Tower block safety ‘must be improved’
MINISTERS have been urged to act after a review prompted by the Grenfell Tower fire found safety regulations for tall buildings were “not fit for purpose”.
Current rules concerning the construction and maintenance of high-rise blocks were said to be confusing and left room for people to cut corners.
Dame Judith Hackitt, who is leading the probe, said a change in culture was needed to ensure safety is prioritised over costs in the construction industry.
She published her findings in an interim report, along with a series of recommendations which Labour said should be implemented by the Government “immediately”.
The report said: “Many of the findings to date clearly identify the need for a major cultural shift across all of those who are part of the system within the construction, operation and maintenance of complex and high-risk buildings.
“The focus must shift from achieving lowest cost to providing buildings which are safe and fit for people to live in for years to come.”
Her review was ordered in the wake of the disaster, which raised fears that unclear industry standards had allowed dangerous material to be installed on towers.
It is suspected that pressure to drive down the price of refurbishing Grenfell Tower and vague regulations led to cheaper, flammable material being installed on its exterior.
Seventy-one people died when a fire tore through the west London block on June 14, while a subsequent safety operation identified hundreds more buildings with similar cladding systems.
The report said: “The work of the review to date has found that the current regulatory system for ensuring fire safety in highrise and complex buildings is not fit for purpose.”
Dame Judith recommended that existing documents were “streamlined” to make them more understandable and tightened up so they were less open to interpretation.
She claimed that the building trade was suffering from competency issues and proper accreditation was needed for those overseeing fire safety in the design, construction, inspection and maintenance of all high-rise buildings. Advice from the fire service should also be central to the design of any new building, she suggested.
Labour welcomed the recommendations – but said they should have been implemented after a fire at Lakanal House in south London left six dead in 2009.
Shadow housing secretary John Healey said: “Ministers ignored the recommendations then and their promise to issue new regulations was never honoured.
“Rather than waiting for the final report of this inquiry, ministers should start acting on existing recommendations immediately and incorporate recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt when her inquiry is completed.”
A final report is expected to follow in spring 2018.