Arup issues fire safety change framework in wake of Grenfell Inquiry

The work of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has revealed systemic issues, behaviours and practices across the building sector that left Grenfell Tower in the condition it found itself on the night of the fire. That condition was such that, when the fire took place and took hold, it spread very rapidly with catastrophic consequences. This was a fire that has subsequently been deemed entirely preventable.

Arup’s framework was developed by fire safety engineers and complex systems specialists as part of the analysis and reporting duties the company was tasked with providing to the Inquiry Panel.

The detailed contents are intended for policymakers, supply chain partners, developers and others operating across the sector who wish to work together to negate the risk of another Grenfell Tower-style tragedy ever happening again. In fact, the change framework is relevant for anyone operating in the design, construction, management, maintenance and/or renovation stages of the life cycle of a building.

Arup has taken the decision to make this 27-page change framework public as part of its overarching commitment to support the long-term action and accountability needed to create an effective and equitable fire safety system.

The Foreword is scripted by Arup Fellow Dr Barbara Lane, who served as an Expert Witness at the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry.

The key recommendations contained within include:

Adopting a systems-based approach towards fire safety

Fires don’t just ‘happen’. They start within a wider context – from the immediate (eg faulty electrical goods) through to the systemic (eg inadequate inspections). Fire safety measures to protect people and prevent fires impact almost all aspects of a building’s form and require long-term management and maintenance.

The systems approach involves working with professionals in the built environment industry to consider how complex and interconnected factors actively influence fire risk, while also ensuring that they’re able to take ownership of their impact on the final condition of fire safety measures.

A regulated fire safety profession

A regulated profession is one in which where there are legal minimum competency requirements, ongoing accreditation procedures and registration with professional institutions or the Government. Professional accountability and a commitment to fire-safe buildings drive purposeful collaboration and outcomes.

This is focused squarely on establishing legal entry requirements, alongside regular audits of competence and consequences for malpractice, and ensuring that roles, responsibilities and accountability are clear across the full set of design and contractor teams.

Equitable fire safety provisions for vulnerable people

Here, the concentration is on developing buildings with arrangements in place to enable inclusive emergency egress in the event of a fire, such as including evacuation lifts that can be used by residents alone or providing the Fire and Rescue Service with the means to assist evacuation procedures.

In the change framework document, Arup has stated: “We need to regain public trust in the built environment and prove the industry’s commitment to producing fire-safe buildings. The attitudes, values and behaviours around fire safety in the built environment have a significant influence on how all participants in the system behave. In systems with a strong safety culture, all participants are motivated to achieve the highest levels of safety.”

*Copies of ‘A Change Framework: How Can We Create a More Effective and Equitable Fire Safety System?’ are available to download from the Arup website