Automation and high-density storage have transformed warehouse efficiency. They can also tighten the links between ignition, fire spread, operational disruption and liability when controls or risk information do not keep pace. In 2019, a fire at Ocado’s customer fulfilment centre in Andover became a four-day incident and left the building a total loss. More than 500 robots operated on top of two densely packed storage grids. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service found that the fi

Who makes sure your organisation does the right thing, even when no one is watching? In the fourth and final episode of our special ESG podcast series, RiskSTOP’s Johnny Thomson is joined once again by Kerris Earle, Training and Development Manager at Zing365, to explore the ‘Governance’ aspect of ESG. Often mistaken for little more than compliance and box-ticking, governance is where strategy meets ethics and where an organisation’s environmental and social promises are test

AI can analyse inspection images, monitor equipment and identify patterns across large volumes of information. Used proportionately, it could make risk management more accessible. Used without sufficient scrutiny, it may introduce false confidence and new areas of exposure. Across the industries regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), businesses have reported using computer vision to inspect difficult-to-reach locations, sensor data to inform maintenance and large

Commercial insurance conversations are increasingly shaped by the quality of the information sitting behind them. A client may be investing time and money into risk improvement, but the evidence is not always easy to pull together. An insurer may want to understand how well a business is being managed, but only see part of the picture. A renewal discussion may depend on the quality of risk controls, yet still be influenced by price, claims history and assumptions. That is the

For many UK organisations, the practical question is clear: how do we turn changing regulatory expectations into clear actions, ownership and records before gaps are exposed by regulators, customers, insurers or internal reviews? Several recent and upcoming changes show why this matters. In England, workplace recycling rules changed on 31 March 2025 for most organisations. Martyn’s Law received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, with the Home Office stating that there will be an i

Property insurers faced another costly year in 2025. ABI data shows UK insurers paid £6.1bn in property claims, the highest annual total since ABI began collecting this data in 2017. Weather-related property claims reached £1.2bn, 14% higher than in 2024. Those figures matter because they point to something risk managers have known for a long time. The vast majority of the common loss drivers are not new. Although every incident has its own causes, public claims and incident

More than 27,000 risk improvement requirements were raised across 16,800 commercial risk assessments carried out by RiskSTOP over the past year, with electrical safety, combustible storage, and hot work controls remaining among the most common concerns identified by surveyors. RiskSTOP’s latest Risk Management Infographic highlights the areas most frequently requiring intervention, while also pointing to several challenging risks attracting increased industry attention. ‘Hard

Martyn’s Law, now enacted as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, marks an important development in UK public-safety legislation. It aims to improve preparedness and help organisations better protect the public from the impact of terrorism. For businesses responsible for publicly accessible premises or events, it introduces new duties that will need to be understood, owned and managed in practice. Martyn’s Law changes how many businesses will need to think about s

Fire safety rules often look simple at first. Then the detail starts to show. That is likely to be the case with Residential Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs). From 6 April 2026 , new rules in England place extra duties on those responsible for certain residential buildings where some residents may need help to evacuate in a fire. For anyone involved in assessing residential risk, this brings new points to check around planning, records, reviews and day-to-day management. Which buil

Putting off maintenance is a common driver of preventable property losses, yet it rarely gets the same attention as more visible risks. In reality, daily maintenance is a highly effective line of defence for most organisations. “Most major losses we investigate have warning signs that were visible months or years earlier,” said David Reynolds, Head of Risk Engineering and Surveys at RiskSTOP. “Routine maintenance and good housekeeping may not feel strategic, but together they

Lithium-ion batteries haven’t suddenly appeared in the world. But if you’re placing or owning property risk, you’ll have noticed something has changed: the underwriting conversation has sharpened. Not because underwriters have become “anti-battery”. In most sectors, batteries are now part of normal operations. E-mobility, tools, plant, cleaning equipment, tenant devices, stored goods, returns, even on-site energy storage all make use of them. What’s changed is this: insurers

For decades, the insurance industry has described risk management as essential to controlling loss, reducing claims and protecting people. Yet in practice, structured risk management support remains uneven across the UK. Large organisations often receive regular surveys, tailored guidance and ongoing engagement from insurers. Smaller businesses rarely do, despite facing many of the same exposures. According to a survey by Hiscox , around one-third of UK SMEs lack any formal r

Fire safety requirements in Scotland continue to evolve as part of a wider commitment to improving building safety and reducing the risk of fire spread. One of the most significant upcoming changes for building owners and developers to be aware of is the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025. This regulation will come into force on 6 April 2026. These amendments update Scotland’s building standards requirements relating to external wall cladding systems and automatic

Discover how risk management needs to scale and modernise fast. Explore insights from RiskSTOP Group on industry demands and AI's role in reshaping expectations.

As 2026 begins, risk managers across the UK are navigating a landscape reshaped by environmental volatility, workforce pressures and rapidly evolving regulatory expectations. Traditional property and liability risks remain, but they now intersect with emerging threats that demand more integrated and evidence-led approaches to organisational resilience. “Risk managers are juggling more variables than ever,” said David Reynolds, Head of Risk Engineering and Surveys at RiskSTOP.

The BAFE SP205 scheme is widely recognised as the UK’s benchmark for Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment competence and has now been updated to Version 6.0. Published on 7 November 2025 , with changes coming into effect on 31 March 2026 , this revision represents a significant development for organisations responsible for delivering Fire Risk Assessments and for those who rely upon them. What is BAFE SP205? The BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme provides a robust