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Hackitt poised to recommend ‘new regulatory system for tower blocks’ in final report

Dame Judith Hackitt is expected to recommend the introduction of a “new regulatory system for tower blocks” in her review of building regulations in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster, Inside Housing can reveal.

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Hackitt to call for dedicated person for residents to report safety concerns to #ukhousing

Hackitt Review: ‘new regulatory system for tower blocks’ #ukhousing

Civil servants have been briefing senior industry figures about the final report’s content ahead of its expected release tomorrow.

Inside Housing understands they have been told to expect a “new regulatory framework for tower blocks”, although the details of what exactly this would entail were not briefed.

Sources also confirmed Inside Housing’s report from last week that the review – set up to examine building regulations in the aftermath of the fire last June, which killed 72 – will not recommend a ban on combustible insulation and cladding, barring an 11th-hour change of heart.

It is understood that, instead, tougher penalties could be introduced if a building’s cladding fails fire safety tests. The Local Government Association has said it will call for another review if the Hackitt Review does not call for a ban on combustible materials.

The report will instead set out a series of recommendations, including giving tower block residents a ‘dedicated person’ to report safety concerns to.


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Dame Judith will also recommend a duty holder role be introduced, as previously reported by Inside Housing, who will take responsibility for fire safety in a building, a lobbying call from fire service chiefs.

This duty holder could be given the power to enter people’s flats to check fire safety issues.

Dame Judith is expected to call for a competency framework to be introduced for contractors. Fire safety experts have previously raised concerns about contractors carrying out work in tower blocks without any fire safety training.

Other details about the likely contents of the report briefed to multiple sources this week include:

  • An instant reporting system so whistleblowers can report on bad construction practice
  • Before a building refurbishment, the types of materials to be used and work to be carried out will have to be made public
  • Residents to be given responsibility for fire safety in their buildings. Actions such as leaving rubbish outside flats or refusing officers’ entry to carry out a fire safety check could constitute a breach in the tenancy agreement
  • A dedicated person for residents to report building safety concerns to
  • Tightening up the use of desktop studies, but the review will not call for a ban
  • The Building Research Establishment (BRE) to be tasked with training construction workers on fire safety
  • A ‘digital record’ of the construction phases of a building
  • The BRE is ‘re-phrasing’ the government guidance published alongside building regulations – Approved Document B

Sources sitting on the review panels have previously warned it would result in “tweaks and small changes” rather than an overhaul of regulations.

Its work has previously been criticised by groups including the Royal Institute of British Architects, which wrote to the government last month warning of the review’s reluctance to ban desktop studies or move towards prescriptive regulation.

That letter said: “We fear that the current set of proposals under consideration overlook simple but critical changes that would provide clarity for professionals and most importantly, would help protect the public.”

The review leaned heavily on the input of various industry bodies, with the working group on building regulations chaired by the Construction Products Association, and the group on safety testing chaired by the Building Research Establishment, which carries out many safety tests.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety will be published shortly.”

FULL LIST: HACKITT REVIEW WORKING GROUPS

Working group 1: Golden Thread

Chairs:

Ben Stayte and Hannah Brook

Members:

National Fire Chiefs Council

Local Authority Building Control

Construction Products Association

UIL

National Housing Federation

Health and Safety Executive

Institution of Fire Engineers

 

Working group 2: Regulations and Guidance

Chair:

Peter Caplehorn, Construction Products Association

Members:

National Fire Chiefs Council

Local Authority Building Council

Fire Industry Association

Building Research Establishment

Health and Safety Executive

Build UK

Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers

 

Other groups

Working Group 1: Construction and Design

Chair:

Rachel White, Institute for Civil Engineers

Members:

Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors

Build UK

Local Authority Building Control

National Fire Chiefs Council

Institution of Fire Engineers

Royal Institute of British Architects

Health and Safety Executive

Construction Leadership Council

National House Building Council

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

 

Working Group 2: Procurement

Chair:

Paul Nash, Chartered Institute of Building

Members:

Telford Homes

Kier Living

Construction Industry Council

Local Government Association

Home Builders Federation

 

Working Group 2: Occupation and Maintenance

Chair:

Nick Coombe, National Fire Chiefs Council

Members:

