Nicolas John, Managing Director at FDM – Training and Development, reflects on insights from a recent industry roundtable that was held to explore why the fire door sector is still falling short on safety, despite years of reform, regulation, and rhetoric.

Seven years on from Dame Judith Hackitt’s ‘Building a Safer Future’ report, we find ourselves still working through many of the challenges it describes. Fragmented responsibilities, inconsistent standards, and what is still a slow cultural shift towards shared accountability.
At a recent roundtable, hosted by FDM, we brought together manufacturers, contractors, training providers, and regulators to understand where we currently stand. While there are clear signs of improvement, it is also evident that too many professionals across the supply chain still don’t have the clarity or support they need to navigate today’s complex regulatory landscape with confidence.
The roundtable discussion made one thing very clear – compliance can’t be reduced to paperwork. With 85% of Constructionline-registered businesses reporting that they don’t believe the Building Safety Act applies to them, we have a serious issue, not only of intent, but of understanding.
At FDM, we see every day how many people across the supply chain want to get it right. But the need the right training, the right guidance, and the right tools to do so. That’s why we have built our training offer to go far beyond installers.
Our programmes support everyone – from specifiers and contractors to maintenance teams – to engage meaningfully with fire door safety.

Competence and accountability

Too often, conversations around safety focus on compliance alone.
But as several roundtable participants pointed out, the real question isn’t just about competence, but about who is accountable.
This is where FDM is proud to play a supporting role. We are not here to catch people out. We are here to raise them up. Giving every link in the chain, from architects to installers, the confidence to take ownership of their responsibilities and be part of the solution.
Economic pressures are real, and they are having a tangible effect on quality. We heard from manufacturers being asked to deliver high-performance door sets at low-performance prices. But this results in safety features quietly disappearing, corners are cut, and the weakest points those who try to do things properly.
That is why training matters more than ever. It is important that professionals understand what good looks like, and why it’s worth standing by. When people are confident in their knowledge, they can push back against cost-cutting that compromises safety.
Cultural change is never easy. And there is still a widespread ‘tick box’ mentality in parts of the sector, where the focus is on minimum legal compliance rather than a true commitment to safety. But we are seeing a shift taking place, and training plays a huge role in accelerating it.
Our accredited training isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about building confidence, competence and the right mindset. When people know better, they do better. But we also know training alone isn’t enough. The sector urgently needs a central fire door association – one that unites manufacturers, specifiers, installers and regulators around shared standards accountability and best practice. We need a platform that allows us to lead from the front and help the sector to move forward together.
As Dame Judith Hackitt reminded us during the roundtable, lasting change won’t come from box ticking. It requires leadership at every level. “People are still working to the letter of the law, not the spirit,” she said. “That’s not how systemic change happens.”
Her words reinforce what we see at FDM every day. The need to move beyond minimum compliance and empower individuals to take meaningful ownership of safety outcomes. It’s not just about meeting the standard. It is about raising it, together.

A safer future
If there is one clear takeaway from the roundtable, it is this: progress won’t come from legislation alone. It will come from individuals, businesses, and organisations who are willing to lead by example, support one another, raise the ball together.
FDM is here to help make that happen. We haven’t waited for the government to define competency. We have built our own, and we are sharing it widely. Whether you are a merchant, an installer, a specifier, a contractor or a client, our message is the same – we are here to help. Let’s built a safer more confident, and more consistent industry together.
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