Chief Executive’s Blog: High Rise – Low Safety – Whose fault? – Not mine!

As I listened to the BBC Radio 4 Face the Facts programme today, I heard the regular echo we often get from our market surveys as to who takes responsibility for fire doors.
The true answer is – no-one!
Everyone passes the blame to the next man down (or up). The fire brigade don’t own the problem, but enforce the rules! The council recognises the problem – but staff need to be trained. The private owner (now in receivership) says the receiver allowed the building to go into a state of disrepair? Was it the vandals? Or even the fire brigade? They regularly freed residents from lifts, but never noticed the doors weren’t fire doors. On it goes!
The true answer is – we’re ALL responsible! From the specifier to the installer, the client/owner to the user, the door manufacturer, component manufacturer and the merchant who sells them.
As an industry, we have a responsibility to educate all those involved in the life of a fire door, from its specification to its installation and maintenance in use.
Over several years we have regularly promoted the use of independent third-party accredited and certificated fire doors and components via the BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme. Our fact cards, recent film, seminars and press releases repeat the message over and over. But it falls on ears that hear other messages. ‘Save time’, ‘Cut costs’, ‘It’ll never happen to me’, ‘You’ll get away with it’.
There is only one answer to avoid the deaths of more innocent people.
Risk assessments need to be taken seriously. Fire doors need to be specified, installed and work correctly at all times.
A radio journalist’s job is to ask ‘Who’s to blame?’  Our job as an industry is to give people the information and tools to solve the problem.  We’ll be focusing this year on promoting the ‘Circle of Responsibility‘, making clear what’s required of those involved throughout the chain, and how we can and will help them.  Read comments on the news report of the Face The Facts programme