It has been announced this month that the UK government has plans to establish a new building safety regulator as part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This aim of the regulator will be to raise building safety and performance standards. This has arisen as the result of the Grenfell Enquiry.
The new regulators aim will be to give better safety oversight and control for higher risk buildings. It is also planned to extend the existing combustible cladding ban and accelerate its removal from buildings across the UK. It is hoped that building owners who are responsible for ensuring their buildings are safe, will have action taken against them should they not carry out remedial works required.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Jenrick made it clear that from next month he will start to name building owners where remediation has not started to remove unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding from their properties.
Mr Jenrick has suggested a proposal to extend the ban on combustible materials to buildings below 18 metres and said the government would seek views on how risks are assessed within existing buildings to inform future policy. This process could see the height threshold lowered from 18 metres to 11 metres.
The involvement of the HSE will be reassuring for many as it has robust powers for those who choose to breach health and safety regulations. More clarity on the new regulator will come clear over the coming months.
To find out more about the announcements and up and coming changes see the IOSH Magazine Website. If you need any more information or advice, be sure to contact us here.