Access Panel Installation
Access panels are required for a number of reasons including insurance purposes, inspections, Fire & Air Hygiene Auditing. At Extract Compliance, We offer a national service installing inspection panels throughout client facilities.
ARE ACCESS DOORS NEEDED FOR DUCTWORK TO BE CLEANED?
Ventilation ductwork within a building performs an extremely important role and is integral to the safety and well-being of everyone who works there.
Without clean ductwork, building occupants could find they start to become unwell. Therefore, as an employer or building owner, it’s vital to comply with health and safety regulations and get your supply and extract ductwork cleaned regularly.
Health and safety requirements specify that ducts must be kept clean and all cleaning undertaken complies with the B&ESA (Building and Engineering Services Association) accredited scheme working to TR19 standards.
Bacteria and mould can very quickly build up in ducts, especially those which provide humid or warm conditions; this is caused by dust and debris building up and the subsequent movement of air over accumulations.
If ducts are allowed to build up to and then remain in this state, harmful allergens and pathogens can circulate around the building, causing allergies and illness to workers. In some cases these pathogens have been proven to be fatal, with Legionnaire’s Disease and the spread of MRSA.
For this reason, it’s essential that ducts are kept scrupulously clean and proper maintenance and testing is carried out.
To achieve this access to the ductwork is imperative.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESS DOORS
The Health and Safety Commission’s Code of Practice stipulates that all ducts must be cleaned thoroughly and that all contaminants are removed from the duct via the cleaning and maintenance carried out.
To do this we would require access to the duct but without access doors installed this could be rather tricky. Ducts run in the ceilings and through the walls and potentially have a lot of twists, turns and corners.
These are the places which are the most difficult to clean without an access door and rather ironically, these are also the places where dust and debris is most likely to collect! And where dust and debris are, bacteria and mould follow shortly after so it’s imperative to make sure the whole inner surface of the duct is properly cleaned out.
WHAT KIND OF ACCESS DOORS DO YOU NEED?
Access doors should be made from the same material as the rest of the duct and of the same thickness too. This is to provide adequate protection against the spread of fires.
They should also be manufactured and fitted in accordance with the B&ESA (Building and Engineering Services Association) DW144 standard.
Positioning of the access doors should be in accordance with Table 3 from the B&ESA (Building and Engineering Services Association) TR19 Standard.
The table covers all types of installation including Control Dampers, Fire Dampers, Heating/Cooling Coils, Attenuators (Rectangular), Attenuators (Circular), Filter Sections, Air turning Vanes, Changes of Direction, In Duct Fans/Devices and Inlet / Exhaust Louvre
To discuss your needs further or to arrange a ‘free-of-charge site survey then please call us on 0330-111-6712 to discuss your requirements, or complete the form below.