices align with the latest requirements? This exclusive architect CPD event will cover everything you need to know, and is focussed on the latest updates in fire safety regulations , fire testing standards, fire doors and the evolving role of architects. Event agenda: Overview of changes to fire safety regulations and standards. Updates on fire doors and new responsibilities resulting from the Grenfell Inquiry. The phase-out of BS 476 and its impact on fire testing standards. Architects’ roles in ensuring compliance and mitigating risks. There will be presentations and a Q&A with speakers : John Miles, Sweco - Registered Building Inspector Karl Wallasch , Trigon Fire Safety - Fire Engineer Mark Ashmore , Beplas UK - Fire Doors and Hygienic Fire Doors John McCaffrey , Beplas UK - Fire Doors and Hygienic Fire Doors Alex Mamas DipGAI , MD, Poole Waite & Co Ltd Why should you attend this Architect CPD? Stay informed about critical regulatory updates impacting fire safety and compliance. Network with industry experts and gain practical guidance from presentations and Q&A sessions. Earn 2 hours of CPD credit under ARB and RIBA Core Curriculum . Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! Secure your place today. Event held in association with Manchester Society of Architects and Beplas UK. Event details Date: Wednesday 5th March 2025 Time: 1700-1930 Entry: Free Location: 8 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AN

  • Event: Manchester Society of Architects Awards comes to Clerkenwell in December

    Introducing Poole Waite's showroom events programme We are delighted to introduce our new Showroom Events Programme, a series of events at our showroom in Clerkenwell. Our first event will be the Manchester Society of Architects Awards Exhibition , where Poole Waite & Co Ltd will host an exhibition of the entries and award-winning designs from Manchester architects,  in association with  Beplas   and  Manchester Society of Architects . There were over 150 submissions and over 550 attendees at this year’s MSA awards in June, judged by Mary Duggan. Join us for this one day exhibition and unique opportunity to celebrate the architectural excellence and the works of Manchester architects, here in Clerkenwell. We are pleased to announce our opening guest for the evening launch will be Jenny Etheridge, Manchester Society of Architects President. Event details Date: Tuesday 10th December 2024 Exhibition: 11am – 8pm Launch Party and Welcome Drinks: 5pm Entry: Free Location: 8 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AN

