Updated in 2020, this handbook is Ideal for any individual with responsibility for overseeing, permitting, and carrying out temporary hot work activities during construction, maintenance, and renovation. It explains the relevant legislation and uses case studies to illustrate the extent to which...

Hot work safety training is essential to help prevent fires caused during construction or maintenance work. These fires are often responsible for thousands of pounds of damage in property and business loss. This course is designed for supervisors and operatives who carry out risk assessments in...

This video provides guidance on what constitutes hot work, where safety requirements apply, what the dangers are, completing the hot work permit, and roles and responsibilities on site.

This RISCAuthority document highlights the hazards associated with the carrying out of hot work. Fire precautions are described, and a model hot work permit and associated checklist are provided.

Hot work safety training is essential to help prevent fires caused during construction or maintenance work. These fires are often responsible for thousands of pounds of damage in property and business loss. This course is designed for supervisors and operatives who carry out risk assessments in...

This RISCAuthority document highlights the hazards associated with the carrying out of hot work. Fire precautions are described, and a model hot work permit and associated checklist are provided.

Hot work poses significant fire hazards compared to cold working, therefore it is crucial to implement appropriate and effective health and safety measures. A carefully considered risk assessment is required to reduce the potential risk to the work environment. Fire caused as a consequence of...

This customisable and free software is available for you to supply to your clients to help them manage their hot works risks at point of entry. As hot works related fires stubbornly continue to cause significant insurance losses, this software is designed to ensure best practice risk control...

This customisable and free to distribute software is now available for you to supply to your clients, to help them manage their hot work risks at point of entry. As hot works related fires stubbornly continue to cause significant insurance losses, this software is designed to ensure best...

This e-learning course provides an online introduction to Hot Work. Split into 3 modules, the course content covers considerations in preparing for carrying out Hot Work, the permit to work system as a control method, and the specific fire risks associated with Hot Work and how to mitigate these....

NATIONAL statistics from the Department for Communities and Local Government show that, in commercial premises across England, more fires are caused by hot work activities than those started accidentally by cigarette lighters or matches. As a result, the RISCAuthority document, RC7:...

The company said the requests were sent in order to ‘find out the number of fires reported in the construction industry, and how many of those were caused by hot work’, and found out that there were 218 fires in buildings under construction across England, of which 44 or 20% were...

Emergency services responded to a serious fire at a 22-storey residential block in Spitalfields on 16 June 2024 after receiving 25 separate calls. Crews from Shoreditch, Dowgate, Euston, and surrounding fire stations attended the incident, with London Fire Brigade (LFB) dispatching a total of...

A major fire that broke at a residential tower under construction in Staines was caused by welding work, the developer has confirmed. On the afternoon of 26 June 2024, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), aided by the London Fire Brigade, dispatched eight fire appliances to attend the blaze...

OVER THE course of my career, I have been involved with many fire losses attributable to hot work – an ignition source which time and time again causes injury or death, significant damage to property, and ruins businesses. In my view, it is a completely avoidable cause of fire, and while...

Howard Passey highlights several key fire safety factors to consider when refurbishing or renovating buildings. When embarking on a building refurbishment, it is vital to consider fire risk at all stages of the process, from initial design through to the choice of materials and construction...

BT Redcare’s Rob McLaughlin and Sodhi Dhillon first spoke on the next step in the UK’s digital transformation – Digital Voice – and how alarm signalling will be affected. With a more limited programme on the third day, NSI's John Davidson asked whether third party...

Whether your interests are in policy, professional development opportunities, or practical guidance, this is your chance to have your say by completing our upcoming Member survey which will be emailed to you. We would also like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to our...

This RISCAuthority document provides guidance to insurers and fire safety managers regarding the unique risk that acetylene cylinders present in the workplace.

The FPA offers a wide variety of online tutor-led fire safety training courses ranging from fire warden, passive fire protection and hot work training. All online courses are delivered by Zoom and delegates will have a trainer on hand throughout the duration of the course.

First published in 1992 and now in its 10th edition, the objective of the Code is the prevention of fire on construction sites.

THE CBI estimates that the construction sector employs about 10% of the UK workforce and contributes almost £90 billion to the UK economy each year. Although highlighting a decrease in output in November 2014, the Office for National Statistics’ latest bulletin, Output in the...

In the current political climate, it may not be the brightest idea to try to discuss why some countries in Europe, or specifically in the Confederation of Fire Protection Association Europe (CFPA-Europe), have different hot works rules and regulations to others. I suppose it could easily be...

First published in 1992 and now in its 10th edition, the objective of the Code is the prevention of fire on construction sites.

Howard Passey gives his perspectives on the results of a recent FPA survey, which asked how best to deal with fire risks in heritage buildings A SURVEY recently carried out in the Fire Protection Association’s (FPA’s) newsletter asked: ‘Is it more important to keep the...

Howard Passey takes a look at surveying a building’s compartmentation and ways to ensure compliance for passive fire protection. Compartmentation is a crucial passive fire safety measure, consisting of essential elements of the building fabric that act to...

Summary The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the City of London, also known as the Square Mile: the financial district of London. The Corporation is dedicated to a vibrant and thriving city, by looking after, promoting, and supporting a diverse and sustainable London. In...

A fire risk assessment (FRA) should be undertaken for all areas of secondary schools in compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Regulations 2005 (or equivalent legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland). In some areas, for example science laboratories, an assessment may also be...

With the state of the UK’s school buildings coming under scrutiny, Steve Solomon looks at fire safety issues commonly found. A recently released report from the National Audit Office has brought to the fore the condition of the UK’s school buildings, with growing concerns over the...

From the safety testing of novel chemistries to the development of safer battery pack designs for vehicles and aerospace, Principal Engineer Dr Simon Jones shares his ongoing work on battery safety with F&RM. With increasing consumer reliance on lithium-ion batteries in everyday products,...

With the objective of providing a range of learning solutions to suit all learners, the FPA is pleased to announce the launch of its e-learning provision as an addition to its current offering of fire safety CPD courses and qualifications. In a dynamic, professional development landscape,...

