FOLLOWING claims about chemical treatment of roofing battens leaching out and causing damage to roofing membranes, as well as claims of it causing skin complaints among roofing personnel, Timber Development UK (TDUK) has issued a response.

The timber supply chain organisation says it “is in no position to verify or deny the claims made” but that “we do take all claims of substandard timber product entering the market very seriously”.

The organisation is reminding industry about quality control for timber roofing battens. It provides guidance on how everyone in the construction supply chain can protect themselves against potentially fraudulent or substandard tile batten which may be present on the UK market.

Response to Roofing Battens Treatment Concerns

TDUK’s advice on ensuring quality battens that comply with British Standards BS 5534 and BS 8417 are purchased is:

Always purchase tile batten from reputable suppliers, preferably those who are TDUK members.
Very few brands of tile batten can be identified as reputable by colour alone; therefore buyers should always request and obtain additional product safety information before making a purchase.
Buyers should always request a treatment certificate with every delivery to ensure the tile batten has been correctly pressure treated to Use Class 2 and so that the preservative can be clearly identified.
Each preservative identified will have its own specific User Guide which should be obtained from your supplier. This will detail the correct storage information for the product and the Personal Protective Equipment necessary during handling and installation.
It is a regulatory requirement that preservative-treated wood must be touch dry before transportation from the treatment plant. Therefore, buyers should never accept delivery of tile batten packs that are saturated or appear to be dripping any form of liquid.

TDUK adds, “It is important to emphasise that, unlike during the period immediately post-COVID, there are currently no supply problems that preclude buyers from obtaining tile batten that is fully compliant with UK national standards BS 5534 and BS8417 in terms of product performance and safety.”

The timber supply chain body recommends the use of third-party accreditation to back up performance claims in relation to the standards. It includes recommending independent third-party accreditation for treatment plants, as well as for any preservative-treated wood purchased or treated externally.

TDUK says it is a regulatory requirement that the active ingredients in preservative-treated wood placed on the UK market must comply with UK Biocidal Products Regulations, which includes pack labelling, as can be seen on the HSE website.

It adds that preservative-treated tile battens sold through a merchant’s yard, or delivered to a construction site, should always be subject to a COSHH risk assessment. HSE advises employers must provide their employees with information about the hazards, risks and control measures that they have put in place.

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