Clearview National September 2015 - Issue 166 | Page 60

hardware& security

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Five Ways to Prepare
for Document Q
Document Q is part of a new series of government
documents due to come into effect on October 1,
2015. It features a set of guidelines designed to help
builders and contractors to meet the legal requirements
outlined in the Building Regulations 2010 for England.
»»Document Q is
particularly relevant for the door
and window industry, as it’s
focused on “easily accessible doors
and windows”.
According to Building
Regulations 2010 for England,
all easily accessible doors and
windows should be able to
withstand physical attacks from
casual or opportunistic burglars.
Document Q sets out, in clear
and concise terms, how to ensure
that every window and door you
install is secure to the relevant
legal standards.
1. Find Out if Your
Project is Applicable
Document Q is due to take
effect on October 1, 2015, and
will apply to all building work
commenced after that date.
It does not apply to work
started before October 1, 2015.
Nor does it apply to work subject
to a building notice, full plans
application, or initial notice
submitted before October 1 2015
– so long as the work is started
before October 1, 2015.

2. Understand Which
Areas of Your Project
are Applicable
As far as windows are
concerned, all ground floor
windows are applicable, as well
as t hose that can be reached
with ease, such as skylights and
basement windows.

‘Document Q
outlines the
considerations you
need to take when
it comes to locks,
hinges, letter plates,
and cylinders’
When it comes to doors,
obviously any door that provides
access to a dwelling needs to
be thoroughly secured, but
Document Q covers such doors
as those which allow access
from a garage to the interior of
a property and also those which
allow entry into a block of flats or
a hall of residence.

3.Think Like
a Burglar
It should go without saying
that the back door of a dwelling
needs to be just as secure as
the front door, seeing as this is
where the majority of break-ins
occur. Document Q outlines the
considerations you need to take
when it comes to locks, hinges,
letter plates, and cylinders.
To be fully compliant, hinge
bolts, anti-snap locks and devices
have to be made impossible for
burglars to remove keys through
letter plates.
4. Context Matters
Document Q aims to offer
general tips and also takes
into consideration dwellings
present their own unique
considerations.
For example, one stipulation is
that all front doors should provide
a means of identifying callers –
either with a door viewer, or clear
glass. Door chains and limiters
are also recommended as an
additional means of vetting callers
before letting them in.

‘front doors should
provide a means of
identifying callers’
Some doors require 24 hour
access, and in these instances,
Document Q suggests that
an alternative means of caller
identification should be used, such
as electronic AV entry systems.

60 » SE P 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

5. Get the
Right Equipment
Document Q is highly specific
when it comes to the sort of
equipment you need to install
in order to remain compliant.
In short, you need doors and
windows that have been shown,
by test, to meet the security
requirements of PAS24:2012.
There are additional
requirements for locks, hinges,
letter plates and cylinders. To
help you prepare, Windowware
has produced a handy guide to all
the equipment that satisfies the
mandated security requirements.
Conclusion
Given that it’s essentially a move
to make the information included
in the current regulations clearer
and more accessible, it’s likely
that your practices are already
compliant with Document Q.
However, it’s always a good
idea to ensure you’re completely
up to date when it comes to home
security, so it’s still essential that
you take some time to familiarise
yourself with Document Q.
www.windowware.co.uk