Main News Feed Archives - Page 3 of 245

FIS launches Fire Engineering Advisory Service to strengthen competence and reduce risk across the sector

by Clair Mooney | 30 Sep, 2026 | Main News Feed, Member Benefits, Membership, Technical

FIS is pleased to launched a new Fire Engineering Advisory Service, providing members with early, structured access to specialist fire engineering advice to help manage increasing regulatory, contractual and professional risk. Built on the proven model of the FIS Legal Helpline, the service creates a controlled gateway to competent expertise, enabling members to make informed decisions and access the best possible advice in a structured way to assist with legacy or live design issues.

A structured response to growing industry risk

The service has been developed in response to mounting pressures on specialist contractors, including the transfer of design responsibility, ambiguity in compliance expectations, inconsistent use of test evidence and challenges surrounding legacy projects.

At its core is a Fire Engineering Advisory Helpline, offering members:

A single point of access for fire engineering queries
Early-stage advice to clarify technical and regulatory risk
Guidance on responsibility boundaries and decision-making
A structured route to further assessment where required

The helpline is time-bound and advisory, supporting risk triage. Where issues require further input, members can progress in a clear and controlled way to additional structured, discounted support packages such as fire engineering assessments, technical reviews and, where justified, bespoke fire testing. All such services are contracted directly between the member and provider, ensuring clarity of responsibility, liability and professional scope.

Delivered with expert support and future flexibility

The service launches with PartB as delivery partner, who bring multidisciplinary fire engineering expertise and specialist materials engineering capability to the service. Beyond individual enquiries, the service will also act as a source of sector-wide intelligence, helping to identify recurring technical challenges and, where appropriate, collaborative approaches to testing and evidence generation.

Iain McIlwee, Chief Executive of FIS, said:

“Our members are increasingly being drawn into the design process and asked to make complex fire safety decisions without clear boundaries, information or adequate support. This service is about putting structure, clarity into that process – by creating a trusted gateway to competent advice. In doing this we are helping members manage risk effectively, supporting responsible decision making and at the same time building a stronger evidence base for the whole sector. Through a consolidated approach we hope to avoid repetition and ensure that critical time and resource are not wasted dealing with the same issues across multiple projects. It also gives us a strong platform to support collective intervention if appropriate.”

Andy Gordon, Director of Fire, PartB added:

“We are seeing increasing demand across the sector for clear, proportionate fire engineering input at the right time in the decision-making process. Too often, specialist contractors designers and product suppliers are expected to interpret complex fire requirements without a clear line of sight to the appropriate level of expertise. This service creates a structured route to competent advice, helping members understand risk early and make better-informed decisions, while ensuring that more detailed input is properly scoped and delivered under the right professional frameworks.”

Availability

This service is available to members with immediate effect, and more information is available here. Further details will be shared at the FIS Conference on 22 October.

For further information or for any questions please email info@thefis.org or call us on 0121 707 0077.

Addressing a broken design process

by Clair Mooney | 29 Sep, 2026 | Main News Feed, Technical

FIS has been working with contractors in membership to better understand how the failures of the design process and the way in which design responsibility is novated presents unreasonable levels of risk to the specialist drylining contractor. When the design of drylining packages land with the specialist subcontractor with no controls placed on the scope of the package or competence requirements, the contractor will often be asked to take on risks that cannot be adequately priced or managed. Working with members of our Drylining Working Group, FIS has been working on a number of interventions that provide meaningful controls in these circumstances:

We have been working on improving the coverage of our quality control checklists to include design and tender stages that help members follow a more robust process. These checklists are available on the FIS website and are being regularly updated.
In Summer this year, we published a comprehensive competence framework for Drylining design engineers that makes it easier for contractors appointing design expertise (either in-house or using consultants) to demonstrate competence and place further controls on the exposure to design risk.
Design code of practice documents are in advanced draft both for the drylining design package and separately for the overall fit-out process. These documents will provide much needed standardisation to the design process that includes the need for a design responsibility matrix, including critical timelines for appointment, gateways that ensure risks are managed at crucial points throughout RIBA stages 3 and 4 that are typically overlooked and controls to highlight process and further reduce risk around complex design interfaces that are not normally understood by principal designers.

This subject is explored in more detail in this article in SpecFinish.

