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BUREAU VERITAS EXPERTS TO SHOWCASE TAILORED HSE SOLUTIONS AT DURHAM SUMMIT
Fire Risk Assessment
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Fire Safety Must Be Built Into Every Stage of Construction
Nov. 19 2025
As the construction industry faces stricter regulations and more complex building designs, fire safety has never been more critical - and it must be embedded from the very first design decision.
That's the message from Dr Constance Ehiozee, Fire Safety Ambassador at Bureau Veritas, ahead of London Build 2025 (19–20 November, Olympia London).
Moving Beyond Tick-Box Culture
Dr Ehiozee emphasises that fire safety is not a compliance checkbox, but a living, breathing responsibility that must be understood and owned by everyone on site - from architects to apprentices.
"A fire door held open with a fire extinguisher isn't a design flaw; it's a culture flaw," she explains. "We need to move beyond the tick-box mentality and build a genuine safety culture."
A Lifecycle Approach to Safety
Bureau Veritas embeds fire safety across every phase of a building's life:
- Design & Engineering: Fire safety experts collaborate with architects from the outset, integrating safety into the project's DNA rather than retrofitting it later.
- Operational Management: Regular fire risk assessments identify real-world hazards that drawings can't predict — from propped-open fire doors to unintended fuel loads.
- Advanced Analysis: For complex challenges, fire science expertise ensures even innovative designs are grounded in safety.
- Post-Incident Learning: Fire investigations identify root causes, transforming incidents into industry-wide lessons.
Innovation & Regulation Driving Change
Digital tools — from building simulations to thermal imaging drones — are transforming fire safety from reactive to predictive. Meanwhile, the Building Safety Act 2022 is fundamentally reshaping accountability, with the HSE now acting as an active regulator rather than a passive inspector.
Developers and contractors must now demonstrate that key personnel have the skills and experience to perform their roles, maintain robust digital records of all safety decisions, and engage with regulators as partners rather than adversaries.
"Your design and planning phase is now the most critical part of the project," Dr Ehiozee notes. "You must invest more time and expertise up-front. The safety case must be watertight before a spade hits the ground."
Fire Safety as Value, Not Cost
Fire safety is not a cost - it's an investment in lives, reputation, and long-term value. Buildings with strong fire safety credentials are safer, more insurable, and more trusted by residents and the public.
"Stop thinking of fire safety as a cost and start thinking of it as a value," Dr Ehiozee concludes. "The best alarm is the one that never has to sound. And that starts with a culture of safety, long before the first spark."
About London Build 2025
Dr Constance Ehiozee will be attending London Build 2025 as a Fire Safety Ambassador, engaging in deeper conversations about the realities of fire safety in modern construction and the evolving regulatory landscape.