Fire Aware’s CEO Gavin Skelly has declared: “We need to act quickly. Cultural change is starting to happen, but not nearly fast enough. As we approach the tenth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, we need to know that we’re all subscribing to the same principles of Best Practice.”

In a statement issued for the fire safety and related sectors, Skelly said: “The consumer should ultimately be able to choose companies who are brave enough to corporately commit to responsible behaviours.”

Correct behaviours breed competence

Further, Skelly commented: “As an industry, we need to signal clearly to the market that we’re adopting all Best Practice methods to ensure safety for the public without them having to challenge companies on issues of competence. If the behaviours are correct within a given business, the competence will naturally follow.”

Skelly went on to state: “After all that has happened, and the change that has been introduced, it’s difficult to comprehend that we’re still seeing examples of companies cutting corners in the name of commercial gain.”

According to Skelly, providing the consumer with a choice to make about their service provider’s cultural and moral behaviours is “surely as important” as identifying their technical ability when people’s lives are at stake.

“This choice cannot be confined solely to those who construct,” observed Skelly. “It must encompass the entire supply chain with a simple unifying message that means the same wherever the consumer sees it. Technically, the public doesn’t know what competence looks like, but they know how safe they feel. When things go wrong, they will be the judge to help change happen.”

As an organisation, Fire Aware continues to demand the highest standards technically and morally in order to ensure that people – and the buildings they inhabit/visit – are safe at all times. “This industry is a vocation and should be treated as such,” concluded Skelly.

Regulatory reform

The introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022 and the creation of the Building Safety Regulator – along with other legislation – has added additional regulatory reform to the building safety industry.

For their part, Fire Aware’s members commit to a Code of Conduct with specific charters which take the safety process beyond legislation. Skelly has emphasised that the fire safety principles of the organisation are relevant to any sector which relies on Best Practice (including the retail industry, the hospitality domain, stadiums, healthcare and public infrastructure).

Dame Judith Hackitt has called for cultural change through moral and ethical behaviours with support from the Building Safety Regulator, itself created to promote competence and higher standards.

Fire Aware is a recognised membership body serving the built environment and related sectors with a common aim to work and trade responsibly to all Best Practice standards in the interests of the general public’s safety.

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

Conference brought together manufacturers, researchers, consultants, approval bodies and fire safety professionals to discuss the latest developments in water mist technology, standards, research and practical applications.

This year’s event programme introduced two successful additions: a dedicated training workshop, attracting more than 60 participants who received Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certificates, and a technical site visit to Prague's National Technical Library. The latter’s water mist installation has been in operation for 18 years now. In fact, the building also served as the venue for the International Water Mist Conference when it was last held in Prague back in 2010.

The workshop was based on the IWMA’s newly published practical design guide for water mist systems, which provides a structured and step-by-step approach towards system design: from identifying fire risks and applicable standards through to system verification and implementation.

In essence, the guide aims to support designers, authorities and other stakeholders in applying water mist technology correctly and consistently.

New IWMA initiatives

During conference, the IWMA also presented several new initiatives aimed at strengthening competence and improving access to technical information.

One of these is ‘Mist Protects’: a new online platform scheduled for launch later this year. It will provide a central location for collecting and sharing documented real-world fire incidents, water mist installations, research findings, Case Studies and other relevant information. The ultimate objective is to make practical experience and technical evidence more accessible to the global fire protection community.

Together with the new design guide and training workshop, this initiative represents an important step in the IWMA’s ongoing efforts to promote knowledge sharing, technical competence and evidence-based fire protection.

Improving competence

“The 25th International Water Mist Conference demonstrated how far our industry has developed,” observed Max Lakkonen, president of the IWMA. “With almost 200 delegates from 32 countries, strong participation in our new workshop and several important initiatives underway, we are taking further steps towards improving competence, sharing knowledge and strengthening the position of water mist technology in the fire protection domain.”

Lakkonen has announced that the 26^th International Water Mist Conference will take place in Paris on 6-8 October 2027. Conference will be held at The Meliá Paris La Défense Hotel.

