Spec Finish

Technical www.thefis.org 23 The only 600mm high x 600mm wide platform in the UK PRODUCTS IN STOCK - Call 01924 420820 for Next Day Delivery www.safetyplatforms.co.uk PLASTERBOARD TROLLEY DELTA DECK • Lightweight sturdy work platform • EN131 compliant SWL 150kg for site use • Trigger lock hinges for increased safety • Stabiliser feet for added safety • EN1004 Standard for site use • UK quality manufacture • Height adjustable • Platform on any rung • Trapdoor platform 1.8m x 0.6m • Double guardrails included • Locking castor wheels • Stabilisers & toeboards if required • 0.8m to 6.0m platform heights • A one piece access platform • Takes less than 1 minute to assemble. • Built in guardrails for increased Safety • Larger working platform than a podium • Variable platform height up to 870mm • Working height up to 3.0m • One piece – no items to lose • Built in castors for ease of movement • Folds for easy storage and transportation • Strong tubular steel construction • Two fixed / two swivel wheels for excellent manoeuvrability • Solid rubber tyres – no punctures • Removeable side rails 0.8m only £495 Only: £249 BIGFOOT PLATFORMS FOLDING SCAFFOLDS 600mm wide 800mm long 500mm or 600mm high He continued to say: “With the competitive nature of the industry, manufacturers test differently to provide an advantageous result for their product, which presents a significant issue”. Nigel said: “I think the challenge that you’ve got is that partitioning manufacturers are quite used to being held accountable for the claims they make, they are really good at providing data around the rules.” Peter Long, Divisional Fire and Certification Director at Optima Systems added: “These things absolutely need approval and sign-off, but as Ros mentioned, a sense of wellbeing within a space is a very different product criterion. Phill Banks, Principal Consultant at Spectrum Acoustic Consultants, contributed, “It must be important for the client to have a language or a qualitative understanding of what it is that they want to achieve. And possibly this needs to be made confidential or private, so that their expectations are met rather than having a numerical quantifier. In my experience, people on the outside of this don’t have a very good understanding of what it is they need.” Joe asked the panel: “Does this need to be confidential, so that their expectations are met rather than having a numerical quantifier?”. Nigel replied: “You’re absolutely right, they use the numbers as a gauge in comparative terms’’. Phill Banks also suggested that the type of specification needs to be well-considered and clearly defined. “Because I’ve worked on the supplier side, rather than client side, I’ve seen lots of different specifications. And whether it’s an attempt at a performance specification or material specification, you always want to help your client who’s a supplier comply with that, but you’re often left thinking ‘they haven’t thought this through.’” Acoustics as a purchasing factor Ben asked the panel “What part acoustics plays as a purchasing factor, and whether it is the main driver, or simply a ‘nice-to-have’?”. Nigel responded “With a telephone pod, people will see acoustics as being really quite important so it needs to perform. Also that clients’ perceptions of pods and meeting rooms are starting to change a bit”. Mark said: “In my experience, the two main drivers in a purchasing decision are noise level and privacy. It is somewhere quiet, to be able to perform a task, or maybe somewhere to get on a Teams call. But it’s absolutely the Wild West in terms of what the specification is”. Joe suggested that this is part of the wider issue of the lack of standardised testing and compliance, leading to a lack of comparable data. The solution Ben summarised: “I genuinely think if there was a standard performance criterion it would allow direct comparison of products at an early stage.’’ The panel all agreed that there must be a consistent standard in which all pods need to be tested to simplify specifications. Joe concluded by saying: “Themarket needs better education, you have got a group of people who are buying andmaking decisions on things without fully understanding what it is that they’re buying, or understanding how to evaluate the product”. This is an abridged version of a white paper. To read the full version go to www.thefis.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/12/FIS-Pods-Roundtable- 2022-White-Paper.pdf