JRC Technical Report “Prospects for implementation of Fire Safety Engineering approach in Europe”

This JRC Technical Report offers (1) a view on the ongoing standardisation efforts for a wider implementation of fire safety engineering (FSE) in the 27 EU and 3 EFTA countries, the United Kingdom and Serbia, (2) a deeper understanding of the FSE-related education availability and needs, complemented by a detailed mapping of university education and training in FSE. The education availability is compared to the status of qualification frameworks for FSE regulatory reviewers and practitioners, and to the role of the fire engineer in specifying the main parameters of building design projects and in undertaking liability for fire design. This supports detailed considerations on the level of, and the potential for, further implementation of the fire safety engineering approach in the covered countries that currently allow for its application. The report also compares the views of European fire regulators and professionals on the status of FSE implementation in their countries, enlightening similarities and differences. Finally, it explores the perspectives and needs for European standardisation for the emerging topic of buildings under fire hazard at the wildland-urban interface (WUI).

The report authors, editors and contributors include members of the JRC FSE expert network from technical committees of international standard bodies, the European Commission, national bodies and authorities competent for fire safety, as well as European associations and companies operating in the field of fire safety.