IWFM Urges FMs To Update Fire Safety Knowledge Ahead Of 2023 Changes
With wide-ranging changes to fire safety starting to come into force from 23rd January 2023 following the tragic loss of life in 2017’s Grenfell Tower fire, the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) is urging the profession to get up to date with the latest statutory guidance and industry best practice. To support competence in the profession, IWFM has collaborated with software company PlanRadar to release a newly updated Fire safety management good practice guide (GPG), which is available free to IWFM members.
Providing core good practice and signposting for facilities management professionals, those with Responsible Persons duties, and those acting on behalf of Responsible Persons, the guide sets out the key requirements for managing fire safety in England where the Regulatory (Reform) Fire Safety Order 2005 applies.
The GPG has been updated to include requirements from the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Building Act 2022, and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and provides guidance on the relevant legislation for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Sofie Hooper, Head of Policy at IWFM, commented: ‘Workplace and facilities managers play a critical role in driving fire safety within workplaces and residential buildings. As a professional body, our own duty is to support our members when keeping people safe.
‘This in-depth fire safety guidance could not be timelier with new requirements from the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 coming into force in weeks. Upskilling people and driving competence was a core pillar of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Grenfell report; providing guidance is one such route towards continuous learning and becoming more competent.’
Workplace and facilities management professionals can download IWFM’s newly updated fire safety good practice guide by visiting the building safety Insight hub on its website: www.iwfm.org.uk
Ibrahim Imam, CEO of PlanRadar, said of the guide’s release: ‘2023 heralds a new era in fire safety and compliance, so FMs need to be on top of the new legislative detail to maintain and future-proof their buildings and assets. The focus is on increased accountability to create a safer, smarter, and more responsible industry, with tough repercussions for those who fall short. With digitisation now fundamental in the risk assessment and safety reporting process, we look forward to seeing the best practice needed to drive meaningful, positive change. This report is an essential part of the ongoing dialogue and guidance to shape the future of fire safety.’
