The International Fire Safety Standards coalition (IFSS), a collaboration of over 80 fire safety leadership organisations of which IWFM is a founding member, has published the first version of its Common Principles. The document sets out to provide fire safety guidance which is universally applicable across all stages of the building life cycle and can be used by governments, statutory bodies, communities and individuals across the world.

Currently, many different fire safety frameworks apply globally, meaning there is no single authoritative way to work. For the first time at an international level, the industry-led IFSS will bring greater consistency and reassurance by setting landmark minimum levels of fire safety and professionalism across the world.

The Common Principles are to be presented to the United Nations (UN) with a view to them being accepted as a UN standard. Next year also marks the start of the UN’s Decade of Action for Fire Safety.