Construction site fires cause more property damage than any other single cause in UK commercial property. Yet fire safety on construction sites remains an afterthought.. The £400 Million Problem Construction site fires destroy approximately £400 million of UK property annually. The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) estimates that a major construction fire occurs every week in the UK, with some causing losses exceeding £100 million per incident. High profile examples: The Boatyard, Wandsworth (2023) : £60M+ loss, 20 storey timber frame building destroyed before completion Barking Riverside (2019) : £50M+ loss, multiple timber frame blocks Garnock Court, Irvine (2018) : Complete destruction during renovation Why Construction Sites Are High Risk 1. Incomplete fire protection : Compartmentation, detection, and suppression systems are not yet operational 2. Hot works : Welding, cutting, and grinding are the 1 ignition source (responsible for 30%+ of construction fires) 3. Combustible materials storage : Timber, insulation, packaging materials stored in bulk 4. Temporary electrical installations : Overloaded, poorly maintained, exposed to damage 5. Limited water supply : Firefighting mains may not yet be connected 6. Restricted access : Scaffolding, temporary works, and incomplete structures impede firefighting 7. Timber frame vulnerability : Modern timber frame buildings are extremely vulnerable before plasterboard encapsulation 8. Workforce transience : Subcontractors may not be familiar with site specific fire procedures The Joint Code of Practice (JCoP) The Fire Prevention on Construction Sites Joint Code of Practice (JCoP, 10th Edition) provides the industry standard for construction fire safety. Key requirements: Site fire risk assessment : Must be conducted before work commences and updated as construction progresses Hot works permit system : Formal permits for all hot works, with fire watch for 60 minutes after completion Combustible materials management : Minimum storage distances, segregation, daily removal of waste Temporary fire detection : Required in all enclosed areas during construction Fire points : Extinguishers at every work level and within 30m of any hot works Site fire marshal : Named individual responsible for fire safety coordination Emergency plan : Evacuation procedure with assembly points, updated as site layout changes CDM and Fire Safety The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require: Designers to consider construction phase fire safety in their designs Principal contractors to plan, manage, and coordinate fire safety Principal designers to ensure fire risks are addressed in the pre construction information Contractors to implement fire safety measures and report incidents In practice, fire safety is often treated as an afterthought in CDM documentation. The BSR has signalled that Gateway 2 applications will be scrutinised for construction phase fire safety plans. Protecting Timber Frame During Construction Timber frame buildings are most vulnerable during the 'open frame' phase before encapsulation: 1. Accelerated programme : Minimise the time timber is exposed — target encapsulation within 2 weeks of frame erection 2. Temporary detection : Install battery powered detection on every floor during frame erection 3. No hot works on timber : Absolute prohibition on hot works near exposed timber 4. Security : 24/7 security with fire detection during unoccupied periods 5. Compartment as you go : Install temporary fire barriers at every 4th floor during frame erection 6. Sprinkler early activation : Commission sprinklers floor by floor as construction progresses Magnus Opifex provides construction phase fire safety planning, JCoP compliance audits, and fire safety management during construction. Contact us.