Fire Damper Surveying, Testing and Remedial Works for Canford Healthcare.

Client Overview

Canford Healthcare operates a portfolio of care and residential homes across the UK, providing high-quality care in safe, comfortable, and compliant environments. As part of their ongoing commitment to safety and regulatory compliance, Canford Healthcare commissioned a comprehensive programme of fire damper surveys, testing, and remedial works to ensure alignment with current BS 9999 and HTM standards.

Project Partner

Nitor Ventilation Ltd, a specialist in ventilation and fire damper compliance, was appointed to deliver full fire damper asset tracing, intrusive surveys, functional testing, and remedial work proposals across multiple Canford Healthcare sites.

Objectives

The project aimed to:

• Identify and record all fire damper assets across each site through intrusive inspection and trace surveys.

• Evaluate compliance in accordance with British standards, manufacturer details, guidance, and best practices. Functionality test all accessible dampers to assess operational integrity and compliance.
• Evaluate performance against current fire safety and maintenance standards.

• Provide detailed remedial action plans for any non-compliant or defective dampers.

• Deliver all works with minimal disruption to residents and staff within active care home environments.

Approach

Pre-Survey Planning

Conducted a review of available drawings and previous records to understand existing installations.

Developed method statements and risk assessments specific to care home settings, prioritising infection control, noise management, and safeguarding considerations.

Intrusive Survey and Tracing

Nitor’s engineers carried out targeted access works to locate and verify fire damper positions across concealed ductwork systems.

All assets were tagged and recorded using Nitor’s digital asset management system to create a reliable, auditable record.

Testing and Evaluation

Each fire damper was manually tested to confirm correct operation and return functionality.

Defects, obstructions, or accessibility issues were documented with photographic evidence.

Reporting and Remedial Proposals

Comprehensive reports provided a site-by-site compliance overview, including risk categorisation and prioritised remedial actions.

Recommendations included repairs, access improvements, and maintenance scheduling to ensure future compliance. particular consideration due to the risk of sleep and evacuation procedures had to be taken into account t when selecting the correct route to remedial

Health and Safety Considerations

Given the live operational nature of the care homes, strict H&S protocols were observed:

All engineers were DBS-checked and trained in care home working environments.

Daily coordination with site managers ensured safe access planning and zero disruption to residents.

Works were conducted under infection control measures and in accordance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) expectations.

Results and Outcomes

Complete and verifiable fire damper asset register established across Canford Healthcare sites.

Identification of critical remedial works, supporting compliance with fire safety legislation and insurer requirements.

Improved visibility, traceability, and assurance for Canford Healthcare’s fire safety management.

Strengthened partnership between Nitor Ventilation and Canford Healthcare for ongoing planned preventative maintenance (PPM).

Key Takeaways

This project demonstrates Nitor Ventilation’s capability to deliver comprehensive fire safety assurance in sensitive, high-risk environments. Through structured planning, technical expertise, and an empathetic approach to care home operations, Nitor supported Canford Healthcare’s mission to maintain safe, compliant, and resilient buildings for residents and staff alike.

LUSH UK – 3 Year Fire Damper Testing and Mechanical Servicing Contract Client

The Client

LUSH Cosmetics (UK) – Nationwide retail estate with multiple sites requiring planned compliance testing and reliable mechanical ventilation performance year-round.

Contract Overview

Nitor Ventilation Limited was appointed to deliver a 3-year programme of fire damper testing alongside air handling and mechanical ventilation servicing across all LUSH sites throughout the UK.

This included a structured approach to:

Fire damper inspection and operational testing

Site-based mechanical servicing (including AHUs, HRUs, extract systems, and associated ventilation equipment)

Coordinated scheduling to minimise disruption to store operations

Identification and completion of remedial works while on-site

Scope of Works Delivered

Across the UK estate, our delivery covered approximately:

65 sites

392 fire dampers tested

A mixture of standard fire dampers and combination fire/smoke dampers

Mechanical servicing requirements vary per location (including HRUs, AHUs, extract fans, and Lossnay units)

The Challenge

With a geographically dispersed retail portfolio, LUSH required:

A contractor capable of delivering consistent compliance across all sites

A planned programme with minimal disruption

Confidence that failures identified during testing would not lead to long delays, repeat visits, or extended risk exposure

A solution that provided better long-term value than short-term/annual arrangements

Our Solution

Nitor provided a planned multi-year service model built around efficiency, compliance assurance, and cost control.

