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Legislation*
*at the time of this website page development
Construction Products Regulation & Building Regulations 2010 Part L
New Construction Products Regulation (CPR) directly affected all manufacturers, distributors, end-users, specifiers, and architects in the supply chain. From 1st July 2013, under the CPR, it is mandatory for construction products, including external doorsets, to meet seven basic requirements for construction works:
1. Mechanical resistance and stability
2. Safety in case of fire
3. Hygiene, health and environment
4. Safety and accessibility in use
5. Protection against noise
6. Energy economy and heat retention
7. Sustainable use of natural resources
The current practice by many manufacturers is to declare these or some of these vital characteristics as NPD (No Performance Declared) in the compulsory Declaration of Performance (DoP). There is a growing concern in the industry about this loophole in CPR legislation that manufacturers may take. Clearly, doorsets with the unprotected or under-protected letter plate may not be in compliance to the first six of the basic requirements. Therefore, the manufacturer's DoP must be examined in detail to ensure that door products will be suitable for the premises and application.
For example, let us look at thermal performance requirements for doors. From 1st July 2013, it is mandatory under the CPR that new external pedestrian doorsets are CE marked with their U-values included in the door manufacturer's DoP and must meet the strict U-values heat loss standards of the Building Regulations 2010 Part L. The area-weighted U-values requirements for the dwellings that affect most fabricators for a majority of the doors that they supply or install are as following:
England & Wales: Replacement doors U-value 1.8W/m2K or better. New doors U-value 1.8W/m2K or better. Scotland: Replacement doors U-value 1.6W/m2K or better. New doors U-value 2.0W/m2K or better.
By fitting an unprotected or under-protected letter plate Building Regulations 2010 Part L requirements to entrance doors U-values would not be met in most cases. Part E requirements, which deal with doors sound insulation, would not be met too.
For most doors in these situations, the conflict can be easily resolved by simply fitting IdealGuard™ secure by design multifunctional eco letterbox attachment on the back of the letterbox. In most cases, this can be also helpful for meeting new Government demands such as updated Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) and Part Q (Security).
From 6 April 2014 in the updated Part L of new Building
Regulations 2013 the Government demands a 6% improvement in energy efficiency
standards for new homes and a 9% improvement for non-domestic buildings in 2010
regulations. From 1 October 2015 new entrance doors in dwellings require meeting Approved Document Q (Security), which is an addition to Building Regulations.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
With regard to fire safety, this area of law is covered by both the Housing Act 2004 inside the dwelling and by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) for the common areas. From December 2015 CE marking for fire-rated doorsets is available too and it will be mandatory 3 years after.
Under the Building Regulations 2013 Part B and the RRO, doors used as the final point of exit must be fire-resisting (protected), which means fire doors or arson proof doors depending on the risk of fire. Under the 2004 Housing Act, a landlord must ensure there are adequate escape routes in the property.
Entrance/exit doors of flats in blocks of flats must be fire doors. This is essential for the so-called 'compartmentation of flats', which is limiting the spread of fire and smoke in case of a fire that may originate in the flats.
When fitted with the unprotected or under-protected letter plate they would be in breach of the legislation and put lives and property at risk since the fire started in the exit door area from letterbox arson would effectively cut off the main escape route.
The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
These regulations require employers to provide safe workplaces including doors, which are safe in use (regulation 18). Doors with the unprotected or under-protected letter plate will not be in compliance.
As a business owner/manager you have a responsibility not only to protect the employees but also the visitors
DON'T PUSH YOUR LUCK
YOU CAN'T SHIRK YOUR DUTIES WHEN THERE IS A SOLUTION
How would fitting IdealGuard™ products help to address these gaps in compliance with legislation?
Taking this simple and cost-effective step without disruption to mail deliveries and without the need to replace the external door can reassure the door compliance with a number of European and UK mandatory laws and regulations, including Building Regulations 2013 Parts B, L, E and Q, the RRO, The Fire Safety Act 2021 and Construction Products Regulation.
IdealGuard™ brand is improving the image of the retrofit, which currently suffers from the solutions that often do not deliver the promised benefits or promise to deliver them in 25 years.
IdealGuard™: A MUST-HAVE FOR HOME AND BUSINESS