12/11/2024
In this blog, BWF Technical Director, Kevin Underwood, discusses the recent government amendments to the fire safety guidance in Approved Document B, set to take effect between March 2025 and ...
In a departure from previous practice, the Scottish Government have now incorporated advice to duty holders, on whom duties are imposed under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, on the benefits of using companies with third party certification for the provision of fire protection products and services. Until now, guidance to duty holders made no reference to third party certification schemes or their benefits.
However, last year during the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of 14 residents of the Rosepark Care Home in Lanarkshire in 2004, an expert witness for the Crown, Colin Todd, recommended that Scottish Government guidance should make duty holders aware of the existence of third party certification schemes and their benefits.
During cross examination, the Advocate for Scottish Government confirmed to the FAI that this recommendation would be considered.
More . . . . The Rosepark Care Home fire led to 14 fatalities due to smoke inhalation. Part of the evidence submitted during the enquiry related to a previous fire risk assessment "failing to record that fire doors to residents' bedrooms had been propped open and the safety catches disabled". In Jan 2004, a fire which started in a small cupboard, resulted in the deaths of 14 elderly residents.
In a separate presentation to an audience of insurance representatives, Brian Martin of the Department for Communities and Local Government stated "If people want higher standards of fire protection, industry rather than government should be driving that improvement."
