Fire Industry Association (FIA) News

Life safety devices, such as detectors and beacons, need to be as dependable as possible. While manufacturers may state that their products meet the industry agreed standards, the small print may say otherwise and require the meeting of more complex certification. For multi-sensors, this is of particular importance. In the face of constant technological innovation, multi-sensors have been hailed as one of the most advanced forms of life safety detection. Defined by BS 5839 as “a fire dete...

COVID-19 has shaped and altered the fire protection industry in recent months, and the Fire Industry Association (FIA) in the United Kingdom has published a survey report on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The survey, conducted by FIA, sought to gain a greater understanding of how organizations have been impacted by COVID-19 and of the impact on the wider fire industry now and in the future. Resilience is a recurring theme in the FIA report. At the time of the survey (when the United Ki...

The government is seeking views on proposals to strengthen the Fire Safety Order, implement Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, and strengthen the regulatory framework for how building control bodies consult with Fire and Rescue Authorities. The government is determined to continue to learn the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire, and reform building and fire safety to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again. Fire safety consultation proposals To strengthen the Regulatory Ref...

FIA has just published a new guide that reviews best practice and the Standards underpinning contemporary fire detection systems for use in high airflow environments, including those used to automatically activate fixed gaseous fire extinguishing systems. It focuses on UK practice, identifying relevant codes, and describing how they are used to achieve effective detection systems in these challenging environments. The document does not consider special hazards with liquid fuel fires and fast fl...

The multi-year agreement will see the launch of the Fire and Security Matters Awards, which take place at the Ricoh Arena in 2022 with entries for the event set to open in the year 2022. The event aims to recognize excellence and innovation in the fire and security sectors and will be supported by the industries’ publications Fire Safety Matters and Security Matters. Fire Safety Matters will also publish an essential annual guide to the UK’s fire safety sector in...

With the Grenfell Tower fire exposing serious flaws ‘across the whole system of building and managing high-rise homes’. Resultantly, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to ‘carry out an independent review of building regulations and fire safety to understand the causes of the fire’. The report found that ‘the whole system needed major reform and that residents’ safety needed to be a greater priority through the entire life cycle of a building – fro...

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) announces the launch of the new Level 3 qualification on BS 5839-6, “FIA AO Fundamentals of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Domestic Premises.” The new OFQUAL recognized qualification has been carefully designed to deliver a great introduction to a key part of the Fire Detection & Alarm (FD&A) sector. British Standard, BS 5839-6:2019 provides detailed recommendations for fire detection and fire alarm systems in all domestic premises la...

COVID-19 has overwhelmingly been the biggest issue to shape and change the industry, lives, and world in recent history. The FIA has been asked directly by the Government to consult with their members as they are keen to hear how the industry has been affected and how they can work with their industry to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. fire industry professionals The company has put together this survey addressed to fire industry professionals so that the industry can effectively gather the...

With many businesses and facilities re-opening sites following the Coronavirus lockdown, fire safety may not seem high on the list to other worries and responsibilities. But here, Mandy Bowden, Fire Business Development Manager at Comelit Group UK, led by fire industry bodies, demonstrates why it must be a priority, ensuring installation of systems is guided by best practice in accordance with the development, and fire safety measures are maintained and regularly tested to ensure compliance. Fi...

Many routine maintenance visits may have been delayed due to lockdown, in spite of the FIA helping fire professionals being classified as key workers. Many businesses remained closed and inaccessible during the lockdown. As buildings start to open up, the life safety systems installed in them will be in need of some attention in the form of routine inspections by a competent person. Periodic inspection on a fire alarm system isn’t just checking a few call points and detectors, in fact, th...

The FIA assisted the National Fire Commercial Transformation Programme (NFCTP) that is led by Kent’s Chief Fire Officer Ann Millington by engaging the members and asking them to leverage their contacts in wider industry sectors to source PPE such as gloves, masks as well as hand sanitizer. The FIA ensured that all suggested suppliers had evidence to prove that they were compliant with the appropriate standards as defined by the technical due diligence process outlined by Kent Fire and Resc...

Leaders from across the fire safety sector offered their expertise on how they believe the industry has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what their various associations have been doing to support their members. Presentations come from the heads of the Fire Industry Association (FIA), Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), Fire Sector Federation and Fire Protection Association. Social distancing rules Following the presentations, speakers took audience questions, coverin...

June 14 marked the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. As an organization, and as individuals, all have spent the last few days reflecting deeply on the Grenfell Tower disaster where 72 people tragically lost their lives and countless other lives changed forever. ‘The Bishop of Kensington, Graham Tomlin, said commemorating the fire has been "quite a challenge" because of coronavirus. Remembering Grenfell Yet thousands of people illuminated their rooms and houses green for G...

Beyond keeping the industry updated on the latest updates on the most important topics, the FIA is actively involved in these topics through its work with Government, councils and committees. The section aims to serve as a collection of the FIA’s involvement with a variety of topics and will be continuously updated moving forward with links to the relevant news story where available. This will allow one to see what FIA have done and are doing to improve the industry for the members. COVID...

The campaign, Don’t Just Specify, Verify!, launched by the BAFE Fire Safety Register recently was established to create greater awareness of Third Party Certification in the fire safety sector. Quality regulation awareness All premises management (i.e. the Responsible Person/Duty Holder) must understand quality regulation is present in the fire safety industry through UKAS Accredited Third-Party Certification and specify these appropriate providers. This should always be followed u...

