IFC are a leading fire consultancy practice, working across the spectrum of building types, but with particular expertise relating to the cold storage and large distribution centres. We act as consultants to the International Association for Cold Storage Construction (IACSC) and authored the Fire Safety section of their Guide on the 'Design, Construction, Specification and Fire Management of Insulated Envelopes for Temperature Controlled Environments'.

On a more practical note we have been involved in the design teams for some of the largest dairy facilities to have been built in the UK and also with the largest fish processing in Europe. For this latter project we achieved a Fire Safety Engineering Award in the competition organised by the Fire Safety Engineering magazine.

Our best method of operation is normally within the design team, but in an existing facility we are able to undertake a risk analysis which goes far beyond the normal requirements for life safety and tries to address all of the potential causes of ignition and to manage the risk that they may cause. This may involve some upgrading of the facility where we consider disproportional damage may develop. Our objective is to make the uninsurable, insurable at a reasonable cost.