accuSafe Consulting Limited

26/08/2026

New Fire Evacuation Duties Are Now in Force – Do They Apply to Your Building?

New fire safety requirements came into force in England on 6 April 2026, introducing Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (Residential PEEPs) for certain residential buildings.

The requirements apply to:

• High-rise residential buildings of at least 18 metres or seven storeys
• Multi-residential buildings over 11 metres where a simultaneous evacuation strategy is in place

For Responsible Persons, this can mean identifying residents who may struggle to evacuate without assistance, carrying out a person-centred fire risk assessment and putting suitable arrangements in place to support them.

Buildings within scope must also have a building emergency evacuation plan.

But this shouldn't just become another paperwork exercise.

The important question is:

If somebody can't evacuate without assistance, do your arrangements actually work for them?

At accuSafe, we provide fire safety services across the UK, including fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, fire alarms, emergency lighting and wider fire safety support.

If you're unsure whether your building or current evacuation arrangements are affected, we can help.

👉 https://accusafe.uk/fire-safety-3/

24/08/2026

𝗢𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗸

A lot of businesses only think about occupational health when someone has already been off sick for a while.

But actually, some of the biggest benefits come from getting support before it reaches that point.

Occupational health can help when an employee is starting to struggle with a health condition, when you're unsure whether work could be making things worse, or when you need advice around fitness for work, reasonable adjustments or a safe return to work.

It can also help businesses take a much more proactive approach through health surveillance and workplace health support, identifying potential problems before they turn into longer-term absence.

The Government's Keep Britain Working programme is putting increasing emphasis on prevention, early intervention and helping people stay in work wherever possible.

And really, the principle is pretty simple:

Don't wait until somebody has been off work for three months before asking what could have been done three months ago.

At accuSafe, we provide occupational health services to businesses across the UK, including management referrals, fitness-for-work assessments, health surveillance and proactive workplace health support.

Find out more:
https://accusafe.uk/wellbeing-and-occ-health/

22/08/2026

🎂 accuSafe is 7 years old today!

On 22 August 2019, accuSafe officially became a business.

I don't think I could have predicted then quite where the next seven years would take me, or what accuSafe would eventually become.

There have been some incredible clients and projects, a few curveballs, plenty of lessons, and more than a couple of occasions where I've wondered what on earth I've got myself into. 😆

But I'm incredibly proud of what we've built.

Seven years on, accuSafe is entering its most exciting chapter yet.

We're expanding our in-person training offer with the talented as our Head of Training. We're growing our fire safety and occupational health services, developing new ways of supporting businesses with their wider health, safety and wellbeing responsibilities, and continuing to build the consultancy side of the business.

It's becoming much more than the business I started in 2019.

And I think we're only just getting going.

A huge thank you to every client, colleague, collaborator and person who has recommended accuSafe, worked alongside us or supported the business over the last seven years. It genuinely wouldn't be here without you.

Here's to year 8. 🥂

Compliance. Protection. Partnership.

17/08/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱?

It’s a common challenge with health and safety investment.

Perhaps equipment needs upgrading, managers need better training, your reporting system isn’t working effectively, or your H&S arrangements simply haven’t kept pace with the growth of the business.

Then comes the question:

“What’s the business case?”

Legal compliance is important, but sometimes “because the law says we need to” isn't enough to secure investment.

A stronger business case explains what that investment will:

✅ Prevent – accidents, ill health and disruption
✅ Reduce – absence, downtime and avoidable costs
✅ Protect – people, reputation, contracts and business continuity
✅ Improve – competence, productivity, resilience and decision-making

There is an economic argument too.

International research by ISSA identified an estimated Return on Prevention of €2.20 for every €1 invested in workplace prevention. Although the original research dates back to 2011, both IOSH and ISSA continue to reference the 1:2.2 figure today.

It isn't a guarantee of financial return. But it reinforces an important point:

Good health and safety isn't simply a cost to the business. Done properly, it protects the business and supports its performance.

Our latest accuSafe blog explains how to build a practical health and safety business case that directors can properly evaluate.

Read it here 👇
https://accusafe.uk/build-a-health-safety-business-case-directors-cant-ignore/

“We know we need it. But how do we get the budget approved?”

17/08/2026

🔥 Britain is a tinderbox – but what does that have to do with fire safety at work?

Last week, millions of people across England and Wales received an Emergency Alert warning of a very high risk of wildfires.

There's been plenty of discussion about the alert itself, but it raises a useful question for businesses:

When did you last really look at your fire risk assessment?

Fire risks don't stand still.

You might have changed the layout of your building, introduced new equipment, increased storage, taken on more employees or changed how an area is used.

And for some premises, prolonged hot and dry weather can change the risks outside the building too.

A few things worth considering:

🔥 Is vegetation or combustible waste building up around the premises?

