Balustrades Kitemark scheme

BSI has launched a new Kitemark for Balustrades. The first organizations to achieve the BSI Kitemark for Protective Barrier Systems (Balustrades) are Delta Balustrades, Phoenix Balustrading (part of Cooke Brothers) and Q-Railing.

Launched in December 2016, the scheme has been developed for manufacturers and importers of temporary and permanent balustrades to demonstrate that their products meet the appropriate British, European or international standard for quality, safety, performance and trust.

This is the first scheme in the UK dedicated to ensuring balustrades are manufactured to the highest possible standard.  

Protective barrier systems, widely referred to as balustrades, are increasingly being used in and around modern buildings. While they can have a huge visual impact, any new balustrade system must be designed to ensure that it is safe for use and that any potential installation errors are minimised. An unsafe balustrade system can be costly to organisations and potentially life threatening to the public.

The BSI Kitemark for Balustrades provides reassurance that products have been manufactured to a consistently high standard. It also provides an incentive for installers of barriers to purchase complete systems from Kitemark suppliers, rather than a ‘mix and match’ assembly of unproven components, BSI said.

Andy Butterfield, product certification director of built environment at BSI said: “The BSI Kitemark is recognised as a symbol of trust and we have a strong track record in promoting excellence when it comes to the safety and performance of products.”