The event schedule is now available on the IWMA’s website. The first important date is 15 December, which is when the Call for Papers will be issued and sponsors can start booking tabletops for the exhibition, which will run alongside conference.

The IWMA is now looking back at two extremely successful events with nearly 170 attendees in 2025 and over 180 attendees this time around. Also, the number of sponsors has increased in comparison to previous years. Bettina McDowell, CEO at the IWMA, said: “We do think that this is a trend and we’re preparing for another very successful conference in Paris.”

Ragnar Wighus Award

The deadline to submit applications for the Ragnar Wighus Award is 31 March. In 2027, this prestigious accolade will be presented to the author of the best PhD thesis related to water mist technology.

The IWMA’s Scientific Council, chaired by Kemal Sarp Arsava from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, will evaluate the submissions. The winner will be invited to present the winning thesis in Paris.

*Further information is available online at https://iwma.net/home

Much of the site was constructed in the 1930s to serve as the London Fire Brigade’s headquarters. In the 1980s, an extension was added to the building in order to house the service’s Control Room. The approved plans will now see both the original 1930s building and the later extension refurbished.

Part of the works on the site will see the existing Lambeth Fire Station, which occupies the ground and first floor of the building, modernised and refitted. This will include new equipment stores and workspaces, as well as remodelled accommodation for firefighters. Training facilities on the site will be improved and the station’s appliance bays adapted for modern emergency vehicles.

The building’s vacant office space will be brought back into service as the Brigade’s headquarters. These offices will become home to the professional services that facilitate the London Fire Brigade’s daily work. Moving the London Fire Brigade’s headquarters back to Lambeth also creates value for money for Londoners by removing the need to rent office space.   

The redevelopment at Lambeth will also provide new community spaces for local residents and Londoners. Plans will see the creation of a new community room at the base of the 1980s extension and open for use by local resident groups. Alongside this will be a new home for the London Fire Brigade’s historic collection. Centred around the Brigade’s existing Memorial Hall, where the sacrifice of fallen London firefighters is remembered, it will be a space where the public can learn about and engage with the Brigade’s history.

Series of consultations

In order to ensure the views and needs of nearby residents and the local community were considered, the Brigade conducted a series of consultations with the local community prior to submitting its planning application, which followed a thorough options appraisal.

London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: “Moving back to Lambeth is an historic occasion for the London Fire Brigade. This building is part of the culture of the organisation and I know it holds a very special significance across our workforce.”

Smith continued: “These plans will not just deliver an upgraded fire station to serve the people of Lambeth, but also provide a modern headquarters for the Brigade, while at the same time preserving an important part of the Brigade and London’s history.”

According to Smith: “Refurbishing and modernising an existing building offers the best value for Londoners and ensures that we maintain an important presence in the heart of the capital.”

The project will be delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and Pick Everard on behalf of the Brigade. Turley has provided planning consultancy services, Kanda has led community and stakeholder engagement and 5 Plus has developed the Stage 2 architectural design.

*Further information is available online at www.london-fire.gov.uk

At the Thomas Bullock Primary Academy in Shipdham, Norfolk, a fire on 13 August caused extensive damage to the Church of England Primary School. The cause was ultimately traced to an unlikely source: refracted light from a Perspex canopy in the reception outdoor area. The result, however, was all too familiar.

Families were informed that children would begin the autumn term remotely on 3 September while temporary accommodation was arranged on-site. Staff met with loss adjusters and worked to make the building safe.

For new reception children, home visits already agreed with parents went ahead as planned, but the first days of school life looked very different from what their families had anticipated.

In Barrow, parents of children attending Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School were told the school would open as normal following a fire on 21 August. This was a more fortunate outcome, but one that still required rapid reassurance to a Cumbrian community braced for further disruption.

Further north in the Scottish Borders, the impact was more significant. A fire on 25 July at Newtown Primary in Newton St Boswells caused £240,000 of damage and left the school unusable for months. A teenager has been charged over the blaze, but an equally troubling detail emerged: internal doors had been left open, allowing smoke to spread far more extensively than it might otherwise have done.

