139 | UK Enterprise Awards 2023 Apr23148 Fire Safety Management Experts of the Year 2023 - UK DM Fire Ltd has thrived in a space which demands only the most stringent adherence to regulation and the highest of standards. For Director and Consultant Dean Morris, who has spearheaded the company’s work in almost every way imaginable, that space is familiar and easy to navigate. For many others, however, it isn’t. Dean and DM Fire Ltd have worked hard since the company’s establishment to set new best practices in the industry. We spoke to Dean to find out more. The world of fire safety is longestablished, and built on a rigorous plethora of various measures, considerations, and best practices. It’s also an everyday part of life, and especially so if you’re a business owner. When in doubt, it’s good to have a recognised expert on your side. That’s where Dean comes in. As a country-wide fire consultancy firm, DM Fire Ltd provides high-quality fire engineering and management solutions across both residential and commercial clients. Dean begins by explaining more about DM Fire Ltd’s position, mission and values in his opening comments. “We offer a one-stop shop for anything fire related through all of the RIBA stages, whether its Fire Strategy Design prebuild, regular survey work during the build (including internal fire compartmentation / fire doors inspections), or post build surveys and assessments, such as Fire Risk Assessments and External Wall Surveys (PAS9980). “Our vision is to become the leading fire safety consultancy, recognised for our methodology, quality, ethics, and sustainability. We don’t do generic, and all of our work is bespoke to the individual client and their needs. All of our reports are fully customisable dependant on what the client is trying to achieve, and we are always more than happy to tailor them to any existing internal processes the client might have. Beyond this, we are shamelessly fire nerds. We are keen to make a difference in the industry, not just going with the existing status quo, but challenging existing regulations to see whether they are still relevant to the modern day.” That’s really where Dean and his team stand out. It’s easy enough to do something for a day job, and to meet the minimum criteria. To tick all the boxes. It’s a very different thing to be, truly, passionate about an area of interest and an industry. That’s extra step is so very apparent that is acted as a strong accelerator of growth and reputation in this space which demands excellence across the board for enduring success. “We’re heavily involved with all aspects of the industry – we conduct research and create many papers that are submitted to symposiums around the world. We also volunteer to many organisations which are in existence to help improve the industry (I.e. the IFE). Mentoring and helping to promote competence is vital for the industry and is something that we are actively involved in. External walls and the risks that they provide are probably the hottest topic of this era (excuse the pun).” But all that almost seems an understatement when you consider the involvement and pacesetting nature of DM Fire Ltd in the greater space. After all, there is no such thing as achieving perfection in fire safety, and research is ongoing – with potentially no ceiling at all. No cap on the amount of expertise or knowledge you can possess. It’s a potent driver for Dean. “Huge amounts of work is going into research to create a safer environment for people, but the risks don’t stop there. It’s often a daily occurrence that lithium-ion battery fires are on the news, which shows that the rapid pace the world is developing towards sustainability (quite rightly), often leads to significant risks that may not have been initially considered. Other topics which may carry risks are timber framed buildings and Hydrogen fuel cells. These are all being developed at an incredible pace, but it shouldn’t be seen as ‘Fire Safety vs Sustainability’ - these should go hand in hand. Too often the safety industry is considered to be something to fight against, but everyone instead needs to be working together to achieve the same goals,” he adds. With that in mind, the future of the company relies on continuing to develop the organisations reputation and weight of experience as a recognised element in the space, as Dean concludes. “We have a lot of work ongoing with PAS 9980’s, as it’s a very limited field in terms of competence, as well as the industry wide issue of insurance (or lack of!). The constantly evolving regulations also keeps us on our toes, as there are a lot of unknowns out there at the moment and people looking for guidance. We will still be offering volunteering opportunities and we are really keen to give back to the industry that has provided so much for us. In terms of projects, we are lucky to work with some of the most well-known historic buildings in the UK. These are a passion for us and form a very unique opportunity to work with some of the most important buildings in the country.” Company Name: DM Fire Ltd Contact Name: Dean Morris, Director and Consultant Address: 27 Heathcliff Avenue, Fairfield Park, SG5 4EY Web Address: www.dmfire.co.uk Contact Email: dean@dmfire.co.uk Telephone Number: 07584375631
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