RE6 provides a general overview of the main types of wind turbines that are available, and the hazards and risk control measures associated with these turbines, with a focus on medium/large horizontal axis turbines; nowadays, the most prevalent type for grid connected power generation. It is...

The FPA’s e-courses provide an introductory overview of vital areas within fire safety to support individuals in navigating their roles and creating safer working environments by increasing awareness and understanding of legislation, individual duties, and best practice. Members benefit from...

PROPER PLANNING for fire, safety and health must be an integral part of the overall preparation and budgeting for the efficient running of construction projects.’ With this key message, the joint code of practice, Fire Prevention on Construction Sites, has helped to drive up safety...

A WIDE range of professionals, skilled trades and general builders/labourers deliver the UK’s new buildings and refurbishments. In most commercial work, a professional designer or architect produces plans to be vetted by the local building control department, or an approved inspector. The...

The Fire Protection Association is the UK’s leading fire safety organisation, committed to setting the highest industry standards, influencing policy, and supporting our members with the most comprehensive fire safety news, advice, training, resources, and exclusive member benefits to support...

HERITAGE PROPERTIES present many challenges when it comes to fire prevention and protection. Construction methods and materials mean that often as not, if a fire starts, the concluding loss is total, and nowhere is this more so than in thatched properties. The convergence of heritage properties...

FOR THE past five years the waste and recycling industry has been plagued by news headlines over the number of fires occurring in the sector. Of course, there’s no smoke without fire! However, has the coverage always given a wholly true picture of the industry? In some cases maybe, but in...

Enhancing fire detection and suppression can be achieved with the help of camera technology, explains James Mountain FIRE IS a prevalent risk for every business, in every sector. It can cause sizeable damage and significant loss of revenue, assets or productivity as a result of a period of...

In this second article of two, which follows on from ‘High exposure’ (see F&RM, March 2021, pp48-55), consideration of risk control measures uses the hierarchy of controls framework. This attempts to mitigate the hazards and risks of particular concern to compartment fire behaviour...

In a dynamic, professional development landscape, continuous learning is paramount. With the objective of providing a range of learning solutions to suit all learners, the FPA launched its e-learning provision in January 2024 to complement its wider fire safety training solutions which include CPD...

The 61-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous, was one of a team working for steel fabricators Hartwell Manufacturing Ltd, which had been hired to remove three disused oil tanks at the Fox’s site in Wellington Street in February 2012. He was using an angle grinder to cut open one of...

THIRD PARTY accreditation was, once again, the topic of keen discussion at the FPA Infozone, as delegates were treated to a presentation on registration of fire risk assessors from Chris Richards, president of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM). Mr Richards first set the topic within...

THIS SURVEY covers the period from January 2009 until December 2014, during which time there were 121 large loss fires in the education sector. The good news is that over the last couple of years, the overall proportion of large loss fires in the education sector has decreased from 6.3% to 3.2%....

The outcome of a fire risk assessment (FRA) led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents from a tower block just days before Christmas. As reported by Manchester Evening News (MEN), the city-centre tower block in Manchester – Bracken House – has been struggling with fire...

Iryna Seleznova looks at key issues a sprinkler system designer has to consider and how teamwork can overcome them. In my 20 years as a fire protection professional, one issue continues to occur in the projects that I work on – the fact that fire protection systems are last in the queue...

In my view, the golden thread should provide an accurate record of how a building was designed, built and maintained, with a focus on elements that affect safety. This would be a digital way of specifying the asset and design requirements, capturing the right information about the designers’...

ANALYSIS OF official government figures showed that over 2m, or ‘almost one in 10’ English households ‘do not have a working smoke alarm’, and only a quarter with alarms test them monthly. About Manchester reported on the findings from the government’s figures for...

A fire strategy is a complex document specifically tailored to a building, reviewing all aspects of the building’s fire safety features including construction, compartmentation strategy, means of escape and other fire safety features/measures - including management arrangements in place to...

Working with dangerous substances as a business owner requires a great deal of thought to go into health and safety to ensure that you are protecting your employees from exposure to these substances. If your business works with or stores dangerous substances and may have explosive atmospheres, you...

A DSEAR Risk Assessment is a vital way of protecting people and property from the risks of fire and explosion as a result of dangerous substances, such as extremely flammable gases, highly flammable liquids, oxidising liquids/powders, and combustible dusts, explosive atmospheres, and substances...

Lithium-ion batteries are a vital part of modern society, with the batteries forming the backbone of most modern technologies that require battery support, from everyday household electronics such as laptops, mobile phones, and tablets, to large-scale energy storage systems and electric vehicles...

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, are globally one of the fastest growing forms of generating electricity. Whilst providing an important form of renewable energy, it is worth noting that, like any other electrical system, there is a risk of fire. This advice and guidance...

We would like to thank all members who completed the FIRE Conference 2025 survey, which we sent out in May. Your valuable feedback helps us to ensure that the programme meets your needs by allowing us to take your thoughts and perspectives into consideration during the...

THE CATEGORY ‘other transport buildings’ begs the question ‘other than what?’. The transport category in the large loss statistics is an extremely diverse sector dealing with road, rail, sea and air transport. Most importantly, the ‘other’ group does not...

In a time when building use is constantly shifting, from repurposed office spaces to sustainability-driven refurbishments, facility managers (FMs) are under growing pressure to maintain high fire safety standards. As someone who has worked across education, residential, and commercial environments,...

John Calcutt, 47, was working at Ebac Ltd’s facility in Newton Aycliffe when the incident took place on 9 September 2013. The company manufactures bottled water coolers and dehumidifiers and Mr Calcutt was helping clear solidified plastic from a large plastic injection moulding when he was...

Following your feedback, last year the FPA membership scheme was refreshed and divided into three simpler category types – Individual, Small Business, and Corporate – which differentiate between company size to ensure appropriate access to the technical advice and guidance resources...

WITH THE improving financial climate, the sight of scaffolding in towns and cities around buildings that are being refurbished or converted into offices is becoming much more common. The seemingly insatiable demand for office space and modern requirements for ceilings and floor voids to...

