Disaster video heads BWF campaign

The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has launched a Stair Secrets campaign to promote its new Stair Scheme to building control officers.

The BWF hopes a video on the BWF website and on You Tube will highlight examples of defects in what might otherwise be considered a beautiful timber staircase.

Large numbers of defects in stair installations are being reported by building control officers, the BWF said. The new certification scheme negates the need for onsite tests.

Pauline Kelly, chair of the BWF Stair Scheme, said: “The technical requirements for timber stairs are still poorly understood and are often ignored.”

The video reveals technical failures, 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.

Paul Timmins, managing director 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.”