Association of Residential Managing Agents

National Fire Chiefs Council

British Institute of Facilities Management

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Health and Safety Executive

Leasehold Advisory Service

Local Government Association

Association of British Insurers

 

Working Group 4: Competence

Chair:

Graham Watts, Construction Industry Council

Members:

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register

Engineering Council

Fire Industry Association

Local Authority Building Control

Royal Institute of British Architects

National Fire Chiefs Council

Fire Protection Association

University of Edinburgh, School of Engineering

Institution of Fire Engineers

 

Working Group 5: Residents’ Voice

Chair:

Darren Hartley, TAROE

Members

Association of Residential Managing Agents

British Property Federation

Camden Leaseholders’ Forum, nominated by LEASE

Confederation of Co-operative Housing

Fire Industry Association

National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations

Optivo Homes, nominated by National Housing Federation

Shelter

Tenant Participation Advisory Service

 

Working Group 6: Quality Assurance and Products

Chair:

Dr Debbie Smith, Building Research Establishment

Members

Construction Products Association

British Standards Institution

United Kingdom Accreditation Service

British Board of Agrement

Fire Protection Association

Fire Industry Association

Centre for Fire and Hazards Science, University of Central Lancashire

National Fire Chiefs Council

Institution of Fire Engineers

What is the Hackitt Review?

Following the Grenfell Fire in June, which killed 71 people, questions were raised about the part that building regulations played in the tragedy.

On 28 July, Amber Rudd, the home secretary, and Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to conduct a review into building regulations and fire safety.

The review, which is being carried out independently of government, has a particular focus on regulations as they apply to high-rise residential buildings.

The review's interim findings were reported in December 2017.

Who is Dame Judith Hackitt?

Dame Judith is an engineer with extensive experience in the chemicals industry and former civil servant. She formerly chaired watchdog the Health and Safety Executive and is currently chair of manufacturing trade body EEF.

In 2006, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to health and safety and in 2016 was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).

Never Again campaign

Never Again campaign

In the days following the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017, Inside Housing launched the Never Again campaign to call for immediate action to implement the learning from the Lakanal House fire, and a commitment to act – without delay – on learning from the Grenfell Tower tragedy as it becomes available.

One year on, we have extended the campaign asks in the light of information that has emerged since.

Here are our updated asks:

GOVERNMENT

  • Act on the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations to tower blocks of 18m and higher. Commit to producing a timetable for implementation by autumn 2018, setting out how recommendations that don’t require legislative change can be taken forward without delay
  • Follow through on commitments to fully ban combustible materials on high-rise buildings
  • Unequivocally ban desktop studies
  • Review recommendations and advice given to ministers after the Lakanal House fire and implement necessary changes
  • Publish details of all tower blocks with dangerous cladding, insulation and/or external panels and commit to a timeline for remedial works. Provide necessary guidance to landlords to ensure that removal work can begin on all affected private and social residential blocks by the end of 2018. Complete quarterly follow-up checks to ensure that remedial work is completed to the required standard. Checks should not cease until all work is completed.
  • Stand by the prime minister’s commitment to fully fund the removal of dangerous cladding
  • Fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK (except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so)
  • Explore options for requiring remedial works on affected private sector residential tower blocks

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

  • Take immediate action to identify privately owned residential tower blocks so that cladding and external panels can be checked

LANDLORDS

  • Publish details of the combinations of insulations and cladding materials for all high rise blocks
  • Commit to ensuring that removal work begins on all blocks with dangerous materials by the end of 2018 upon receipt of guidance from government
  • Publish current fire risk assessments for all high rise blocks (the Information Commissioner has required councils to publish and recommended that housing associations should do the same). Work with peers to share learning from assessments and improve and clarify the risk assessment model.
  • Commit to renewing assessments annually and after major repair or cladding work is carried out. Ensure assessments consider the external features of blocks. Always use an appropriate, qualified expert to conduct assessments.
  • Review and update evacuation policies and ‘stay put’ advice in the light of risk assessments, and communicate clearly to residents
  • Adopt Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommended approach for listening to and addressing tenants’ concerns, with immediate effect

CURRENT SIGNATORIES:

  • Chartered Institute of Housing
  • G15
  • National Federation of ALMOs
  • National Housing Federation
  • Placeshapers

 

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