Government advisors say that the UK construction industry who have been found to be complicit in the deaths of 72 people in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire now need to make amends.
The report on phase one of the inquiry, which has been led by Sir Martin Moore-Blick, into the west London tower block fire has now been published.
The report, which states that there was compelling evidence that the external walls of the building failed to comply with Requirements B4 (1) of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010, in that they did not adequately resist the spread of fire having regard to the height, use and position of the building. On the contrary, they actively promoted it.
Phase two of the inquiry is to look at how the UK construction industry has allowed a situation to exist whereby regard for public safety is so blatantly disregarded.
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC),a committee of executives appointed by ministers to help shape and promote government construction policy, has responded to Sir Martin Moore-Blick’s report, saying that the industry must respond and must change.
The CLC issued a statement which says “The publication of the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry marks an important step in the long and painstaking exercise that is necessary to learn the lessons and change, so that such a disaster can never happen again, and that a new standard is set for building safety across the UK. The Phase 1 report highlights that aspects of the consruction work undertaken on Grenfell Tower actively contributed to the spread of fire, as both unsafe products were used and these were not properly installed or checked.
CLC believes that as an industry, we must collectively play a part in eliminating this risk on both new and existing buildings. Collectively, we must support all actions that are being taken to reform the industry ahead of the completion of the second phase of the inquiry. The CLC fully supports the work of the MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government) and industry bodies in taking forward the agenda set by Dame Judith Hackitt to improve standards of competence, improve the system of building regulation and ensure safety of construction products, and are ready to play a role in the necessary reform of the industry’s approach to fire and wider building safety.