The National Fire Chiefs Council‘s head of Protection Reform Unit, Nick Coombe, has been working tirelessly for the past six years to enhance building safety regulations after the tragic events of Grenfell.
With over 42 years of experience in London’s fire department, Coombe is a leading authority on the role of fire services in building safety.
In this blog post, we will delve into the current role of fire and rescue services in building safety, their involvement in planning and building control processes, and their crucial role in occupied buildings.
We will also look into the changes that the new Building Safety regime will bring and the challenges that lie ahead.
The role of fire services in planning has been a topic of debate for many years.
Coombe clarifies that fire and rescue services are not statutory consultees for planning applications. This means that they do not get to review every building plan before it is approved. This lack of involvement often leads to criticism when a building is constructed without proper access or water supplies for firefighting purposes.
However, Coombe highlights that most local authorities work closely with fire services, which makes it easier for them to provide valuable inputs. But, with 33 different planning authorities in London alone, it becomes challenging for the fire service to have a say in every building project.
Moving on to the fire service’s role in building control, Coombe explains that they are statutory consultees for buildings that fall under the scope of the Fire Safety Order.
This responsibility primarily involves checking if the building complies with fire safety regulations and not its structural integrity or design.
Fire officials are not trained or authorised to inspect against building regs; instead, they focus on ensuring that the building’s layout and features support their firefighting efforts.
Coombe further elaborates on their traditional approach towards building control by stating that fire services usually only checked for compliance in areas related to means of escape and access for firefighters. This often meant that they overlooked essential aspects such as external walls, as seen in the Grenfell incident.
The fire service’s role in inspecting external walls has been a subject of debate, with many arguing that it was not required for non-residential buildings.
However, Coombe clarifies that the Fire Safety Order applies to the entire premises, making external walls a crucial aspect in fire risk assessments. He urges businesses to re-evaluate their risk assessments and assess if they need to consider external walls as a potential fire hazard.
In terms of their role in occupied buildings, Coombe highlights the importance of the Fire Safety Order and how it provides a comprehensive framework for ensuring building safety.
Under this order, it is the responsibility of building owners or managers to conduct regular fire risk assessments and implement suitable safety measures.
Fire services play an essential role in enforcing these regulations and ensuring that buildings are compliant.
Coombe also acknowledges that there have been instances where building owners may not have taken their obligations seriously, but the Fire Service’s role is to work with them and guide them towards compliance.
The new Building Safety regime, proposed after Grenfell, will bring about significant changes in the fire service’s role in ensuring building safety. Coombe states that it is still a work in progress, and many details are yet to be finalised.
However, he emphasises that the fire service will play a vital role in this new regime, especially concerning high-rise residential buildings. They will be involved right from the planning stage and will have a say in design aspects such as evacuation lifts, which are crucial for high-rise buildings.
In conclusion, Nick Coombe highlights the critical role of fire services in ensuring building safety.
From providing inputs in planning applications to enforcing regulations in occupied buildings, their involvement is crucial at every step.
With the new Building Safety regime, their role is set to expand, and they will play a more significant role in preventing incidents like Grenfell.
However, it is essential to acknowledge that the fire service’s role cannot be the only line of defence.
Building owners, local authorities, and other stakeholders must work together to ensure that buildings are safe for occupants and firefighters alike.
