The additional furnaces take the total investment at Warringtonfire’s state-of-the-art facility to over £26 million. This follows on from an initial outlay of £22 million to construct what is one of Europe’s largest fire resistance testing laboratories, which was launched earlier this year.

The new furnaces mark Warringtonfire’s ongoing commitment to supporting the construction industry’s safety needs. The expanded facility will bring the total number of operational furnaces at Birchwood Park to seven, allowing safety-critical products to be brought to market on a faster basis.

Meanwhile, the extra capacity supports manufacturers transitioning from the BS 476 suite of standards to the EN 13501 standards.

Greater capacity

Natasha Bambridge, divisional director at Element Materials Technology Group, said: “We’re proud to be investing in the future of fire resistance testing here at Warringtonfire. The new furnaces will enhance our ability to deliver fast and accurate test results that help in keeping people and buildings safe. With greater capacity, we can assist customers to bring essential products to market that much faster, thereby allowing the industry to comply with ever-changing regulations at the necessary speed.”

In order to support the new operations, circa 25 new staff members are being recruited before the end of 2025 and will join Warringtonfire’s existing 200-strong team of fire safety experts.

Additions to the team will include technical officers, technical assistants, CAD specialists and business support staff. Each new hire will undergo 12 months of training, highlighting the business’ long-term investment in technical expertise.

“This investment in new equipment represents our commitment to reducing ‘bottlenecks’ across the industry and supporting manufacturers as regulations evolve,” explained Bambridge. “By expanding our capabilities, we’re helping clients to achieve system compliance faster and more efficiently.”

Installation timeline

The installation of the furnaces is set to begin in Q3 2025, with commercial testing scheduled to commence in Q4 2026.

As part of the expansion, Warringtonfire is extending the scope of testing that it provides, enabling the organisation to support testing programmes that currently require UK-based clients to ship products internationally.

*Further information is available online at  https://www.warringtonfire.com/about-warringtonfire/warrington-site-relocation-and-expansion

Wigan-based 3B Training Ltd – a multi-accredited CITB Approved Training Organisation that recently became part of the Morson Group – has been awarded the two-year contract for the exclusive delivery of the pilot programme across England, Scotland and Wales.

In December last year, in direct response to the findings from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry, the Government published its Remediation Acceleration Plan, outlining its ambition to accelerate the pace of remediation for buildings in England with unsafe cladding.

Similarly, the Scottish Government has launched several schemes, providing millions in funding to accelerate the pace of building safety assessments and remediation works. The Welsh Government also introduced its Building Safety (Wales) Bill in July this year with the intent of establishing clearer lines of responsibility for managing building safety risks.

In order to ensure industry’s preparedness to support the Government’s initiatives, the CITB has been working with employers, Government and other stakeholders to put in place updated training for the inspection and installation of façades that meets improved fire safety standards.

The Government has set stringent targets for the removal of unsafe materials and for the installation of improved and compliant rainscreen façade systems for high-risk buildings. The CITB’s project provides training opportunities for installers and supervisors in the rainscreen façade sector to allow clear pathways and training standards.

Competent and skilled

Tim Balcon, CEO at the CITB, said: “People across the country need to feel assured that we have a competent and skilled workforce to deliver the urgently required remediation works that will prevent tragedies like the Grenfell Tower fire from ever happening again. Our research shows investment is needed to ensure we have the capability and competency, so we’re working with Governments, industry and the Construction Leadership Council to publish these new standards for training providers across the country and increase the number of competent installers and supervisors as quickly as possible.”

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government noted: “We’re proud to support the CITB and the Industry Competence Steering Group in launching an innovative short course training programme. This initiative aims to increase the number of qualified façade installers and site supervisors, ensuring the industry has the capacity and capability to meet the targets set by the Remediation Acceleration Plan. We encourage industry stakeholders to take advantage of this training opportunity  and support the Government’s ambition of making buildings safer.”

Mathew Bewley, managing director at 3B Training Ltd, affirmed: “One of the key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry was that the installers of cladding systems should undergo mandatory standardised training. Along with being appointed to deliver this training, we will also assemble a Steering Group of experts to help define the course content.”

Bewley concluded: “It’s a source of both enormous pride and responsibility to deliver this work, which will fulfil this recommendation and help to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell can never occur again.”

