The Fire Protection Association (FPA) has reported that in a recent lecture, Dame Judith Hackitt called on construction professionals and industry leaders to take their building safety responsibilities more seriously amidst an “appalling attitude [that] continues to prevail”.
Dame Judith was appointed by the government to lead the review in light of the system failures revealed by testing carried out in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Her interim report was published in December 2017 and concluded that the existing regulatory system for high rise buildings was not fit for purpose. The final report made over 50 recommendations.
Despite these recommendations and the subsequent implementation of the Building Safety Act (BSA) in 2022, Dame Judith was moved to make a “sobering speech” about her concerns over the current direction of building safety. She said that there remained limited evidence of any kind of behavioural change within the industry, adding that it was “only a matter of time” before the first prosecution by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) would take place.
Soon after the BSA came into force, Dame Judith said that a large number of planning applications had been rejected. She noted: “This has now dropped, I’m pleased to say, but it’s still running at 20%, which feels high to me. There are still 20% of applications going in at planning Gateway one where people are seeing if they can get away with it.”
Talking about product testing, she said that one of her “greatest frustrations” was the “lack of progress on assuring construction products”.
“The Inquiry report could not be clearer that this rotten system needs to be fixed and in a robust way. The voluntary schemes which have been developed so far are laudable and I applaud the people who put in the effort, but they’re not sufficient.
“We need to increase testing capacity. We need the testing and assurance to be independent and mindful of the crucial role that it plays as part of a regulatory framework, and we need to remove the perceived obstacle around CE markings. It should be something that worries all of you, with the duty that you have to demonstrate safe buildings.”
Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (PTSG) has been closely involved in making improvements to fire safety assets in buildings as a direct result of The Hackitt Report. It is a primary focus of the Group to provide not only a range of fire solutions for buildings but also advice on how best to protect people, properties and places.
As PTSG states on its website (ptsg.co.uk), fire safety must be the foundation upon which all buildings are constructed, with rigorous regular testing and maintenance. This is echoed in guidance provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which states that “Fire safety in construction is about eliminating fire risks during the design phase (where practicable), preventing fires from starting and ensuring people’s safety if they do.”
PTSG provides a full range of fire prevention and suppression systems and tailored security systems for a every kind of public and private building:
1. Dry and wet risers
2. Sprinkler systems
3. Fire detection and life safety systems
4. Fire and smoke damper inspection and testing
5. Security systems
6. Passive fire services
7. Fire hydrants and pumps
8. Pump room servicing and maintenance
9. Grease extract ventilation cleaning
10. Support services and maintenance
