National guidance issued by the Government, the Fire and Rescue Services and other important bodies strongly recommends the level of competency within the fire safety industry that practitioners should be striving to attain. Here, Stephen Adams discusses in detail the current competency landscape

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Ever since the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, the $64,000 question to be answered is how might the industry solve the myriad safety issues around tall buildings. This question itself poses many further ones and, as Ray Puttock discovers, almost inevitably delivers a multitude of answers

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Minimising the risk to life as a result of a fire involving external wall systems is crucial, yet in cases of buildings containing flats, alternative housing options can place people in worse living conditions or even leave them without accommodation altogether. Such that people can continue to live in relative safety in their own homes, Ken Bullock explains why interim solutions are vital for mitigating the risk

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In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and with the myriad impacts of Brexit already beginning to be felt, Paul Pope explores some of the key challenges facing the UK’s fire sector and pinpoints various ways in which the latter can ably and determinedly prepare for the future

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Evacuation alert systems are a new type of fire alarm designed for the UK market and described in BS 8629. They’re just one of the many changes being made to the fire safety landscape in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy that occurred on 14 June 2017. Andy Scott evaluates the fine detail

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With the word ‘smart’ now appearing in front of almost anything, including speakers, cars, heating systems, televisions and even fridges, what are the criteria that dictate or otherwise certify the use of ‘smart’ as a prefix when applied to the built environment? Ray Puttock airs his views on the matter

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Fires impacting refurbishment projects, such as the catastrophic blaze that broke out at the Notre Dame Cathedral in April last year, remain at the forefront of people’s minds as a direct result of the myriad news headlines they generate. Here, Tony Obadipe outlines the key issues to think about in terms of fire safety regimes for building and refurbishment projects

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On Wednesday 29 July, Fire Safety Matters ran another event in its popular webinar series, this time focused on ‘Ensuring Compliance and Improving Efficiency of Fire Alarm Systems’ and featuring detailed input from solution specialists at LAN Control Systems. Brian Sims reports on proceedings

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THE RECENT publication of the Government’s draft Building Safety Bill confirms its commitment to putting safety at the heart of all future building design and development. Here, Ges Wallace discusses the document and what it could mean for the future of our built environment.

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DESPITE THE easing of some of the restrictions around the Coronavirus, there remains a strong emphasis on keeping workplaces COVID-19 secure, with companies who fail to comply facing criminal prosecution. Ian McKinnon discusses what this means for employers and explains what can be done to promote compliance throughout the supply chain.

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In an exclusive interview for Fire Safety Matters, Western Business Media’s CEO Mark Sennett chats with Paul Pope (Group business development director at Global Fire Equipment and also a director of the Fire Industry Association) and Mike Tobin (chair of the Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association) about the current ‘State of the Nation’ in the UK’s fire industry. The impact of COVID-19, the overriding need for competency and the likely effects of Brexit are very much under the microscope

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FIRES CAN realise short-term and long-term devastation on data processing operations, but also reach far beyond the Data Centre itself, impacting Data Centre customers, their customers and so on. Here, Richard Taylor examines the key points to consider when formulating a fire safety strategy.

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THE DISPARITIES between Approved Document B (Fire Safety) Volume 1 and the recent revision of Part 6 of BS 5839 present housing providers with varying guidelines on the minimum requirement of fire safety provisions their property portfolio should currently specify. Ian Ballinger outlines why housing providers should consider pairing an LD1 Category specification with the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence to future-proof their housing portfolio.

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What are the benefits of today’s beam detection systems for end users? Where are these solutions commonly installed? Importantly, what’s in the pipeline for the next generation of such systems? Fire Safety Matters finds out the answers to these key questions and more in conversation with Nigel Ward.

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AS AN industry, we’re now well versed and experienced in the value of sprinkler systems. Here, James Broadest explains precisely why it’s crucial to deliver continuing education on this matter so Government bodies and building owners alike recognise the truism that substantial costs – and lives – can be saved thanks to retrofitted fire sprinklers.

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On Wednesday 20 May, Fire Safety Matters ran a further webinar in the magazine’s hugely popular ongoing series. This time around delivered in conjunction with FFE, the hour-long broadcast focused on protecting large premises from fire by dint of using infrared optical beam smoke detectors. Brian Sims addresses the essential points that emerged.

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Arguably, there’s no other danger that can imperil heritage buildings as totally and as swiftly as an outbreak of fire. Notwithstanding the serious risk posed to life, a fire is capable of wholly consuming and destroying historic buildings and their precious contents. With this in mind, Adam Welton examines the key points to be observed in relation to fire prevention and detection.

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UK fire safety law states that property must be ‘equipped with appropriate fire detectors and alarms’, but the legislation takes a broad approach and fails to offer specific recommendations for heritage buildings. That being so, Mark Taylor offers his recommendations for how fire can be prevented and detected in historical buildings

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FOLLOWING THE enforced lockdown restrictions introduced to help combat the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic, the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) took the decision to continue to offer certification by embracing new technology and migrating to remote auditing procedures. With the remote audit process now having been in place for three months, the organisation recently spoke with Heather Martin – operations manager at SSAIB-registered firm Southern Fire Alarms Ltd – to discuss its own remote audit conducted during the height of lockdown in April.

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IN LIGHT of the lockdown restrictions introduced by the Government in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) decided to continue offering certification services by dint of embracing new technology and migrating to remote auditing. With the new process having been in place for the last two months, Fire Safety Matters reviews what has happened to date.

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