🔥 Are external storage areas properly managed?

🔥 Could an external fire affect your escape routes?

🔥 Could emergency service access be compromised?

🔥 Would your employees know what to do if a fire threatened the building from outside?

We're certainly not suggesting every workplace suddenly needs “wildfire” added to its fire risk assessment.

The point is much simpler:

Your fire risk assessment should reflect the risks that exist today, not the risks that existed when it was first written.

If you're not sure yours does, accuSafe can help.

We provide professional fire risk assessments and wider fire safety services for organisations across the UK.

Find out more here 👇

https://accusafe.uk/fire-safety-3/

06/08/2026

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁... 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀?

We've had quite a few questions recently about fire detection and alarm systems, particularly around servicing and maintenance.

One business owner asked us what it actually means when the law says a fire alarm system must be maintained "in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair."

The answer is actually quite simple.

It means you can't just install a fire alarm system and forget about it.

You should make sure it:
✅ Works properly every time it's needed.
✅ Is in good physical condition, with no damaged or loose components.
✅ Is regularly inspected, tested and serviced by a competent person.
✅ Has any faults repaired without delay.

One thing many people don't realise is that a weekly fire alarm test on its own isn't enough. It's an important check, but it doesn't prove the entire system is being maintained correctly.

A planned servicing and maintenance programme, typically in line with BS 5839-1, is an essential part of meeting your legal duties.

🔥 Good fire safety isn't just about having a fire alarm. It's about knowing it will work when lives depend on it.

At accuSafe, we now provide professional fire detection and alarm system servicing and maintenance as part of our expanding fire safety services.

If you're not sure whether your current arrangements are compliant, get in touch. We'd be happy to review your existing system and answer any questions.

📞 Send us a message or give us a call to find out more.

08/07/2026

Most leaders still think compliance belongs to specialists.

Health & Safety. HR. Finance. Operations.

But when something goes seriously wrong, investigators, regulators and insurers don't stop there.

They ask a different question:

"What did leadership know, when did they know it, and what did they do about it?"

That's why I believe leadership itself has become a compliance issue.

In the next edition of my new LinkedIn weekly newsletter series, I explore why policies, training records and audit reports no longer provide the assurance many leaders think they do, and why governance, oversight and leadership judgement have become critical to organisational resilience.

You can read it here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-now-compliance-issue-nicky-cheetham-whitfield-llb-hons--cegje/?trackingId=5Rh4HSSZQ4OKXNiua8g1mA%3D%3D

If you're a CEO, director, business owner or senior leader, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Has leadership accountability changed over the last few years, or are organisations only just beginning to realise it has?

26/06/2026

👏 Congratulations to Bronz Glow (UK) Ltd on achieving another year of SafeContractor accreditation!

We've had the pleasure of supporting Bronz Glow as their appointed Health & Safety Consultant since 2021, managing the accreditation process for their group of companies each year.

It's always fantastic to see long-standing clients continue to demonstrate their commitment to high standards of health, safety and compliance.

Thank you to the entire Bronz Glow team for your continued trust. We're looking forward to supporting you for another successful year.

25/06/2026

Most business owners and senior leaders I've worked with have never heard of Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

When I explain that directors and senior leaders can, in certain circumstances, be prosecuted personally for Health & Safety offences committed by their organisation, it often comes as a surprise.

That's why I've written a new article for HSE Network exploring what Section 37 means in practice and why leaders should understand both their organisational and personal responsibilities.

You can read it here:
🔗 https://www.hse-network.com/from-assumption-to-accountability-helping-senior-leaders-understand-their-personal-duties-under-section-37/

“I’m sure we’d be covered… wouldn’t we?” It’s rarely said out loud. But if you’ve spent any time working with senior leadership teams, you’ll recognise it. That assumption that if something goes wrong, responsibility will sit somewhere within the business, the systems, the processe...

25/06/2026

There isn't a legal maximum workplace temperature in the UK...but that doesn't mean employers have no responsibilities.

As temperatures continue to climb, it's worth remembering that heat is a workplace hazard like any other.

Employers have a legal duty to assess the risks and take reasonable steps to protect their employees.

That could include:
💧 Providing free drinking water.
🪑 Increasing rest breaks.
🕗 Move more physically demanding work to cooler parts of the day.
🌬️ Improving ventilation where possible.
🦺 Considering whether PPE is making the situation worse.

I can still remember working in an office with no air conditioning during a heatwave many years ago. We were constantly trying to cool down by running our wrists under cold water in the toilets. It wasn't comfortable and it certainly wasn't productive.

The best advice?

Don't assume everything is fine because your office feels comfortable.

Walk the workplace.

Speak to your team.

See the conditions for yourself.

Heat-related illness is preventable when risks are identified and managed early.

Stay safe and hydrated everyone.