Cross UK has released a report on the potential dangers of misusing fire safety terminology, highlighting the issue that there are cases where inconsistent and inaccurate fire safety terminology is used.

The report noted that many terms related to fire safety in buildings use everyday language, however they may take on specific technical meanings which may not be fully aligned to the common meanings.

Cross said that the adjustment often happens with the aim of improving comprehension for non-specialists, but has the result of distorting the topic unless explicitly addressed.

The reporter said they had encountered the general issue of misleading or misapplied terminology in discussions on what is a high-rise, a higher risk residential building (HRRB), a tall building, a complex building, and most importantly what constitutes a common building situation.

The reporter raised awareness on the issue, highlighting the fact that different participants in the design process might have a different understanding of the same term and that there is no universal common base yet.

They added that they welcome comments of similar experiences and examples, and until this issue is resolved centrally, they encourage the explicit clarification of terms used in professional activities, so that any potential confusion, ambiguity, and miscommunication is reduced.

Find out more about the report.