A RISK management programme is essential to the smooth running of any business. However, in order to effectively protect employees, and potentially customers, as well as the reputation and longevity of a business, risk management needs to be fully embedded in the culture and practices of everyone...

IMAGINE A future where all services in a building communicate seamlessly by working together through one system. An intelligent building management system (BMS), upon detecting smoke in a building, alerts the fire service immediately. The closed-circuit television (CCTV) system locates the fire...

WORKSHOP on timber framed buildings was chaired by IFE chief executive Neil Gibbins, who explained how growing concerns over total and large losses from fire in timber framed buildings led to cross-sector initiatives to reduce the impact of fires during their construction and use. From 2010, a...

IN JUST a few weeks time, the London 2012 Olympic and Para-lympic Games will be under way. The Torch relay is in progress and, as the main event approaches, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) is in the final stages of planning to ensure that the Games pass safely for competitors, spectators and...

WE BEGIN with a European perspective on reducing false alarms, in which Siemens’ senior manager for industry affairs, Lance Ruetimann, discussed findings from a case study of practice in its target countries. The study looked at fire alarm systems with automated alarm transmission in...

ON 9 FEBRUARY, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service hosted a conference, jointly organised with the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES) at Liverpool John Moores University. Attended by more than 100 delegates from fire and rescue authorities across the UK, the event focused...

THE PUBLICATION of and publicity surrounding BRE Global’s recent report, Water mist fire protection in offices: Experimental testing and development of a test protocol, has created some concerns and consternation in the fire protection industry.  As reported in FRM late last year...

THE REGULATORY Reform (Fire Safety) Order in England and Wales states that: ‘The respon-sible person must ensure that his employees are provided with adequate safety training – at the time when they are first employed.’ This is echoed in similar legislation elsewhere in the...

In the first of this two part series, Jean-Simonis Engela reveals the hazards and risks faced by trainers of compartment fire behaviour TRAINING IN compartment fire behaviour is intended to enable firefighters to perform effectively and safely during carbonaceous burning in operational...

Following a fire that broke out on the roof of a landmark building in Belfast’s city centre, two companies have been ordered to pay £160,000 in fines and costs after admitting to health and safety breaches. On 28 August 2018, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS)...

Buses, trains, planes, and ferries are vital arteries of modern life enabling the daily movement of millions of people. The infrastructure hubs in place around these modes of transport – railway stations, airports, and bus and ferry terminals – are dynamic operations with high occupancy...

With important legal and regulatory changes coming into effect throughout 2025, F&RM spoke to barristers Sailesh Mehta and David Claxton from Red Lion Chambers to look at how these changes have impacted practice this year and what is coming down the pipeline.

The incident took place at the Maxibrite coal briquette plant in Llantrisan on 16 December 2012. Works manager Simon Gilbody was alerted by staff that smoke was coming out of the top of a tower used to produce solid fuel. When he inspected the tower he found a fire had started and attempted to...

An essential records and information resource for all those ultimately responsible for fire safety. This updated edition also includes a CD ROM of interactive PDF record sheets, allowing users to update and store forms electronically. Published 2014 Contents 1. Fire risk assessment 2. Employers,...

When choosing the right fire extinguisher, it is important to know that no single type of fire extinguisher can be used on all types of fires. Your fire risk assessment should identify which types of fires are most likely to occur in your building/premises, making this a good place to...

On 4 March 2013, 12 employees were working the night shift at Flexitallic Ltd’s factory in Cleckheaton. The team were operating a sinter oven to bake gasket sheets. This process required components to be mixed with a flammable paraffin, formed into sheets and then thoroughly dried to drive...

Tell us about WTW and its history. WTW provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital to make organisations more resilient, with maximised performance and motivated workforces. The company is one of the world’s oldest insurance brokers, founded in...

FOLLOWING THE terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, the then government initiated a programme called New Dimensions to improve national resilience arrangements in order to deal with similar events here in the UK.    This programme has resulted in the delivery of what...

ON 15 June 2017, RISCAuthority chair David Williams, technical advisor at AXA Insurance, warmly welcomed members to the University of Manchester. Before the presentations and with developing news of the Grenfell Tower fire, RISCAuthority director Dr Jim Glockling spoke briefly about the...

STARTING ON responsibility and accountability, FPA principal consultant Howard Passey gave an overview of existing legislation, and explored ‘complexities’ in the built environment, specifically impacts on prosecutions, before looking at Dame Judith’s recommendations and how...

AT THE start of this latest event, RISCAuthority chairman and Axa technical director David Williams declared that he was ‘very proud’ of the work undertaken by RISCAuthority and the FPA in the last year, and pointed to the ‘very relevant’ timetable of talks that were...

THE SKYLINES in many cities are being populated with taller and more exotic buildings. Architects are competing with each other for singular iconic shapes and detail, while emerging economies are signifying their fiscal ascendancy with structures that are statement buildings of national...

IN THESE modern times with so much information freely available on screen via the internet, we could perhaps be forgiven for thinking that the demand for the printed word may be declining and that printers are not so busy. On the other hand, at conferences and exhibitions – whatever their...

FIRE SAFETY legislation places great emphasis on the person responsible for a premises. One of their responsibilities – which is sometimes overlooked – is to provide information and training to their employees and, where appropriate, to other users of the building. But what...

IN MANY cases, economic considerations have favoured the purchase and installation of large-scale systems on commercial properties that have large, clear, unshaded and predominantly south-facing areas of roof. At the same time generous grants, feed-in tariffs and economies of manufacturing scale...

THE CONCEPT of fire compartmentation is simple. It aims to keep fire, smoke and noxious gases to a restricted area by dividing a building into fire resisting compartments. So when installing a passive fire protection system, it is important to understand the potential implications of incorrect...

IN 2012, the Fire Protection Association (FPA) began adding to its already extensive fire research, training and test laboratory in Gloucestershire by creating an ‘IMO’ high temperature test facility. The rig construction was based on the requirements of the International Maritime...

INSTALLATION OF fixed fire suppression systems has become a hot potato for the waste industry in recent years. This is in the face of pressure from regulators and insurers who, along with the operators, have been witness to a spike in the number of fires at waste handling sites since the...

