As we await the much-anticipated second and final report from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the fire safety industry must continue to lead and collaborate with its partners to rebuild trust and confidence in high-rise communities and the wider built environment.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has highlighted invaluable insights, revealing systemic failures and shortcomings that must be addressed to prevent such a catastrophic incident from ever occurring again. The IFE has urged that industries across the built environment must collectively learn from this tragedy and make meaningful changes to protect the lives and safety of all those who reside in high-rise buildings, ensuring that industry professionals are keeping abreast of new legislative changes and those to follow.
Enhancing competency
Prioritising the safety and wellbeing of high-rise communities, the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) and Fire Safety (England) Regulations have been widely discussed following their introduction. Providing support to those across the built environment, the IFE published guidance to help industry professionals navigate the new legislation and understand impacts to current fire safety practises.
To provide clear understanding of the Building Safety Act Gateways, the IFE and The British Standards Institution (BSI) have developed a free webinar series to assist and explain processes to adopt.
The IFE recently added a mandatory rule to their Fire Risk Register in that new and existing individuals must now be dual registered with the Engineering Council, ensuring a competent and multi-skilled cohort of fire safety professionals.
Driving a necessary change
The Fire Sector Federation (FSF) launched an initiative in October 2022, calling for wider discussion to create a national fire safety strategy to address measures to mitigate fire risk within the UK. The IFE assisted in the development of this document, identifying potential risks and raising competency standards. A full update on the development of the document will be provided in October at the annual FIRE conference.
Rebuilding trust and confidence in high-rise communities is crucial and requires collaboration between all stakeholders across the built environment. From government bodies, building owners, construction industry professionals, and the fire sector. We must work diligently to implement the recommendations outlined in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, ensuring that they become the foundation of a safer and more secure future.
The fire sector remains dedicated to its mission of protecting life, property and environment. As leaders within the industry, we continue to enhance our operational capabilities, invest in training, and share knowledge and best practices with our counterparts nationally and internationally.
As we approach the sixth anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy, we recognise that these efforts do not mitigate the suffering and trauma of the victims and their loved ones. However, we can honour the memory of those we lost and ensure that their legacy serves as a catalyst for lasting change. The fire sector stands united with our partners and the community to build a safer future for all.