Strengthening competence: How BSI Competence Hub supports Building Safety Act compliance

by Breaking NewsConstructionHealth and SafetySafety

Ian Richardson, Sector Lead at BSI, introduces the BSI Built Environment Competence Hub

Competence has quite rightly become a defining issue for the built environment sector following the Building Safety Act 2022 and tightening regulatory expectations.

Professionals across fire safety, construction, building control and facilities management are now required to demonstrate clearer accountability, stronger oversight and more consistent decision-making.

However, competence guidance has often remained fragmented, making it difficult to interpret requirements and apply them in practice.

In response to these challenges, BSI has launched the Built Environment Competence Hub, a national digital platform designed to bring together standards, competence frameworks, regulatory guidance and industry insight.

Developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), the Hub aims to support clearer understanding, practical implementation and ongoing professional development across the building lifecycle.

Why competence needed a central focus

The renewed emphasis on competence stems directly from the regulatory reforms that followed the Grenfell Tower fire and the subsequent Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

The Building Safety Act 2022 and the establishment of the BSR placed statutory weight behind competence requirements for duty holder roles and those responsible for managing safety throughout a building’s lifecycle.

These reforms have been underpinned by a suite of new and emerging standards, including the BS 8670 series and PAS 8671, PAS 8672, PAS 8673 and BS 8674.

Together, these documents define core competence criteria and role-specific expectations for principal designers, principal contractors and those managing residential building safety.

While these developments have strengthened the regulatory framework, they have also created a complex and fast-moving landscape.

Competence materials have been distributed across multiple organisations, websites and professional bodies.

The worry is that for many professionals and organisations, identifying which standards apply to which roles, and how to evidence compliance, is an increasingly burdensome task.

Industry has also been moving towards more consistent, cross-disciplinary competence criteria.

The adoption of Competence frameworks for building safety – Core criteria.

Code of practice (BS 8670-1), which sets out core competence criteria based on skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEB), alongside role-specific documents, has highlighted the need for alignment across disciplines.

This shift reinforces the value for a single, authoritative reference point.

Introducing the Built Environment Competence Hub

The Built Environment Competence Hub has been created to meet that need.

Quite simply, it is designed to be a national digital repository and central point of reference for competence-related information.

It consolidates standards, competence frameworks, regulatory guidance, webinar recordings, articles and discussion forums within one accessible platform.

The Hub is free to professionals, organisations and stakeholders across the sector, including designers, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, building owners and managers, those undertaking duty holder roles, professional bodies, training providers and regulators.

Addressing fragmentation and inconsistency

BSI decided to develop the hub following frequent reports from professionals that competence information was fragmented and difficult to navigate.

They were finding guidance and frameworks inconsistent across roles and disciplines, with resources spread across numerous platforms.

This created uncertainty and, in some cases, inconsistent interpretation of legal duties.

This is not just inefficient, but ultimately risks undermining the good work being done to support building safety in the last near-decade.

For organisations, the challenge extended beyond understanding requirements.

Demonstrating competence through documented processes, training plans and audit trails requires significant time and effort to gather and interpret information from multiple sources.

The Hub addresses these issues by consolidating key resources and signposting authoritative documents within five thematic areas.

It aligns standards, ICSG-led frameworks and regulatory information according to role, duty holder expectation and lifecycle stage.

By doing so, it reduces duplication, minimises conflicting interpretations and establishes a common reference point for project teams and organisations.

Promoting consistency across the building lifecycle

A defining feature of the Hub is its lifecycle perspective.

By organising resources by role, lifecycle stage and topic, and by signposting both core and role-specific competence criteria, it aims to promote a shared vocabulary and threshold expectations from concept and design through construction, commissioning, handover and in-use management, and ultimately to refurbishment or deconstruction.

This cross-referencing is also designed to reduce divergence between teams and support continuity of competence at interfaces and regulatory gateways.

In a sector where safety depends on coordinated action across disciplines, such alignment is critical.

Supporting day-to-day professional practice

The Hub is designed to support day-to-day work.

Organisations can use it to identify applicable role and function requirements, such as PAS 8671 for Principal Designers, PAS 8672 for Principal Contractors and PAS 8673 for those managing residential building safety.

