Fire Safety

The new Building (Amendment) Regulations in December 2018 require stricter fire safety compliance for new, refurbished and converted residential buildings with a floor above 18 metres from the ground. Architects and developers have been adjusting to those changes, but the recent Barking balcony fires have prompted a new government publication, Advice Note on Balconies in Residential Buildings, which will have a wider impact. It applies to all existing residential buildings with multiple dwellings, irrespective of their height.

Compartmentation is a way to keep a fire contained in one place, preventing fire and smoke from spreading quickly and taking over the building. By creating these fire-resistant compartments, fire can be suppressed for around 30 minutes (time can vary depending on the building structure).

There are different elements to creating a fire safe compartment and there are many things that can reduce the effectiveness.

Hyde has recently launched an innovative fire safety framework which ensures that resident fire safety is at the heart of fire safety measures undertaken by Hyde and other users. Its ethos is accountability, competence and traceability, reflecting terms that have appeared throughout the ‘Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report’ by Dame Judith Hackitt  and Government publication: ‘Building A Safer Future: An Implementation Plan.’

Jason Leech assesses the implications of an important new guidance document, deriving in part from the Grenfell disaster, and having far-reaching implications on the selection of spandrel panels for high-rise buildings.

Change is in the air concerning fire doors and related risk critical products and everyone should be aware of the urgent need to specify truly compliant products that play a significant role in the process of safety.

An industry report has predicted the number of connected devices being used worldwide will grow to 20.8billion by 2020*. What opportunities could this present for social housing providers and landlords?
Nick Rutter, Chief Product Officer for FireAngel, explores the latest connected safety solutions and how they are transforming the capabilities of fire safety technologies…

Over the last decade the development of internet of things (IoT) and the notion of a ‘connected home’ has undergone significant developments. Initially starting as a rather fantastical concept, today’s IoT technology is relevant to everyday life, primarily designed to ‘make life easier for the user’.

As residential fire safety, particularly in multi-storey buildings and tower blocks have been the centre of attention since last June, the groundswell of opinion is clearly behind the installation of fire sprinkler systems as part of a multi-million pound programme of fire protection upgrades.

While discussions continue regarding how the work is being funded, it appears that local authorities and housing associations are likely to make a significant contribution to the cost, so it’s inevitable that ‘value’ and ‘cost effectiveness’ will form part of the tendering procedures that are already taking place.