IN JUNE 2017, the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, a block of flats in West London, claimed the lives of 72 people. In the aftermath of the episode, questions were asked about the safety and security of high-rise buildings, writes Michael Knibbs.

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Those industry professionals visiting Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre in early September to attend Nineteen Group’s Safety and Security Series will be privy to the UK’s largest group of events wholly dedicated to protecting people, property and assets. Here, Fire Safety Matters takes a look at what’s in store for practitioners at The Fire Safety Event

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The Fire Safety Bill had its third reading – offering a chance for members in the House of Lords to make sure the eventual law is effective, workable and without loopholes – on Tuesday 24 November. Just nine days later, Fire Safety Matters ran a webinar in conjunction with Blackhurst Budd Solicitors to unravel the detail underpinning this planned new legislation. Brian Sims reports

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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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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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PUBLICATION OF the draft Building Safety Bill signals the biggest changes to fire safety in 40 years through improved regulations designed to aid the construction industry as a whole.  Here, Mick Hill explores the importance of providing a ‘golden thread’ of building information by specifying components, including bi-directionally fire-tested riser doors, that offer the highest standards in terms of compliance and performance.

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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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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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HOT WORK-related fires are on the increase. In fact, according to Freedom of Information data obtained by insurer Zurich, more than a quarter of all accidental fires on construction sites are sparked by ‘hot work’. Here, Ian McKinnon explains what practising professionals need to remember when undertaking this type of work.

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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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IN REVIEWING cases prosecuted under the Fire Safety Order, Warren Spencer reveals that over a quarter of all prosecutions brought under the Order since 2009 involve an element of domestic living, despite the Order not being intended to apply to domestic premises.

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Are you involved in the overhaul, renovation, refurbishment or distribution of products* originally certified when ‘new’, to any of the EU Product Safety Directives? If so, you could also be implicitly involved in the manufacture and distribution of ‘new’ equipment, without realising it and be required to assume certain legal responsibilities. Craig Halford looks at the situation in relation to pressurised fire equipment

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A man and a woman have been sentenced after fraudulently claiming almost £50,000 worth of financial assistance after they pretended to be residents of Grenfell Tower.

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Stephen Adams discusses current issues when it comes to complex buildings and fire safety.

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Fire Safety Event Content Director Mark Sennett introduces the show, which boasts an unparalleled line-up of free educational content and an exhibition containing major fire safety manufacturers and associations

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