Responding to the Housing, Communities and Local Government
Select Committee Independent Review of Building Regulations and
Fire Safety: Next Steps report, , Local Government Association
Chairman, said:
“The tragedy that unfolded at Grenfell Tower must never be
allowed to happen again and we must ensure that those who live,
work and visit high-rise and high-risk buildings are safe.
“There is increasing evidence that the BS8414 test – which
tests the fire performance of external cladding and insulation
systems - cannot be relied upon. Flaws with the testing process
have been exposed time and again since the Grenfell Tower
fire.
“The evidence from real fires in real tower blocks shows
that using combustible materials on the external walls of
high-rise buildings kills people. We continue to strongly urge
the Government to ban the use of any combustible materials -
including cladding panels, insulation and other materials - on
the external walls of high-rise and high-risk buildings.
“It is wrong for anyone to argue that it might be more
appropriate for the ban on combustible materials to focus on
banning some combustible cladding panels while allowing the
continued use of other combustible materials in cladding
systems.
“Implementation of the recommendations from Dame Judith’s
final report, and the culture change she seeks in the
construction industry will take time. However building owners,
the construction industry and regulators need about clarity now
about what they can and cannot put on the side of the buildings.
The safest and most unambiguous way of providing that clarity is
to ban the use of combustible materials on the external walls of
high-rise and high-risk buildings without delay.”