All of this work is drawn from an FIS Consultation with members on Design Challenges and a paper written in 2024 and ongoing work with the CQIC up in Scotland focussed on understanding limitations in contract awards containing Contractor Design Portions.

Government updates Approved Document B with 2029 fire safety amendments

by Clair Mooney | 28 Sep, 2026 | Main News Feed, Technical

Volumes 1 and 2 of Approved Document B were republished this week by Government to include 2029 amendments.

Changes are based on the response to consultations on sprinklers in care homes; removal of national classifications and second staircases from 2022 to 2024, and the more recent consultation that concluded in July this year.

Withdrawal of the outdated national classes for reaction to fire (BS 476) is already concluded and the subsequent withdrawal of the remaining BS 476 fire testing standards for fire resistance will be concluded in September of 2029 ending a long period of dual specification.

The latest versions of Approved Document B can be accessed and downloaded using the links below:

Volume 1: Dwellings

Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings

Summary of 2029 amendments

If you have any questions about these changes and how they might impact your business, please contact our Technical Director jamesparlour@thefis.org

Opening doors to construction

by Clair Mooney | 24 Sep, 2026 | Main News Feed

With the Milburn report highlighting that “too many young people now leave full‐time education with little or no direct exposure to working environments”, one of the best ways to help the next generation take that first step from the world of education into the world of work is by getting involved in Open Doors. 2027 will see a new, more flexible format to enable events to take place throughout next March, providing more opportunities for sites and workplaces to take part and showcase what our industry has to offer.

Open Doors has a proven track record, with 81% of visitors in 2026 stating they would be more likely to consider a career in construction and a number of them going onto secure a role within the industry. In addition to recruitment, the benefits of getting involved include developing relationships with local schools and colleges and sourcing candidates for work experience and placements.

Events for Open Doors 2027 can be listed on the Open Doors website from Monday 5 October, and further information can be found in Build UK’s latest Open Doors update.

Government reports further progress on Grenfell Inquiry recommendations

by Clair Mooney | 24 Sep, 2026 | Building Safety Act, Main News Feed

The Government has published its latest progress report on implementing the recommendations from the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. It confirms that another nine of the 58 recommendations have been completed, making 28 in total, with all of them expected to be implemented by the end of 2029 including those that require legislation.

The latest progress report, delivered by new Building Safety Minister Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE, highlights that the Building Advisory Committee and Fire Safety Working Group are now both fully operational and that £13 million has been made available to UK higher education institutions to help develop the next generation of fire engineering professionals. The Interim Chief Construction Adviser, Thouria Istephan, has also published a final report ahead of the end of her 12‐month term, setting out how she has supported building safety reform and the development of the permanent Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser role.

With a number of the Inquiry’s recommendations focused on reforming building control, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has written to all local authorities highlighting plans to strengthen local building control services, which include new funding to address workforce shortages and reforms to how local authorities charge for building control work.

Where is your next competent worker coming from?

by Clair Mooney | 23 Sep, 2026 | Main News Feed

The skills shortage in the Finishes and Interiors Sector isn’t going away and addressing it will take a more joined-up, practical approach across our industry. That’s exactly what we’re working to deliver.

FIS has partnered with The Skills Centre to run a series of Skills Bootcamps designed to produce job-ready individuals who are trained, motivated, and ready to start work immediately.

Each candidate completes an intensive four-week programme, developed with industry input, combining hands-on training with the core practical skills required for dry lining and interior fit-out roles.

How you can get involved

We’re now looking for employers to support the next stage by helping these candidates transition into the workplace. You’ll be fully supported in structuring your involvement.

We’re seeking employers who can offer:

Interviews
Two-week work placements
Job opportunities

What you’ll gain

Early access to motivated, entry-level talent with relevant training
A direct pipeline into your workforce
Support in meeting social value and local employment commitments

When

You can visit and get involved during the following dates:

12 – 16 October at the Build East Skills Centre – Bassett Lane, Stratford, London, E9 5EN

This is a great opportunity to see the training in action, understand the process, and meet potential future employees.

We’re aiming to roll this model out more widely across the UK but its success depends on industry engagement.

If not you, who?

We need to build the workforce our sector needs – together.

If you’re interested in attending, or would like to learn more, please contact Marie at FIS marieflinter@thefis.org