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Safety is now a duty of care across multiple sectors, says Fire Aware

The cultural change needed to bring about a shift in fire safety starts with a recognition of a duty of care by all of those responsible across multiple sectors, says growing fire safety body 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.

“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.