I am the Founder and Director of MH Fire Safety (MHFS), a specialist fire engineering consultancy based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. I began my career in construction and multidisciplinary consultancies, gaining extensive experience in building design, project delivery, and fire safety compliance. This foundation provided a strong practical understanding of construction processes and the importance of integrating fire safety from project inception.
During 15 years at Building Control, I oversaw diverse developments, ensuring compliance with building regulations and fire safety standards. I became known for my technical expertise, pragmatic approach, and commitment to improving industry standards. I hold an MSc in Fire Engineering, am an Assigned Certifier (SCSI) with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), and a Chartered Member of both the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB) and the Institution of Fire Engineers (IEng).
As Chair of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee (2019–2025), I’ve contributed to regional policy development. Since founding MHFS in 2018, I’ve built a respected consultancy delivering practical, high-quality fire engineering solutions across the UK and Ireland.
I lead the consultancy’s technical direction, governance, and client delivery, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on engineering. My day typically begins with reviewing project progress before moving into meetings, correspondence, or site visits with clients, design teams, and regulators. I develop and review fire strategies for complex, high-risk projects, ensuring compliance and alignment with objectives.
A key part of my role is mentoring engineers—providing technical guidance, supporting professional development, and maintaining consistent technical standards. Collaboration and communication are central, whether resolving design queries, providing advice to project teams or ensuring consistency across deliverables. Alongside project work, I oversee business operations, resource planning, and strategic growth, all focused on delivering clear, practical, and compliant fire engineering solutions.
The main challenge in my role is managing the complexity and diversity of our projects—each building presents unique fire safety considerations, and no two are ever the same. Balancing regulatory compliance with design innovation and practical buildability demands sound judgement and clear, cross-disciplinary communication. Another significant challenge is staying ahead of evolving legislation, guidance and standards across both the UK and Ireland, maintaining both technical accuracy and team competency. As director of a growing consultancy, I’m also responsible for upholding high technical standards while mentoring junior engineers to ensure consistency, quality, and continual professional development across all our work.
What I enjoy most about my work is the variety and problem-solving that fire engineering offers. Every project presents unique challenges, requiring the interpretation of requirements and the development of practical, performance-based solutions that balance safety with design intent. I value the blend of technical and human factors—understanding how people use buildings, how materials behave in fire, and how systems interact to achieve safe outcomes. My role has taken me to complex, high-profile projects across the UK and Ireland, offering real satisfaction in seeing strategies realised and in supporting my team’s growth while advancing fire safety standards across the industry. There’s a real sense of achievement in seeing a project through to completion, knowing the fire strategy has played a key role in delivering a safe, compliant building.
A major professional achievement has been founding MH Fire Safety in 2018 and developing it into a respected consultancy delivering complex, performance-based fire strategies across the UK and Ireland. Leading high-profile, technically challenging projects has been especially rewarding, requiring strong coordination and robust technical justification to secure approvals. Equally fulfilling has been supporting colleagues’ growth, helping them build confidence, experience and gain professional recognition.
Serving as Chair of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee (2019–2025) and receiving several industry awards have been valuable honours, but my greatest achievement remains building a capable team and advancing fire safety standards across the industry.
My interest in engineering grew from understanding how buildings are constructed and how regulations ensure safe, compliant design. Over time, I became increasingly fascinated by fire science and its impact on building performance. What I enjoy most about fire engineering is the diversity of challenges—no two projects are the same. Each draws on lessons learned, enabling practical, innovative solutions to evolve and become more refined. This blend of technical insight, problem-solving, and applying experience to new challenges continues to drive my passion for advancing fire safety through engineering.
I pursued IFE membership to formally recognise my competence and commitment to high professional standards in fire safety. With experience spanning construction, consultancy, and building control, I wanted my credentials to reflect the expertise and responsibility my role demands. The IFE provides a respected benchmark for professionalism, keeping me aligned with evolving standards while enabling me to contribute through mentoring, knowledge-sharing, and committee work. For me, professional registration represents both an achievement and an ongoing commitment to excellence in fire engineering.
I joined the IFE’s Fire Risk Assessors Register to formally demonstrate my competence and credibility as a fire safety professional. With a career spanning construction, consultancy, and building control, I’ve seen how vital verified competency is to maintaining high standards of safety and compliance.
The register provides a recognised benchmark of professionalism, and I wanted to align myself, and set an example for my team, with those standards. It’s also a proactive step in preparing for the industry’s growing focus on mandatory competence, particularly for complex and high-risk projects.
Becoming a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) has been invaluable for my professional growth and contribution to the wider fire safety industry. It has connected me with a diverse network of experts, enabling the exchange of ideas, technical insights, and best practices across multiple fire engineering disciplines. This collaboration has deepened my understanding of emerging challenges and innovations within the built environment.
The IFE’s focus on competency, professional recognition, and continuous development has shaped my own career progression while providing a strong framework for mentoring my team. The emphasis on continuing professional development (CPD) by staying current with evolving legislation, standards, and research ensures the consultancy services I deliver remain robust and evidence based.
Additionally, being involved in branch committees and technical discussions has given me the opportunity to contribute to policy and guidance development from a Northern Ireland and cross-jurisdictional perspective, allowing me to help shape the future of fire safety practice. Overall, IFE membership has strengthened my professional credibility, broadened my network, and deepened my commitment to maintaining the highest standards of fire engineering and safety.
I actively participate in branch CPD events and encourage my team to do the same, fostering a culture of continuous learning. I contribute to knowledge-sharing within the profession by presenting project case studies, most recently on fire safety in historical buildings and the lessons from these complex projects.
At MH Fire Safety, I’ve aligned our mentoring framework with IFE competency pathways, supporting engineers’ progression through professional grades. As a committee member of the IFE Northern Ireland Branch, I provide insights on building regulations and guidance from both Northern Ireland and cross-jurisdictional perspectives.
I strongly recommend joining the IFE, which provides a recognised benchmark of professional competence, credibility, and integrity in fire safety. Membership demonstrates commitment to high standards of technical expertise and ethical practice—vital in a profession directly impacting life safety and regulatory compliance.
The IFE offers access to specialist knowledge, professional networks, and continuous learning, helping members stay updated on legislation, standards, and best practice. As projects grow in scale and complexity, verified competency is increasingly essential. Aligning with a respected professional body such as the IFE allows practitioners to demonstrate their competence through recognised qualifications and experience, which will be critical in the evolving regulatory landscape. For me, IFE membership has been both a personal investment in professional development and a way to contribute to advancing fire safety standards across the built environment.
My main advice is to start the process early. Review the registration requirements in detail to identify any areas where you may need to strengthen your knowledge, experience, or qualifications. Early self-assessment allows you to plan steps such as gaining practical experience, completing additional training, or pursuing formal fire safety qualifications. Thoroughly document your work experience and demonstrate competency across diverse building types and risk profiles. Engaging with peers and mentors provides valuable insight into expectations and best practices.
Finally, approach the application as a professional development opportunity rather than just an administrative task—preparing for the IFE Fire Risk Assessors Register enhances both technical capability and confidence as a fire safety professional.