Pupils began the new term in temporary accommodation at the Scottish Borders Council headquarters, with nursery children relocated to a nearby primary school. The incident has since prompted a safety review across all schools and council-owned facilities in the Scottish Borders, examining fire doors as well as the proximity of rubbish bins to buildings.

Established pattern

These incidents sit within a well-established pattern. School fires are not rare events. The Government’s own Risk Protection Arrangement data, covering seven years of claims to December 2025, records an average fire claim of around £450,000, although the figure swings significantly from year to year. Figures for the first half of the 2025-2026 academic year already showed claims averaging close to £1 million each across a small number of incidents.

These figures capture only what can be counted in pounds: buildings, contents and equipment. They cannot capture what it costs a child to begin the school year in a council chamber rather than a classroom, or what it means for a family with a reception-age child to navigate remote learning in their first week.

Research completed by the Department for Education suggests that each lost day of education can reduce a pupil’s lifetime earnings by around £750. Across a school harbouring several hundred children, even a brief closure quickly becomes a six-figure impact before any structural damage has been assessed.

Fewer than one in every ten new schools in England are built with fire sprinkler systems installed. A fire doesn’t need to destroy a school in order to close it. A blaze in a roof space, a canopy or an adjacent structure can be enough.

What sprinklers offer is containment. This is the difference between a fire being held to its point of origin and one that forces an entire community to improvise an education regime in the opening weeks of term.

*Further information is available online at www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

At Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 6 October, Hashum Malik (director of Boom Fireworks Limited) pleaded guilty to offences relating to the storage of fireworks after specialist Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service inspectors discovered around 200 kg of Hazard Type 3 (HT3) fireworks being stored contrary to licensing requirements.

In separate cases heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 11 September, Shabaz Ali Abbas of Broomhurst Avenue in Oldham and Said Shiragha Hashimi of Nevada Street in Manchester were sentenced for offences under the Explosives Regulations 2014.

The prosecutions were brought forward by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which licenses the storage of explosives (including fireworks) across the city-region.

Boom Fireworks Limited

Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Boom Fireworks Limited, which operates distribution premises in Cheetham Hill and Rochdale, was found to be storing approximately 200 kg of HT3 fireworks in breach of explosives legislation.

HT3 fireworks present a greater fire, blast and projectile risk than standard HT4 retail fireworks and, as such, are subject to stricter storage requirements. Following on from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service inspection, the fireworks were detained and removed from the premises.

Boom Fireworks Limited was fined £40,000 in addition to being ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge. Manchester Magistrates’ Court also awarded full prosecution costs of £3,482.16, bringing the total fine to £45,485.16.

The Vape Store and Wise Buys

In Oldham, Shabaz Ali Abbas was found to be storing and selling fireworks at The Vape Store on Hollins Road that he owns, despite his explosives licence having expired on 31 October 2024.

When specialist fire safety inspectors visited the premises on 2 November 2024, they found fireworks still being stored, including higher-risk HT3 fireworks.

The stock was detained and removed. Abbas has been sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete a ten-day Community Order.

Tameside Magistrates’ Court awarded full prosecution costs of £4,162.11, together with a victim surcharge of £187, and ordered the fireworks seized from the premises to be destroyed.

In Bolton, inspectors found fireworks being stored and sold at Wise Buys on Bury Road without a valid explosives licence. It emerged that owner Said Shiragha Hashimi had taken over the business in 2023, but had not applied for a licence in his own name.

Inspectors found fireworks stored in unsuitable conditions, including some HT3 fireworks at premises with residential accommodation on upper floors.

Hashimi was sentenced to 25 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, requiring him to participate in targeted rehabilitative programmes. He was also made subject to a three-month curfew. Tameside Magistrates’ Court awarded full prosecution costs of £4,281.82 and a victim surcharge of £114.

Tameside Magistrates’ Court ordered that the fireworks seized at the premises had to be destroyed.

Robust action

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Fireworks are enjoyed by many people across Greater Manchester at this time of the year. Storing them safely is essential for protecting the public, businesses and property.”