Through clear signposting, our hope is that it will help organisations align policies, role profiles and training plans with national standards.

It is intended to support the operationalisation of competence by linking duties to SKEB criteria and encouraging structured evidence capture.

This strengthens due diligence processes, supports audit readiness and reinforces accountable appointments and oversight.

The platform also provides updates on regulatory developments and emerging good practice.

This will help inform decisions at key gateways, during design changes, procurement stages and in-occupation risk management.

Beyond its repository function, the hope is for the Hub to serve as a collaborative space, where members can engage with peers, share lessons learned from real projects, discuss areas of uncertainty and contribute to informed debate.

This community element reflects the fact that competence development is not static, but an ongoing, shared responsibility.

A living resource for a changing landscape

The regulatory and standards landscape will continue to evolve.

New documents will be developed, existing standards will be revised and expectations will mature as further lessons are learned.

The Built Environment Competence Hub has therefore been designed as a “living resource”.

Users are encouraged to register, contribute content and participate in events.

Feedback from industry will inform future updates, ensuring the platform remains aligned with BSR expectations and emerging standards.

Ultimately, this reflects a broader shift: from reactive compliance towards proactive competence management and continuous improvement.

Raising confidence and improving safety outcomes

As the built environment sector adapts to a new regulatory era, clarity and consistency around competence are essential.

Through the Hub, BSI, working alongside ICSG and the Building Safety Regulator, aims to provide the infrastructure to support that change.

Success will be measured by this work’s impact on professional confidence and, ultimately, in the safety of buildings.

By replacing fragmented sources with a single, trusted reference point, the aim is to reduce uncertainty and variability in interpretation, and to support more consistent competence management across organisations and supply chains, strengthening the quality of appointments, supervision and assurance.

In doing so, it will contribute to the wider objectives of the Building Safety Act 2022: improving accountability, restoring trust and delivering safer buildings.

This was originally published in the April 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

Britannia Fire calls for lithium-ion battery safety measures

by Featured NewsFire Suppression

Britannia Fire responds to battery fire figures

Britannia Fire has called for greater fire safety around lithium-ion batteries after new figures showed record numbers of e-bike and e-scooter fires attended by fire and rescue services in 2025.

Britannia Fire cited a Press Association investigation which found there were 432 e-bike fires and 147 e-scooter fires attended in 2025, up 38% and 20% on reports from the previous year.

Andy Spence, Managing Director of Britannia Fire, said: “Lithium-ion battery fires are by nature more unpredictable and intense than conventional fires.

“They are harder to extinguish, often behave differently to typical fires and can spread quickly, meaning that standard fire protection measures aren’t always adequate.”

The company linked the figures to the Government’s product safety consultation published at the end of March.

The consultation identifies unsafe e-bike batteries, conversion kits and chargers sourced from online marketplaces as a serious hazard.

It also proposes new duties on producers, suppliers and online marketplaces to improve safety standards in products containing lithium-ion batteries.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is also developing a fast-tracked Publicly Available Specification (PAS) for batteries used in e-bikes, e-scooters and conversion kits.

Products launched for lithium-ion fire response

Britannia Fire recently launched the P50 AVD fire extinguisher and the AVD fire blanket in response to the rise in lithium-ion battery fires.

The AVD fire blanket is available in three sizes for different battery-powered products.

It is designed to be placed over a device to contain flames, block heat radiation and prevent fire spread.

The P50 AVD fire extinguisher is the newest addition to the company’s P50 composite range.

Britannia Fire said the extinguisher can be discharged under the blanket edge to cool and extinguish the fire and prevent reignition.

The company added that the P50 AVD has a 20 year lifespan, requires servicing once every 10 years and is fully recyclable.

Spence said: “We welcome the Government’s recognition that the current framework needs strengthening, and the focus on online marketplace accountability is long overdue.

“While regulatory reform takes time, lithium-ion fires continue to endanger lives and properties today.

“It’s important for landlords, facilities managers and business owners to consider extra precautions, particularly for locations with charging stations or clusters of battery-powered devices.”

He added: “As a nation we are using many more products and devices containing lithium-ion batteries than ever before.

