The Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety “was too light in many places”, according to the chair of an influential government advisory committee.
Neil Cooper, who chairs the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC), said there was “broad agreement with the findings and direction of travel” of Dame Judith Hackitt’s report, but added that legislation was required to ensure “focussed risk management” and “clear accountability”.
BRAC advises the secretary of state in England on building regulations and setting standards for the design and construction of buildings.
Cooper, who is also CEO of consultant MLM Group, welcomed the recommendation of a ‘golden thread’ of design, construction and occupation.
“To achieve the golden thread however, we need to ensure competency right across the industry,” he said. “Competency was a clear theme in the Hackitt review and something the industry has been quick to support.”
But he added: “Competence and cultural change are the industry’s responsibility, but we can’t do it on our own – this change has to involve government leadership.”
Cooper, who was speaking at a Chartered Association of Building Engineers event in Guildford, said that better record-keeping and approvals gateways would be key to delivering the golden thread.
“Record-keeping and duty holder principles are crucial, but we need regulation to create clear gateways through the design, construction, handover and occupation stages to ensure that standards are maintained,” he said.
Cooper added that short term priorities for the government should include consultation on fire test and desktop studies, the debate around combustible materials and clarification of Approved Document B.
