BUSINESS STANDARDS
is the quarterly magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment. Regular features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems and standards.
Fire conscious:
BS 9999
21 Oct 2008
Topics: Fire
With over 30,000 commercial fires handled by the fire service in the UK every year, the demand for a more fire-safety conscious approach to commercial buildings has been high for years.
At the same time, the introduction of the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in April 2008 removed the biggest blocks to legal action against directors in the case of fires: the need to find a senior representative guilty of manslaughter in order to prosecute their company.
Perceived corporate negligence was often one of the key reasons for prosecution, which has made it more imperative for company directors to take fire safety into account in their places of business.
The publication of BS 9999 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, construction and use of buildings in September 2008 was developed to help safeguard the lives of commercial building occupants and fire-fighters, and by extension those using or working in buildings.
The standard covers the construction and use of buildings to maximize fire safety, including precautions and means of escape. It is applicable to new and existing buildings, especially when alterations to the structure of an existing building or to its use are being considered, and covers the entire life cycle of a building.
As part of the launch, a conference will be held in November 2008, to introduce the new standard and provide information on other guidance, as well as updates on legislation and where BS 9999 fits within this context.
For more information on standards: www.bsigroup.com/oct08firestandards
For more information on the conference: www.bsigroup.com/oct08fireconference
Business Standards © 2007. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with the British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
While there was a time when companies would never consider working alongside the competition, today's marketplace demands a more flexible approach. Collaboration is fast becoming par for the course. For example, large government contracts often require expertise that goes far beyond any one company's capacity to deliver. Forming a consortium brings together the right experience in the right place, and it can mean the difference between winning or losing a tender.
BSI is planning an informal free lunchtime roundtable in central London on 10 December 2009 to explore how small businesses and their trade bodies can work more effectively with standards. Places are limited so to register your interest or request more information, please email bsi.survey@bsigroup.com or call +44 (0)20 8996 7750.
Sapphire earns a standards hat-trick
Sapphire Energy Recovery, the waste processing and resource recovery business owned by Lafarge Cement, has achieved certification to three management systems standards (ISO 9001 Quality management, ISO 14001 Environmental management and BS OHSAS 18001 Health and safety management) from BSI. Sapphire is the UK's leading processor of used tyres, and sources and manages the logistics of a range of waste-derived fuels and raw materials for the cement industry.
OCS, an international facilities services group based in the UK, has achieved triple certification to ISO 9001 Quality management, ISO 14001 Environmental management/ and BS OHSAS 18001 Health and safety management with BSI.
As part of its evolving governance, risk and compliance strategy, BSI has acquired the Supply Chain Security Division of First Advantage Corporation.
Question: Why is risk management important to business?
First, there's more to risk management than just managing risk. Most organizations will talk about risk assessments, but the question is: what are they assessing? If you don't know what the threats are, then how can you conduct an effective risk assessment?
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