Secured by Design at Security Buyer and Fire Buyer Live 2023

Taking place from 10:00hrs on Wednesday 18 October to 17:00hrs on Thursday 19 October, Fire and Security Buyer Live provides a dedicated online experience for the entire international fire and security sectors to source the latest equipment and systems, develop important business relationships and generate new business opportunities.

You can view the Security Buyer Live conference agenda here. The SBD Technical Manager Alfie Hosker will be discussing the Enhanced Security and Fire Performance of Doorsets between 12:30 – 13:00 on Thursday 19th October.

You can view the Fire Buyer Live conference agenda here. The SBD Technical Manager Alfie Hosker will be discussing the Enhanced Security and Fire Performance of Doorsets between 12:00 – 12:30 on Wednesday 18th October.

Enhanced Security and Fire Performance of Doorsets

The importance for buildings of all types to be physically secure to deter criminal activity, reduce crime and keep people safe is why SBD has worked with the government, businesses, the construction industry and standards authorities at home and abroad for many years.  This led SBD to develop a product based police accreditation scheme nearly 25 years ago – the Police Preferred Specification.

Police Preferred Specification ensures that products have been independently tested to a relevant security standard and fully certified by an independent third-party, United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) certification body, or tested and certified by an approved body such as Sold Secure or Thatcham. Indeed SBD instigated the formation of the UK Test House Studies Group and Certification Bodies Group for door, window and lock products and have chaired these groups for almost 25 years with the sole aim being to ensure there is parity between test and certification bodies.

Police Preferred Specification requires regular re-testing and annual inspection of the manufacturing facility to ensure quality and performance are maintained (by a UKAS body). This provides assurance that products have been produced under a controlled manufacturing environment in accordance with the specifier’s aims and minimises misrepresentation of the products by unscrupulous manufacturers/suppliers. Better quality means these products last longer too, making them more cost effective and leading to greater sustainability in crime prevention.

The tragic fire at the Grenfell Tower in June 2017 led to much examination of the escape protocols for high rise buildings and the materials and products utilised with the build process.

Post Grenfell, the government quite rightly called for further investigations and Secured by Design (SBD) took an active part as a member of the Grenfell Technical Group, which was set up in March 2018 to provide technical advice specifically on entrance doorsets to individual flats - which includes the door, associated frame and all component parts, such as the glazing and door hardware.

The Group, which included other not-for-profit organisations including the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the Door and Hardware Federation (DHF), met frequently throughout the rest of that year. Our comprehensive technical findings were duly reported to government via the Grenfell Independent Expert Panel.

Building on the collective expertise and experience within SBD, FIA and DHF the three organisations took the unprecedented step of collaborating on a document entitled ‘Guide For Selecting Flat Entrance Doorsets’. The publication brings together the best collaborative advice available from the industry in one straightforward document to highlight the fundamental issues of fire safety and security for those selecting such doorsets.

SBD are adamant that any doorset that carries SBD accreditation should be fit for purpose in all declared characteristics, but especially those that are life critical such as fire, security and smoke control. We are committed to saving lives and making homes safer places in which to live, work and play.

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