Going deep into the belly of the beast.

Accountability in Fire Safety: Reflections from FPANZ Conference 2024

I recently had the opportunity to present at the FPANZ Conference 2024, addressing a topic that is both provocative and complex. My keynote explored the unsettling idea that there are vested interests, both conscious and unconscious, that have hindered genuine progress in solving the broader issue of fire safety. It was a challenging perspective to bring forward, but it’s a conversation we need to have if we’re to make any meaningful change.

Following my presentation, I had the privilege of listening to Dame Judith Hackitt, a renowned figure in fire safety and the chair of the first report into the Grenfell Tower disaster. Her insights were both compelling and essential, highlighting several critical failures that led up to this tragic event. Among the most pressing issues she discussed were the industry's deep-rooted accountability and responsibility gaps.

Dame Judith's report into the Grenfell fire focused on the construction industry's systemic issues, emphasizing how failures in accountability contributed to the disaster. This theme resonated strongly with my own keynote, where I discussed the role of vested interests in perpetuating fire safety issues. It's clear that without transparency and responsibility, we risk more tragedies like Grenfell.

In the FIRENZ 2024 flyer, the second report on Grenfell is referenced, with insights from Professor Paresh Wankhade. His commentary lays bare the damning verdict: the victims of Grenfell were "badly failed by those responsible for their safety." He goes on to stress that the 72 lives lost in that tragic event were avoidable. The report places responsibility not only on the companies involved in Grenfell’s construction but also on governmental bodies and emergency services. Seven years after the fire, the inquiry's final findings still echo an uncomfortable truth—accountability was absent when it mattered most.

The Grenfell inquiry's first phase, completed under Dame Judith in 2019, meticulously examined the fire's causes and the role of the London Fire Brigade and other emergency services. The final report, however, expanded this investigation to scrutinise the design, construction, and management of Grenfell Tower. It even examined the government's approach to fire safety, underlining systemic flaws that allowed this tragedy to unfold.

The lessons from Grenfell remind us that accountability, responsibility, and the ability to learn from error are crucial in responding to fires and preventing them altogether. Speaking alongside Dame Judith and witnessing her commitment to a safer future was a privilege. Now, it’s up to all of us in the industry to challenge the status quo, confront vested interests, and ensure that no more lives are needlessly lost due to preventable fire safety failures.