Safety experts have warned that a new government combustible cladding ban on new tower blocks does not go far enough.
Speaking at the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said he would “bring about a change in culture on building safety” by banning the use of combustible materials for all new high-rise residential buildings, hospitals, registered care homes and student accommodation.
“It’s been over a year since the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire,” Mr Brokenshire told the conference.
“This unimaginable horror has rightly shocked us all and underlined the need to do all that we can to see that such a disaster cannot happen again.”
In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there have been numerous calls to ban the use of combustible cladding from a range of organisations, including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Local Government Association.
Despite the calls, Dame Judith Hackitt stopped short of recommending an explicit ban on combustible cladding in her final report on improving safety standards, which was published in May.
Although immediately after the report was released the Government announced it would consult on banning combustible cladding.
“It is good news that the Government has acted on the RIBA’s recommendations to ban combustible cladding on high-rise residential buildings over 18 metres,” said RIBA Director of Professional Services, Adrian Dobson.
“The ban needs to be accompanied by clear guidance and effective enforcement to promote fire safety and leave no room for cutting corners,” he added,
“However, toxic smoke inhalation from the burning cladding very likely contributed to the disproportionately high loss of life at the Grenfell Tower disaster.
“Permitting all products classified as A2 does not place any limits on toxic smoke production and flaming particles/droplets. In our view, this is not an adequate response to the tragic loss of life and might still put the public and the Fire and Rescue authorities at unnecessary risk.”
And the Head of Policy and Public Affairs at IOSH, Richard Jones, warned that while banning the use of combustible materials on new high-rise residential buildings is “a step in the right direction”, it still does not go far enough.
“In cities and towns across the UK, many people live and also work in high-rise buildings,” said Mr Jones.
“They all need to be protected. Therefore, the ban should cover all high-rise buildings, existing and new, and both residential and non-residential.
“Existing buildings should not remain clad in combustible materials, but should have improvement plans put in place,” added Mr Jones.
“We also believe it is unacceptable to allow building work using newly-banned materials to start or continue, so the ban should apply to projects already underway.”
The Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Parliamentary Select Committee, Clive Betts agreed: “I welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement to ban combustible cladding but I am concerned that it will not be applied retrospectively and so not go far enough in providing the protection needed to those living or working in existing buildings with this cladding.
“I hope the Secretary of State will also move quickly to ensure that the current complicated web of building regulations, which compromises safety and puts people at risk in their own homes, is simplified and strengthened.”
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Speaking at the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said he would “bring about a change in culture on building safety” by banning the use of combustible materials for all new high-rise residential buildings, hospitals, registered care homes and student accommodation.