Building Safety Wiki Interviews - Helen Hewitt

Behind every regulation and guidance document are people working to make building safety function in practice.

One of them is Helen Hewitt, chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.

We spoke to Helen about what is changing across the sector, from competence and culture to the realities of delivering safer buildings day to day.

[edit] What motivated you to work in the fire industry, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

What motivated me is the sheer diversity of what our members at the British Woodworking Federation make and install, and the impact it has on homes, schools, public buildings and everyday life. When you are dealing with products like fire doors and stairs, you are absolutely in the space of protecting lives and part of a life-safety critical supply chain.

Two things keep me passionate. First is the pace of regulatory change. Our industry has never been so heavily regulated across fire safety, building safety and wider standards.

Second, I have worked across manufacturing industries for over 20 years, and the passion in woodworking and joinery goes above and beyond what I have seen elsewhere.

[edit] From a leadership perspective, what is the biggest challenge the fire industry faces right now?

Competence, without question. It’s vital because if measures aren’t installed correctly, they won’t perform as they should and become safety hazards. We have a major opportunity to improve competence right across the built environment; not just in manufacturing, but in installation, maintenance, and sign off.

The other reality is that the Government’s proposed apprenticeship reforms would undermine the quality and robustness of a key route into our sector. That’s why the BWF has founded the Construction Coalition, to challenge the reforms and ultimately save the future of our apprenticeships and the competence of future apprentices.

[edit] What does ‘responsibility’ look like for senior leaders when it comes to fire safety?

Responsibility should be demonstrated by proactively championing best practice and competence as a business priority.

It means making sure your workforce is trained and up to date with changing regulations, while also taking responsibility for the contractors brought onto sites or into buildings.

A key part of this is understanding the difference between organisational competence and individual competence and making sure the two align.

Historically, parts of the sector leaned heavily on organisational competence demonstrated through third-party schemes. Those schemes have value, but we also need confidence in the individuals doing the work, because that is what determines whether a product is fitted correctly and performs as it should.

Ultimately, responsibility means ensuring that products are correctly specified and installed by a competent person, with evidence to demonstrate each step of the process.

[edit] From your perspective, what is one common misconception clients or the public still have about fire safety?

People can assume that if you have bought and installed a fire door, you are safe. But a fire door is only a fire door if it is the right product, correctly installed, properly maintained and remains uncompromised over time.

The same principles apply across building safety. It is not just a box-ticking exercise or a badge on a website; it’s about evidence, competence, and accountability.

As an industry, we need to do more to address this. At the BWF, we have focused for many years on raising awareness of the life-saving role of fire doors through initiatives such as Fire Door Safety Week and the BWF Fire Door Alliance’s Be Certain, Be Certified campaign.

[edit] What should companies be prioritising to initiate industry-wide culture change?

Companies should prioritise competence, evidence and consistency if they want to drive industry-wide culture change.

The fire safety sector is fundamentally underpinned by the knowledge, skills and expertise of its people. Without demonstrable competence at every stage, from design, manufacturing, specification and installation through to inspection and maintenance – standards will inevitably vary.

This should be supported by evidence, whether that’s proof of training, installation, product performance declarations or ongoing maintenance.

For example, the BWF Fire Door Alliance (FDA) champions third-party certification of fire doors and door sets to provide confidence and peace of mind for specifiers, building owners and managers that their fire door – if correctly installed and maintained, will perform as stated in the event of a fire. We need to shift the mindset to drive culture change; good practice should be the foundation.

[edit] How can we improve collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry?

We improve it by being very clear on who is doing what and then making it easier for the sector to align on shared frameworks.

There is a lot of misinformation from organisations making unsubstantiated claims around their products, the competence of their employees and training courses being sold, which is having a negative impact and needs to be addressed.

Competence work sits under the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) Sector Led Group 10 (SLG 10) – bringing together 700+ stakeholders and specialists, including the BWF. It has been established to deliver clear and comprehensive competence frameworks and a route of competence for installers of products, in this case fire doors.

Beyond structures, collaboration improves when clients and regulators are aligned with industry on practical implementation and when we share what works. We need to avoid situations where others make claims and statements that contradict the routes to competence.

The work of the SLG 10 is so important as the frameworks aren’t being driven by training providers or awarding organisations, which ultimately protects the integrity of the competence outcome.

[edit] How should organisations attract and support professionals entering the fire industry?

We need to champion the diverse roles and opportunities within the sector. The fire safety industry offers the potential for a lifelong career with progression opportunities, clear purpose and pride in work that protects people and, when needed, saves lives.

To support people once they are in, we must be clear about expectations, provide structured development and recognise that to build skills and maintain competence requires ongoing investment.

[edit] If you could change one thing about how the UK approaches building safety, what would it be and why?

I’d ensure that as an industry we have more stability and joined up working across government and regulatory bodies.

We need less fragmentation, clearer accountability, and more confidence that the system won’t change shape just as industry starts implementing it.

We can deliver the shift toward more accountability, traceability and competence outlined by the Building Safety Act and post-Grenfell legislation updates but we need a framework that’s consistent, evidence-led, and gives industry the time and tools to adapt.

[edit] Closing observations

Helen’s perspective reflects a wider shift across the industry, where sharing experience and practical insight is becoming increasingly important as building safety requirements continue to evolve.

The Building Safety Wiki brings together this kind of knowledge from across the sector, helping professionals navigate regulation, guidance and real-world application in one place.

If you have experience or insight to share, you can contribute directly or get in touch to be featured in a future interview.

https://www.bwf.org.uk/