A global coalition of over 80 fire safety leadership organisations has launched a new internationally consistent approach to the safety and management of buildings, with the aim of saving more lives by reducing risk and preventing devastating fires.

The launch of the International Fire Safety Standard Common Principles (IFSS-CP) follows intensive work to bring public confidence around the regulation and control of fire safety measures and is an industry-led global response to address differing or, in some cases, non-existent requirements in countries across the world to fire safety. Contrasting approaches have resulted in significant variations in the design, approval, construction methods and operation of buildings, impacting fire risk.

Gary Strong, Chair of the IFSS Coalition, said:

“Our coalition has worked hard to produce this globally applicable way to bring consistency on fire safety to buildings new and old and reduce the risk to lives. The new standard is unprecedented, being the first agreement on fire safety principles on this international scale, with its development supported by the United Nations in line with its own sustainable development goals.

“It is the outcome of over two years of work and worldwide expertise on fire safety from over 80 coalition organisations and will bring reassurance that the construction and management of buildings upholds appropriate fire safety standards.”

The standard delivers a clear performance-based framework and common principles that applies to all stages of a building’s life cycle (from design, construction, in use, to change and eventual demolition), which can be defined as follows:

• Prevention – safeguarding against the outbreak of fire and/or limiting its effects.
• Detection and communication – investigation and discovery of fire followed by informing occupants and the fire service.
• Occupant protection – facilitating occupant avoidance of and escape from the effects of fire.
• Containment – limiting of fire and all its consequences to as small an area as possible.
• Extinguishment – suppressing of fire and protecting of the surrounding environment.