With intumescent strips prompting many questions of manufacturers, Michael Spoors shares those most commonly asked and the answers MANY PASSIVE fire protection systems aren’t that obvious at first sight. None more so than intumescent seals on fire doors. Intumescent seals are small...

FPA trainer, Carl Pearce, examines the unique fire safety challenges that care homes and protecting their vulnerable residents poses. While fire safety measures are not currently among the most important considerations when selecting a care home for a loved one, it means those operating and...

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) declared a major incident at the industrial estate blaze Describing it as the largest fire in the county in a decade, NFRS responded to the incident at Monoworld recycling site on the Sanders Lodge industrial estate in Rushden on Friday 23...

As anyone who works in fire and life safety knows, if something goes wrong there can be a potentially fatal outcome. We simply cannot go back and fix some of our work after the event, so doing the job properly the first time is very important. With lessons learned from fatal fires both in New...

In the face of growing fire safety challenges, the role of Automatic Water Suppression Systems (AWSS) has never been more critical. The BAFSA Sprinkler Saves Project showcases how sprinklers and watermist systems protect lives and property across the UK, using real incident data to tell powerful,...

Fire safety Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which covers general fire safety for England and Wales, it is the responsibility of the Responsible Person to appoint competent persons for fire safety functions and to ensure their employees receive adequate training, refresher...

Fire Safety Europe (FSEU) reported on the meeting, which saw member states and 25 associations come together to share ‘main concerns, regulatory needs and expectations from the new platform’, including ‘the need for data on fires to better understand and address the...

The Lincolnite reported on the prosecution of Mr Keshmiri over failure to comply with fire, health and safety standards at two properties in the city. One of these had four self contained flats on Rosemary Lane, while the other was converted into two self contained flats in Spa Buildings. Both...

In August, the prosecution against the company had seen it plead guilty breaching health and safety laws, after the fire on 26 May 2017. The fuel depot fire ‘left on person in hospital’, and when JFRS responded, they eventually had to declare a code amber that ‘recalls all...

After the fires over the Easter weekend on Ilkley Moor and Marsden Moor, the NFCC stated that these – plus the recent rise in such fires – have not only ‘devastated habitats’, but also have painted a ‘stark reminder of how quickly these types of fires can take...

These latest statistics from the Home Office showed that despite the number of fires attended by fire and rescue services (FRSs) had fallen by 10% in the 12 months ending in September 2019, there was also a 9% increase in ‘dwelling fire fatalities’ in that same period – with the...

AS WE recycle and recover more of our waste, rather than simply disposing of it, the risk of fires occurring at waste management sites is potentially higher. This does not mean that we should stop recycling and recovering our wastes, or slow society’s move towards more sustainable waste...

APTLY EMANATING from the Chartered Insurance Institute at 20 Aldermanbury, the RISCAuthority London seminar attracted more than 150 delegates from the insurance sector. The event was chaired by AXA Insurance managing director for underwriting and RISCAuthority chairman David Williams, who kicked...

THE TERM ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC) is used to describe a wide range of different building technologies, many of which have been in widespread use across the construction sector for at least the past 40 years, with very positive impacts on fire risk management strategy....

As the current custodians of historic buildings, artefacts and works of art contained in galleries, museums, stately homes, churches, castles and palaces, it is our duty to take care of them so they can be enjoyed by future generations. We learn from the historic buildings and museums all around...

THE TERM ‘complex building’ embraces all manner of structures, from historic stately homes and museums to mixed-use high-rise buildings and large-scale industrial complexes. Whatever their purpose, these sites present a unique set of challenges to those tasked with protecting them...

TALKS AT the event also addressed certification, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [FSO], sprinklers and retrofitting, specialist detection and emergency lighting.    Third party certification   Infozone sponsors BT Redcare discussed the importance of third...

A RAPID change is taking place in the climate of risk and resilience, according to the technical director of the FPA, Dr Jim Glockling, due partly to fire (value) engineering, fire service economies including reduced inspections, false alarm issues, low sprinkler provision and void buildings. And...

EACH MONTH in the UK, there are an estimated 300 fires on construction sites, threatening the lives of many construction workers and others in the vicinity, and resulting in a monthly cost to the construction industry that is currently in the region of £35m. When it comes to tackling the...

IN HIGH rise properties such as hotels, offices and apartment blocks, smoke shafts are now being more widely adopted than automatic opening vents and pressurisation systems – making them the most commonly deployed smoke control measure used in tall buildings. Smoke shafts are quite...

WITH THE implementation of highly automated manufacturing facilities that require a smaller operational workforce, freedom of movement for the workforce is essential. This requirement, coupled with freedom of movement of components and finished products, is well served by open plan manufacturing...

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is increasingly being used by fire engineers in the design of smoke control systems. This is driven by a number of factors, including improved computing power, greater understanding of what CFD can and cannot do, and the availability of reliable software at a...

TRAVELLING by bus or coach is a popular, environmentally friendly means of transport, and one that is generally very safe. But there are risks. In Sweden, for example, more than 130 bus and coach fires are reported each year – an average of three fires a week. The vast majority of these...

ENGINEERING IS now a very diverse discipline and thus the statistics relating to this industrial sector no longer relate solely to the traditional ‘metal bashing’ factories. Heavy metal working now takes a back seat and is overshadowed by fabrication using alloys, plastics, carbon...

CONSTRUCTION AND refurbishing projects carry with them a number of additional challenges in terms of fire protection because of the presence of flammable materials, use of hot works and limited escape routes.    Set in the context of this background is the fact that there are...

PASSIVE FIRE protection systems are designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, subdivide buildings into manageable areas of risk and provide adequate means of escape.    The person who is responsible for fire safety in a building has a duty of care towards occupants, as well...

There are in fact five different types of portable fire extinguishers- water, powder, foam, wet chemical and carbon dioxide -and there are as many as 15 if you count the supplementary portable fire extinguishers. Anyone who may have to use a portable fire extinguisher should be trained by a...

