Grenfell Tower

As many of you will know, on 14 June 2017, a fire made its way through Grenfell Tower in London and 71 people tragically died. Claims have been made that the fire was able to spread quicker than expected as a result of the exterior cladding and some of the other materials used in the building. Dame Judith Hackitt was tasked with writing a detailed report on improvements that can be made to complex buildings, such as high rise apartments to ensure that a similar disaster does not happen again.

The aims of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety aims to make recommendations to ensure that there is a robust set of regulations for the future and provide further assistance to existing buildings.

The review has ruled that the current system for ensuring fire safety for high-rise residential buildings is not safe or fit for purpose. This applies to both the construction of the building, and once the building has been occupied. The main reasons as found by the study are:

• The current guidelines and complicated and difficult to understand, which can lead to confusion and misinterpretation – this is very dangerous when applied to the safety of a building.
• The responsibilities of different bodies is very unclear
• There is not currently a system for assessing the competency of individuals working on a a high-rise and complex building as opposed to a simpler task
• The enforcement rules and sanctions are not strong enough, which in turn does not drive the right behaviours.
• The process for residents to voice their concerns is unclear
• The system of product testing is unclear

A final report will be published this year, but the key areas for change will be:

Regulation and Guidance

The rules for ensuring the safety of high-rise and other complex buildings should be clearer and based on risk analysis.

Those responsible for these types of buildings should be held accountable for decisions made.

The government should not solely hold responsibility, and the construction and fire safety sector should advise on maintaining safety and guidance.

Regulations and guidance must be simpler and not open to a number of interpretations.

Roles and Responsibilities

Those who commission, design and build the projects should be responsible for the safety of the building.

Roles and responsibilities across the fall life cycle of a building must be clearer

Competence

An increased level of competence should be required for all individuals working on the fire safety aspects of a more complex building.

Process and Enforcement

There should be a record of the original design, and any subsequent changes and refurbishments, along with regular reviews of safety.

There should be clear sanctions for those who do not follow the rules.

Resident’s input

Current residents must be reassured that an effective system is in place to maintain safety in their homes.

There must be a clear and effective route for residents to voice their concerns

Quality Assurance and Materials

Products must be properly tested to ensure the quality is fit for purpose

It is positive to see that the government are taking action to assess the mistakes that have been made, and they are making clear goals for what needs to be done.

This type of fire is very unlikely to happen in a regular housing situation, but if you are concerned, I recommend that you get in touch with a professional who can advise on the safety of your home.