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Latest edition of BS 5266-1 issued by British Standards Institution
THE BRITISH Standards Institution (BSI) has issued BS 5266-1:2025 (an updated version of the Code of Practice for the Emergency Lighting of Premises). The document sets out recommendations and guidance on the design, installation and wiring of emergency lighting systems to ensure safety in the event of a failure of the normal lighting supply.
BESA welcomes “renewed urgency” in building safety regime
THE BUILDING Engineering Services Association (BESA) has praised the new team running the Building Safety Regulator for “making rapid progress” on improving the planning process, but in parallel has called for a renewed focus on remediation projects.
LFB issues urgent safety warning in wake of e-bike fires
FIREFIGHTERS ARE renewing their efforts to warn Londoners about the dangers of e-bikes, e-scooters and lithium-ion batteries following three severe fires in three separate parts of the capital in one week.
Fire Industry Association publishes 2025 Annual Report
THE FIRE Industry Association (FIA) has issued its 65-page Annual Report for 2025 in which the organisation marks 12 months of “pivotal progress” when it comes to advancing fire safety and professionalism across the industry.
Mandatory sprinklers for historic hotel conversions proposed in Scotland
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS will become a mandatory requirement for traditional buildings that are newly converted into hotels in Scotland if changes to the law are passed. The news follows recommendations from the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the Cameron House Hotel fire that occurred back in December 2017, which caused the deaths of Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson.
White Paper on structural steel fire protection published by Promat
PASSIVE FIRE protection specialist Promat has published a new White Paper examining the most effective ways in which to protect structural steel from fire in order to ensure that structural integrity is maintained if the steel finds itself exposed to high temperatures.
ASFP creates new Task Group focused on external envelopes for buildings
THE ASSOCIATION for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is launching an all-new technical Task Group (ie TG14) in support of passive fire protection’s specific and important relationship with the external building envelope.
BESA guidance “cuts through principal contractor confusion”
NEW GUIDANCE issued by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has already been widely acclaimed for addressing a source of growing confusion in the new building safety regime: the approach taken towards assessing the competence of principal contractors (one of the key professions charged with delivering the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022).
January date set for completion of Building Safety Regulator’s transition
THE BUILDING Safety Regulator (Establishment of New Body and Transfer of Functions, etc) Regulations 2026, laid in Parliament on 11 November, take effect from 27 January, which is the official date when the Building Safety Regulator leaves the Health and Safety Executive to become an arm’s-length public body (referenced as a ‘body corporate’) sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
New collaboration “sets benchmark” for independent fire safety testing
IN RESPONSE to the evolving demands of the UK’s built environment sector, a new collaboration has been announced between the Fire Protection Association (FPA), UL Solutions and PartB. The collaboration aims to deliver independent, impartial and transparent fire safety testing at a time when regulatory scrutiny, innovation and accountability are reshaping the construction landscape.
“Urgent action needed to tackle lithium-ion battery fire risks” warns NFCC
URGENT ACTION is needed to tackle the fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has stated that the increased use of these batteries in household products is outpacing UK safety standards. Lithium-ion battery fires can be explosive and spread rapidly, with the risk of reignition and toxic gases.