Green added: “These prosecutions demonstrate that we will take robust action against anyone who fails to store, supply or sell fireworks safely and legally.”

Further, Green noted: “We are committed to supporting businesses that want to comply with the law, but we will not hesitate to take tough enforcement action against those who put our communities and firefighters at risk.”

Karl Gibbons, head of protection at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, explained: “Fireworks are explosives and the rules governing how they are stored exist to protect businesses, residents, customers and the wider public.”

Gibbons went on to state: “These prosecutions involve both a national distributor and local retailers, but the message is the same regardless of the size of the business. Anyone storing fireworks must understand and comply with their legal responsibilities.”

In addition, Gibbons said: “Our inspectors work closely with businesses throughout the year to help them meet those requirements and maintain safe storage arrangements. However, when businesses fail to comply with the law and create unnecessary risk, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action, including the potential for prosecution.”

Appropriate licences

With the main fireworks sales period now taking place, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is reminding businesses that anyone storing, supplying or selling fireworks must ensure they have the appropriate licences in place and are complying with explosives legislation. Any failure to do so may result in enforcement action.

The prosecutions outlined form part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s wider work to improve fireworks safety across the city region. Through its Bonfire and Halloween campaign, the Fire and Rescue Service works with businesses, partners and communities alike in order to raise awareness of the risks associated with fireworks and promote their safe and lawful storage, sale and use.

Businesses that store, supply or sell fireworks should ensure they understand their legal responsibilities and have the correct licences in place.

*Further guidance on licensing requirements, storage standards and explosives legislation is available on the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Fireworks and Explosives web pages

The new managing building safety-centred toolkit – to be found online at Building Safety Toolkit – Making Buildings Safer is targeted towards more than 4,000 ‘Principal Accountable Persons’ who hold a critical statutory role under the Building Safety Act. These duty holders are responsible for ensuring fire and structural safety are properly managed, in turn safeguarding buildings and the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents across England.

Navigating duties
The toolkit has been developed to help ‘Principal Accountable Persons’ – and notably so those in resident managed buildings – navigate their complex duties and uphold the highest building safety standards.

The toolkit offers a wide array of materials and advice:  

*On Demand webinars, Q&As, useful guides, tips and alerts 

*engaging with residents 

*remediation in existing buildings 

*free training for resident-managed building directors 

*official guidance for occupied buildings 

*guides for high-rise residents 

*Your Home, Your Safety resident campaign materials

Other resources include information on preparing a building’s Safety Case Report (this is a vital document for demonstrating safety compliance) as well as plans for future building assessments.

Support for resident-led buildings

Recognising the diversity of high-rise management in England, the toolkit also provides free training for more than 2,000 resident directors. These are both residents and, in many cases, also the ‘Principal Accountable Person’ themselves in high-rise Resident Management Companies, Right to Manage Schemes and Commonhold Associations.

Beyond building safety compliance for duty holders, the toolkit places a strong emphasis on residents themselves. It includes guidance on how ‘Principal Accountable Persons’ should engage with residents in order to gather views on building safety-related matters affecting their homes.

Resources to raise awareness of the Building Safety Regulator’s national Your Home, Your Safety resident-focused campaign are also available, as well as Building Control approval advice for residents looking to make home improvements within their own high-rise home.

For those buildings undergoing specific construction work, resources and information about the Building Safety Regulator’s Remediation Plan is also being made available.

Significant step forward

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO of the Building Safety Regulator, explained: “This new toolkit represents a significant step forward in our efforts to support ‘Principal Accountable Persons’, particularly so those in thousands of resident-managed buildings across England.”

Pugsley added: “By centralising resources, training opportunities and links to guidance, we are supporting duty holders to more effectively manage the complex, but essential requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022.”  

Further, Pugsley stated: “Whether it’s preparing a Safety Case Report, planning for remediation work on an existing building or engaging with residents, this resource helps to ensure that building safety remains the top priority for both the Building Safety Regulator and thousands of our high-rise communities.”

