DW145 Installation And Maintenance Of Fire Dampers: A Guide To Good Practice

DW145 is BESA’s definitive guide to good practice for fire dampers and leakage classified fire dampers. As the Association’s flagship publication in this area, it provides practical guidance on design and selection, installation, inspection, and maintenance to help deliver compliant fire damper systems.

Background

The second edition of DW145 has been comprehensively revised to reflect today’s far more demanding fire safety and compliance environment. Developed in response to increased scrutiny of fire damper design, installation, inspection, and maintenance, it addresses the need for higher technical competence, clearer responsibilities, and stronger evidence of compliance across the full project lifecycle.

What The 2024 Edition Covers

This second edition covers the full fire damper process, from design and selection to installation, inspection, maintenance, and fault finding. It focuses on the practical and compliance issues that matter most in real projects, including statutory requirements, manufacturers’ instructions, penetration seals, access, breakaway joints, and the evidence needed to prove compliance.

The guide places particular emphasis on competence and accountability under the modern building safety regime. It highlights the need for clear design information, asset referencing, photographic evidence, maintenance access, and documented installation and inspection records to support the Golden Thread of information throughout the life of the building.

Included With This Purchase

To support understanding of the revised guidance, purchase of DW145 also includes access to BESA Academy’s online Fire Damper Awareness Course. This added learning resource helps users and their teams understand the key updates within the revised document and apply them more confidently in practice.

Who Should Use This Guide

Essential for system designers, mechanical services contractors, ductwork contractors, fire damper installers, inspectors, maintenance teams, principal designers, and other professionals involved in the specification, installation, inspection, and ongoing maintenance of fire damper systems.

The document is also highly relevant to those responsible for demonstrating compliance with current fire safety legislation and maintaining accurate building safety records.

Key Topics Covered Include:

• Selection and classification of fire dampers and leakage classified fire dampers
• Installation methods, supporting constructions, penetration seals, and breakaway joints
• Design responsibilities, design schedules, and system coordination
• Inspection, maintenance, fault finding, and access requirements
• Photographic evidence, asset records, and Golden Thread information
• Access to BESA Academy’s online Fire Damper course

Published Date: 01/08/2025
Number of Pages: 169
ISBN: 978-1-7391873-2-3
Publisher: Building Engineering Services Association (BESA)

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BESA DW145 Fire Damper Inspection and Maintenance Course

BESA Academy has launched a new EAL Approved fire damper inspection and maintenance course aligned to the fire damper components of National Occupational Standard (NOS) BSEFSD04 and the BESA DW145 technical guidance.

The DW145 Fire Damper Inspection and Maintenance Course is designed to help engineers demonstrate their skills and knowledge. On successful completion, an EAL certificate will be issued which can be used to apply for the Blue Skilled Worker SKILLcard. 

Who is this course for?

• Fire damper inspectors and technicians
• HVAC / ductwork engineers
• Ventilation and hygiene contractors
• LEV engineers
• Specialist maintenance providers carrying out statutory inspections

Find out more or book training now.