Latest News Thu, Jul 19, 2018 7:59 AM
The government must take “urgent and wide-ranging action” to guarantee the safety of people living in high rise buildings, including addressing “conflicts of interest” within the construction industry, according to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.
Launching a report into Building Regulations and fire safety following the Hackitt review, the Committee also called for an extension of the government’s proposed ban on combustible cladding on high rise properties to cover existing buildings, as well as residential homes, hospitals, student accommodation and hotels.
The report highlights several examples of what the Committee says are conflicts of interest in the construction sector, “with Fire Rescue Authorities inspecting the work of their own commercial trading arms, builders appointing their own inspectors and private sector companies influencing fire safety guidance”.
It also states that, where possible, sprinklers should be retrofitted to existing high rise residential buildings, with the government funding their installation in council and housing association-owned buildings.
And the Committee has called for “a robust system of oversight and meaningful sanctions, but underpinned by a strong, prescriptive approach” with a recommended overhaul of Building Regulations.
Clive Betts MP, the Committee’s chair, said: "We are now more than a year on from the catastrophic events at Grenfell Tower, yet despite an Independent Review of Building Regulations, we are still no closer to having a system that inspires confidence that residents can be safe and secure in their homes.
“We agree with the Independent Review that there is a need for a fundamental change of culture in the construction industry, but there are also measures that can and should be introduced now.
“We welcome the intention of the government to ban
combustible cladding, but the proposals do not go far enough. A ban on
dangerous cladding must be extended beyond new high-rise constructions, to
existing residential buildings as well as other high-risk buildings.”
Featured News
BUILDING SYSTEM – THIN JOINT MASONRY FOR THE FUTUREThe design of the blocks is such...
Kentec Electronics, the leading manufacturer of innovative life safety solutions, has...
BUILDING PRODUCT LIBRARY - LATEST BROCHURES
FRAMESAFE FR A2 FIRE...
By Glidevale Protect
A Guide to Aluminium...
By F.H. Brundle
Handrailing & Balust...
By F.H. Brundle
RLG600 Access Floori...
By Kingspan Data & Floo...
RHG600 Simploc
By Kingspan Data & Floo...
BUILDING PRODUCT DIRECTORY - LATEST PRODUCTS
Straightcurve® – headquartered in Australia, is renowned for high-end innovative garden edging,...
The Kingspan RLG600 raised access floor panel is intended for light office use and is capable of...
Kingspan RHG600 Simploc is the heavy grade floor system, capable of handling up to a 12kN/m2...
CONSTRUCTION VIDEOS - LATEST VIDEOS
Straightcurve® Product Range Overview - A Demonstration of Installation Ease
In progressive and dynamic business sectors, such as construction, it’s natural to be forward...
Decorative aluminium horizontal bulkheads more than 100 metres long have been supplied and installed...