WOBO Governor David Gibson is pleased to provide links to items supporting professional development.

Protect your business from PFAS risks & part obsolescence. Download the guide  ›

3M has already halted production of more than 25,000 PFAS-based parts, and this is just the start. With new regulations looming and parts obsolescence, manufacturers across industries face mounting supply chain risks.

Our free guide breaks down what’s happening and how to respond to:

• The impact of upcoming PFAS regulations on global supply chains
• Real examples of parts obsolescence already affecting manufacturers
• Steps you can take today to reduce risk and keep production on track
• How to prepare your organization for future regulatory shifts

Get the guide to understand the risks and protect your supply chain.

New 2026 European Cladding Fire Safety Standard

A major update to the European cladding fire safety standard will take effect in January 2026, introducing stricter rules for testing and performance.

After European tragedies like Grenfell in London and major fires in Paris and Milan, it’s become clear that the current rules aren’t enough. Regulators are now closing these gaps with stricter testing.

The European Fire Safety Alliance shows that every year, an estimated 5,000 people lose their lives in residential fires across Europe.

So, what’s changing?

• New version of EN 13501-1 (the fire classification standard for construction products, including cladding.)
• Tighter testing criteria, to reduce risk.

For the first time, visual assessments will be phased out and replaced by a temperature-based system, using a threshold of 270°C to determine whether a material passes or fails. This shift aims to make testing more objective and consistent, reducing disputes over borderline cases.

The revised standard will test cladding on three key types of base material – expanded polystyrene (EPS), low-density insulation, and particleboard – to better understand how it performs in real-world conditions. It also introduces more flexibility in how materials can be installed and makes it easier to incorporate sustainable, bio-based products without compromising safety.

One of the most popular kitchen gadgets in the UK has been labelled as a serious fire risk by experts.

Air fryers are one of the most popular kitchen gadgets in the UK. with more than half of all households believed to own one. But while they’re seen as a safe alternative to frying, experts have warned that common mistakes could pose a serious fire risk.  Safety experts at Direct365 have shared five errors that could cause fires in air fryers, in response to searches going up by more than 20% in the past year alone, meaning that despite their growing popularity, there’s still a lot of confusion over how to use them safely.

When a city floods, one thing always leads to another

In July 2021, London was hit by two huge thunderstorms in just a few days, bringing rainfall that was torrential even by UK standards.

Some parts of the city saw twice the average rainfall for July within two hours, and the resulting flash floods caused major disruption including school closures, hospital evacuations and the closure, or partial closure, of more than 30 London Underground stations.

Insurance claims were more than £281 million. But the true cost was much higher because the indirect impacts of flood are both far-reaching and more difficult to quantify. If a busy high street is flooded, loss of footfall leads to loss of business, disrupted supply chains, lost revenue, higher costs, devalued assets… and so on.

Transport systems are a good illustration of how the impacts of flood can stack up. An underground transport network is made up of hundreds or thousands of assets, like nodes that are all connected. It only takes one node to fail for whole stretches of the network to be affected. And it doesn’t stop there. Above ground, station closures lead to heavier traffic, longer road journeys, reduced productivity, higher costs, lost revenue… and so on.
The complexity of all this is a major challenge for professionals tasked with analyzing flood risk. But more advanced flood models and more granular data are making it easier to assess infrastructure as a network rather than individual locations and get a wider understanding of the costs, both direct and indirect.

This “systems” approach is the subject of a recent  Engineering Matters podcast episode, which talks about an innovative project where hazard data, publicly available traffic and other data were used to assess risk across the New Jersey transportation system.
It’s a story that illustrates how, when it comes to flooding, everything is connected – climate change and weather events, the cascading impacts and costs. But, on a more uplifting note, it also shows how making connections – between engineers and scientists, public bodies and private businesses – will help us build resilience.

Listen to the Engineering Matters podcast episode Networks under water: transport, flooding and resilience.

Design with confidence: Download the updated Fire-stopping Standard Details Guide

Get details on the fire-stopping capabilities of the new FirePro® range with our enhanced Fire-stopping Standard Details Guide.