“It’s vital that we introduce measures to make these products safer at the point of purchase, and it’s also important that fire safety equipment keeps pace with this growing trend, to keep people and property protected.”

Britannia Fire said its AVD products are suited to locations including bike storage areas in residential blocks or offices, IT equipment rooms and office environments, schools, universities and public sector buildings.

New Class L created specifically for lithium-ion battery fires

by Featured NewsSafety

Why lithium-ion batteries now sit in a new fire class

BS ISO 3941:2026 has been published with a revision that adds a new fire classification for lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery fires.

BSI confirmed the update reflects the growing use of Li-ion batteries across the built environment, from large energy storage systems to electric vehicles and personal mobility devices.

The standard classifies fires according to the nature of the material undergoing combustion.

The latest revision introduces Class L as a dedicated category for Li-ion cells and batteries where no metallic lithium is present.

Specific behaviours recognised in the revision

The revised standard identifies a set of behaviours associated with Li-ion battery fires that differ from existing Class A, B and electrical fire categories.

These include higher energy density, leading to faster heat release and rapid fire growth.

It also highlights thermal runaway, where failure can propagate from cell to cell.

The document notes the release of toxic and flammable gases during venting.

It refers to a potential explosion risk from constrained build-up of vented gases.

The revision points to limited access caused by battery construction.

It lists projectile risk from expelled cells and burning electrolyte.

It also identifies stranded electrical energy that can create a risk of delayed re-ignition.

The standard states: “such a classification is particularly useful in the context of equipment for fire protection and firefighting”.

Implications for risk assessment and fire protection planning

The new Class L category is intended to support those responsible for assessing, insuring and controlling fire risk in settings such as battery energy storage systems (BESSs) and EV charging stations.

The revision sets out that detection and suppression strategies will need to take account of the specific hazards associated with Li-ion batteries.

It also flags the need to manage re-ignition risk and review emergency response plans accordingly.

Fire risk assessments are expected to identify whether Li-ion batteries are present, their type and quantity, and how they are stored and charged.

The standard notes that Class L risks will be relevant across a wide range of premises, including residential buildings, offices, commercial warehouses, industrial sites and transport facilities.

BS ISO 3941:2026 is the UK implementation of ISO 3941:2026, prepared with input from Technical Committee FSH/2, Fire extinguishers.

It replaces the 2007 edition, with the main changes being the addition of the lithium-ion classification and a new Clause 4 setting out hazard information for the fire classes.

These changes formalise how lithium-ion battery fires are categorised and described within the fire classification framework.

BSI report sets out UK fire safety standards work for 2024–2027

by Breaking NewsFire SuppressionPassiveResearchSafety

Fire safety standards programme report details revisions, plans and committee role

The British Standards Institution has published its first annual overview of how the UK’s fire safety standards programme is being run, what changed in 2024–2025 and what is coming next in 2026–2027.

The document was launched at BSI’s Annual Fire Safety Conference on 29 January 2026. It comes from the Fire and Built Environment Sector Policy and Strategy Committee, known as FSH/0, which sits at the top of BSI’s fire safety standards structure for the built environment.

Rather than being a technical standard itself, the report functions as a map of the standards system. It explains who is involved, how priorities are set, which standards have recently been updated and which major projects are in the pipeline.

BSI frames this annual publication as part of a push for greater transparency, making standards work easier to understand and follow beyond the relatively small circle of people directly involved in committees.

Who FSH/0 is and why it matters

FSH/0 operates at the highest tier of the national standards framework for fire safety. Its remit covers the full life of a building, from design and construction through occupation, management, maintenance and eventual end of life.

In practical terms, this means it looks across everything that touches fire safety in buildings, including fire precautions, fire protection systems and the infrastructure that supports safe evacuation and firefighting.

The committee performs four main roles.

First, it sets strategic priorities for developing new standards and revising existing ones, deciding where effort should be focused.

Second, it carries out horizon scanning, looking ahead at emerging risks that could shape future standards. The report gives examples such as lithium-ion battery fires, new energy systems, increased automation, digital building systems, new construction materials and modern methods of construction.

Third, it coordinates specialist technical committees to reduce duplication and keep different strands of standards work aligned.