BUILDINGS ARE being constructed ever taller in height, often over 12m and up to 20m (‘lofty’ in insurance terms). With waste piles typically being managed to 4m to 6m in height, it means that roof level sprinklers don’t necessarily provide fully effective fire protection for the...

The NFCC discussed the recent statistics released by the Home Office, which covered all incidents as well as fire related fatalities and casualties. Fires attended fell by 12%, while fire related fatalities fell by 10%, while there was a 4% decrease in incidents attended, and the total number of...

Brian Hesler describes the training needed to guide the cultural change required to improve firefighter health and wellbeing, post COVID-19 IN RECENT times, firefighter health has received increased media attention, and rightly so. COVID-19 has highlighted the risks that all essential workers...

James Mountain explores the various fire risks associated with the use of industrial vehicles and how to protect your people, assets, and environments. For businesses operating within highrisk industries, such as manufacturing, mining, or agriculture, the everyday use of industrial vehicles is...

London Fire Brigade tackled a blaze in a housing block in south-east London which burned for around 12 hours. Thirteen people were evacuated from the building on Creek Road, Deptford, after the fire service was notified at around 13:00 BST. The LFB responded with 25 fire engines and around 120...

Three remaining tenants have been evacuated from a city centre block of flats in Bradford after a recent fire uncovered serious safety defects. According to the Telegraph and Argus, improvement notices and prohibition orders had already been issued at Hockney Court, Hallgate, prior to the...

Su Butcher investigates Regulation 38, the golden thread, and the problem of disclosure in the supply chain. Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations 2010 makes it a legal requirement for fire safety information to be exchanged between the principal contractor appointed by the investor or...

Adrian Butler discusses fire hazards and key risk mitigation considerations, strategies, and methods in higher hazard and complex manufacturing and process industries Industrial sites, especially those with high challenge fire hazards, require special consideration by fire safety and risk...

The FPA is pleased to support the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in England, Scotland, and Wales in offering specific training to the industry as part of the Employer Networks initiative. Employer Networks is an initiative set up and funded by CITB and aims to simplify the way the...

A new amendment to the tenth edition of the Joint Code of Practice (JCoP) on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation has been released Published by the FPA and produced by RISCAuthority with the support of the Association of British Insurers, National...

Lithium-ion batteries are all around us: They can be in your phone, in your laptop, in an e-bike or an electric car. There may be several within arm’s reach and hundreds of them in your building.

“The fire at Windsor Castle in 1992 was the starting point in developing fire safety in historic buildings and a number of fires in the 1990s all made us sit up and pay attention to the importance of fire management [at these sites],” he explained. He first navigated delegates...

GLASS IS an important component of modern buildings and its behaviour can have a major influence on fire development. Fire-resistant glass is used extensively in fire safety design to provide protected escape and effective compartmentation. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the weaknesses...

IN 1832, George Washington Snow erected a timber warehouse in Chicago, Illinois, using a revolutionary new method of construction. On seeing the lightweight double-height timber frames, critical builders gave it the derisory name ‘balloon frame’, as they thought it would blow away in...

IN THE EMERGENCY services community, carrying out a debrief following either a real-life incident or a training exercise is an essential process. It enables the organisations involved to evaluate their internal arrangements and working relationships with partner agencies, to learn from the...

AMANDA HOPE from Advanced outlined how conservation and life safety needs must be balanced when installing fire systems in historic buildings, with minimal intervention. Essential steps were preparing a suitable fire risk assessment; prevention (eg identifying ignition sources); protection...

FIRES ARE a real and present danger when combustible fluids and flammable materials are stored in close proximity to potential ignition sources, as they inevitably are in self-propelled highway and military vehicles. Fortunately, there are often means to mitigate the risks and damage caused by...

ALL MANNER of buildings and facilities, both above and below ground, are embraced in the term ‘transport hub’. They must accommodate large groups of people, moving rapidly from one location to another, all of whom need to be safe. As a critical part of our urban infrastructure they...

IN RESPONSE to the rare but growing threat posed by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) material, governments worldwide have intensified inland or homeland security and safety. CBRN incidents, be they terrorist acts or accidental events, are out of the norm for emergency...

WITH HOT oil, naked flames and all manner of electrical and gas cooking equipment, the fire risks in commercial kitchens seem obvious. However, it is often what is hidden from view that can present the most potent threat. In any commercial kitchen – but particularly fast food restaurants,...

'THEY PUT the wet stuff on the red stuff,’ said Nick Tilley, AIG’s global technical engineering manager, during the opening session of the FPA Infozone. He was referring, of course, to the use of sprinklers to control fires – a measure that he emphasised as hugely important...

SERIOUS FIRES in retail premises are not unusual, in fact numerically they account for one in ten of all large loss fires in the RISCAuthority database, and financially for just over 10% of the total losses. In the six years from 2009 until the end of 2014 there were 383 major fires in retail...

SMOKE CONTROL systems, such as mechanical extraction systems and impulse ventilation, have a critical role in removing smoke from areas and keeping escape routes free of smoke. These solutions are being used increasingly in applications ranging from residential multi-storey apartments to covered...

FIRES THAT occur in tunnels during the construction stage can have significant consequences. During this phase, a significant number of workers are often operating in the tunnel, and are at risk from fire and smoke. Any fire incident could also cause substantial damage to the tunnel structure and...

A VACANT property can not only mar the landscape, but also burden the landlord who owns it, losing significant value if left unmanaged. When neglected, empty properties may fall into disrepair or become a target for arson, vandalism and squatting. In addition, landlords have responsibilities...

WITH ITS insurance heritage, it is no surprise that the Ministry of Defence often looks to the FPA to assist in the development of codes and standards for the protection of its critical infrastructure, be it a land-vehicle, ship, submarine or built installation. The objectives of the two...

IT IS widely accepted that subdividing spaces into compartments separated from one another by walls or floors of fire resisting construction in both residential and commercial buildings will slow the spread of fire. Termed ‘compartmentation’, it forms Section 8 of Approved Document B...

THE RESPONSIBILITY of protecting heritage properties is taken very seriously. While life safety must always remain paramount, any fire occurring in a historic building can result in the loss of priceless and irreplaceable contents, cause structural damage and the loss of architectural...

