Gavin Skelly
Growing fire safety organisation Fire Aware has sent a stark message to those working across multiple sectors with decisions to make about fire safety – change needs to start now.
Fire Aware CEO Gavin Skelly made the call as the fire safety industry starts to understand the implications of the post-Grenfell era and the legal process that is underway.
Gavin Skelly said: “There is a wave of change – and reality – sweeping those sectors with a particular responsibility to protect people. Those inhabiting the built environment are vulnerable from the poor moral performance of those who hold a duty of care to keep them safe.
“This is a widespread responsibility and means a much to the owner of a restaurant, as it does to the owners of care homes, schools or shopping centres. The change we are seeing is in those business owners, and many others, realising that they are directly responsible and that it is not acceptable to offset that responsibility to suppliers.
“We are making a call to the decision-makers in the supply chains serving these sectors to examine their procurement commitments in the interests of public safety and to be clear about their responsibility.
“Our own members are proud to commit to our Code of Conduct and our specific charters which take the safety process beyond legislation. This is a vocation, not a job, and we are all in this together.”
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 (BSR) which has been created to ‘promote competence and higher standards.’
Skelly said all of those involved in the design, construction, management, maintenance and letting of the built environment need to understand that they have an obligation to fire safety even if their business is not directly connected with fire specialisms.
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 with its 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.
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