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HPL test criticised by organisation that carried it out
The organisation that carried out the government’s most recent cladding test to assess whether it should be removed from blocks across the country has raised concerns over the process in comments to Inside Housing.
In an interview, Jonathan O’Neill, managing director of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), said the test should have measured the toxicity of the cladding and included windows and other fixings.
The FPA carried out a large-scale test on high-pressure laminate (HPL) cladding, a different kind to the aluminium composite material (ACM) used on Grenfell Tower but one that is also thought to be potentially dangerous.
The test, which combined Class B HPL, the safest kind of HPL, with non-combustible insulation, ended in a pass. However, following the results, the government said HPL of a lower class, or any HPL combined with combustible insulation, should be removed from high-rise buildings.
Mr O’Neill previously criticised the ‘BS 8414’ test that the FPA used for not being realistic enough, partly because windows and other fixings – not included in the model wall used for testing – would create penetrations, through which fire could spread.
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He has also argued that it should include toxicity tests. Mr O’Neill told Inside Housing that these criticisms still apply to this test because the BS 8414 standard does not permit those aspects to be changed.
Mr O’Neill, however, said that the FPA was able to mitigate against some of the issues it has with the test standard, such as on the position of fire barriers, on which it allows for flexibility.
His warnings came amid other concerns around the HPL test, including from Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, who said at a meeting of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee: “The BS 8414 test has been discredited.
The [Local Government Association] says it has ‘no faith in the ability of BS 8414 to reflect real-life conditions’.”
Sarah Jones, Labour’s shadow housing minister, added: “It’s widely recognised that this test doesn’t replicate a real-world building, doesn’t guarantee the material is safe for use, and simply isn’t fit for purpose.
“It’s not right that these fire test standards can be set with zero public consultation. Ministers must ensure there is a publicly accountable system of building control to help end the scandal of dangerous materials being used on buildings.”
A spokesperson for the insulation manufacturer Rockwool also questioned the test, saying: “As numerous expert witnesses to the Grenfell Inquiry have previously said, the test method neither reflects the way cladding systems are installed on buildings nor the buildings themselves.”