IN 1997, the Globe Theatre opened to a paying audience: a careful reconstruction of the 1599 open-air playhouse, suitable for staging plays to a modern audience. Theo Crosby, architect and director at Pentagram Design Limited, had championed the project with the actor/director Sam Wanamaker for...

FOLLOWING THE tragic Grenfell Tower fire and subsequent review of the Building Regulations by Dame Judith Hackitt, the Smoke Control Association (SCA) submitted proposals to improve smoke control guidelines, and is now working on a revision of its guidance document to offer clear recommendations...

WELCOME TO the June issue of F&RM, which focuses on the Grenfell Tower fire one year on, and on the two themes of community safety and fire spread.    It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year, but the impact felt by the country (let alone the fire sector)...

IT’S NOT very original to say, but true nonetheless, that technology is moving too quickly for established methods of control and containment to work effectively. It’s also commonly observed that the problem for our institutions is compounded by the fact that the rate of change...

DELIBERATE FIRE setting is one of the primary causes of fire across the UK and, with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) reporting a continued increase in deliberate fire incidents since 2014/15, it is all too clear why this is a risk that all property owners,organisations and businesses should...

BOTH CONSTRUCTION and refurbishment projects feature a number of risks from fire due to the presence of flammable materials, use of hot works and limited escape routes. It should also be considered that the permanent fire alarm is usually one of the later elements to be installed, along with all...

LAST SEPTEMBER, Chair and FPA managing director Jon O’Neill set the scene with some milestones. The reduction of fire deaths and injuries in England by the fire and rescue service (FRS) from 1990 to 2016 led to government complacency, reduced investment in FRSs and less scrutiny of Building...

The blaze in Surrey alongside two other large wildfires in Norfolk and East Sussex saw the respective fire and rescue services (FRSs) warn the public to take care not to start ‘unnecessary fires’ and ‘take care when in the open’. The blaze on heathland on Chobham Common...

In the final part of a two part series, Gary Howe provides examples of challenges faced when considering watermist suppression for various types of buildings THE FOLLOWING examples provide an insight into the real challenges faced by the author and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs)...

Vince Payne examines the pros and cons of implementing a waking watch in dangerous high-rise residential buildings. The term waking watch has become common parlance in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, but records of this type of fire safety initiative date back as far as 1910, when...

A large fire has devastated a high-rise apartment building undergoing construction in the Russian city of Tver, 100 miles from Moscow. Videos appearing on social media showed the rapid progress of the fire up the exterior of the building, with thick black smoke being produced accompanied by...

Professor Jim Glockling revisits the issue of green walls and provides an update on the progress made to date by industry, insurers, and designers In the June 2023 edition of F&RM, the potential challenges posed by green and living walls were discussed in an article called ‘Green...

The buildings’ gas supplies were cut in August and certain residents evacuated as a consequence, with structural defects cited by surveyors. The council had said it was ‘confident’ on the tower blocks’ safety, with inspections discovering ‘urgent fire...

In its warning, the LGA cited recent figures showing almost 40% of battery powered smoke alarms ‘failed to activate’ in residential fires across England in the last year, a figure that prompted warnings from councils and fire authorities ahead of the winter period, where...

The buildings’ gas supplies were cut in August and certain residents evacuated as a consequence, with structural defects cited. The council had said it was ‘confident’ on the tower blocks’ safety, with inspections discovering ‘urgent fire safety risks...

BT Redcare’s Rob McLaughlin and Sodhi Dhillon first spoke on the next step in the UK’s digital transformation – Digital Voice – and how alarm signalling will be affected. The programme proper began with London Fire Brigade’s Paul Eastland explaining what to expect...

The inquiry resumed earlier this month by looking at the ‘factual narrative’ of the events, with expert witnesses describing the various safety failures in the tower. The ‘litany of serious safety breaches’ revealed included over 100 non compliant fire doors, a...

Historic England stated that the research project found that thatched roof buildings fitted with wood burning stoves ‘are at greater risk of fire’ than those with open fires, with the research including full scale tests. These found that because of the higher temperatures and flue...

Gazette News reported on the prosecution of both Mr McSweeney and Ankor Limited in separate trials concerning different properties at Colchester Magistrates Court, after both properties were found to have breached fire and electrical safety regulations relating to HMOs. Mr McSweeney was...

These statistics cover the 12 months up to December 2018, with the Home Office figures showing a 2% increase in the total number of incidents attended by English fire and rescue services (FRSs). FRSs attended 576,586 incidents in the period compared to 565,777 in the previous year, while 177,844...

Home Office statistics have shown that the number of fires attended by fire and rescue services (FRSs) in the period from April 2018 to March 2019 have increased by 9%, while the number of incidents have increased by 2%, leading the NFCC to call for FRSs to be ‘properly resourced’ by...

Chronicle Live reported on the council’s update to the East Shields and Whitburn community area forum (CAF), at which South Tyneside Council’s Gary Kirsop, director of operations at South Tyneside Homes, noted that ‘extensive’ safety checks had been undertaken post...

The fires on lkley and Marsden moors occurred last April over the Easter bank holiday, with 15 WYFRS appliances fighting the fire at its height. In July the financial cost to WYFRS and West Yorkshire Fire Authority (WYFA) was estimated – in terms of response and support for the fires...

MODERN METHODS used for the construction of timber-framed buildings are causing anguish among firefighters and insurers. So it was appropriate that this year’s RISCAuthority seminar was themed ‘New construction methods’ to seek to address and discuss these...

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the hot topic in the construction industry with more and more organisations rightly seeing it as critical to their future business. However, BIM is not new, as some of the underlying processes and techniques have been around for at least a decade. What has...

INTEREST IN tunnel fire safety has increased dramatically in recent years, owing to the occurrence of some catastrophic tunnel fires and to extensive media coverage.  A series of scientific tests conducted by SP Fire Technology – part of the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden...

IN THE NOVEMBER 2011 issue of FRM, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden demonstrated the benefits of installing fire extinguishing systems to engines on these vehicles. The Institute has now collected new statistics, which show that around 1% of all buses catch fire each year. This incurs...

