The National Housing Federation has renewed calls for greater clarity regarding testing and repair work on tower blocks following the Grenfell Tower fire.
As various inquiries and a criminal investigation continues into the fatal fire over a month ago, the Department for Communities and Local Government has written to all building control bodies in England highlighting key Building Regulations requirements when cladding work on high rise buildings over 18 metres tall is undertaken.
This followed advice from the Independent Expert Advisory Panel whose members were particularly concerned that further risks are not created in any new works undertaken by building owners.
Meanwhile, CIAT has established a Working Group which will work in conjunction with the Construction Industry Council (CIC), of which CIAT is a full member.
Gill Payne, Executive Director of Public lmpact, National Housing Federation said: "Over the course of the last month, housing associations up and down the country have worked tirelessly to reassure residents and make buildings safe, engaging in additional fire safety checks and the Government’s testing programme. However, our members need more clarity.
“The Government urgently needs to provide clear guidance on how housing associations and others can make their buildings safe. That should include clear direction from the Government’s expert panel about what is safe and, if cladding needs to be removed, what it should be replaced with. We also need clarity about how remedial works will be funded to buildings previously deemed safe under regulatory regime over which Government presided – the costs should not fall on the residents of these properties.
“Lessons must be learnt from the inadequate immediate response to the fire. There must be a national strategic, co-ordinated response to the challenge of ensuring the safety of all buildings, not only social homes but schools, hospitals and commercial buildings. We are talking to Government about how this can be done.”
CIC held a meeting of 36 professional bodies, which included CIAT representatives; the organisation's President and a Chartered Member who is also a fire engineer and specialist. At the meeting key areas were identified, to which CIAT will offer its full support.
The Institute has also agreed to contribute some financial support to CIC to enable the appointment of a project manager to lead on this work for at least the next four months.
CIAT’s Working Group will feed into the work being undertaken by CIC. This is intended to work remotely. CIAT is also looking for any experience and evidence from overseas, for example from the UAE, US/Canada, Scandinavia, India and Australia.
Gary Mees PCIAT said: "Before any formal speculation, it is important to fully understand all the facts in the lead up to and during this event. All of those who manage, design and implement works on multi storey buildings will learn lessons when the investigations are published. The safety of lives must be at the centre of legislation, of how we design and how buildings are put together.
"CIAT is committed to contributing all available and appropriate resources to the CIC Working Group in an effort to ensure that Government receives and acts on the best advice to prevent any further incidents of this sort occurring."
