BWF Campaign Points The Way To Stairway To Heaven

–  Building Control experts welcome scheme to tackle shocking stair secrets –

The BWF is launching a hard-hitting ‘Stair Secrets’ campaign this week, promoting the benefits of the new BWF Stair Scheme to building control officers who are reporting high levels of defects in stair installations.

The campaign will drive viewers to a new video on the BWF website and on YouTube.  The video shows examples of shocking defects in what might otherwise be considered a beautiful timber staircase.  Serious technical failures are revealed, including insufficient headroom, poor measuring and installation, missing spindles, twisted handrails, gaps and misalignments.

Flyers advertising the video will go to 13,000 local authority and building control officers and contractors, and will be sent to all Approved Inspectors and private building regulations consultancies.  A supporting PR campaign will call on building control officers and Approved Inspectors to look out for the BWF Stair Scheme badge and, where possible, to insist on it.

Paul Timmins, a leading building control expert and MD of Approved Inspector Services Ltd, said, “Statistically, staircases form the majority of non-Building Regulations compliance reporting, and the building control industry is crying out for a simple control mechanism to improve the inspection process.  The BWF Stair Scheme will offer us a much needed quality control measure.”

Pauline Kelly, chair of the BWF Stair Scheme, said, “The technical requirements for timber stair are still poorly understood and are often ignored.  The BWF Stair Scheme was launched in response to industry demand.  It negates the needs for onsite loading tests, making it easier for project teams to be certain of meeting the Building Regulations.  The scheme also reassures clients that one of our badged stair is a very simple solution to their problem.”

Richard Lambert, chief executive of the BWF, said: “This campaign is highly targeted to reach the audience with the most power and influence over take-up of the Stair Scheme badge and approved products.  We will also be writing to relevant contacts within NHBC to encourage it to advocate the Stair Scheme badge as an important initiative that can help its inspection and Building Control teams.  We hope it will generate a good level of awareness upon which the scheme can build in 2012.”

Visit the Stair Scheme pages for more information on the scheme, or conduct a search for Scheme Manufacturers.