Since the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, the construction industry has seen the first steps of change for design, construction and management of fire safety, especially regarding in residential buildings.
The Hackitt independent review of the Building Regulations and Fire Safety was commissioned by the government which identified:
- A systematic failure underpinned by ignorance and indifference
- A lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities
- Inadequate regulatory oversight and enforcement tools
- Insufficient focus on delivering the best quality building possible
Changes
Clearly, a new building and fire safety system is needed that puts occupant’s safety first.
Approved Document B (ABD) has been republished to include specific advice on how to meet the fire safety requirements and new Building Regulations have been introduced prohibiting the use of nearly all combustible materials in the external walls of residential buildings over 18 meters tall.
Many stakeholders within the industry including designers, developers, contractors and building operators have taken measures to address the current industry failings early. These measures have included adopting safer eternal wall construction specifications, installing sprinklers to more buildings and tighter construction management controls, all before new regulations come into place.
While we may not know now what a new building and fire safety system will be, it is clear that change is needed.
FDS Group Event
FDS Group is hosting an event to encapsulate all the changes that are needed and are coming to our industry. Here’s a brief guide to the content that will be discussed:
- The Consequences of Tighter Regulation – Steve Morgan, Director, FDS Consult UK
- Installer Competence and Smoke Control Product with Independent Certification – guest speaker Allan Hurdle, International HVAC Consultant, Consultant to the SCA
- Designing Compliant Solutions – Simon Sheldon, Technical Manager, Fire Design Solutions
- The Benefits of Working with Expert Fire Engineers – John Harris, Head of Sales & Marketing
- The Importance of Fire Safety System Maintenance: Will it work when you need it? – Simon Sheldon, Technical Manager, Fire Design Solutions
If you would be interested in attending this event, please contact us to find out if there are still tickets remaining.