Commitment to ongoing support

The launch of this digital resource is part of the Building Safety Regulator’s commitment to keeping building safety information current, accessible and useful. It follows on from a recent announcement that the Building Safety Regulator plans to introduce a more proportionate and targeted approach for future higher-risk building assessments. That plan also includes the offer of greater support to underpin resident-led ‘Principal Accountable Persons’.  

Regular updates are planned over the coming months to add new resources to the toolkit as the building safety regime continues to evolve. ‘Principal Accountable Persons’ and other interested parties can access the free toolkit and sign up for regular updates at Building Safety Toolkit – Making Buildings Safer.

The survey encompasses 39 questions covering a variety of core topics, among them legislation, training, competency, compliance, fire risk assessments, sector challenges, manufacturing and export, consultancy, fire suppression and the role of Artificial Intelligence in the fire sector.

It only takes a few minutes to complete the survey and that’s where we need the help of Fire Safety Matters’ dedicated readers and contributors. We would really appreciate you setting aside some time in order to take part. Rest assured that your answers will provide key information on a number of pressing issues facing the UK’s fire safety sector.

This survey is conducted on an anonymous basis. We will be asking several leading industry professionals for their feedback on the results. That feedback will inform our review of the opinions raised by the survey. 

*Take part in the Fire Safety Matters State of the UK Fire Safety Market Survey 2026

Of course, everyone deserves to live in a safe, secure and affordable home. However, nine years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy of June 2017, there are still too many buildings wrapped in unsafe cladding and far too many people feeling unsafe and trapped in properties they cannot sell.

The Government took decisive action to speed up the pace of remediation by introducing the Remediation Acceleration Plan. Since that document was published, over 470 more buildings are reported to have completed cladding remediation, helping around 35,000 more residents to feel safer in their homes.

That said, the Government recognises more needs to be done, going further to identify and remediate all buildings and support residents in the process.

Building Safety Minister Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE stated: “It’s unacceptable that so many people have been left living in homes with dangerous cladding, anxiously waiting for those responsible to take action. This Bill is a milestone in our mission to right these wrongs and ensure that everyone feels confident in the safety of their home.”

Baroness Blake continued: “Crucially, the Bill will ensure all residents have a route to remediation, regulators have the powers they need to take action and that, for all residents currently waiting, an end is in sight.”

Drawing a line in the sand, the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding, etc) Bill makes clear what works are required, who needs to complete them and what the consequences will be for not taking action.

Key measures

Key measures outlined in the Bill include the following:

Stronger enforcement 

The Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding, etc) Bill brings forward a new legal duty on those responsible for the safety of their buildings, such as freeholders, to identify, assess and fix issues without delay. Anyone who obstructs this work could face criminal penalties.  

In addition, there will be a stronger enforcement framework to sanction responsible entities that fail to comply with a Remediation Order, enabling the First-Tier Tribunal to hand down financial penalties of up to £500,000.

The expectation remains that, by the end of 2029, every building over 11 metres with unsafe cladding should either have been remediated or have a clear date for completion, with the key change being that tougher powers will become available before this.

Clearer route to remediation 

As a safety net, third parties (such as Homes England or local authorities) will be able to step in and carry out remediation if those responsible continuously fail to act, thereby reassuring residents that works will go ahead.

Additionally, if a building ends up with no effective owner or responsible entity, leaseholders will have clearer legal routes to take control of the building’s management so that essential maintenance and safety works can continue.

Making sure all parties pay their fair share  

Developers, contractors and others who’ve paid to make buildings safe will have a simpler and more effective route to pursue cladding manufacturers in terms of recovering remediation costs where specific products have contributed to a building being unsafe, in turn unblocking technical legal barriers that have too often stood in the way.

Greater transparency and certainty for residents and regulators

A new register of all medium-rise residential buildings in England will help to ensure that no building falls through the net. Failure to register could result in civil penalties of up to £7,000 with higher financial penalties of anything up to £40,000 or prosecution also being made available.

Fire risk appraisals of external walls – which help to determine whether remediation is needed – will be required to follow a consistent approach to assessment where buildings are judged on the same basis and risks identified through independently audited and evidence-based assessments.