Fourth, it provides a national forum where regulators, fire and rescue services, manufacturers, installers, consultants, building owners, academics and professional bodies can contribute to standards development.

In effect, FSH/0 sits between government policy, industry practice and the detailed technical work of standards committees.

Leadership, structure and how the system is organised

FSH/0 is chaired by Aman Sharma MBE. Under his leadership, the report highlights a focus on strengthening the overall standards infrastructure and widening participation, including bringing in early-career professionals and people with expertise in digital and emerging technologies.

The committee oversees around two dozen specialist technical committees. The report names several key examples, including committees covering fire detection and alarms, fire precautions in buildings, hazards to life from fire and fixed firefighting systems.

It also maintains formal links with committees working on related areas such as construction design, digital modelling, accessibility, lifts, furniture flammability, personal protective equipment and explosion safety. FSH/0 works closely with CB/0, BSI’s broader built environment committee.

Day-to-day coordination is supported by a dedicated BSI Standards Committee Manager, and FSH/0 typically meets several times a year to review progress, approve new projects and respond to emerging issues.

Who was around the table in 2024–2025

The report sets out who was represented on FSH/0 during 2024–2025, giving a sense of how broad the committee’s membership is.

Members included the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), Euralarm, the Fire Industry Association (FIA), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Northern Ireland Building Regulations, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government.

BSI notes that this mix covers fire engineering, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, building design, risk assessment, construction, enforcement and regulatory policy, rather than being dominated by any single perspective.

How the work connects to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2

A significant strand of recent standards activity is explicitly framed as aligning with recommendations from Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

One of the clearest examples is BS 8674:2025, which sets out a framework for the competence of individual fire risk assessors. The report links this to recommendations around clearer competence standards and potential future mandatory accreditation.

The report also highlights work on an amendment to BS 750, the standard for underground fire hydrants. This is described as a direct response to Inquiry Recommendation 40, and aims to clarify when and how flow coefficients should be measured.

More broadly, BSI describes ongoing engagement with government and industry to keep standards aligned with evolving policy in the post-Grenfell landscape.

Relationship with the Building Safety Act and Fire Safety Act

BSI states that its standards work in 2024–2025 has been closely aligned with both the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety Act 2021.

The report groups several key documents within this framework: BS 8674:2025 on fire risk assessor competence, BS 9792:2025 on fire risk assessment for housing, PAS 79-1 on non-housing fire risk assessment and PAS 9980 on fire risk appraisal of external walls.

These are presented as tools that support accountable persons, responsible persons and dutyholders in meeting their legal responsibilities.

How BSI has supported understanding and implementation

Beyond writing standards, the report describes a range of activity aimed at helping the sector understand and use them.

BSI Knowledge has published explanatory articles on standards such as BS 9991, BS 8674, BS 5839-1 and BS 5266-1.

The organisation has also run sector briefings and events on topics including construction product regulation, competence and legislative change.

There has been collaboration with bodies such as the Institution of Fire Engineers and the Fire Sector Confederation, particularly around BS 8674.

On PAS 9980, BSI continues to support its use within government remediation frameworks and Building Safety Fund guidance. A structured revision programme began in 2024, with main consultation taking place in 2025.

BSI also runs an Education Hub aimed at educators, researchers and practitioners who want to engage more closely with standardisation.

What actually changed in 2024–2025

Several major standards were revised or published during this period.

BS 9991:2024, the main residential fire safety standard, underwent a substantial update. Its scope was expanded to cover residential care homes. Provisions on sprinklers were updated, including for single-stair buildings and height thresholds. The standard adopted European fire-resistance classifications for doors and strengthened guidance on smoke control and evacuation lifts in taller buildings.

BS 9792:2025 set out a clearer framework for fire risk assessment in housing, including a nine-step methodology and guidance for assisted living and supported housing. It is designed to sit alongside PAS 79-1 and PAS 9980 as part of a national approach to risk assessment across different building types.

BS 8674:2025 introduced three competence levels for fire risk assessors: Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. It covers not only technical knowledge but also skills, behaviours, ethics, supervision and continuing professional development, and is linked to future plans for mandatory accreditation under the Building Safety Act.

