Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance explains why one of the most efficient and effective ways to reduce the impact of fire is by ensuring that when one starts it is quickly extinguished, so that the threat to…
Sprinklers: why is the threshold for UK warehouses so high compared to the rest of Europe?
With the height threshold for sprinklers in new-build residential buildings lowered to 11m across the UK, it has been put at the top of the European table in terms of fire regulation. The same cannot be said for fire-safety guidance…
One rule for one, and one for another
A fire that tore through the Cube high-rise student accommodation in 2019 is a stark reminder that our new 11m sprinkler threshold for high-rise residential buildings does not apply to student accommodation. The requirement, which took effect last November, also…
The non-fire triangle: how a return to principles can improve fire safety
The reporting of the proceedings of the Grenfell Inquiry, led by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, only reinforces the conclusions reached by Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: fire safety in our buildings is not what it…