  • Fire door ironmongery inspection at London university reveals alarming results

    Last month, our Managing Director, Alex Mamas Dip GAI, MGAI, RegAI , was approached by a London university to undertake an invasive fire door ironmongery inspection. The alarming results revealed an all-too-common lack of understanding when it comes to choosing ironmongery for fire doors, which puts lives at risk. Case study: fire door ironmongery inspection conducted at a London university   The university advised that over the last two years (and still ongoing) they had spent a significant amount with a contractor who specialises in the installation of fire doors. This was to install many new door sets and carry out remedial works needed on existing doors. The door assemblies were purchased from a large, very well-known door manufacturer, who have their fire doors tested to BS 476 Part 22. This company specify the standards that each ironmongery product must comply with to enable the fire door certification to be valid. To assist with this, they provide an installation guide to accompany the self-certification certificate. This certificate is signed by the contractor and then passed onto the end user/ building owner once the door has been installed. Within the university campus there was a combination of FD30 and FD60 doors installed.  Alex undertook his inspection, checking components such as: Door hinges Locks and latches Door closing mechanisms, both surface mounted and concealed Lever action flush bolt Door handles Fire door seals and signage The findings: an alarming truth uncovered In brief the findings, which were quite alarming, were as follows: Hinges At least 40% of the fire doors inspected had either no intumescent hinge pads or had the incorrect thickness pad fitted.   Locks and latches Many of the fire doors either had no intumescent kits installed or they were of the wrong thickness. The fire door manufacturer clearly specifies within the installation guide that a material thickness of 1mm for FD30 doors and 2mm for FD60 doors is required. Where fitted, the fire door installer had used 0.8mm on all door types.   Door closing mechanisms Budget “rack and pinion” overhead surface mounted door closers were fitted. Whilst these have been tested to BS EN 1154 and are Warrington Certifire approved, this is only when fitted in the Fig.1 application (fitted PULL side). However, the manufacturer of the door closer supplies, as standard, a Fig. 6 bracket (fitted PUSH side) which, when installed this way, has no fire door certification.    In addition to this issue, when undertaking random checks using a newton meter gauge none of the closers met the requirements of the Equality Act BS 8300 approved by Document M. This requires the force needed to open the door to be at a level to allow people with disabilities to use the door. All doors failed, needing more force than allowed to be opened.   Also, many of the FD60 doors had been installed with the Synergy S1036 concealed door closer. Every unit inspected was missing its mono ammonium phosphate intumescent gasket set.   Flush bolts These need to comply with BS EN 12051. There are only a couple of manufacturers which supply flush bolts with this standard. This is then laser etched on the reverse of the product. None of the flush bolts inspected had the BS EN standard or any intumescent kits installed.     Lever handles Within the certification and installation guide it states that lever handles must comply with BS EN 1906. This is an 8 digit coding system where the door handle undergoes various tests including fire resistance, durability and corrosion.   The lever handles installed by the fire door installer were a known product, however they have no test data. When checking with the UK distributor they confirmed that it had NOT been tested to any BS EN standard.   Alex then spoke again with the door manufacturer, who confirmed that if the lever handle has not been tested to the standard required then the door assembly will NOT have a valid fire door certificate. Signs and seals It was noted that there was a lack of drop-down smoke seals and intumescent seals to many fire only and fire and smoke doors. There were also pairs of doors fitted with Dorma EMB electro-magnetic hold open floor springs which, when the fire alarm is sounded, closes the door automatically. These doors had been fitted with “Fire door keep shut” signs rather than the correct “Automatic fire door keep clear” signs.   How can you to avoid the consequences of non-compliant fire door ironmongery?   Unfortunately, this visit is just one of many similar ones Alex has undertaken which clearly illustrates the lack of understanding when it comes to choosing ironmongery for fire doors. Too often cheap, non-compliant products are fitted.   It is important to speak with professionals within the industry, who are members of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI), who can give correct and detailed advice before specifying or buying ironmongery and do not rely on a brief description found on the Internet, in a catalogue or verbal advice given from non-qualified or inexperienced individuals. View our requirements of a fire door guide for additional information. Alex has over 40 years’ experience within the industry and obtained his Guild of Architectural Ironmongery Diploma after taking a four year course. Indeed, within the technical sales team of at Poole Waite we have over 191  years of experience within the architectural ironmongery trade and ensure we keep fully up to date with the frequent changes in Standards.   If you ever need assistance with any ironmongery related issue, please do make contact to ensure you obtain correct and proper advice.

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Other Pages (20)

  • Old Gramophone Works

    Old Gramophone Works Location: Grand Union Canal, London, UK Type: Commercial Office Units Date: 2021 Graham Construction & Poole Waite lead the way with antimicrobial ironmongery at this former vinyl factory alongside the Grand Union Canal. Fire Door Experts Ltd working with Graham Construction and architects Studio RHE , supplied and fit Antimicrobial Ironmongery from Poole Waite. Standard ironmongery was included in the original specification, but Graham (the main contractor) saw this high profile refurb project as an ideal opportunity to add the extra protection of Antimicrobial Ironmongery for the building's future users. The ironmongery was part of a timber door package for 135 fire door-sets, comprising a mix of non-fire rated, FD30 and FD60 factory finished timber fire doors and frames from specialist door manufacturer, Humphrey & Stretton plc.

  • Contact | Poole Waite & Co Ltd

    Contact us Our sales team are on hand to speak to you about your requirements. Alternatively, you can fill out this form and a member of our team will get back to you. Phone 020 7253 8117 Email sales@poolewaite.co.uk First Name Last Name Email Message Send Message sent. Visit our showroom We are proud to call Clerkenwell our home; this area of London houses more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else in the world, making it one of the most important locations for design. Address 8 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AN Contact 020 7253 8117 Opening Hours Mon - Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm sales@poolewaite.co.uk Drag and drop the images in the gallery Discover our history.

  • Waltham Forest Town Hall

    Waltham Forest Town Hall Location: Walthamstow, London, UK Type: Heritage Listed building / Public and civic Date: 2022 Poole Waite restored the original ironmongery for this Grade II listed town hall, including door pull handles and finger plates. Works were completed on behalf of Washroom Washroom , working with the main contractors ISG . The refurbishment of the building was overseen by architects Hawkins\Brown .

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