Fire safety

A reporter conducting a fire risk assessment of a school encountered inadequate firestopping.

All eyes are on preventing falls, but the role of riser shafts in reducing fires is woefully misunderstood, say Ambar Kelly’s Alex Bardett and Nick Atkinson.

Mike Brodie, Managing Director of Chemstore UK, which provides hazardous storage solutions, offers insight into recent guidance on the safe storage of lithium-ion batteries in the UK.

Fire safety concerns around product specification for building materials as well as internal furnishings are focused on flammability, but what about smoke toxicity? asks Nick Warburton.

MSA Safety suggests things to consider when researching a fire and gas detection system for hazardous environments.

BAFSA provides an overview of the technology, standards and applications of water-mist fire protection systems.

Fire Engineer Andrea White discusses complexity versus competence in fire safety – and how the gap between them has widened during her time in the industry.

There has been an update in fire safety standards that significantly affects the design and specification of steel fire doorsets.

The Terms of Reference for a new Building Control Independent Panel (BCIP) — formally established last week to strengthen oversight, transparency, and public confidence in the building control system across the country — have been published.

Thomas Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, considers whether the UK government’s fire safety actions thus far can be considered a regulatory success for property protection.

Trigon Fire Safety’s Karl Wallasch discusses the application of fire engineering on a smoke shaft design for a listed building’s hotel refurbishment.

Howarth Timber’s Emily Green has compiled a short guide on the importance of properly specified, fitted and maintained fire doors.

From our homes to our workplaces and everything in between, modern life is filled with goods and products – but, asks Denise Chevin, have fire and rescue service estimations of risk kept pace?

CABE member Kabbe Njie, Principal Engineer Fire & Life Safety Systems at Heathrow Airport, discusses the growing fire risks of lithium-ion batteries in residential buildings.

Enya Zhang, a student at the University of Central Lancashire, has completed IFSM-funded research exploring the impact of coatings on wood combustion

The Structural Timber Association (STA) has released the latest update to the STA Volume 1 Pattern Book: Structural Timber Buildings Fire Safety in Use, which provides information on the performance of different structural timber elements.

Collaborative reporting for safer structures. Report 1197: Incorrect firestopping by a third-party certificated contractor

Steve McSorley, Director at Perega, discusses the engineering challenges of a crumbling NHS estate – and what contractors may face when bringing these buildings up to date

The Building a Safer Future author welcomes the launch of the Engineering Council’s competency register for professionally qualified structural and civil engineers this month, which has been developed in response to her report recommendations.

Building managers are well versed in dealing with issues of bricks and mortar, fixtures and fittings, but what about residents? How do you do a resident engagement strategy, asks Matt Lamy.