How the Government is Taking Down Rogue Building Owners: How LFS Can Help You Stay Safe
Many people in the UK are living in unsafe buildings with fire risks and defects. At Lyons Fire Safety, we aim to help rectify this.
The safety of residents in medium and high-rise buildings has been an urgent concern in the UK since the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in 2017. A tragic event that claimed 72 lives and sparked a public inquiry. Since then, the government has implemented stricter building safety regulations and standards. such as, banning combustible cladding and introducing the Building Safety Act. However, some building owners have still failed to adequately address fire risks and building defects.
In response, the government is ramping up enforcement efforts against these negligent owners to force remediation and protect residents. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has provided over £8 million in funding to councils to expand building safety enforcement teams. And the government is taking aggressive legal action alongside councils and residents.
What Does this Mean for Fire Safety in the UK?
At a recent roundtable (the details of which can be found here in a press release) Minister for Building Safety Lee Rowley pressed council leaders on how they are utilising government funding. As well as elaborating on legal powers to compel building owners in their areas to fix safety issues. Ultimately, he warned owners refusing remediation to expect robust action against them.
This crackdown sends a clear message – building owners must urgently prioritise resident safety. Fix their unsafe buildings or face consequences.
For fire safety providers like us, it also represents an important opportunity to assist more buildings with achieving compliance through services like fire door upgrades.
The Complexity and Challenges of Remediation
While government criticism of negligent building owners is justified, the picture is complex. Some owners do work responsibly to fix buildings. And remediation costs are often substantial, leading to funding disputes.
Nonetheless, resident safety must come first. After Grenfell, inaction is unconscionable. Until all unsafe buildings are fixed, strong government and council enforcement must continue, alongside fire safety partners like Lyons Fire Safety. Through our experience, expertise and solutions, we’re committed to supporting all buildings in achieving compliance and safety.
Case Study: Discover how Lyons Fire Safety effectively tackled the challenge of ensuring fire safety in London student accommodation. Facing the pressure of compliance with increasing regulations, a leading contractor sought a thorough and cost-effective solution for a major student accommodation block encompassing five floors
Fire Safety Impacts for Care Homes
While government enforcement currently focuses on high-rise residential buildings, the urgency also applies to other building types like care homes and hospitals. All building owners need proactive fire risk management. Any identified issues should be fixed immediately through remediation.
Related: You can take a look at our previous page concerning fire door safety within care homes here for more information on how best to protect, and importantly, stay within regulation if you’re the manager of a care home or similar facility.
Care homes especially must ensure robust fire safety provisions to protect vulnerable residents. Fire doors, compartmentation and evacuation plans are all vital. According to the Home Office, there were 1,500 fires in care homes in England in 2019/20, resulting in 10 deaths and 293 non-fatal casualties.
The Care Quality Commission also recommends that care homes conduct regular fire risk assessments and ensure staff are trained in fire safety. By partnering with expert providers like Lyons Fire Safety for services like fire door upgrades, care homes can achieve full compliance.
Fire Safety Regulations for Other Building Types - What You Need to Know
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 mainly target high-rise residential buildings, but they are not the only fire safety regulations that affect other building types. If you own or manage a workplace, a care home, a hospital, a school, a hotel, or a place of assembly, you also need to comply with the fire safety regulations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO). The FSO is the main piece of legislation that governs fire safety in buildings in England and Wales.
The FSO applies to all workplaces and the common parts of buildings with 2 or more domestic premises. It makes you, as the owner or landlord, the Responsible Person for fire safety in your premises. You have legal duties to carry out and record a fire risk assessment and put in place and maintain general fire precautions. The Fire Safety Act 2021 also made it clear that the external walls, flat entrance doors and structure of buildings are part of the FSO and must be included in fire risk assessments.
What You Need to Know
If you fail to comply with the FSO, you could face legal action. You need to follow these key requirements:
- Assess and review the fire risks in your premises regularly
- Reduce and control the fire hazards and risks
- Install and maintain suitable fire safety measures, such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire doors, emergency lighting, and escape routes
- Prepare for an emergency and give information, instruction and training to staff and residents
- Work with other Responsible Persons who share the premises
- Keep records of your fire risk assessment and fire safety measures
Lyons Fire Safety can help you comply with the fire safety regulations by offering expert advice, guidance and services. Whether you need a professional fire risk assessment, suitable fire safety measures, fire safety training, or record keeping, we can assist you with any building type. We can also work with other Responsible Persons who share your premises and ensure a consistent approach to fire safety. By working with us, you can make sure that your premises are safe and compliant with the FSO and other relevant fire safety regulations.
Related: You can take a look at our page on fire safety in multi-occupancy residential buildings for more information on the risks, and how to ensure that your property is within regulation on safe for residents.
How Lyons Fire Safety Can Help You With Fire Risk Assessments
Regardless of government action, fire risk assessments remain an essential responsibility for all building owners and managers under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. These identify risks and necessary control measures.
Lyons Fire Safety can undertake professional fire risk assessments for any building type. We determine hazards, evaluate existing provisions like fire doors, and provide an improvement action plan. With regular assessments, fire safety can be proactively managed.
Get in Contact: Fire Door Inspections Upgrades, and More
Effective, compliant fire doors are fundamental to fire safety. Lyons Fire Safety offers detailed fire door inspections in any building to check for damage and issues. We also provide necessary upgrades to ensure doors meet the latest standards, using modern solutions like glazed and automated fire doors.
Through expert installation and ongoing maintenance, we help buildings maintain robust fire door provisions that comply fully with regulations. This prevents any enforcement action due to non-compliant fire doors. Contact us today to discuss your building’s specific fire door needs.
Don’t wait for the government to come knocking on your door. Contact Lyons Fire Safety today and let us help you make your building safe and compliant.
Phone: 0121 517 0562
Email: david@lyonsfiresafety.co.uk
At Lyons Fire Safety, we strive to create safer environments everywhere. Let us help make your hotel or venue a place of safety and security.