Please introduce yourself.
I am James Lavender, I am a Director and Founder of Trigon Fire Safety, an independent fire engineering consultancy based in London. I have worked within the fire safety industry for over 25 years.
Tell us about your career to date.
My first role within the fire safety industry was as a technician within a fire testing laboratory, the then Chiltern International Fire (“CIF”), where my main role was to undertake commercial fire resistance testing of fire separating elements. Whilst at CIF I also engaged in the development of the Single Burning Item reaction to fire testing facility as well as undertaking the round robin type testing for the development of the reaction to fire table in Approved Document B. Furthermore, whilst at CIF I had the opportunity to work on unique research projects including full scale fire tests on the TF2000 timber frame building at the BRE Cardington hanger and investigating fire risks in indoor soft play areas.
Following my time at CIF I moved to Tenos Fire Safety, where I continued my fire safety engineering consultancy role. After my time at Tenos I spent some time at both BRE and Hoare Lea, progressing my fire safety engineering consultancy activities and duties including Expert Witness work. In 2019, I together with David Bostelmann and Karl Wallasch, formed Trigon.
Please describe your role within your current workplace.
In my current role as a Director of Trigon I support the general running of the business and lead the internal technical training academy for junior and senior engineers. My main role is undertaking of Expert Witness activities for clients who are in dispute resolution or litigation.
Can you describe a typical working day?
There is never a typical working day, everyday is different and presents unique challenges. Either that be client instructions/requests, to team members looking for support and assistance, to managing or mentoring colleagues, to business development meetings, to drafting work deliverables.
What do you find most enjoyable about your job?
There are two aspects of my role that I find the most enjoyable; first is working alongside young engineers seeing their enthusiasm and passion to learn and develop within the field of fire safety engineering. The second is being presented with unique challenges from clients, allowing the team to apply fire engineering techniques, principles and innovative and unique solutions.
Is there a great professional achievement that you would like to tell us about?
I don’t think there is a single achievement that is a defining moment, as I have been fortunate throughout my career to work alongside accomplished project teams and impassioned clients.
A few of my personal highlights include: developing fire safety strategy for the 4th (at the time of construction) largest passenger liner in the world, assisting with the development of the fire safety arrangements for the inclusions of a new café within a 1,000 year old medieval Undercroft of a royal castle and developing the fire safety arrangements for the complete refurbishment of a central London flagship department store, whilst ensuring that the business continued to trade throughout construction. I have also been lucky to support by assisting the development of revisions of Approved Document B, HTM 05-02 and various British Standards.
However, the pinnacle of my career so far is, with my colleagues, establishing Trigon in 2019, and since then enabling and supporting new young engineers to join the discipline, with the ambition to support them through to professional registration as well. What inspired you to become an engineer?
The greatest influence on my young life to wish to become an engineer, or at least, follow an engineering discipline, was my father. He was a coachbuilder and taught me the basic engineering skills, such as problem solving and lateral thinking that have underpinned my career. What contributed to your decision to become professionally registered?
My first mentor, Mostyn. During the early stages of my career in fire safety Mostyn introduced me to the IFE and the Engineering Council in the UK, encouraging and supporting me to progress through professional registration, initially as an Incorporated Engineer through to becoming a Chartered Engineer. His passion and enthusiasm for professional registration remains with me today and has installed a passion for the next generation of engineers to strive for the same.
How do you benefit from being a registrant with the IFE?
Personally it provides me a pride in my commitment to fire safety as well as engineering as a whole. Professionally, it enables me to demonstrate my commitment, knowledge and skills to peers, colleagues, clients and the wider industry.
Are you involved with the IFE in any other capacity?
I represent the IFE on the FSH/0 “Fire & Built Environment Sector Policy and Strategy Committee”. FSH/0 is a cross industry committee, tasked with trying to ensure that the different facets of the fire safety community are aware of developments in the other areas that may impact on their specific areas.
Would you recommend joining the IFE to others?
Yes. It provides a sense of community and support that is needed in the current industry.
Is there any advice you would pass on to someone considering professional registration / IFE membership?
The more you commit to your journey with the IFE the more you will get out of it. Regarding professional registration, keep good notes of your projects and early career episodes as it makes completing your professional review report so much easier.