Where an assessment recommends remedial work, responsible entities will be required to share a plan with residents, setting out the steps and proposed timescales for remediating each building for which they bear responsibility.

The Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding, etc) Bill is expected to accelerate remediation for circa 12,000 residents (including around 3,000 residents whose buildings benefit from the remediation backstop).

Extensive work

The new measures emerge alongside extensive work already underway to progress remediation, including over £5 billion committed by the Government, as well as clear targets set for works to be completed, funding for buildings under 11 metres in exceptional circumstances, an extra £1 billion to support social housing providers’ remediation and extended funding for fire alarms to replace expensive Waking Watch regimes.

The Government also continues to deliver on the recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Panel, including the recent appointment of an independent Chief Construction and Scientific Advisor to provide expert advice on the safety, quality and resilience of buildings, thereby helping to deliver a better and more robust building safety system.

Amy Rees CB, CEO for Homes England, commented: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home. These measures are an important step in accelerating remediation, strengthening accountability and giving residents greater confidence that unsafe buildings will be fixed.”

Rees added: “Homes England will continue working with Government, regulators and industry partners alike to help ensure no building falls through the cracks and that remediation progresses as quickly as possible.”

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO for the Building Safety Regulator, concluded: “The Building Safety Regulator is fully engaged with stakeholders to support building owners in fixing known buildings on a faster basis. We will continue to support the Government as a collaborative and proportionate regulator on the critical issue of remediation on higher-risk buildings across England.”

Important step forward

The Property Institute – the professional body representing more than 380 managing agent firms and 7,500 property managers responsible for around two million homes across the UK – has welcomed the Bill as an important step towards addressing the building safety crisis, but argues that Parliament must use the scrutiny process to address remaining gaps.

Jaclyn Mangaroo (chief communications officer at The Property Institute) commented: “The introduction of the Bill to Parliament is an important milestone in addressing the cladding crisis. Nine years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, too many residents remain trapped in buildings with unresolved fire safety risks. We welcome measures aimed at accelerating progress and strengthening accountability.”

Mangaroo continued: “The proposed legal duty to assess and remediate unsafe cladding, stronger enforcement powers and a remediation backstop all represent meaningful attempts to break the current cycle of delay. However, significant concerns remain.”

On that last point, Mangaroo stated: “While the Bill places new legal duties on building owners and responsible entities, developers signed up to the Developer Remediation Contract are exempt. Residents will rightly question why those responsible for the construction of affected buildings are not subject to the same legal obligations, timelines and consequences as others.”

Further, Mangaroo observed: “According to our data, developer-led remediation continues to progress too slowly, with only 10% of projects completed and nearly 60% still awaiting agreed scopes of work. The Government must ensure the Responsible Actors Scheme has sufficient teeth to drive much faster delivery where commitments remain unmet.”

In addition, Mangaroo explained: “We are concerned that the Bill remains focused on external cladding and façades without providing a clear and funded route to identify and remediate historic internal fire safety defects, including compromised compartmentation and non-compliant fire doors. As a result, many residents continue to face uncertainty, unjust costs for interim safety measures and higher insurance premiums.”

According to Mangaroo: “Ultimately, residents deserve a complete solution with every serious defect identified, every responsible party held to account and every unsafe building given a credible route to remediation. The Bill is a very welcome step forward, but Parliament should use its scrutiny of the legislation to close the remaining gaps.”

Li Yen Lim, construction and engineering lawyer at law firm Freeths, told Fire Safety Matters: “This Bill raises the stakes considerably. Remediation will become a legal duty backed by criminal sanctions, civil penalties of up to £500,000 and, in some cases, director liability if they fail to assess, mitigate and remediate fire safety risks. Regulators will have far greater powers to intervene where progress stalls. Building Liability Orders are moving centre stage. The Bill not only confirms that there’s no limitation period for Building Liability Order claims, but further expands their use in construction product claims against associated companies where it’s just and equitable to do so.”

