![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](http://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
TIMBER FRAME BUILDING FIRE RISK DEBATE
Trade body calls for withdrawal of “misleading and inaccurate report”
The UK Timber Frame Association has called from withdrawal of a RISCAuthority Report BDM14 on fire in timber frame buildings. The report was drafted by the Fire Protection Association.
The report draws parallels between fire statistics for timber frame buildings in the US and the UK. The UKTFA states that the report as “highly misleading, technically inaccurate, lacks any credible substance”.
Timber frame is here to stay
Jim Glockling, technical director of the Fire Protection Association, which administers the RISCAuthority, said it was working with the UKTFA towards a “common goal of ensuring that timber-frame structures may be insured on an equitable basis to conventional building methods”. He said: “New construction methods may alter the business and property loss potential and need to be fully understood.”
Geoff Arnold, past chairman of the UKTFA said:
“We accept that the timber frame industry has had to work hard to limit the risk of fire on construction sites but this document is quite clearly stating that the growth of lightweight timber frame will have ‘significant implications for the insured environment which may extend to the safety of firefighting personnel and building occupants alike’. In fact, if the FPA had done their job properly and employed a professional statistician to carry out this study, the exact opposite conclusion would have occurred.
From a statistical evidence point of view the report completely ignores the fundamental law of analysis that correlation does not mean causation – this is the first indicator that its author is out of his depth. There are great swathes of unjustified assumptions made throughout the report, which are then treated as facts. Warnings about the accuracy of the underlying assumptions in the source data are not replicated in the RISC report which further misleads the reader.
With clear sustainability credentials and an ability to deliver high performance low energy buildings, timber frame is here to stay. We welcome constructive dialogue on how the performance of timber frame can be further improved but inaccurate sensationalistic reports such as this by an organisation that purports to represent the insurance industry are at best unhelpful and at worst misleading.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
REVERSING EXCAVATOR CRUSHED WORKMAN
Lack of management system to segregate pedestrians and vehicles
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 21st September 2017CLIENT FINED £2.5 MILLION AFTER CONTRACTOR DEATH
Fatal fall through roof leaves client responsible for massive fine
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 21st September 2017HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 20th SEPT 2017
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 20th September 2017NEW EDGE PROTECTION INSTALLATION TRAINING
Trade body launches CSCS backed edge protection installer qualification
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th September 2017GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR ACTION ON ILL-HEALTH
Business leaders accept charge of inaction on work-related ill-health
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th September 2017FIRM FAILED TO ENFORCE FORK LIFT SEAT BELT USE
Operator suffered fatal crush injuries after FLT overturned
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th September 2017DIRECTOR AND FOREMAN JAILED OVER FATAL FALL
Failure to act on HSE advice ended in gross negligence manslaughter
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th September 2017PRISON SENTENCE FOR ROOFING CONTRACTOR
Council H&S officers reported dangerous roof work to HSE
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th September 2017HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 14th SEPT 2017
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th September 2017LADDER STANDARDS MOVE UP A RUNG OR TWO
Ladder Association guide to fundamental changes in ladder standard
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th September 2017SILICA (RCS) DUST LIMIT – THE ONLY WAY IS DOWN?
US regulator cuts RCS exposure standard to half UK limit
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th September 2017SAFE2TORCH – REDUCING FLAT ROOF FIRE RISK
Industry body seeks to reduce ‘torch’ triggered fires at design stage
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 8th September 2017FIRM AND DIRECTOR SENTENCED OVER GAS RISK
Poorly planned extension prevented effective gas venting
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th September 2017£1 MILLION CLIENT FINE FOLLOWS FATAL FALL
Electrician died after fall from step ladder provided by client
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th September 2017HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 6th SEPT 2017
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th September 2017HAVS HEALTH CHECK PROMPTS HSE PROSECUTION
Assessment of vibration exposure and control measures found wanting
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th September 2017HSE LUNG DISEASE SUMMIT TARGETS SILICA DUST (RCS)
Regulator starts major initiative on lung disease in construction
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 1st September 2017HSE COST RECOVERY NOW “FULLY INDEPENDENT”
New Fee for Intervention disputes procedure now in place
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 1st September 2017CLIENT FINED AS CDM 2015 PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR
Failure by client to appoint attracts PC duties by default
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th August 2017JOINER PARALYSED AFTER FALL THROUGH JOISTS
Fall prevention and risk minimisation measures not taken
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th August 2017HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 30th AUG 2017
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th August 2017COMPLAINT COSTS CONTRACTOR £145,000 IN FINES
HSE prosecute CDM 2015 Principal Contractor over risk without injury
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th August 2017HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 23rd AUG 2017
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd August 2017HSE CONSTRUCTION FATALITY RECORDS: Q1 2017/18
Latest HSE fatality records reveal four (4) deaths in first three months
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd August 2017HSE ON SILICA DUST (RCS): RISK MANAGEMENT UPDATE
New guidance available on key HSE Construction Sector priority
Posted on 23rd August 2017