BS 5839-1:2025, covering fire detection and alarm systems in non-domestic buildings, added a new section on system modifications, tightened controls on acceptable variations, updated guidance on manual call points and clarified expectations for automatic detection in sleeping-risk areas.

BS 5266-1:2025, the emergency lighting standard, expanded its scope to cover emergency escape lighting, standby lighting and local-area emergency lighting, placed greater emphasis on lighting uniformity and aligned more closely with European standards EN 1838 and EN 50172.

PAS 9980 was under revision during this period, with consultation completed in 2025 and publication expected in Q2 2026. Together with PAS 79-1 and BS 9792, it forms a cross-building-type framework for fire risk assessment and appraisal.

What is coming in 2026–2027

The report sets out a substantial forward programme of work.

BS 9994 is planned as a new specification for creating, documenting and managing fire strategies throughout a building’s lifecycle. It is intended to standardise structure, terminology and review processes, replacing and expanding on PAS 911. Public consultation is expected in Q1–Q2 2026, with publication likely in late 2026 or early 2027.

BS 9996 will cover the commissioning and maintenance of integrated fire safety systems, including alarms, suppression, smoke control, evacuation lifts and cause-and-effect logic. The aim is to ensure that changes to systems do not undermine the original fire strategy. A Draft for Public Comment is expected in Q2–Q3 2026, with publication in 2027.

The revised PAS 9980 is due for publication in Q2 2026, with clearer decision pathways, terminology and alignment with the wider BS 999X family of standards.

PAS 9970-1 and PAS 9970-2 will address fire safety during construction. The first covers organisational and site fire safety, while the second deals with temporary fire detection and alarm systems on construction sites. Consultation is expected in Q1 2026 and publication in Q4 2026.

A revision of BS 9990, covering non-automatic firefighting systems such as wet and dry risers and firefighting mains, is expected to go to consultation in Q3–Q4 2026, with publication in 2027.

An amendment to BS 750 on underground fire hydrants is planned for consultation in 2026, again responding to Grenfell Inquiry Recommendation 40.

Finally, BS 9999, the main non-domestic fire safety standard, is scheduled for a major update with consultation in Q2–Q3 2027 and publication in 2028. The revision is intended to align with post-Grenfell reforms and with BS 9991, BS 9994 and BS 9996, covering issues such as fire strategies, evacuation planning, dutyholder responsibilities and digital records.

How people can get involved

The report emphasises that standards development depends on broad participation rather than being driven solely by BSI.

Individuals and organisations can apply or be nominated to join technical committees, serve on drafting panels for specific standards and respond to Drafts for Public Comment via the Standards Development Portal.

Contributions can also be made through professional bodies such as the Institution of Fire Engineers, the Fire Industry Association, the Association for Specialist Fire Protection and BAFSA.

BSI also invites evidence or case studies to support FSH/0’s horizon-scanning work, alongside engagement through consultations, calls for evidence, conferences and roundtables.

What the report presents FSH/0 as doing

Overall, the report positions FSH/0 as the central coordinating body for UK fire safety standards, increasingly transparent through the publication of this annual overview, closely aligned with post-Grenfell reforms and actively managing a wide programme of revisions, new standards and PAS projects across 2026–2027.

It presents this work as part of maintaining a coherent, nationally consistent fire safety standards framework for the built environment.

BSI confirms March launch event for new construction product guidance

by ConstructionFeatured NewsSafety

Launch of PAS 2000 construction code

A free London event will mark the launch of PAS 2000:2026 on Tuesday 10 March 2026.

The British Standards Institute (BSI) has opened booking for the event.

The launch will take place from 9:30 to 11:30 at the Royal College of Pathologists, Events@No.6, 6 Alie Street, London, E1 8QT.

Registration, refreshments and networking are scheduled to begin at 9:30am, with a formal welcome at 10:00am.

The programme then moves to a sponsor contribution, an overview of PAS 2000 and a session on construction product reform, followed by a panel Q&A and closing remarks before the 11:30am finish.

What the code covers

BSI said the code of practice was developed in response to recommendations on construction product safety information from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Morrell/Day report, Testing for a safer future.

PAS 2000 is aimed at organisations that manufacture, specify, test or procure construction products.

