A Court of Appeal decision to uphold a £400,000 fine imposed against retail giant New Look for breaches of fire safety obligations has no doubt left other industry players feeling a little hot under the collar, says Ron Reid of legal firm Shoosmiths.

In the light of this summer's tragedy at Lakanal House in London, the fire safety duties of social housing landlords have come under the spotlight. Susan Horridge and Gary Ekpenyoung examine the main legal requirements.

In the light of recent high profile fires and the relentless increase in fire losses, you can be forgiven for wondering whether fire safety in the UK is going backwards rather than forwards. Mike Wood examines our risk based approach and considers whether it is fit for purpose.

An unexpected increase in accidental domestic fire deaths revealed by the latest statistics suggests that a review of home fire safety is needed. In particular, variations in standards and regulations around the UK need to be addressed says Gerald Jones.

Hotels and leisure buildings present some particularly demanding fire safety challenges and, if a fire breaks out, they have the potential to deliver some devastating casualty statistics. Graham Lowe explains.