Safety is now a duty of care across multiple sectors, says Fire Aware
Everyone involved in the design, construction, maintenance
and letting of the built environment needs to understand that they have an
obligation to fire safety even if their business is not directly connected with
fire specialisms, says the expanding fire safety organisation.
Dame Judith Hackitt – who led the Grenfell Inquiry – has
called for cultural change through moral and ethical behaviours, recently supported
by the new independent Building Safety Regulator which has been created to “promote
competence and higher standards.”
Fire Aware CEO Gavin Skelly said: “We have many
members who are not directly connected to fire safety but still accept they
have a duty of care for public safety. People can get hurt through a fire
incident even if it is by the actions of people way outside of the fire
specialisms.
“Committing to the moral and ethical values of being fire
safe is more than a job. It’s a way of life and a vocation. Our members are all
of the same mind and we are moving towards raising the bar of standards,
competence and commitment to fire safety of the public. Ultimately, we are
talking about protecting people.”
Sectors which are particularly vulnerable to fire risk
include the hospitality sector – with the many bars, restaurants and hotels
which are trusted to protect their customers - and healthcare which has to
protect many vulnerable and elderly people including those who cannot look
after themselves in the event of a real fire.
Fire Aware continues to focus on the moral
responsibility of all those working in the fire safety supply chain including
designers, developers, asset owners, managers and other stakeholders.
It aims to change the culture of the built
environment sector by introducing a moral code of conduct via a series of
charters designed to influence how member companies behave in upholding their
duty of care.
Fire Aware is a recognised membership body serving
the built environment and related sectors with a common aim to work and trade
responsibly to all best practice standards in the interests of the safety of
the general public.
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