The FIA is offering an exclusive new member benefit service with the offer to have the CPD certified by the FIA. All are included in the cost of membership, so there is no additional cost. As part of the service, the FIA can host, market, and manage all bookings for any of the sessions which have been certified by the FIA CPD Certification Centre. The FIA will then issue CPD certificates on the user's behalf to the delegates (only if the CPD session is hosted by the FIA). Data on the attendees...

The FIA is offering an exclusive new member benefit service with the offer to have one’s CPD certified by the FIA. All included in the cost of one’s membership, so there is no additional cost. As part of the service, the FIA can host, market and manage all bookings for any of one’s sessions which have been certified by the FIA CPD Certification Center. The FIA will then issue CPD certificates on one’s behalf to the delegates (only if the CPD session is hosted by the...

This Guidance Note has been prepared by a Special Interest Group (SIG), comprising representatives of FIA member companies, other invited experts in the practice of fire risk assessment in housing premises, and an observer from the National Fire Chiefs Council. Members of the SIG represent companies that carry out, in total, over 40,000 fire risk assessments for multi-occupied residential premises (blocks of flats and maisonettes) per annum. It has been published with the approval of the FIA Bo...

This Guidance Note has been prepared by a Special Interest Group(SIG), comprising representatives of FIA member companies, other invited experts in the practice of fire risk assessment in housing premises, and an observer from the National Fire Chiefs Council. Members of the SIG represent companies that carry out, in total, over 40,000 fire risk assessments for multi-occupied residential premises (blocks of flats and maisonettes) per annum. It has been published with the approval of the FIA Boa...

The UK Government has launched its £1 billion building safety fund, initially revealed in the most recent Budget announcement by Chancellor, Rishi Sunak. The registration process is open and closes on 31 July 2020. Fire safety standard "The fund is aimed at making sure tenants, leaseholders, and residents living in buildings covered by the fund are safe and feel safe by remediating unsafe non-ACM cladding systems. These will be cladding materials and systems that do not meet an appr...

Ian Moore, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fire Industry Association (FIA), would like to inform you that the long awaited update to The Building Regulations 2010, specifically Approved Document B (ADB): Fire safety, Volumes 1 and 2, is now available from the Government website. Building Regulations 2010 Update The changes highlighted in this amendment take effect on 26 November 2020 for use in England, until then the 2019 edition will continue to apply (within certain listed constrai...

Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, would like to inform that the long awaited update to The Building Regulations 2010, specifically Approved Document. B (ADB): Fire safety, Volumes 1 and 2, is now available from the Government website. The changes highlighted in this amendment take effect on 26 November 2020 for use in England, until then the 2019 edition will continue to apply (within certain listed constraints). The changes focus on the fire safety provisions in blocks of flats for water-based extin...

FIA are committed to listening to the members and the wider fire industry and through offering online examinations hope this enables fire professionals from around the country, and the world, to take advantage of their time at home to complete the industry-recognized qualifications as there is no other way to raise the knowledge and gain qualifications right now. From June 1st the FIA will provide online examinations where required for their training Full requirements to take the exams will...

Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, has been working closely with the Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on behalf of the FIA members on several issues, more recently the work has focused mainly on the business issues created by COVID-19; such as working safely during COVID-19 in offices, construction industry recovery plans, key worker status, training while on furlough, etc. He states “BEIS has posted a lot of valuable guidance for businesses affe...

Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, has been working closely with the Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on behalf of the FIA members on a number of issues, more recently the work has focused mainly on the business issues created by COVID-19; such as working safely during COVID-19 in offices, construction industry recovery plans, key worker status, training while on furlough etc. He states “BEIS have posted a lot of valuable guidance for businesses...

Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, has been working closely with the Government’s Department of International Trade (DIT) on behalf of the FIA members for some time now; and given BREXIT and now COVID-19, this is more important than ever. He states “DIT are doing their best to inform SME’s of their options in the current climate and they have just released a series of webinars that would be really useful to listen into – try to find the time as there is some really useful inform...

With the window to invest time in training while on furlough extended until October 2020, over the next few months, it will be vital for individuals to continue to improve their skillset and keep boredom at bay, during an extended time being furloughed. From CPD sessions to online training, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) offers a broad portfolio of industry-renowned sessions and courses for individuals to invest their time in while being furloughed. Engaging in CPD sessions and online tra...

FIREX International is proud to announce the free Digital Week content series on 18-22 May 2020. This five-day digital gathering delivers interactive and curated webinars, video interviews, technical reviews, and live Q&A sessions to keep you connected with your fire safety colleagues. The program will address major industry issues including COVID–19 and the fire sector, sourcing PPE, post-Grenfell regulatory updates, and third-party certification. It’s users' chance to hear the...

As the days and week pass and the lockdown ‘continue, the FIA has been successfully running training and CPD sessions online since early 2020. Looking forward and thoughts turn to how the FIA will continue training once we begin exiting from lockdown. Online training At the start of lockdown, FIA set out its plans that there will be no classroom training until the start of July and it would fully transition to providing its training online where possible. First and foremost, the health...

Throughout April and into the foreseeable future the FIA will continue providing its online CPD sessions across the breadth of the fire industry with '99% of delegates saying that the training meets their needs well to extremely well and 98% are satisfied or very satisfied with the CPD content. Hundreds of enthusiastic delegates took part in the FIA’s second industry-recognized online CPD day. The fire industry has adapted incredibly well to the impacts of COVID-19 and it has not hindered...