THROUGHOUT 2022, as Tony Boyle observes, many notable topics came to the fore within social housing, but have we lost sight of one of the basics when it comes to not only compliance, but also improving the safety of others? Moving into 2023, it’s crucial to recognise and respect the fundamentals regarding safety within the residential environment.

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OVER THE last decade, carbon monoxide poisoning has caused an average of 162 deaths yearly in the UK. That’s equivalent to one life being lost every few days. Here, Ian Ballinger shares some expert insight on achieving carbon monoxide compliance and future-proofing properties.

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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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IN ITS role as the UK’s national standards body, the British Standards Institution recently published a new Code of Practice for the fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing multi-storey and multi-occupied residential buildings. Mike Fox examines why the publication of PAS 9980:2022 could be the moment when the Government finally abandoned short-termism in its post-Grenfell approach to legislation and regulation and began to focus instead on long-term outcomes.

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SINCE THE beginning of the year, there has been a raft of new announcements from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the subject of building safety and, of course, the cladding crisis. Niall Rowan discusses their implications for the construction industry.

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THE ELECTRICAL Contractors’ Association (ECA) and the Fire and Security Association welcome the Building Safety Bill, but the industry should grasp the opportunity to raise training and electrical safety standards, writes Mike Smith.

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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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Peter Baker is at the very forefront of establishing the new Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive and leading on the delivery of a stronger and more robust safety regime for higher risk residential developments. Brian Sims unearths more of the underpinning detail in conversation with the newly appointed Chief Inspector of Buildings

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FOUR YEARS on from the Grenfell Tower disaster we mourn those who died, writes Reece Goodman, but also take stock of what has happened since then.

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In view of evidence heard at the ongoing Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry, the Government’s White Paper on social housing and the draft Building Safety Bill, there has arguably never been a more intense focus on improving fire prevention and response infrastructures for social housing. James King and Nick Rutter evaluate the role to be played by connected technology

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WITH NEW fire safety legislation demanding a renewed focus on safety in all residential settings, Karen Trigg explains why care home and sheltered housing associations must absolutely prioritise the maintenance of fire doors.

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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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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. 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 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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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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NO CURRENT conversation about timber is complete without comment on the Government’s catch-all ban pertaining to combustible materials. While there’s no question that the Fire Safety Bill is intended to enhance occupant safety, Jeremy English explains why we must not lose sight of timber’s inherent qualities as a building material.

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IN THESE rather challenging and somewhat surreal times for us all, Andy Hicks examines precisely why now is most definitely not the time to neglect fire safety on construction sites and temporary Coronavirus-related facilities.

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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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