Fire-safety guidelines for tall buildings in the UK are unclear and offer too many opportunities for corner cutting, according to a review of building regulations commissioned following the Grenfell Tower fire.
An interim report of the review published today deemed current regulations and fire safety guidance are high-rise buildings is not fit for purpose.
"The work of the review to date has found that the current regulatory system for ensuring fire safety in high-rise and complex buildings is not fit for purpose," reads the report, which was written by engineer Judith Hackitt.
"This applies throughout the life cycle of a building, both during construction and occupation, and is a problem connected both to the culture of the construction industry and the effectiveness of the regulators." Hackitt, made a dame for her services to health and safety, and engineering, is leading the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, which was commissioned after a fire at Grenfell Tower in west London claimed the lives of 71 people.
Building regulations need to be streamlined, says report
The report, which focuses particularly on the official guidelines in place for high-rise residential buildings, calls for the regulations to be streamlined and for more clarity on where responsibility lies.
"There is plenty of good practice but it is not difficult to see how those who are inclined to take shortcuts can do so," writes Hackitt in the repor...