JUNE 2022 witnessed the publication of the amended Part B of the Building Regulations and with it new mandatory requirements for evacuation planning. Here, Ken Bullock explains the changes in detail.

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FOLLOWING THE Grenfell Tower disaster in June 2017, where 72 people lost their lives, high-rise building owners and operators across the UK have been charged with ensuring that fire safety and evacuation procedures are the absolute best they can be in their buildings. What’s the current state of play? Hochiki Europe has the detail.

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ON TUESDAY 29 March at 10.30 am, Fire Safety Matters hosted another webinar in its ongoing CPD series. The focus on this occasion was ‘Flexible Evacuation Solutions to Meet BS 8629’. Brian Sims reviews what was said on the day by subject matter experts from webinar sponsor Advanced and Veritas Fire Support Services.

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THE SUBJECT of competency in relation to fire safety was brought to the fore in the wake of Grenfell Tower and Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. Here, Justin Maltby-Smith discusses the importance of confirming competency and individuals’ responsibilities within the ‘golden thread’ of fire safety.

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WHEN IT comes to fire safety plans for buildings, where’s the right place to start? Is it a new build construction or a retrofit of an existing one? Whatever the scenario, each safety element has its place and a part to play. Here, Craig Stead focuses on emergency lighting and its importance in relation to overall safety and evacuation planning.

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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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‘Bridging the Gap Between Fire and Emergency Lighting Systems’ served as one of the latest webinars to run in Fire Safety Matters’ ongoing series. Taking place on Thursday 10 June at 10.30 am, the event was chaired and moderated by Mark Sennett (CEO at Western Business Media). Brian Sims outlines the main takeaways from the online session

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WITH MORE and more manufacturers and businesses becoming aware of the importance of fire safety in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and subsequent legislation (including the Fire Safety Act and the Building Safety Bill), greater steps are now being taken to ensure that all products in buildings are as fire-resistant as possible. However, an item that is usually overlooked in this area is the humble doormat, writes First Mats.

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One absolutely key element of management plans for today’s built environment is to ensure that anyone resident in a given building who has mobility issues can be safely evacuated in the event of an emergency scenario. With this in mind, Gerard Wallace explains the legal framework before outlining Best Practice

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What’s your level of understanding when it comes to the value of emergency and exit lighting? As Craig Stead explains, this isn’t a subject to be addressed at the end of a design process just because it’s deemed necessary. With proper planning and the right levels of investment, such lighting can save resources, money and, most importantly, people’s lives

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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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From 7-9 September, The Fire Safety Event makes a triumphal return to the NEC in Birmingham, with organiser Nineteen Events promising a show that’s bigger and better than ever. Here, Fire Safety Matters learns all about what’s on offer for visitors and seminar delegates from event director Tristan Norman

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The benefits of dynamic emergency exit signage over conventional, passive ‘running man’ equivalents are proven and well established. As Alan Ward observes, such signage reduces risk, increases the safety factor and affords staff and visitors alike that all-important additional peace of mind

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On Wednesday 3 March from 10.30 am until 11.30 am, Fire Safety Matters ran the latest instalment of the magazine’s ever-popular webinar series, this time around focusing on ‘Protecting High-Rise Residential Buildings from Fire’. Brian Sims reviews the key discussion points that emerged

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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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Fire safety requirements for rail networks operating within airports pose a unique set of challenges for design teams and, indeed, demand specific management protocols given what can be large occupancy numbers combined with 24-hour services. Here, Tony Cash reviews the key factors considered for the Terminal Transit System at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5

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BS 8629: Code of Practice for the Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Evacuation Alert Systems for Use by Fire and Rescue Services in Buildings Containing Flats was the focus of a recent webinar on evacuation planning run by Fire Safety Matters in conjunction with Advanced. Brian Sims reports on the major points outlined in terms of Best Practice

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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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AS THE role of door hardware expands and fire safety continues to make the headlines, Karen Trigg outlines in detail the importance of hardware selection and reminds decision-makers of how routine checks can save lives.

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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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