Fire safety has become an increasingly important issue in the past few years, with devastating incidents such as the Grenfell Tower fire highlighting the need for stricter regulations and better enforcement.
In response, legislation is being updated and revamped in England, with the aim of improving fire safety standards in buildings.
But what exactly are these changes and how will they affect building owners and managers?
To gain a better understanding of this complex topic, we sat down with Matt Hodges-Long, a prominent voice in fire safety and CEO of the software platform Track My Risks.
Why rebranding safety?
Before delving into the details of the upcoming changes, it’s important to understand why rebranding safety is necessary.
As Hodges-Long explains, there is a common misconception that safety is all about compliance, which leads to a “checklist mentality” where businesses simply tick boxes to meet minimum requirements.
However, this approach often fails to address the complexity and variability of safety issues.
“Safety is not just about ticking boxes,” says Hodges-Long. “It’s about understanding that safety is constantly evolving and adapting to new circumstances. Rebranding safety means moving away from this checklist mentality and instead focusing on truly understanding and managing risks.”
The Grenfell tragedy was a wake-up call for many regarding the importance of rebranding safety.
It showed that compliance with regulations does not always equate to actual safety, and that true safety requires a deeper understanding of risks and how to manage them.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the changes to fire safety regulations in England.
Changes to fire safety regulations
The biggest change coming to fire safety regulations in England is the introduction of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2020.
These new regulations, which will replace the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, will come into force on January 1st, 2023.
The aim of these regulations is to improve fire safety in all buildings, with a particular focus on multi-occupancy residential and high-rise buildings.
So what changes can we expect to see with these new regulations? Hodges-Long breaks it down into four main areas:
- Responsible Persons: Under the current regulations, the “responsible person” is defined as the owner, landlord, or agent in charge of a building. However, the new regulations will expand this definition to include any person who has control over the whole or part of the building (e.g. tenants, managing agents). This means that multiple parties may now share responsibility for fire safety.
- Fire Risk Assessments: The new regulations will require that fire risk assessments are carried out by competent individuals, and that they are reviewed and updated regularly. Additionally, there will be a requirement to consider and assess the risk from external fire spread (such as cladding) and to provide evacuation plans for vulnerable people.
- External Walls: Following the Grenfell tragedy, there has been a growing concern over external wall systems and their potential role in fires. As a result, the new regulations will require building owners to conduct regular checks on external walls and balconies to ensure they are safe.
- Information Sharing: Finally, the new regulations will require building owners or responsible persons to share fire safety information with residents and other relevant parties. This includes information on fire safety measures in place, evacuation procedures, and how to address any issues or concerns.
The role of management processes
With all these changes coming into effect, it’s important for building owners and managers to have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and how to comply with the new regulations. This is where management processes come into play.
“A good management process allows building owners or managers to keep track of all their fire safety responsibilities,” explains Hodges-Long. “It’s important to have a system in place to ensure that everything is being kept up to date and that all necessary information is being shared with relevant parties.”
One such resource is the Building Safety Register, which provides a comprehensive checklist for building owners to ensure they are complying with the new regulations. Additionally, Hodges-Long’s company Track My Risks offers a software platform specifically designed to help businesses manage their governance, risk, and compliance processes.
“We work with our clients to determine the specific risks and regulations they need to comply with,” says Hodges-Long. “We then create a structured system for managing all the necessary information and evidence, making it easy for them to stay on top of their responsibilities.”
Looking ahead
While the upcoming changes to fire safety regulations in England may seem daunting, they ultimately have the potential to improve safety standards and prevent future tragedies. Building owners and managers should start familiarizing themselves with the new regulations and consider implementing management processes to ensure compliance.
“It’s important for building owners and managers to understand that safety is not just about complying with regulations,” says Hodges-Long. “It’s about taking a proactive approach to managing risks and constantly striving for improvement. By rebranding safety, we can create a safer environment for all.”