Each year, this vital survey captures a snapshot of the current UK fire market, highlighting key insights around employment trends, skills gaps, training opportunities, supplier costs and payment practices. It takes just five minutes to complete the survey.

Respondents’ feedback is added to a detailed report, which is free and publicly available, offering valuable benchmarking data for the entire industry.

All responses are completely anonymous such that respondents can be open and honest, in turn helping the Trade Association to paint a clearer picture of the sector’s current challenges and opportunities.

By taking part, respondents are not just sharing your views. They’re also helping businesses right across the UK’s fire sector to make better decisions and prepare for what’s ahead.

As a ‘Thank You’ for completing the Wave 17 survey, everyone who responds will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher.

*Access the FIA Market Conditions Survey: Wave 17 online

Sexton and 10 Park Crescent Management (Worthing) Limited were deemed responsible for the fire safety management of 10 Park Crescent, a converted block of flats located in Worthing, West Sussex.

Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard that Sexton had failed to respond to requests made by the Fire and Rescue Service for information following an audit and inspection process during which fire safety issues had been identified.

The fire safety issues included:

*no evidence of a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment being provided when requested

*lack of testing and maintenance of key fire safety systems, including fire alarms and emergency lighting

*an electrical cupboard located on the primary means of escape that was neither enclosed in fire-resistant material nor securely closed

*failure to provide essential fire safety information to residents of the building

Guilty plea

Sexton previously pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to respond to an Article 27 request for information under the Fire Safety Order at Crawley Magistrates’ Court before being sentenced on by magistrates sitting in Brighton. The combined penalty reflects the court’s acknowledgment of the seriousness of the breaches and the potential risk posed to residents.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s interim assistant chief fire officer Dave Bray said: “Fire safety regulations are in place for a reason and businesses with legal responsibility for fire safety management must adhere to these laws.”

Bray continued: “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case and believe it serves as a strong reminder to any ‘Responsible Persons’ that they must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the risks in their premises.”

In conclusion, Bray noted: “The courts have agreed that we were prevented from ensuring the fire safety standards in this residential building are being managed effectively. We will not allow companies to attempt to hide from their duties when our fire safety inspectors identify non-compliance with the Fire Safety Order.”

The proposed regulations for the Crown Dependency would directly implement some of the key recommendations that emerged from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and are aimed squarely at maintaining – and, where necessary, improving – safety for the residents of tall residential buildings.

Tall residential buildings in Jersey are defined as those structures which are 11 metres tall and higher. Typically, these are blocks of flats where there are five or more stories (including the ground floor level). In some limited cases, this can include four-storey blocks of flats.

Jersey currently numbers upwards of 125 of these buildings providing homes to thousands of islanders, among them renters and owner-occupiers.

In the regulations, tall residential buildings are defined as developments meeting all of the following criteria: 

*contains a top storey more than 11 metres above ground level 

*contains two or more residential dwellings (typically flats) 

*contains common parts through which residents evacuate in the event of an emergency (typically shared corridors and stairways)

Regulations in England

In England, of course, a similar set of regulations to those being proposed for Jersey was introduced in January 2023. Since the advent of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, Jersey’s Fire and Rescue Service has been working closely with local property managers and building owner groups to implement the outlined requirements on a voluntary basis in their buildings.

This approach has allowed property managers and building owners alike to become more familiar with the requirements and also provided the Government of Jersey’s team with the opportunity to assess the impact of the regulations in England before proposing its own document.

“Throughout this work, it has been clear that fire safety responsibilities are taken very seriously,” observed Deputy Le Hegarat. “Approximately 19% of Jersey’s tall residential buildings are estimated to be closely meeting the English regulatory requirements, with some others partially achieving them. However, the fact that the requirements are voluntary risks investment and time being de-prioritised in favour of other areas.”

While there has been no significant evidence of excessive fire risk, Jersey’s tall residential buildings as a group are now at risk of falling behind similar buildings in England in three key areas: 

*the frequency of routine checks taking place on essential fire safety features such as self-closing fire doors, Fire and Rescue Service lifts, dry risers and smoke control systems (plus the resolution of any issues) 

*the provision of fire safety instructions to residents 

*the quality of building information passed to the Fire and Rescue Service to help firefighters tackle fires in tall residential buildings where the risk and complexity can be higher

Logical next step

While Jersey’s building byelaws will have ensured tall residential buildings are built to local fire safety standards, there’s currently no dedicated Jersey fire safety law that requires those in charge of these buildings to manage and maintain their fire safety measures on an ongoing basis.

