SMR 01 – the new standard for smoke control maintenance and repair

Regular, proactive service and maintenance of smoke control systems is vital to ensure they perform properly in the event of a fire, safeguarding occupants, supporting the work of fire services and helping protect assets. For key Responsible Persons within a building or office, such as the building owner or facilities manager, ensuring these systems are in good working order is a legal requirement with potentially substantial penalties, including imprisonment and unlimited fines, for non-compliance. To give these dutyholders confidence that the firms they appoint to carry out these works are properly qualified, a new third party certification scheme has now been introduced - SMR 01 – Smoke Control Service Maintenance & Repair Certification.

What is SMR 01?

SMR 01 is an audited third-party certification scheme which identifies companies who have the necessary skills, experience and internal processes to manage and conduct maintenance and repair works on smoke control systems. The scheme has been developed by the IFCC in collaboration with the Smoke Control Association (SCA) and expands and improves on the maintenance elements included within the IFCC SDI 19 scheme for smoke control system installers.

The scheme assesses not only the knowledge and skills of maintenance teams, but also the overall organisational competence of smoke control system maintainers. This includes:

• the technical understanding of different system types,
• quality and accuracy of site works,
• training provision for different systems,
• quality management, procedures and documentation, and
• overall compliance with relevant standards and best practice guidance.

How are SMR 01 certified maintainers assessed?

In order to be certified under the SMR 01 scheme, companies need to complete a number of evaluations and observations:

Office audit

Once an initial submission is made for a firm to be SMR 01 certified, a thorough audit is carried out on the organisational management of smoke control maintenance works. This will include reviewing the systems used to schedule and log maintenance and repair works along with records on the training and competence of site engineers and other technical and quality control procedures.

Site engineer assessments

Depending on the size of the organisation, a number of observations may also be carried out on site maintenance works to ensure these are being conducted thoroughly and in line with regulations and best practice. These observations are also used to assess the general knowledge of site engineers on different smoke control systems.

Non-conformity review and certification

Once these assessments are complete, the company will be provided with details on any non-conforming issues which need to be addressed within a given timeframe. Assuming these are completed satisfactorily, the company will then be issued with SMR 01 certification and added to an IFCC register.

Annual audits

Crucially, as with SDI 19, all certified firms undergo annual surveillance audits and site inspections to ensure that their processes and overall competence levels continue to meet the scheme requirements. Non-compliance issues can result in their SMR 01 certification being suspended or withdrawn.

Why appoint a SMR 01 certified smoke control system maintainer?

There are a number of reasons why it is worth ensuring the company maintaining your smoke control system is certified under the SMR 01 scheme:

• Compliant scheduling – the organisational assessments of certified companies should ensure they properly manage all service contracts, confirming all elements of the system are inspected and serviced at regular intervals in line with industry standards.
• Certified competence – dutyholders are legally responsible for keeping systems in “good working order”. This means that arranging regular smoke control system services is not enough. If these works are carried out by individuals without the necessary skills and experience, dutyholders can still be held accountable for any issues with their work. The thorough assessment and annual audit process within SMR 01 is intended to ensure that site engineers are properly qualified to complete work for peace of mind.
• Golden thread – certified companies must maintain complete records of the maintenance and repair works they undertake. This can support the golden thread of information about your building’s smoke control system.

Is Colt SMR 01 Certified?

Yes, Colt International is fully certified under SMR 01 for smoke maintenance along with SDI 19 and SDI 05: Fire and Smoke Curtains (Active or Passive).

We operate a nationwide network of service engineers supported with our extensive spare parts service and through training at our dedicated training centre. Our service team are also happy to maintain any smoke control system, regardless of who installed it or manufactured the components. Colt International is also subscribed to the SFG 20 Facilities-iQ package, ensuring that all works on the system are completed in line with the latest industry standards and best practice.

Get in touch with our service team today to discuss how we can provide you with complete peace of mind through a Colt service contract.