Why does it appear that there is a sudden increase in fire awareness and new legislation?
Guidance on ways to reduce the risk from fire in buildings has always been provided within Approved Document B, Insurance Design Guides, fire legislation and BRE guidance documents. However, with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order in 2005, the focus of responsibility in the event of a fire has been more clearly defined. Even though a decline in fire related deaths has been experienced in recent years, an increase in high profile building fires has also been seen during the same period, resulting in larger insurance claims which inevitably lead to higher premiums. In 2002 The BRE reviewed their good practice guide entitled ‘Thermal Insulation Avoiding Risks’ and within this document (para. 2.19) they discuss the potential problem of fire spread in flat roofs via a melting weatherproof membrane and combustible insulation. In the following paragraph – 2.19(a)) they advocate the use of non-combustible insulation, the insertion of plasterboard between a metal deck
