by Oscar Venus | 25 Jun, 2026 | Technical
The standards for internal plastering (BS EN 13914-2) and external rendering (BS EN 13014-1) are currently being revised and have entered public comment with a deadline for submission of comments of the 14th July.
The standard for internal plastering (Part 2) is relevant to many of our members and has provisions crucial to our Shine a Light campaign dealing with unfair snagging practices.
Anyone with a BSI account can download a copy of the drafts and submit comments, but we wanted to give members the opportunity to join a call to discuss collaboratively how FIS should comment against these standards.
FIS is hosting an open forum on Thursday 2nd July from 90:00 until 12:00 online where members can discuss the standard and influence comments that will be returned. If you are interested in attending this session and/or have particular clauses you wish to be reviewed at the meeting, please contact either jamesparlour@thefis.org or damianhill@thefis.org
by Iain McIlwee | 23 Mar, 2026 | Building Safety Act, Main News Feed, Technical
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has opened a consultation proposing the introduction of a self‑certification scheme for fire door installation, maintenance, and replacement across England and Wales.
Under the plans unveiled in late March, certain fire door works, in both higher‑risk or lower‑risk buildings, could be carried out without the need for formal building control approval, including exemption from the gateway process that currently applies to higher‑risk buildings.
The move aims to reduce delays and improve efficiency by allowing competent, authorised installers to sign off their own work within a strengthened oversight framework. This proposal sits within a broader review of the Conditions of Authorisation (CoA) for competent person schemes.
The consultation opened runs for three months, closing on the 3rd June. Stakeholders across the construction and fire safety sectors are encouraged to contribute, particularly as the proposals have potential to reshape how fire door compliance is managed in both routine and high‑risk settings.
Ths FIS will be feeding in on behalf of our community. Speaking on the launch of the consultation, FIS CEO Iain McIlwee stated:
“It is good that this is now on the agenda. This consultation responds to one of the first challenges we raised with the Regulator prior to the Building Safety Act being implemented. Replacing Fire Doorsets is regulated works, but if happening in isolation, often goes below the radar of building control approval. It is vital that this work is controlled, but equally triggering a whole Gateway approach creates a potentially disproportionate amount of administration at the Building Safety Regulator. A more pragmatic approach will, I am sure, be welcomed. The devil is in always in the detail, so we will review this with members and respond as appropriate. It is encouraging that we are finally getting into these issues and can work together as a supply chain to reshape the process in a practical and proprtinate way for the better.”
The full consultation which incorporates the proposals related to fire doorsets is available on the Building Safety Regulator’s website here.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Technical
Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS) has published a report relating to reaction to fire classification of wall lining materials, pointing out the importance of understanding the testing regimes required for materials in different applications and how performance will likely be affected by composite panel constructions. Whilst the technical advice on testing applies to all wall lining products, the reporter here is particularly concerned about the classification of linings in and around freestanding pods which may have been overlooked in the requirements of Building Regulations guidance; Approved Document B due to being considered furniture items, and therefore not assessed for compliance by those responsible for fire safety in the design.
It is also important to understand that freestanding pods can have implications on both passive and active fire protection systems given their function as a room within a larger space.
The full report can be seen here: Reaction to fire of wall linings | CROSS
If members have questions about design, specification, procurement or installation of pods, please either consult our Specifiers Guide to Partitions, or get in touch with our technical team who will be happy to help.
by Oscar Venus | 29 Aug, 2025 | Technical
BS EN ISO 9001 (quality management systems, requirements) is currently under review by BSI and has been circulated for public comment.
Members can use the link below to login to the BSI portal or create a free BSI account, download a copy of the draft revised standard and submit comments through the portal.
British Standards Institution – Project
Key proposed updates include:
- Changes to requirements
- Clearer structure and terminology for improved usability
- Clarification of requirements in Annex A (informative)
The consultation is open until 20th October 2025 and we are encouraging all our members to either comment directly or engage with the FIS team if they have questions about the standard and would like to inform an FIS response.
FIS hosts regular meetings with an organisational capability working group comprised of members who will discuss this review alongside other subjects and members are welcome to get involved with this work.
Please contact jamesparlour@thefis.org or greggreves@thefis.org if you have questions of would like to get involved in any of the above.
by Oscar Venus | 28 Aug, 2025 | Technical
The Government has updated its guidance under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, clarifying expectations around fire doors in residential and multi-occupied buildings.
The revised guidance, published in August, reinforces that fire doors do not necessarily need to be replaced if they met the requirements of Building Regulations at the time of installation and have since been appropriately inspected and maintained.
This update is intended to provide reassurance for building owners, managers, and residents, while underlining the importance of regular checks to ensure that fire doors remain in good working order.
FIS is reminding members that compliance is not just about product selection, but also about inspection, maintenance and record-keeping. Routine checks should be carried out in line with the regulations, and residents provided with clear information on the role of fire doors in maintaining building safety.
by Oscar Venus | 22 Aug, 2025 | Technical
The British Standards Institution (BSI) is currently developing a new Publicly Available Specification (PAS) code of practice designed to support the safe introduction of construction products to the market.
The new standard – PAS 2000:2026, Construction products – Bringing safe products to market – Code of practice, aims to inform, complement, and align with the government’s forthcoming reforms to construction product regulation, following the recent Green Paper consultation.
This is an important opportunity for the finishes and interiors sector to help shape a standard that will directly impact how products are designed, assessed, and placed on the market.
The draft is now open for public consultation until 8 September 2025. We strongly encourage FIS members to review the standard and share feedback to ensure it reflects the needs and realities of our sector.
You can access the consultation via the BSI Standards Development Portal. Please note you will need to register for a free BSI account to download and comment on the draft.
If you would like to provide comments through FIS as part of a collective response, please get in touch with us by phone or email – we’d be happy to discuss your views.
