The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has collaborated with a coalition of over 70 international organisations to develop a new fire safety global standard. The project will bring reassurance to people across the world that the buildings and infrastructure they use follows the best worldwide expertise on fire safety.

 

RICS is inviting experts to help shape the standard through a global consultation and the effort is being supported by the United Nations and World Bank.

 

The RICS is chairing the development of the International Fire Safety Standard and it follows previous RICS work to bring consistency to the standards people can expect globally across property, construction and valuation. More than 70 member bodies internationally are part of the coalition, including from the Middle East, and with all complying with IFSS, best fire safety knowledge and guidance can be applied.

 

Through the consultation, it is hoped a uniform set of principles can be created for countries to adopt and RICS leadership in this initiative underlines the profession’s commitment to creating safer built environments for people around the world.

 

With the Middle East experiencing several high-profile fires in recent years, it is crucial all aspects of fire safety are considered in the design, construction and management of buildings and infrastructure.

 

Gary Strong, Chair of the International Fire Safety Standards Coalition and Global Building Standards Director at RICS said: “Fire knows no geographical or political boundaries, but the differing approaches to buildings fire safety across the globe can be inconsistent, ineffective and in some cases, non-existent. There is an urgent need to deliver better safety for people’s homes, communities and workplaces and the RICS is committed to being at the heart of this.

 

“This project has brought together wide-ranging global expertise and attracted the support of the United Nations and World Bank. I now encourage experts to engage with this consultation to help us deliver the best possible fire safety standard for the environments we all inhabit.”

 

The International Fire Safety Standards will be open for global consultation until 23 March with the final international standard to be published later in 2020. -- Tradearabia News Service