The Fire Safety Event 2026 at the NEC once again brought the industry together. It is one of the few places where design, compliance, manufacture and enforcement sit in the same space, and that breadth was reflected in both the discussions on stage and the conversations on the stand.
Legal accountability and compliance sat firmly at the centre of this year’s event.
Andrew Ledgerton-Lynch’s (COO of the FIA) captured that shift with clarity, setting out how legal obligations are now shaping decision-making across the built environment. The direction is becoming harder to ignore. Competence, responsibility and demonstrable compliance are no longer background considerations. They are central to how projects are designed, delivered and signed off.
That same message was carried through the Smoke Control Association sessions. Updates around the Building Safety Regulator, Gateway 2 and the Building Safety Act pointed to a system that is still evolving but already demanding a more structured and accountable approach. The focus on the 7-storey or 18-metre threshold, alongside evacuation lifts, second staircases and PEEPs, reflects a design approach that is increasingly centred on how buildings are actually used and how people move through them in an emergency.
A highlight for us was David Fitzpatrick’s presentation in the Compliance Theatre on day three, focusing on updates to smoke ventilation in BS 9991:2024. The session explored natural ventilation, lift lobby protection and the life safety considerations that continue well beyond early design stages.
The point was straightforward but important. Fire safety design cannot be left to fall into place later in the programme. It needs to be considered early, coordinated properly and carried through with intent from concept to completion. That only happens when disciplines are aligned from the outset and remain engaged throughout.
Across the event, there was a consistent thread running through the technical detail and regulatory updates. Better outcomes depend on better collaboration. Design teams, contractors, manufacturers and specialists all have a role to play, and those roles need to connect in a more deliberate way than they have in the past.
That is where we see many projects either succeed or struggle. When communication is clear and responsibilities are understood, compliance follows more naturally. When it is not, gaps appear quickly.
Back on the stand, we welcomed a steady flow of visitors across all three days. It gave us the chance to have the kind of detailed, practical conversations that rarely happen anywhere else. It was also an opportunity for many to stop by and say farewell to Trevor, which meant a great deal to the team.
There was particular interest in our new insulated circular blade damper. It prompted some useful discussion around insulated versus non-insulated approaches and where each is appropriate. As the only UK-manufactured insulated blade of its kind, it reflects a very specific response to changing project requirements rather than innovation for its own sake. We are looking forward to bringing it to market shortly.
Events like this tend to confirm where the industry is heading. The expectations are clearer, the level of scrutiny is higher and the need for well-coordinated, compliant systems is only increasing. It is exactly the space BSB Engineering Services operates in every day, supporting projects with the technical understanding and practical delivery needed to meet those demands.
If you were not able to attend, our highlights video captures some of the key moments and themes from across the three days.
