The BWF Stair Scheme is the only accreditation and certification scheme of its kind in the UK. Ranging from domestic, common and fire protected common stairs, the standard expected of the manufacturers for their stairs is extremely high to ensure quality and safety.
All companies within the scheme are regularly audited to ensure their products and their production meet these high standards, and fire tested for fire protected common stairs.
The scheme is managed by the BWF, and includes manufacturers, as well as approved suppliers, who play an important part in maintaining these standards.
Download the BWF Stair Seminar Presentation that took place in March 2012 (PDF; 7.2MB)
Watch this video about why Building Control Professionals are behind the BWF Stair Scheme
About the Scheme
BWF members are warning us that they are seeing problems in the stairs market which undermine them as quality manufacturers. These problems are creating risks which could damage the industry’s image and reputation.
- The technical requirements for timber stairs are poorly understood by the marketplace, and so largely ignored. The fact that the main British Standard is now obsolescent only makes things worse.
- Most manufacturers rely on their experience and past performance to prove that they meet the requirements. But experience cannot cover changes in materials or specifications, which should only be used when supported by test evidence.
- There is no straightforward method for Building Control or NHBC to verify that a stair has been manufactured correctly and complies with the relevant standards and building regulations.
- The increasing use of timber stairs in multi-storey, multi-occupancy buildings (blocks of flats) brings this into sharp focus. Ultimately this ignorance could put the lives of the building’s occupants and the fire and rescue services at risk. If a stair failed during an emergency evacuation, the consequences would be devastating.
- We need to raise awareness about the poor quality of some stairs and educate the market about the need for standards. We must also provide an easy means to identify stairs which have been properly and reliably manufactured, and to ensure their traceability.
The Solution: The BWF Stair Scheme
The most effective way of addressing these problems is by tackling them head on, setting industry standards for stair manufacture, verifying that the products are being produced to those standards and enabling the regulatory authorities to differentiate accredited products from those which are not. So the BWF has created a simple, easily understood, stair accreditation and certification scheme to ensure stairs meet the relevant performance requirements of:
- Loading
- Deflection
- Fire resistance (where appropriate)
Our Aims:
- To give confidence to building control bodies and other regulators, specifiers, clients, contractors and building occupants.
- To discourage, and work towards the elimination of, the supply and installation of stairs which do not meet the required standards.
- To protect and increase the UK market for timber stairs.
- To help Scheme members increase their market share, sales and profitability.
- To ensure that the BWF is recognised as the authority on stairs.
Benefits of the Scheme:
- It will contribute to building safety, particularly by ensuring that building occupants can escape safely in emergencies.
- It will differentiate well-manufactured, design-tested stairs from inferior, possibly non-compliant, competitors.
- It will assist Building Control inspections and remove the requests for on-site loading tests.
- It will promote the use of timber stairs in multi-occupancy dwellings.
- It will support and assist Scheme members in preparing for the introduction of the requirement to CE mark stairs.
- It will increase sales and profitability of quality timber stairs manufactured by BWF members.
Find a Stair Scheme Manufacturer for your project
See a list of Supplier members (those that provide materials to manufacturers to use in production, i.e. Timber, Coatings etc)