The prosecution relates to premises located at York Gardens in Hastings, which form part of the Queens Arcade, and follows on from an investigation by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service officers focused on fire safety arrangements at the premises.

As part of the investigation, an authorised fire safety inspector exercised statutory powers under Article 27 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Where necessary for the purpose of enforcing the Fire Safety Order, these powers enable authorised inspectors to enter and inspect premises, make enquiries and require the production of relevant information and documents.  

Brighton and Hove Magistrates’ Court heard that Ahudja, as the sole director of J&R Real Estate (the freeholder for the premises), failed, without reasonable excuse, to provide documents and information required by an authorised inspector in connection with the investigation.  

Following the investigation, J&R Real Estate and Ahudja were charged with offences under Article 32(2)(e) and Article 32(8) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Guilty verdict

At Brighton and Hove Magistrates’ Court on 6 October, J&R Real Estate and Ahudja were found guilty of the offences. The case has been adjourned for sentencing, which is due to take place on 8 November.

George O’Reilly, assistant director for risk reduction at East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fire safety legislation is there to protect people from the potentially devastating consequences of fire. Our authorised inspectors have statutory powers, which enable them to obtain the information and evidence necessary to determine whether premises are being managed safely and whether those responsible are complying with their legal duties.”  

O’Reilly continued: “We will always seek to work constructively with businesses and ‘Responsible Persons’ to help them understand and meet their fire safety responsibilities. However, those responsible for premises must co-operate with our inspectors and comply with lawful requirements made as part of an investigation. Where they fail to do so, we will not hesitate to consider appropriate enforcement action.”

In conclusion, O’Reilly noted: “This successful prosecution demonstrates that East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will use the enforcement powers available to us where necessary to uphold fire safety standards and protect the public.”

Legal duty  

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is reminding businesses, building owners and those responsible for premises that they have a legal duty to both understand and,, subsequently comply with their responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  

All ‘Responsible Persons’ should ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements are in place at their premises and co-operate fully with authorised fire safety inspectors carrying out their statutory duties.

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

With demand for its courses increasing, fire alarm system training provider Zzeus Training was looking for someone with deep technical knowledge, a strong grasp of the standards and lived experience when it comes to training industry professionals.

Davidson began his tenure in the industry back in 1982 as an engineer working on high-security projects. He spent most of his career at the NSI, where his roles included regional auditor, head of field operations, technical services manager and then Fire Schemes lead, training sector professionals and helping to assess the competence of engineers and company schemes.

For over two decades, Davidson represented the NSI on industry Boards and Working Groups, contributing directly to the development of not just BS 5839-1, but also BS 5839-6. As such, he will now be teaching on British Standards that he helped to write.

Davidson is a Fellow of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and, through time, has helped to develop BAFE Schemes.

Now retired from the NSI, Davidson’s part-time involvement at Zzeus Training will see him deliver courses alongside Buddy Squires, including the four-day and five-day BS 5839 courses, the one-day BS 5839 refresher and the BS 5839-6 course.

Shared values

Tom Brookes, managing director at Zzeus Training, explained: “Extending our team of dedicated trainers is something we’ve been working towards for a long time. One of the reasons why our delegates choose to learn with us is due to who’s standing at the front of the room. As such, this was never an appointment we were going to rush.”

Brookes continued: “It had to be the right individuals: someone who shares our values, has the depth of knowledge we expect at Zzeus Training and who can maintain the highest standards of training we’re so proud to provide. We have now found the right individual. We’re thrilled to officially welcome John to the Zzeus team as our new trainer.”

John Davidson responded: “Helping people to understand fire safety has always been the part of the job I’ve loved the most. I’m grateful for the chance to keep doing so alongside the members of what is such an experienced team.”

Zzeus Training provides Level 3 EAL-recognised training and examinations for electricians and fire alarm engineers at its purpose-built Training Centre in Lincoln. Its courses are approved by the EAL, the ECA, the FSA, the ECS, the NSI and the SSILB.

*Further information, details of course dates and booking forms can be accessed online at www.zzeus.org.uk