Deputy Le Hegarat added: “Creating regulations to implement some of the key building fire safety recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is a logical and sensible step.”

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service area commander Jason Masterman commented: “As firefighters, our top priority is keeping Islanders safe, notably so in the places they call home. The proposed fire safety regulations for tall residential buildings are a vital step forward in meeting that goal.”

Masterman added: “The proposed regulations will ensure key safety features including self-closing fire doors, smoke control systems and Fire and Rescue Service lifts are regularly checked and maintained. Residents will also receive clear fire safety information, while our fire crews will have access to simple and accurate building floor plans and signposting to help them respond more effectively in emergency scenarios.”

*The consultation process opened on 4 August and closes on 12 September. Details are available to view on gov.je

The Government has noted that Grenfell Tower will be “carefully taken down” behind the white outer wrapping. The approach will respect the unique circumstances of the tragedy in addition to the significance of the building.

Work will start at the top of the building and progress downwards floor by floor. The expectation is that each floor will take around one month to carefully take down. Smaller parts of the structure will be brought down inside the building. Larger elements, such as the external columns, will be removed in sections and taken down in covered containers outside of the building by crane.

A crane will be installed on-site at the east side of Grenfell Tower. When the work starts, this crane will be used to lift materials from the structure and into lorries to transport it away from the site.

The Government “understands that all elements from Grenfell Tower are sacred to families” and, as such, will be treated with respect and care. The Government is committed to working with the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission and the community to realise the community’s vision for the Grenfell Tower Memorial. Elements from Grenfell Tower will be made available for inclusion as features in the Grenfell Tower Memorial if the Grenfell community wishes that to be the case.

The Government has observed: “We will sensitively remove, preserve and safely store the architectural crown and the elements of Grenfell Tower agreed with the community as we carefully take the building down. Everything that is removed will be loaded to unmarked lorries and carefully covered before being removed from the site.”

Visibility of Grenfell Tower

The Government plans to use illumination to create a visible presence on the skyline. Images of options are to be shared in community meetings. The banner with the green heart design is to be retained. It will be moved down the building in stages as the scaffolding to which it’s fixed is carefully taken down.

The banner will remain in place at the top of the building until works start. A second identical banner will be installed around halfway down the building. This means there will be two banners for a short period. The banner at the top will then be removed and installed lower down. Throughout, the banners will be illuminated at night in white.

The Government will continue to closely manage and monitor the building throughout the work. This includes the system that monitors Grenfell Tower 24/7 and the regular inspections and floor-by-floor checks conducted by structural engineering specialists.

Deconstruct UK, the principal contractor responsible for the safety and day-to-day maintenance of the site, will be responsible for the work to sensitively and carefully take the Tower down. The company is certified by the British Standards Institution and is accredited with the Safe Contractor scheme for competency in quality and safety.

Fire Risk Assessment – Housing – Code of Practice (BS 9792:2025) is an update to past guidance and provides a comprehensive framework and documentation examples for assessing fire risks in residential settings. It’s applicable to a wide range of residential environments, including houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), blocks of flats, specialised housing and student accommodation.

The Code of Practice is designed to enable assessors to determine proportionate measures that can help to protect occupants and those nearby from fire hazards.

BS 9792:2025 aligns with the latest legislation and fire safety standards and marks a full revision and formal upgrade of PAS 79-2:2020 following its withdrawal in 2020.

This revised British Standard introduces a clearer structure, streamlined commentary and a refreshed pro forma for documenting fire risk assessments. It also includes updated guidance for individuals with specific evacuation needs.

BS 9792:2025 was developed by a separate independent panel of experts using PAS 79-2 as the base document, while ensuring a clear focus on inclusivity, legal compliance and modern Best Practice.

PAS 9980 and BS 8674

BS 9792:2025 also complements documents such as PAS 9980 (focused on external wall fire risk appraisals) and the forthcoming BS 8674 (targeting competence for fire risk assessors).