Here’s what you can expect to find in the new guide:

✓ A layout that makes navigation easier
✓ Entirely searchable new Standard Details – find exactly what you’re looking for, quickly
✓ Details included for new products and applications
✓ High-quality drawings for maximum clarity

Design and create compliant solutions with the new guide – available now:

As an industry professional specializing in structural integrity and building performance, you know that not every project involves straightforward masonry reinforcement. Sometimes, the challenge requires a complete, professional solution to an aging, non-standard structural element.

We are excited to share a brand-new video that demonstrates exactly this level of expertise.

Watch the Lintel Replacement

We recently published a video showcasing two of our Site Operatives replacing a massive, non-standard 1960s concrete and iron lintel. This heavy-duty replacement project required meticulous planning, specialized lifting gear, and absolute precision to safely remove the deteriorated structure and install the replacement.

The video is a direct demonstration of our commitment to:

1. Technical Competence: Handling complex, heavy structural interventions beyond standard reinforcement.
2. Top-Level Professionalism: Executing demanding site work safely and efficiently.
3. Comprehensive Service: Proving we are the reliable partner for all structural masonry issues, from routine crack stitching to non-standard structural replacements.

Click here to watch the full video and see the project in action:

How to Navigate the Energy Labyrinth.  From vast energy solutions to rapidly evolving regulations, building a compelling business case for green energy investment can be tough. But with net zero targets looming, how can you overcome stretched budgets and justify spending?

We surveyed 500 energy-intensive organisations across Europe to explore how they’re tackling the next phase of strategic investment and overcoming the barriers to net zero. We uncovered a wide range of key insights to help you better navigate today’s energy labyrinth.

47% of lone workers said feeling unsafe harmed their mental health

The evidence is clear: when people feel unsafe, mental health declines, productivity drops, and businesses suffer. 

These insights are from the latest survey of 1,327 people working alone for some of their day including office, retail and healthcare staff.

Discover how productivity and mental health are suffering from lack of action in this new report, ‘Lone Worker Safety: Perceptions, Realities and Business Impact’.

Is solar right for your facilities?  Find out with our free guide.

Rising energy costs and sustainability targets are putting pressure on facilities teams to act. But finding reliable information – specific to your sector, isn’t easy.

Geo Green Power developed the series of “Solar Sector Guides” with facilities manager’s like you in mind.

The guides break down the options, benefits, funding models and more to give you a rounded view of how solar can help your facility:

• Can solar help your business model?
• What is the the business case for solar investment?
• What funding options are available?

The answer to these and many more questions are now at your finger tips. For key information to help you make confident, cost-effective decisions about renewable power. Download the guide of your choice today.

New Zero Compression Fire Barriers for masonry construction

AIM – Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing – has launched a significant enhancement to Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition) to help bricklayers avoid the problems of brick push off associated with cavity barriers fitted under compression, or friction fitted within masonry constructions.

This new method allows the barrier to be installed without compression, making it easier to work with green brickwork or other masonry cladding types, and avoiding the problem of “brick push off” that can occur with compressed barriers.

Why choose AIM Wall Cavity Barrier (Red Edition)?

• Tested to BS EN 1366-4 for EI30, EI60 and E120 I60 minute fire ratings
• Tested horizontally and vertically for voids up to 400 mm
• Supplied in slab form for sizing on-site to fit the exact cavity void

One-size-fits-all booking systems don’t work anymore.

The way we work has changed – yet, many organisations are still relying on rigid, one-size-fits-all tools to manage desks and meeting rooms. Spreadsheets, calendars, and generic booking software may have worked once, but they’re struggling to keep pace with today’s flexible, hybrid workforce.

The result? Wasted time, frustrated employees, and expensive underutilised space. In fact, Matrix Booking’s latest study found:

• 44% of organisations lose up to half a working day each week to booking difficulties
• 41% report that 10 – 29% of their office space sits empty
• A quarter of hybrid organisations still use general office tools for bookings
• Nearly 30% face daily booking conflicts or double bookings

The new study, ‘One-size-fits-all booking systems don’t work for today’s workforce’, explores why current systems are falling short – and how organisations can reimagine workspace management to boost efficiency, employee experience, and cost savings.