The government have announced that an independent review of the building regulations and fire safety will take place imminently following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Following the devastation of the blaze earlier this year on the 14th June, serious questions were raised about the fire safety of high-rise residential buildings and the current building legislations.
The review lead by Dame Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Manufacturers’ Organisation EEF, will look at the current building regulations and fire safety with a particular focus on high rise residential buildings and will examine;
- The regulatory system around the design, construction and on-going management of buildings in relation to fire safety
- Related compliance and enforcement issues
- International regulation and experience in this area
Reporting to the Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid and the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, Dame Judith will consult with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, the body which advise the government on changes to the regulations. The review will assess the regulations covering the design, construction and ongoing management of buildings as well as fire performance. It will also look at the compliance and enforcement regime with an aim “to see what changes can be made for the future to make these more effective”.
Sajid Javid has said the government needed to look urgently at the building regulations and fire safety, adding “government is determined to make sure that we learn lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire, and to ensure nothing like it can happen again”.
News of the review came around the same time that the government also revealed that a number of tower blocks had failed a new fire safety test that scrutinises the combination of cladding and insulation and whilst some fire safety experts have said the review is “long overdue”, the government have said it would act swiftly on any recommendations made.