Culture change “must start now” asserts Fire Aware’s CEO

Fire Aware’s CEO Gavin Skelly has issued this call to action as the fire safety industry continues to understand the implications of the post-Grenfell era and the legal process that’s underway.

Skelly explained: “There’s a wave of change and reality sweeping those sectors with a particular responsibility to protect people. People inhabiting the built environment are rendered vulnerable due to the poor moral performance of those who hold a Duty of Care to keep them safe. This is a widespread responsibility and is every bit as important to the owners of restaurants as it is to the owners of care homes, schools or Shopping Centres.”

He continued: “The change we are seeing is in those business owners, and many others, who are realising that they’re directly responsible and that it’s not acceptable to offset that responsibility to suppliers.”

Fire Aware is calling on decision-makers in the supply chains serving these sectors to examine their procurement commitments in the interests of public safety and to be clear about their responsibilities.

“Our own members are proud to commit to our Code of Conduct and our specific charters which take the safety process beyond legislation,” observed Skelly. “This is a vocation, not a job, and we are all in this together.”

Moral and ethical behaviours

Dame Judith Hackitt has called for cultural change through moral and ethical behaviours, supported by the independent Building Safety Regulator, which has been created to ‘promote competence and higher standards’

According to Skelly, all those involved in design, construction, management, maintenance and letting in the built environment need to understand that they have an obligation to fire safety even if their business isn’t directly connected with fire specialisms.

For its part, Fire Aware continues to focus on the moral responsibility of all those working in the fire safety supply chain including designers, developers, asset owners, managers and other stakeholders.

Fire Aware is a recognised membership body serving the built environment and related sectors whose constituents harbour the common aim of working and trading responsibly with Best Practice standards always at the forefront.

*Further information is available online at www.fireaware.org