WHILE MANY old barns of traditional construction have been converted into expensive homes that are showpieces of contemporary interior design, others together with barns of more modern and perhaps more industrial design, remain in use for their intended purpose. By definition, a barn is a covered...

FIRES AT waste management sites may not be any more common than fires at any other industrial sites, but when they do occur, they tend to involve much greater quantities of combustibles. The impact of these fires is far greater than most other fires: in addition to property loss, business...

THE LONDON Assembly has called on the Government to take urgent action to address what it sees as the two greatest fire threats to people living in the capital – fire risks in high-rise residential buildings and the dangers posed by timber-framed construction sites. In its report, Fire...

RECENTLY, I had reason to comment on the expected change in activation time of a fire sprinkler system, in which the sprinkler heads had been re-positioned to a location further below the ceiling, following modification of a roofing detail. The nature of the stored items meant that protracted...

WHETHER DURING exploration or production, enhancing fire detection at energy facilities is critical to uninterrupted safe working practices and the environment. Safety design engineers and operators expect technology not only to increase the safety of a facility, but also to make it far easier to...

ALL AROUND the globe in recent years, bus fire safety awareness and research have gained in importance. This results from understanding the need to improve safety in this type of vehicle, due to the number of bus and coach fires occurring every year. Although fires in buses can lead to large...

TODAY’S RANGE of smoke and heat point detectors and fire alarm control panels provide excellent fire detection for most buildings, but some sites demand more specialised solutions. Such sites – including industrial settings, complex corporate buildings, major infrastructures and areas...

THE WIDER use of timber-framing and its application in larger buildings projects – particularly blocks of flats – has led to some serious and costly fires  in recent years.  Characterised by rapid fire growth  and spread, these incidents have the potential to...

ONE OF the highlights of the Expertise and Guidance Theatre line-up this year was the session, Enforcement and the Fire Safety Order – is it working? London Fire Brigade’s (LFB’s) Nick Coombes examined how the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 (FSO) sizes up to its...

COMPLEX BUILDINGS – particularly those that are fire engineered – can offer significant advantages to the building owner, the occupier and the developer/contractor. However, such buildings are reliant upon a number of engineering techniques which usually demand a high standard of fire...

WARREN MOYLE from Apollo Fire Detectors gave his audience in the FPA Infozone an overview of the role of fire detection systems in hazardous areas. He began by saying that hazardous areas are defined by BS EN 60079, which provides a code of practice for the installation and maintenance of...

HIGH STRENGTH concrete is commonly used in Hong Kong for the construction of buildings and tunnels. Steel reinforcing bars are placed at specific positions inside the concrete element to enhance its mechanical properties and durability, and to cater for the stress conditions that the structure...

LEAPS IN battery and bulb technology have completely transformed emergency lighting to enable greater duration times, brighter bulbs and far more varieties of installation. Before the current ubiquitous rectangular luminaire appeared, early systems were often composed of wet batteries charging in...

THE CURRENT national guidance1 for the provision of water for firefighting in the UK, issued by the Local Government Association in 2007, offers only limited information to fire authorities in estimating the optimum water flow-rates needed for fire control or final suppression in building fires....

FALSE ALARMS remain a major concern for the fire industry, despite the number of incidences falling year on year. The latest government figures show a 9% decline in the total number of fire false alarms to 249,000 in 2011; but that still leaves a staggering quarter of a million incidents with...

THE LARGE scale closure of the UK’s coal-fired older power stations to comply with the EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive1 has resulted in a serious shortfall of reserve generating capacity. Despite investment in wind and solar power, there is a real concern in industry that the...

AFTER ALL the changes of the last eight years in the UK’s approach to fire safety, it could easily be thought that fire safety could be taken off the list of public priorities. On the surface, fire safety seems to be in good shape and under control. But there is still plenty for the fire...

  IN RECENT times, business continuity has become vital in defining the success of an organisation. The way in which businesses react to an event such as a serious fire can have a large impact on reputation, profitability, and even market share. This is particularly true within an industry...

MANY PEOPLE only think of hotels in the context of holidays, but they are big business with increasing numbers being built – especially in the budget hotel sector. Currently more than 39,000 hotels operate throughout the UK, providing about 1.5 million beds. The fact that in the six-year...

IN MARCH 2011, Exercise Parallel Objective took place as part of a multi-agency training exercise for the emergency services from both East and West Sussex. It was an ideal opportunity for firefighters, working alongside partners from South East Coast Ambulance Service and Sussex Police, to test...

COMMERCIAL kitchen areas remain the greatest fire risk to many buildings, including restaurants, hotels, schools and other places that include café or canteen facilities. In the UK alone, a significant number of commercial kitchens are reportedly inadequately protected against fire, and...

MOST INDUSTRIAL facilities depend now on electronic data processing equipment housed in areas presenting unique fire protection challenges that must be incorporated into each facility’s loss control programme.    Q. How serious is the risk of fire in electronic data processing...

EACH WEEK across the UK, there are more than 3,000 fires – and a staggering 46% of them are started deliberately. For businesses affected, the results can be severe. In fact, 85% of small businesses that suffer a major fire never recover or go on to cease trading within 18...

THE USE of ethanol has increased significantly as a means to fulfil environmental protection goals by replacing fossil fuels with renewable fuels. However, the introduction of ethanol fuels creates new risks and challenges from a fire safety point of view – particularly in terms of...

WATER mist systems are becoming an increasingly attractive option to protect commercial premises, such as offices, hotels and retail units. Discharging fine water spray droplets to suppress a fire, these systems can limit the extent of damage and minimise unnecessary wastage of resources, time,...

THE INTRODUCTION of cooking has not only changed the fortunes of these establishments, but also the fire hazards associated with them. The popularity of some of these premises is no doubt a factor associated with the difficulties in access being encountered by the fire and rescue service on a...

FIRE IS the greatest threat for heritage buildings, since only fire can destroy the entire fabric of a building, its precious artefacts and cultural resources. Flood comes a close second. As of 2012 in England, there were approximately 375,588 listed buildings. Accurate fire statistics for...