BSI said: “describes the framework against which manufacturers can show they have taken all reasonable steps to ensure their products are safe for their intended uses.”

The standard sets out expectations for providing comprehensive, accurate and reliable evidence about product safety and performance, including information used to support product claims.

The event materials state that the code is intended to help users align with recent industry reforms and government recommendations on construction products.

Speakers and practical focus

BSI listed the speakers as Ian Richardson, Built Environment Sector Lead at BSI, Hywel Davies OBE, technical author of PAS 2000 and Geoff Brown, Assistant Director at the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

Richardson has responsibility for standards related to construction products and competence within BSI Knowledge Solutions.

Davies has been involved in building safety reform, construction product testing and digital information standards, including work linked to the Morrell/Day review.

Brown leads work in the Office for Product Safety and Standards construction products team, having moved into that role in February 2021.

The event will cover what PAS 2000 includes, who it is for and how the framework can be used in practice to evidence product safety.

The launch places PAS 2000 alongside ongoing construction product reforms with a structured way to evidence safety.

Competence Hub launched to fix fragmented competence information

by Featured NewsSafety

Competence Hub brings competence resources into one place

BSI has launched a national digital resource called the Built Environment Competence Hub.

The Hub is intended to bring together standards, competence frameworks, guidance and industry insight in one central place.

BSI describes it as a central point of reference for competence-related information across the built environment lifecycle.

How the Built Environment Competence Hub is intended to be used

The Hub is managed by BSI and was developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).

BSI said the Hub responds to concerns that competence information is fragmented, difficult to access and inconsistent across roles and disciplines.

The Hub is intended to provide a shared space for industry to engage on competence, exchange best practice and access resources intended to support clarity and consistency.

What BSI says the Hub is for

Anthony Burd, Director of Built Environment, BSI Knowledge Solutions, BSI, said: “Competence is fundamental to a built environment sector that is safe, trusted and capable of meeting society’s needs.

“The Built Environment Competence Hub has been designed as a living resource, shaped by ongoing industry input and able to evolve as competence requirements, standards and best practice continue to develop.

“By improving access to authoritative information and supporting a more consistent understanding of competence, the Hub also aims to play a vital role in helping the sector respond to regulatory reform following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022.”

The Hub is open to professionals, organisations and stakeholders, with users encouraged to register to access resources and engage with content.

Built environment competence hub officially launches for industry professionals

by Building ManagementConstructionFeatured News

Built environment professionals gain access to a new competence hub

The Built Environment Competence Hub officially launched on 19th January to provide industry professionals with immediate access to competence frameworks and standards.

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) confirmed the British Standards Institution (BSI) is managing the resource in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG).

The ICSG operates as a formal working group of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC).

The ICC is a statutory committee under the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).

This committee delivers competence-related functions specified within the Building Safety Act 2022.

The steering group was established to enable culture change across the built environment in relation to competency.

Resources and sector accessibility

The FPA stated that practical resources and insights from the BSI and the ICSG are now provided through the platform.

The platform aims to simplify the competence sector by making information accessible in a centralised space.

Knowledge and resources are tailored to specific industry roles and sectors following the live launch.

The system provides a cross-industry view of how roles and duty holders connect.

Eligible participants include those in design, construction and the manufacture of construction products.

Building management, trade bodies, education providers and regulators are also invited to join.

Registered users have access to newsletters, webinars, events and case studies.

The hub allows for direct engagement with industry voices within an active community – with newsletters, webinars, events and case studies – to support professional development.

Professionals can now access the full suite of resources and registration options through the official BSI website at https://competence.bsigroup.com/

Confederation backs BSI Fire Safety Conference 2026 at IET London

by Associations and OrganisationsEventsFeatured NewsSafety

Fire Sector Confederation sponsorship announced for London conference

The Fire Sector Confederation has announced it will sponsor the BSI Fire Safety Conference 2026 on Thursday 29 January 2026 at IET London: Savoy Place, London, UK.

The organisation said the sponsorship aligns with its work on fire safety standards, industry collaboration and professional development for practitioners.

Confederation sets out sponsorship aims

The Fire Sector Confederation said it is supporting the conference to help advance fire safety knowledge and promote best practice across the built environment.

