PROPOSED CHANGES to statutory fire safety guidance enshrined within Approved Document B, including updates to guidance on external wall systems and recommendations on the provision of evacuation lifts, have been outlined in a new consultation process launched by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Health and Safety Executive and the Building Safety Regulator.

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THE BUILDING Safety Regulator has launched its own dedicated social media channels to keep industry and residents updated. The new channels will deliver the latest building safety guidance, resources, news and opportunities to attend online webinars and events.

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AS PART of the stated commitments voiced in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has now launched a consultation process focused on mandatory certification for fire risk assessors.

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THE GOVERNMENT has set aside £70 million worth of new funding to address shortages in the building safety professions (including fire engineering) and help build circa 1.5 million new homes.

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THE DEPARTMENT for Energy Security and ‘Net Zero’ and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have outlined plans for ‘plug-in’ solar panels to be made available in shops within months, offering households the chance to cut their energy bills. However, the announcement has raised significant concerns in some quarters in relation to fire safety.

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EMERGENCY SERVICES will be better able to communicate with each other during an incident due to an innovative communications system being rolled out to Fire and Rescue Services in England. It’s expected that this will save vital minutes in emergency response times in the event of multi-agency incidents.

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WESTERN BUSINESS Media has announced the shortlist of finalists for this year’s edition of the Fire and Security Matters Awards, with the ceremony taking place at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 2 July.

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REGISTRATION IS now open for Fire Safety Matters Live Coventry 2026, which takes place on 2 July at the Coventry Building Society Arena and is followed in the evening by the Fire and Security Matters Awards 2026.

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THE BRITISH Standards Institution (BSI) has issued a substantially revised version of BS 8214: Fire-Resisting and Smoke Control Doors – Practical Considerations Concerning Specification, Design and Performance in Use – Code of Practice, with the 2026 iteration replacing the 2016 version (which has now been withdrawn).

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THE OUTSTANDING contributions of apprentices across the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services were celebrated in Birmingham on 12 March as the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) hosted its third annual Apprenticeship Awards.

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