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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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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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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What steps can fire safety engineers and specifiers take to identify suitable construction products and how can manufacturers – and notably so the manufacturers of fire safety solutions – better support them in ensuring that every building is safe, compliant and built to last? Graham Laws searches for some definitive answers

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Sadly, the most common cause of death in a fire incident continues to be the excessive inhalation of gas, smoke or toxic fumes. In-built fire curtain barriers are included as one element of building designs to prevent the spread of flames and smoke and, as a result, reduce the risk to occupant safety. David Keeble focuses his attentions on the fine detail

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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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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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from across Europe will continue to push the boundaries to ensure that the testing and classification of construction products is suitable and sufficient to ensure the safety of modern buildings. Niall Rowan discusses some of the significant issues affecting fire safety – and in particular passive fire protection – in Europe

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In an exclusive first interview for the sector’s trade media, Fire Safety Matters’ Editor Brian Sims hears from the Association for Specialist Fire Protection’s new CEO Steve Davies about his bold plans for the organisation and also learns about his considered views on upcoming issues and concerns relating to the passive fire protection sector

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Fire safety professionals and architects are justifiably focusing their attentions on ensuring that the designs and materials used during the construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing structures are not just compliant, but also following established industry Best Practice. Here, Joan Ferrer turns his attentions towards fire safety in relation to inverted flat roofs

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QuadCore technology is an insulation core, self-blended and unique to Kingspan, that delivers the highest performance of any closed cell insulation core across four factors: fire, thermal, environmental and longevity. Here, Tony Ryan examines how its application at a key site in Coventry is helping to safeguard the UK’s Industrial Strategy

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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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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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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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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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With fire safety increasingly a key consideration for the design of any commercial building, James Reed explains the key features to look for in a fire curtain to ensure it proves the best possible line of defence if and when a fire breaks out.

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