Dame Hackitt urged to introduce ‘duty holder’ role to increase accountability The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for a duty holder with responsibility for fire safety to be introduced through the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety headed up by Dame Judith Hackitt. According to Inside Housing,...
Are your Fire Doors Adequate? Following the recent letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, announcing that an internal fire door identified from Grenfell Tower only provided 15 minutes fire resistance that was meant to provide 30 minutes fire resistance, we thought...
Leasehold high-rise flats: who pays for fire safety work? Briefing Paper (Number 8244) This Briefing Paper, which is available in the House of Commons Library, considers the debate about where the costs of the necessary fire safety improvement works for high rise residential buildings, might fall. The Briefing Paper...
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Newsletter No 11 Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has established the Building Safety Programme to cover high-rise residential buildings over 18 metres, including hotels, to make sure that residents of high rise buildings are...
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Amendment Regulations 2018 Introduction These amendment Regulations are due to come into force on 6 April 2018 subject to Parliamentary approval. The most significant change is to provide private landlords with more flexibility on the renewal date for gas safety certificates. Existing requirement...
Icy conditions and winter weather With the cold weather arriving from the East this week, we thought it would be useful to remind you of the current guidance detailed on the HSE website. Slip and trip accidents increase during the Autumn and Winter season for...
BS 8300-2:2018 Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment. Buildings. Code of practice What is this new standard about? A wide range of inclusive design solution guidance already exists. This standard brings that diverse advice together to provide a definitive source...
ISO 45001 due for publication in March ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems is a new standard which will help organisations in providing a framework to improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks and create better, safer working conditions. ISO 45001 will replace OHSAS 18001, which...
High Rise Cladding Update Just three tower blocks out of almost 300 with the same cladding as Grenfell Tower have had panels taken down and replaced. Seven months after the fire a report published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government revealed...
Smoking related fire deaths rise in London Most fatal fires are started by discarded cigarettes, matches and lighters according to Fire Facts, the London Fire Brigade’s comprehensive annual review of fire data. The report covers up to the end of 2016 and does not include the tragic...