Building safety reforms
The Government is prioritising the reform of the regulatory system for buildings. After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government established the Building Safety Programme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme) to ensure people in high-rise buildings are safe, and feel safe.
Draft Building Safety Bill
The reforms in the draft Building Safety Bill (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-building-safety-bill) represent the most significant changes to building safety legislation in decades.
Draft Fire Safety Bill
The Home Office has introduced a draft Fire Safety Bill (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fire-safety-bill) that aims to improve fire safety in buildings in England and Wales. This Bill will amend the Fire Safety Order 2005 to clarify that the Responsible Person or Duty-Holder for multi-occupied, residential buildings must manage and reduce the risk of fire for:
- the structure and external walls of the building, including cladding
- balconies and windows; and
- entrance doors to individual flats that open into common parts.
This will allow fire and rescue services to take enforcement action and hold building owners to account if they do not comply.
Consolidated guidance for building owners
In support of the Building Safety Programme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme), an independent expert advisory panel has issued advice on the measures building owners should take to review cladding systems. Building owners should assess the potential risks to residents of external fire spread. The panel has also issued advice on other key fire safety risks that need to be managed.
Annex A: Assurance and assessment of fire doors
This advice note (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-advice-for-building-owners-including-fire-doors) provides general advice for building owners undertaking risk assessments of fire doors. If building owners need further assistance to determine whether fire doors meet the current standards, they should seek expert advice from a suitably qualified fire safety professional.
Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase one - Recommendations from Sir Martin Moore-Bick
Report of the public inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017 (https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/phase-1-report).