1) Planned National Delivery

By structuring the programme in advance, we ensured:

Optimised engineer routing and reduced wasted travel time

Repeatable reporting and quality standards across the estate

Faster site access coordination with LUSH teams

2) Fire Damper Testing + Mechanical Servicing Combined

Where required, we aligned fire damper testing visits with mechanical servicing tasks on the same attendance. This reduced:

The number of site interruptions

The cost of multiple contractor visits

The risk of missed servicing or follow-up works being delayed

3) Added Value Through On-the-Day Remedials

A major value driver for LUSH was our ability to complete remedial works while testing wherever possible.

This approach provided immediate benefits:

Reduced repeat visits (saving labour and call-out costs)

Faster compliance close-out (critical for audit readiness)

Improved damper functionality and system reliability on first attendance

Less impact on store teams compared to scheduling separate reactive works later

Results and Outcomes

By partnering with Nitor Ventilation, LUSH achieved:

• Improved compliance assurance across its UK store portfolio
• Reduced disruption through coordinated attendance planning
• Faster issue resolution through in-visit remedial works
• Clear cost savings through a structured multi-year agreement
• Better-performing ventilation systems, supporting comfort and reliability in retail spaces

Why It Worked

This contract succeeded because Nitor delivered more than just testing—we delivered a complete compliance and performance solution by combining:

• Competent fire damper testing
• Mechanical servicing expertise
• National scheduling capability
• A proactive remedial-first mindset

Summary

By combining fire damper testing with mechanical servicing and completing remedial works during attendance, Nitor helped LUSH reduce repeat visits, improve compliance close-out time, and gain stronger long-term value across its UK estate.

University of Cambridge – King’s College Buildings

Fire Damper Inspections Programme 24 Sites Across Campus

The Client

Client University of Cambridge – King’s College Buildings

A historic and operationally complex campus environment requiring robust fire safety compliance, clear reporting, and minimal disruption to day-to-day building use.

Contract and Project Overview

Nitor Ventilation Limited was appointed to undertake a campus-wide fire damper inspection programme across 24 designated sites, forming part of the University’s compliance and asset assurance responsibilities.

The project focused on ensuring fire and smoke dampers remained compliant, functional, and correctly recorded for future inspection cycles and statutory reporting.

Scope of Works Delivered

The scope included fire damper inspections across 24 sites, with a blend of:

Full inspection locations (multi-day allocations for larger buildings)

Survey-only sites to confirm the presence (or absence) of fire dampers prior to full inspection planning

The Challenge

Fire damper inspection work across a historic university estate introduces key challenges, including:

Multiple building types with variable access constraints

Limited historic data and uncertainty around damper presence and prior inspection history

The need for clear asset identification, consistent reporting, and photographic evidence for compliance

Managing inspections safely and efficiently in occupied environments

Our Approach

Nitor delivered a structured and auditable inspection approach, aligned to recognised standards and legislation.

1) Compliance-Led Testing Standards

The inspections were undertaken in line with recognised guidance and compliance requirements including:

BS 9999, VH001, DW145, BSEFSD01 and supporting regulatory frameworks such as Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Approved Document B.

2) Robust Asset Identification & Reporting

Each damper was:

• assigned a unique reference (where not already labelled)
• location-recorded with photographs
• tested, reset, and captured with evidence
• supported with written observations against both damper condition and surrounding compartment integrity

3) Structured Testing Methodology

Our process included:

• fusible link inspection and removal
• drop testing and reset
• documenting obstructions, defects, and condition issues

Added Value: “Fix While We Test” Remedial Mindset

A key benefit to the University was our proactive approach to identifying issues at the point of inspection and enabling quick resolution planning.

During inspections, Nitor recorded:

• defects to the damper operation
• surrounding compartment issues
• obstructions by other services
• access constraints (including where additional access panels may be required)

Where remedial works were required, these were:

✅ recorded, notified, and quoted clearly so issues could be closed out efficiently, without delays or missing actions.

This approach improves value for money by:

• reducing the risk of repeat survey visits
• allowing quicker compliance close-out
• supporting more efficient budgeting and prioritisation of repairs
• helping ensure systems remain operationally effective and compliant

Results and Outcomes

Through this programme, the University of Cambridge benefited from:

✅ A consistent fire damper inspection process across 24 sites

✅ Clear asset identification and auditable reporting

✅ Reduced risk of unknown/unverified dampers within the estate

✅ A structured remedial pathway to support ongoing compliance management

✅ Improved readiness for internal audits and fire safety assurance

Our clients.