We are currently seeing EV charging points being mounted on composite insulated panels (CIP’s). In some cases, these panels are highly flammable. In the below example vehicle charging points have been fixed directly to the panels by a competent electrician, you will notice how the steel skin protecting the foam core has been breached with electrical cables through. In addition, the voids have been filled with highly flammable expanding foam. Ignition sources such as the vehicle or charger can ignite the exposed core resulting in rapid fire and smoke spread leading to a risk to life and building/business loss.

We remind our members of the guidance produced by NFUM and other insurers advising that ignition sources must be kept away from CIP’s. Lessons learned from the above is that although your installers are competent in terms of electrical competency in some cases they may not competent in fire safety and CIP’S your risk assessment must be reviewed before any installations are carried out. Please see below guidance:

composite-panels-fire-safety-guide.pdf (nfumutual.co.uk)

Following several terror attacks since 2017 including the Manchester arena, Martyn’s Law will keep people safe, enhancing our national security and reducing the risk to the public from terrorism by protecting public venues including retail and food and drink.

It will place a requirement on those responsible for certain locations to consider the threat from terrorism and implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures.

BFFF has booked one of 100 places at a government meeting to understand the detail of Martyn’s Law in 2024, this will provide useful information and support to all business across all sectors for preparing to comply with the legislation and hopefully find out a date for the Bill to be passed.

It is expected that the new legislation will apply to anyone responsible for publicly accessible locations used for purposes such as entertainment and leisure, retail, food and drink, museums and galleries, sports grounds, public areas of local and central Government buildings (e.g., town halls), visitor attractions, temporary events, places of Worship, health, and education. Offices or private dwellings are not included.

The responsibility for implementation is down to the person who controls a premises or event. The Government will use a ‘scrutiny period’ to determine how charities, not-for-profits etc are affected.

The government have indicated that publicly accessible locations with a capacity of more than one hundred people (standard tier) will need to undertake easy and simple activities to meet their obligations. This will include the completion of free training, awareness raising and cascading of information to staff and completion of a preparedness plan.    Those activities will include completing free training, raising awareness and cascading information to staff.

The aim is to ensure staff are better prepared to respond quickly to evolving situations, aware of what processes they should follow, and able to make rapid decisions and carry out actions that will save lives. This could be as simple as locking doors to delay attackers’ progress and access whilst guiding staff and customers to alternative exits. It could also enable lifesaving treatment to be administered by staff whilst awaiting the arrival of emergency services.

Publicly accessible locations with a capacity greater than eight hundred people (enhanced tier) will also be required to produce a risk assessment and security plan, considered to a ‘reasonably practicable’ standard. As well as completing a preparedness plan.

This will allow duty holders to assess the balance of risk reduction against the time, money and effort required to achieve a successful level of security preparedness – plus a recognised standard in other regulatory regimes (including Fire and Health and Safety).