The government has
clarified building regulations fire safety guidance, following recommendations
made by Dame Judith Hackitt, and is seeking views on the revisions in a new consultation.
The Secretary of
State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, has also said he will go
further by conducting a full-scale review of the guidelines, known as ‘Approved
Document B’, commencing in the autumn.
The technical review
will assess, amongst other things, whether the underlying policy should be
updated to reflect modern building practice, the latest understanding of fire
risks and technical and scientific innovations.
Alongside the
consultation and review of Approved Document B, the government has also
announced a package of additional measures to strengthen safety:
- establishing a panel, made up
of residents, to ensure proposed safety improvements are grounded in the
experience of those who live in high-rise buildings
- Dame Judith Hackitt will
chair a soon-to-be established Industry Safety Steering Group to drive the
culture change needed to improve safety and hold industry to account
- working with a small group of
organisations from industry to pilot safety improvements in line with Dame
Judith Hackitt’s recommendations, demonstrating early leadership on
building safety reform
- introducing a mandatory
requirement on landlords in the private rented sector to ensure electrical
installations in their property are inspected every 5 years
Secretary of State
for Communities, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said: "There is nothing
more important than ensuring people are safe in their own homes. That is why I
am announcing a package of measures focused on improving building safety, having
listened carefully to the concerns which have been raised.
"Dame Judith’s
report sets out the right framework to improve safety but I will not hesitate
to go further than the recommendations where I deem it necessary. That is why I
am going further than my original commitment to simply clarify the guidelines,
by commencing an end-to-end technical review of the fire safety aspects of
building regulations in the autumn."
