Harshad Patel has joined FIRA as a support manager for the technical services department. He will aid senior technical manager Phil Reynolds on a range of research and technical projects.
Mr Patel is an experienced consultant with a background in fire engineering, R&D, quality, risk assessment and business development.
After completing his MPhil in fire and material technology, he joined London Transport as a technical adviser, handling product approvals and certifications, R&D and fire modelling, with an aim to execute the fire safety specification following the Kings Cross fire in 1987. The specification rapidly become accepted by railway authorities worldwide and was standardised in many countries.
Following a career change in 1997, Mr Patel set up and ran a laboratory providing fire engineering and product development services to specifiers and suppliers/manufacturers in buildings, airline and utilities industries.
