Fire extinguishers: your legal obligations

There are nearly 20,000 commercial fires in the UK each year, demonstrating the importance of taking your fire-safety obligations seriously if you own commercial premises or run a business. So what are your legal obligations regarding fire extinguishers? Read More

The Fire Safety Order – simplified

Do you find the Fire Safety Act daunting? Or do you just need a quick refresh of the main points? Simon Stokes of Assured Fire & Security explores the landmark legislation and outlines your legal obligations. Read More

Student accommodation provider given heavy fine and suspended prison sentence for multiple fire-safety breaches

Also in our roundup of fire-safety fines, a housing cooperative faces punitive fine for a litany of fire-safety failures and fire-door breaches are found at guesthouse following arson attacks. Read More

BWF-Certifire leads calls for national register of responsible persons

The person responsible for a building’s fire safety should be advertised to its residents or occupants as prominently as its first aiders, according to the organisations behind Fire Door Safety Week. Read More

Fire Safety Order: lack of clarity over responsible person is impeding prosecutions, says BWF-Certifire manifesto

The manifesto also calls for revisions to Approved Document B and for fire door training to become a standard part of training and competency frameworks in the construction industry. Read More

Fire Door Safety Week 2016 to focus on HMOs, care homes and social housing

The award-winning campaign, which runs from 26 September to 2 October, has announced events that include a commemoration of the Great Fire of London, which gave rise to the concept of a fire door. Read More

Collaboration and cost-efficiency: why BIM is a boon for fire protection engineering

The UK government now demands building information modelling on all construction projects. Bob Glendenning of Sherwin-Williams outlines the relevance and benefits of BIM in new steel structures. Read More

Hotel Fire Safety Case Study: Are the Hotel and Local FRS Doing Enough?

Alan Cox recently contacted a hotel with concerns about its fire safety measures. This is what he found with a response from the hotel and Fire and Rescue Service. Read More

The Fire Safety Order, 10 Years on: Has it Met Expectations?

Ten years ago, far-reaching new legislation was introduced to improve fire safety in buildings. But did it work? Read More

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, 10 Years on: Insights from the LFB Review

CFOA enforcement lead Nicholas Coombes gives us an insight into the findings of an LFB report on the effectiveness of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Read More

8 Tips on Choosing a Competent Fire Risk Assessor

Some simple steps to make sure you are meeting your legal obligations and keeping your staff or residents safe, courtesy of Nick Coombe FIFireE, FSR Management Support Audit & Performance at the London Fire Brigade. Read More

“A Lack of Consultation Appears to be the Main Failing” – Your Views on Residents’ Fire-Risk Assessment Complaints at Cheriton Wood House

Last week we sought your views on resident complaints at semi-sheltered accommodation in Kent over the imposition of fire-safety rules that reduced their storage space. Here are the responses. Read More

Fire-Risk Assessments: Should Landlords Take the Practical Needs of Vulnerable Residents into Account?

Residents living in semi-sheltered accommodation in Kent have objected to rules imposed on the recommendations of a fire-risk assessment. Find out what those rules are and let us know whether you agree with the residents. Read More

Housing Association Prosecution Over Fatal Lewisham Fire is a “Wake-Up Call” for Residential Building Owners

Lewisham Homes has been fined £40,000 for their role in the deaths of two Lewisham residents in 2011. Read More

Fire-Safety Webinar from the FPA: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

John Briggs of the Fire Protection Association advises building owners on adhering to the RRO 2005 in this 27 January webinar. Read More

A “Borderline National Crisis”: the New BWF-CERTIFIRE Chairman’s Damning Verdict on the State of UK Fire Doors

The new chairman of the UK’s largest fire door certification scheme has sounded a stark warning about fire safety in UK buildings. Read More

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005