Anne Hayes, director of sectors and standards development at the BSI, commented: “The issue of fire risk in residential accommodation should be front of mind for the whole sector. In order to protect people, it’s critical that we ensure all standards reflect the latest evidence.”

Hayes added: “The publication of this updated guidance marks a major step forward for residential fire safety. It’s designed to deliver clarity, consistency and assurance for housing providers, assessors and all those committed to protecting lives. It sets a new benchmark for safety planning and reflects a strengthened and collaborative commitment to transparency and the needs of diverse housing communities.”

*Further information is available online at https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/fire-risk-assessment-housing-code-of-practice

Developed over the course of more than a year through collaborative working between the two organisations and the Office for Product Safety and Standards, this document addresses a crucial area of fire safety and product compliance.

It has been specifically created to help manufacturers, distributors and those applying their own branding to ironmongery products in understanding their obligations and provide the information necessary to support safe and effective product selection, installation and ongoing maintenance.

Duncan Johnson, deputy director for construction products regulation at the Office for Product Safety and Standards, said: “I welcome engagement with the Office for Product Safety and Standards from both the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and the Door and Hardware Federation, which is aimed at supporting businesses in understanding and meeting regulatory requirements.”

Johnson added: “Businesses must comply with the regulations that apply to them. Industry-led initiatives such as this Best Practice document can help them achieve this goal in a practical and effective way.”

Essential product information

The guidance document outlines in detail the essential product information that manufacturers should provide for ironmongery components used on fire resisting door systems, particularly so timber fire doors.

It offers clear recommendations covering marking and labelling requirements, installation instructions, supporting test evidence, third party certification and care and maintenance information.

The document also provides guidance on the provision of intumescent protection details where applicable, while encouraging manufacturers to make accessible and up-to-date product information available through a range of digital and printed formats.

One of the key features of the document is its categorisation of door hardware based on the extent to which installation affects the door’s integrity, providing tailored guidance for each type. It classifies hardware into three categories, from those requiring significant material removal from a door leaf or frame through to those with minimal or no intrusion.

This approach recognises that the level of risk posed to a fire door increases with the volume and location of material removed and ensures that appropriate levels of product information and test evidence are supplied in each case.

Meeting expectations

Douglas Masterson, technical and training director at the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, observed: “This publication has been carefully designed to help manufacturers meet both their legal responsibilities and the expectations of those specifying and installing fire door hardware.”

Masterson continued: “By setting out clear and practical recommendations on what product information should be provided – including marking, installation instructions, test evidence and certification details – this document will help to improve product safety, regulatory compliance and, ultimately, life safety.”

Michael Skelding, general manager and secretary of the Door and Hardware Federation, explained: “This collaborative guide strengthens the industry’s ability to consistently deliver safe and compliant fire door solutions. It recognises the complexity of fire door assemblies and the critical role that properly specified, installed and maintained hardware plays in ensuring fire and life safety.”

Skelding concluded: “We are proud to have worked on this project alongside the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and the Office for Product Safety and Standards and encourage all hardware manufacturers, distributors and specifiers to adopt this guidance as standard practice.”

*Copies of the Ironmongery Manufacturers’ Guidance Document are available online

Last December, the Government announced that the Building Safety Regulator would be leading a fundamental review of the Building Regulations guidance centred on how that guidance is produced, structured and presented. The Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance Panel members will support and inform the process. Each of the six appointees boast extensive experience across a range of sectors.

Dinah Bornat is a renowned advocate for people-centred development and the director and co-founder of ZCD, a research-led practice based in London with a keen focus on residential, community and commercial projects. Bornat has served as a design advocate for the Mayor of London and also as an advisor to local authorities and developers.

Dan Rossiter serves as the built environment sector lead at the British Standards Institution and vice-president (technical) at the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. He has previously provided his expertise to several national committees relating to information management and technical documentation in the built environment.

Danielle Michalska-Morris is the director of research and technical innovation at Taylor Wimpey and brings an expert knowledge and experience of low carbon building design and building services to the fore.

Rachel Ferguson is senior development manager at Pocket Living. She has extensive expertise in affordable housing and brings her broad experience in planning (including strategic masterplans, estate regeneration projects and new build residentials) to the Guidance Panel.

Technical expert Professor Luke Bisby is the chair of fire and structures and director of discipline at the University of Edinburgh. He served as an expert witness to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and brings particular expertise in the subject of fire safety.

