Morning Briefing: papers cover missed Grenfell warning

Read our in-depth investigation into how building regulations have changed over time and how this may have contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire:

• Since the Grenfell Tower fire, the government has insisted that its official guidance, Approved Document B, required cladding panels to be of ‘limited combustibility’. But many industry figures disagree, saying that the standard the guidance set was ‘Class 0’ or ‘Euroclass B’.
• Approved Document B sets limited combustibility as the standard for ‘insulation materials/products’ in paragraph 12.7. It sets Class 0 or Euroclass B as the standard for ‘external surfaces’ in paragraph 12.6.
• Paragraph 12.7 says that “insulation product, filler material etc” must be of limited combustibility. In a letter to social landlords on 22 June, the government said that the word ‘filler’ in this context covered the plastic in between the aluminium sheets in the cladding.
• But experts have disputed this view, pointing out that the cladding itself does not have an insulation function.
• The cladding used on Grenfell was certified to Class 0 and so would apparently have met the official standard for external walls.
• This debate remains crucial in assessing the liability for the removal of cladding, much of which is also rated Class 0, from hundreds of tower blocks nationwide.

Building regulations say cladding systems which contain combustible insulation must be shown to meet specific standards based on “full scale test data”

A ‘desktop study’ is a means of making an assumption about whether or not a cladding system would meet these standards without actually testing it.

It involves using data from previous tests of the materials in different combinations to make assumptions about how it would perform in a test.

This is not specifically provided for in the current guide to building regulations, but the government believes they are loosely drafted to an extent which makes it permissible. It plans to redraft the guidance to include specific rules on the use of desktop studies for the first time.

The alternatives to a desktop study are full scale testing or not using combustible materials.

People are concerned about the process because it is based on assumption: at least one system cleared through a desktop study has failed a full scale test.

This is important for fire safety because mistakes may mean unsafe cladding systems being cleared for use on tall buildings.

In the days following the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017, Inside Housing launched the Never Again campaign to call for immediate action to implement the learning from the Lakanal House fire, and a commitment to act – without delay – on learning from the Grenfell Tower tragedy as it becomes available.

One year on, we have extended the campaign asks in the light of information that has emerged since.

Here are our updated asks:

GOVERNMENT

• Act on the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations to tower blocks of 18m and higher. Commit to producing a timetable for implementation by autumn 2018, setting out how recommendations that don’t require legislative change can be taken forward without delay
• Follow through on commitments to fully ban combustible materials on high-rise buildings
• Unequivocally ban desktop studies
• Review recommendations and advice given to ministers after the Lakanal House fire and implement necessary changes
• Publish details of all tower blocks with dangerous cladding, insulation and/or external panels and commit to a timeline for remedial works. Provide necessary guidance to landlords to ensure that removal work can begin on all affected private and social residential blocks by the end of 2018. Complete quarterly follow-up checks to ensure that remedial work is completed to the required standard. Checks should not cease until all work is completed.
• Stand by the prime minister’s commitment to fully fund the removal of dangerous cladding
• Fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK (except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so)
• Explore options for requiring remedial works on affected private sector residential tower blocks

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Take immediate action to identify privately owned residential tower blocks so that cladding and external panels can be checked

LANDLORDS

• Publish details of the combinations of insulations and cladding materials for all high rise blocks
• Commit to ensuring that removal work begins on all blocks with dangerous materials by the end of 2018 upon receipt of guidance from government
• Publish current fire risk assessments for all high rise blocks (the Information Commissioner has required councils to publish and recommended that housing associations should do the same). Work with peers to share learning from assessments and improve and clarify the risk assessment model.
• Commit to renewing assessments annually and after major repair or cladding work is carried out. Ensure assessments consider the external features of blocks. Always use an appropriate, qualified expert to conduct assessments.
• Review and update evacuation policies and ‘stay put’ advice in the light of risk assessments, and communicate clearly to residents
• Adopt Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommended approach for listening to and addressing tenants’ concerns, with immediate effect

CURRENT SIGNATORIES:

• Chartered Institute of Housing
• G15
• National Federation of ALMOs
• National Housing Federation
• Placeshapers