It added that the sponsorship is intended to support continuous improvement across the sector.

Topics include compliance, competency and data

The Confederation said the BSI Fire Safety Conference 2026 will bring together regulators, standards leaders and frontline practitioners.

It said the programme will cover building and residential safety.

It said sessions will also address product compliance and testing.

It added that competency frameworks are expected to be part of the agenda.

The organisation said the event will also examine the digital “golden thread” of fire safety information.

Updates expected from regulators and standards bodies

The Fire Sector Confederation said the conference will include updates from the Building Safety Regulator.

It said the programme will also cover developments in British Standards including BS 9994 and BS 9996.

The organisation added that the conference will feature insights from the National Fire Chiefs Council, among other organisations.

Executive Director comments on conference value

Steve McGuirk, Executive Director at the Fire Sector Confederation, said: “The BSI Fire Safety Conference provides an invaluable platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration across our sector.

“As we navigate evolving regulations and standards, events like this are essential for ensuring that fire safety professionals have the tools, insights, and connections they need to protect lives and property.”

The Fire Sector Confederation said further information and registration details are available via BSI.

BSI launches new water mist fire standard for residential buildings

by Featured NewsFire Suppression

UK adopts EN 14972-17 for domestic water mist systems

BSI has published a new standard for fire protection in residential buildings, replacing the existing British Standard BS 8458.

According to the Fire Protection Association (FPA), BS EN 14972-17:2025 was released on 7 July 2025 and is now the recognised UK testing protocol for water mist systems in homes and domestic settings.

The new publication forms part of the broader EN 14972 series for water mist systems and provides guidance for ceiling heights up to 5.5 metres.

The FPA confirmed that the previous standard, BS 8458:2015, has been withdrawn and is no longer in effect.

EN 14972-17 includes detailed fire test protocols for various domestic applications including family dwellings, care homes, hostels, and apartments.

Updated European standard forms part of wider EN 14972 series

BS EN 14972-17:2025 has been adopted from a European-wide set of testing protocols under the EN 14972 framework, managed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).

The standard was developed by CEN Technical Committee 191, whose secretariat is held by BSI.

It must be adopted as a national standard by January 2026 and all conflicting national standards must be withdrawn by the same date.

EN 14972-17 is one of 17 published or in-development parts covering fire testing methods for a range of building types, equipment enclosures and specific use cases.

The standard outlines technical requirements including fuel packages, ignition methods, test setups and pass/fail criteria for systems installed in residential buildings.

Residential use cases covered under the new testing protocol

BS EN 14972-17:2025 applies to water mist systems installed in residential occupancies up to a ceiling height of 5.5 metres.

The document lists examples of qualifying settings including apartment buildings, blocks of flats, care homes, and bed and breakfasts.

It also applies to hotel bedrooms, guest corridors, and other small-scale residential areas.

Each application is subject to a defined set of testing conditions and fire load configurations, based on system design.

Countries may append additional annexes specifying minimum design areas, building height limits or system adaptations.

Legal and contractual guidance for UK users

BSI issued a national foreword to accompany the standard, confirming its status as the UK implementation of EN 14972-17:2025.

The British version was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 July 2025.

The UK’s participation in the drafting process was managed by Technical Committee FSH/18/5 on water mist systems.

BSI stated that the publication does not constitute legal advice and that users should seek professional guidance when applying the standard.

The document notes that compliance with British Standards does not offer immunity from legal responsibilities.

Next steps for UK water mist stakeholders

The Fire Protection Association said it will provide further updates and technical guidance to support implementation of BS EN 14972-17:2025.

As a recognised test house for water mist systems, the FPA confirmed its intention to help industry prepare for the transition from BS 8458.

The organisation has not yet released a detailed timeline for support materials or testing availability under the new regime.

Installers, designers, and certification bodies are advised to begin reviewing the updated protocol in preparation for full adoption.

The EN 14972 series and its annexes are available through the BSI website and other national standards bodies.

BSI launches new water mist fire standard for residential buildings: Summary

BSI has released BS EN 14972-17:2025 as the new UK standard for residential water mist systems.

