Jane Embury on the stupidity of fire Most fires start from something minor. That could be a discarded cigarette, or an electrical short-circuit. Sometimes, however, they start because of human stupidity. Like the US man who set up a deep fryer in his basement, but didn’t check on it. It bubbled over, and caused a […]
Articles
Safety Bill passes committee hurdle
Jane Embury reflects on the Building Safety Bill The Building Safety Bill has passed its committee stage. It now proceeds to its final Commons stage before moving to the House of Lords. The Bill gives residents more power to hold developers to account. A building safety regulator will also ensure the management and resolution of […]
New York fire underlines importance of compartmentation
Jane Embury reflects on recent fires in the USA The recent tragic fire in New York underlines how fire remains a potent threat. That’s despite advances in building design and construction and strict building regulations. Some 20 people, including nine children died during a fire in the Bronx apartment building. Another 32 people were taken […]
A new sense of optimism
Jane Embury looks at what might be in store for 2022 It’s been a turbulent two years for the construction sector, but there are reasons for cautious optimism. The Glenigan UK Construction Industry Forecast 2022-2023 says that the value of underlying project starts is set to rise 7% in 2022 and by a further 5% […]
Have a happy and safe Christmas
Jane Embury takes a look at fire safety over Christmas. It’s that time of year again. A time for Festive jollity. But at the risk of appearing like the Grinch, do celebrate sensibly. The UK government has published advice on keeping fire safe this Christmas. For example, to check your Christmas tree lights carry the […]