Former technical director for the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Dr Hywel Davies served as the previous chair of the DLUHC’s Statutory Committee and the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. He brings broad expertise on a range of technical areas.

The Guidance Panel will provide an interim update in early 2026 and a final report in the Summer of next year.

Important step

Alex Norris, the Minister for Building and Fire Safety, observed: “The appointment of this Guidance Panel is an important step in our response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Guidance which supports compliance with the Building Regulations must be clear, accurate and practical, as well as being subject to regular updates to ensure it remains effective.”  

Norris added: “The work of the Guidance Panel will support our delivery of 1.5 million new homes by making compliance easier, improving safety and quality in construction and ensuring greater confidence in the building safety system. I look forward to receiving the Guidance Panel’s recommendations.”

The Building Regulations set the minimum required standards for building work, referred to as the ‘functional requirements’. The Approved Documents contain general guidance on the performance expected of materials and building work, including practical examples of how to achieve compliance in common building situations.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Panel raised concerns about the way that the statutory guidance is expressed. In April 2023, the responsibility for updating and keeping Approved Documents under review was transferred to the Building Safety Regulator, in line with its duty under the Building Safety Act 2022 to keep under review the safety and standards of buildings.

As stated, the Building Safety Regulator was commissioned by the Government in December to conduct a fundamental review of the statutory guidance. As such, the new Guidance Panel has been appointed to inform this work.

The British Standard forms part of the wider BS EN 81 Series, which sets out safety rules for lift construction and installation. The 2025 edition replaces previous versions of BS EN 81-76 and “reflects continued development” in terms of accessibility and safety considerations across the built environment.

The BSI has noted: “This is the first European standard specifying a lift which might be used for the evacuation of persons with disabilities. Traditionally, building occupants have been instructed not to use lifts for evacuation (eg at a fire alarm). The possible use of lifts described in this document might therefore be new to those responsible for buildings and to building occupants.”

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 81‑76:2025 and supersedes CEN/TS 81‑76:2011, which is now withdrawn. The latest iteration is designed to mirror current approaches to accessibility, evacuation planning and fire safety in the built environment.

The document brings forward two classes of evacuation lift: Class A and Class B. Class A references lifts for simpler types of building (ie residential premises where firefighter lifts are not required and only a single evacuation floor has been designated). Class B lifts incorporate additional control equipment and can be used in those buildings where there are more complex requirements in play when it comes to designated evacuation strategies.

Professionals involved in lift design, installation and management are encouraged to review the updated British Standard to ensure compliance and support for the safe instigation of evacuation planning.

Satisfactory integration

The implementation of a safe evacuation lift depends on its satisfactory integration within a given building. This demands collaboration between those responsible for the lift and those responsible for other aspects (outside of the lift) such as:

*building-related conditions in which the lift is installed

*the number and size of evacuation lifts based on capacity assessment

*specification of optional modes for driver-assisted evacuation and/or automatic evacuation operation

*specification of the evacuation lift as either of Class A or Class B

*minimum lift car size depending on whether the intended use is to include a stretcher or trolley stretcher, and whether the evacuation lift is Class A or Class B

*a means to suspend evacuation operation if fire or smoke is detected

*whether the evacuation lift is also a firefighter lift

*signals to recall the lift and for selection of evacuation operational mode(s)

*for automatic evacuation operation, any signals for active floor alarms and a signal for the evacuation of all floors

*for a Class A evacuation lift with no secondary power supply, the landing to which the evacuation lift recovers

*clarification that any emergency voice communication system in a temporary waiting space outside the lift is separate from the communication system required on a lift with remote assisted evacuation operation or driver-assisted evacuation operation

Additional requirements

The document specifies the additional requirements to EN 81-20:2020 for new passenger and goods passenger lifts, which can be used to support the faster evacuation of individuals with disabilities, including in case of fire alarm.

However, this document doesn’t apply to:

*lifts for evacuation due to circumstances which introduce other hazards such as explosion threat, chemical or biological attack, flooding, storm damage, or earthquake (in these cases, this document can be used as a basis with further measures as required from risk assessments)

*the provision of evacuation aids to assist when the evacuation lift is unavailable

*Further information is available online by visiting the BSI Group’s website