Embed best practice into your anchors/fixings

Often anchors/fixings are left to the last minute leading to non-compliant anchors being sourced and installed to support M&E building service supports, this inevitably increases the chances of anchor installation errors and costly rework. These key issues were part of the reason why BS 8539 came about and why it is important to understand how the British Standard can guide us to anchor compliance.

 

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Here is how the BS 8539 came about:

After a fatality in Ireland, the Irish Health and Safety Association created a standard, this was then later adapted into the BS8539:2012 which today is seen as best practice. Before the standard there were a few obvious issues:

– There were often specification changes for practical and commercial reasons.

– There was no set procedure for stakeholders to follow for installing an anchor.

– It was typical of a manufacturer to test their own anchors, with no independent verification which meant when the anchor/fixing was specified for a particular job, bracketry designs were based on false loading information, sometimes leading to bracketry collapse.

Why should you give BS 8539 a second thought?

Tier 1 contractors are starting to ask an important question:

If challenged, can you demonstrate that the structure you have installed can take the service load applied to it, and that the supports and fixings are fit for purpose?

The question is not implying the fixing/bracket will collapse, its asking can you demonstrate (evidence) the installation.

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Anchor Selection

Browse our comprehensive range of Anchors

The Construction Products Regulation stipulates that all anchors sold for safety-critical applications should have suitable approval. These approvals are called European Technical Assessments and are awarded after the anchor has undergone rigorous testing. Approved anchors will display the approval, carry the CE mark and have the manufacturer’s “Declaration of Performance” which is a guarantee of the loads they will take.

With the majority of mechanical and electrical installations being suspended from the building’s ceilings, these are deemed as safety critical and anchors should be suitably approved.

MIDFIX has developed a comprehensive range of ETA approved anchors particularly suited to the requirements of building services contractors but I bet you are wondering why they cost much that anchors without an approval?. The ETA badges shown against the products identify the applications they are approved for.  Our sales team can advise you on selecting the most suitable anchors for their applications.  It is important to consider every aspect of the installation to ensure the anchor is suitably approved and will safely hold the required loads.  Another important consideration is the ease of installation particularly where large numbers of anchors are being used. 

Fixing Selection Boards

A key challenge on sites is to ensure that the right fixings and anchors are being used across the project.  Anchors used in building services installations are seldom specified and the building services contractor and sub-contractors may often be using several different products on the same installation and very often this will include unapproved anchors.

Our Fixing Selection Boards are a great way of ensuring consistency. Working with the contractor, we will identify suitable anchors for the project, often including site testing and technical submissions. We produce a site specific board with physical samples of the approved anchors together with supporting data as a highly visual on site specification. This is an effective way of creating awareness of the approved products across all parties and ensure best fixing practice for the project.

Fixing Board

Anchor Installation Training – MIDFIX Academy

As BS 8539:2012 states anchors should be installed and supervised by competent individuals. BS 8539 defines competent as:

‘Suitably trained and qualified by knowledge and practical experience, and provided with the necessary instructions, to enable the required task(s) to be carried out correctly.’

What is MIDFIX Academy?

The MIDFIX ACADEMY is the only specialist training and technical resource to upskill and support installers and supervisors in the M&E sector. As an M & E contractor, you can be assured that all of your installers have the competency and proficiency to install M & E related anchors to the highest standards and best practices. Avoid the most common mistakes and be confident that you are executing M&E support installations at the highest level.

 

 

 

anchor installer course

Anchor Testing

Our site sales team are CFA approved to undertake tensile load testing to the recommendations of BS 8539.  A common requirement is ‘proof testing’ a sample of anchors to verify they are installed correctly and give the required load.  Test results are documented and presented in a test report to the contractor.

anchor testing
anchor testing