EARLIER THIS YEAR, the oil manufacturer Nynas carried out an innovative multi-agency emergency exercise at its refinery in Dundee in Scotland. The Camperdown exercise at the Caledon West Wharf and Nynas Oil Refinery aimed to test emergency procedures of the company and local response agencies...

WIND POWER is an exciting emerging sector that needs those of us involved in fire safety to get on board. As electricity generation becomes more reliant on renewable energy, wind power is increasingly important in the energy mix. With our reliance on wind turbines growing, keeping them fully...

DECEMBER/JANUARY is a significant time for FPA Publishing; the period represents the start of our new publishing year and with it a brand new products and resources catalogue. Please do have a browse of your copy accompanying this edition of FRM.  We have planned a number of new...

THE LAST Saturday in May was a lovely sunny day and people were in the park enjoying their picnics and barbecues. Suddenly, there were shouts and a group started moving about. They seemed to be amazed that the bottom of their tin foil barbecue had got sufficiently hot to ignite the wooden seat...

WELCOME TO the October issue of FRM, which focuses on heritage premises, suppression systems and firefighter safety. Some of you may be reading this magazine for the first time after attending the Fire Sector Summit and hopefully you will like what you see. To get this magazine ten times per year...

When choosing the right fire extinguisher, it is important to know that no single type of fire extinguisher can be used on all types of fires. Your fire risk assessment should identify which types of fires are most likely to occur in your building/premises, making this a good place to...

In a series of press releases, the ASFP announced the launch of the new advisory notes, with four launched for guidance on the fire protection of structural steel and one on the compatibility between pipes and acoustic or firestopping seals. The four new steel advisory notes ‘address...

BBC News, Thetford and Brandon Times and Hastings Observer all reported on the wildfires across the three counties over the last week and weekend, with the blaze on heathland on Chobham Common in Surrey forcing people to evacuate their homes as it grew to cover 140 acres. Surrey Fire and Rescue...

In a press release, the NFCC warned that the major incident in Wareham Forest has ‘highlight[ed] the importance for people to take extra care during the hot weather spell the country is likely to see over the coming days’, with the fire starting on Tuesday and covering over 180...

However, this change must not allow for a reduction in passive fire protection measures within the residential environment or other safety management systems. The fire protection and built environment stakeholders must seize this opportunity to allow passive and active measures to come together...

CONSULTANTS ARTELIA warned Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) that the Grenfell refurbishment ‘would fail’ unless there was a ‘fundamental review’ of its scope; while resident issues and surveys were explored. BD Online, Sky News, ITV News and...

Professor Jim Glockling considers the importance of cavity barriers in new buildings and examines a new approach to product testing. Reading any recent fire case study that involved a disproportionate amount of damage and you might well encounter criticism of...

A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of two men in a fire at a luxury hotel has uncovered a “number of defects” regarding fire safety, it has been found. Cameron House hotel, near Loch Lomond, Scotland, witnessed a tragic fire in December 2017, which began inside a...

Over 100 firefighters from 16 crews were called in to attend a large warehouse fire in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, on 18 March 2023. Area Manager for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) and incident commander at the scene, Damien West, said: “Just before 4pm today, we were...

A senior coroner has issued a warning over the lack of awareness of fire safety rules by builders and contractors. The concerns were raised following an inquest into the death of a nightclub worker after a tragic fire broke out at a south London club in August 2016. At the time, news outlets...

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has seen a high early response in the registration of high-rise residential buildings, which includes key structure and fire safety information. Since the registration process opened in April 2023, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced that...

People and artworks safe as London fire crews called to tackle blaze The London Fire Brigade (LFB) were alerted to a fire that had broken out at Somerset House, the central London home of the Courtauld Gallery, at midday on Saturday 17 August. With thick grey smoke issuing from the roof of the...

Emergency services were called to an office building in Brussels on 22 October 2024 after solar panels caught fire  As reported by the Brussels Times, the fire brigade was called to a façade fire at the seven-storey city centre building just after 2 pm.  The incident...

With cavity barriers being a vital component of passive fire protection, FPA Technical Director, George Edwardes looks at an alternative test method A cavity barrier is a non-combustible barrier placed inside a cavity to prevent the spread of fire through a building. Cavities are found within...

The Fire Protection Association is pleased to announce several updates to its membership scheme in response to both the evolving fire safety landscape and feedback from its members Membership of the FPA supports fire safety professionals in their roles by providing access to comprehensive fire...

ENHANCED SMOKE ventilation systems in car parks are generally used to protect the means of escape and to provide clear, smoke-free access for firefighters to a point close to the seat of a fire.  However, with recent research showing that modern cars are producing larger fire sizes and...

THE SUBJECT of risk management in complex buildings is probably beyond the competence of the average fire risk assessor.’ This is possibly a rather controversial statement to make but, as more problems with fire risk assessments arise and are reported, it is increasingly becoming accepted...

FIRE SPREADING into and through kitchen extract ductwork continues to be a significant concern to property owners, occupiers and insurers. Such systems are considered to be a high fire risk element, particularly when serving commercial catering environments, and the scope and scale of damage is...

IN DESIGNING a building, the incorporation of a smoke control system may serve to enhance life safety or assist firefighting access, while also protecting structural components and building contents. However, where design principles fail to follow established technical guidance, there is...

FIXED Fire extinguishing systems can provide essential protection in commercial and industrial premises where fire risks are high, suppressing a fire in its incipient stages. There are five types of fixed fire extinguishing systems – gaseous, foam, water mist, dry powder and wet chemical...

IN 2008, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) carried out a survey into the usage of portable fire extinguishers, which showed that 80% of the fires fought with them were successfully extinguished and that in 75% of cases there was no need to call the fire and rescue...

THIS ARTICLE will consider the evacuation strategy for external events held at the National Trust property, Little Moreton Hall, in Cheshire – where there is only single direction of travel – using the principles of the available safe exit time (ASET) and the required safe exit time...

IN LATE April and early May 2011, fire and rescue services across the UK tackled an unprecedented number of grass and heath fires, as record high temperatures for the time of year combined with lack of rainfall and strong winds to create large areas of tinder-dry land. One of the most serious...