The new standard replaces BS 8458:2015, which was withdrawn on 7 July 2025.

The standard forms part of the wider EN 14972 series, covering 17 application areas for water mist systems.

BS EN 14972-17:2025 specifies fire testing protocols for domestic and residential buildings up to 5.5 metres in ceiling height.

Use cases include homes, flats, care homes, hotels, and hostels.

The standard was developed by CEN Technical Committee 191.

It must be implemented nationally by January 2026.

BSI published the UK version under its policy committee on 31 July 2025.

Users are advised that the standard does not remove legal obligations.

The Fire Protection Association will issue further technical guidance.

BSI opens sector-wide survey on BS 99001 quality standard

by ConstructionFeatured NewsSafety

Quality management standard for construction under review

BSI has launched a public survey to collect feedback on BS 99001, the British standard for quality management systems in the built environment.

According to the Fire Industry Association, the B/570 Quality Management in Construction committee is seeking input from professionals and organisations across the sector to support development of the next version of BS 99001.

The current version of BS 99001 builds upon ISO 9001 by incorporating additional sector-specific requirements.

It aims to improve project outcomes and safety throughout the asset lifecycle, from design to decommissioning.

The survey, open from 9 July to 9 October 2025, is intended to assess the standard’s effectiveness, explore implementation challenges, and identify possible improvements.

BSI is encouraging broad participation to help ensure the revised standard reflects the needs of the industry.

Alignment with ISO 9001 revision

BS 99001 was developed to complement BS EN ISO 9001:2015 by adding quality management requirements specific to construction.

The revision process comes as ISO 9001 itself is undergoing an update. BSI’s B/570 committee intends to use the sector’s feedback to align BS 99001 with any future changes to the international standard.

The current edition of BS 99001 includes additional requirements in areas such as design quality, temporary works, inspection and test planning, and competence.

It is intended to support the built environment in delivering safe, high-quality projects, particularly in the context of the Building Safety Act and increased regulatory focus on asset lifecycle performance.

Survey content and intended outcomes

The questionnaire aims to gather views on how BS 99001 is being used, any implementation difficulties, and areas that could benefit from clearer or more detailed guidance.

BSI said the survey would take approximately 10 minutes to complete and was designed to gather diverse insights from across the sector.

Respondents are asked to indicate how familiar they are with BS 99001 and to provide practical feedback on the usability and value of the standard in real-world settings.

The feedback will be reviewed by the B/570 committee and used to inform decisions on content revisions, format options, and future development priorities.

Document options and user flexibility

BSI offers BS 99001 in two formats to suit different user preferences.

Professionals who already hold BS EN ISO 9001 can purchase BS 99001 as a standalone document.

Alternatively, PD 99001 combines the full clauses of ISO 9001 with the corresponding clauses of BS 99001 in a single volume.

This integrated format is intended to support easier reference and implementation by aligning international and sector-specific quality management content.

BSI said this flexibility is intended to ensure accessibility and usability for a wide range of practitioners.

Relevance to sector regulation and safety

BS 99001 has been positioned as a tool for demonstrating compliance with emerging regulatory requirements, including those under the Building Safety Act.

Its content recognises the multi-organisational nature of construction projects and is structured to support collaboration, quality assurance, and accountability across the supply chain.

By addressing both operational and regulatory challenges, the standard aims to contribute to safer and more durable built assets.

BSI has emphasised the importance of feedback in ensuring that BS 99001 remains current and usable as the regulatory and industry landscape evolves.

BSI opens sector-wide survey on BS 99001 quality standard: Summary

BSI has launched a survey to gather views on BS 99001.

The initiative was announced by the Fire Industry Association on 11 July 2025.

BS 99001 builds on ISO 9001 with additional sector-specific requirements for construction.

The B/570 Quality Management in Construction committee is seeking feedback from industry professionals.

The survey is open from 9 July to 9 October 2025.

It aims to inform the future revision of BS 99001 in line with updates to ISO 9001.

Questions cover the usability, implementation, and value of the standard.

BSI said the survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

BSI provides BS 99001 as a standalone document or integrated with ISO 9001.

The standard supports compliance with the Building Safety Act and quality assurance across the asset lifecycle.