Grenfell Tower Fire Fourth Anniversary

Change is Necessary

Confirming evidence of competency is part of the responsibility of premises management

Always stress the significance of verifying all chosen contractors to ensure they hold appropriate and valid UKAS Accredited Third-Party Certification and relevant qualifications for the services required. Confirming evidence of competency is part of the responsibility of premises management to exercise full due diligence in keeping occupants safe from any event of fire.

Earlier this year James Maxwell-Scott QC for RBKC (Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea) also highlighted that in respect of Fire Risk Assessments, “the sector was and remains completely unregulated. No qualifications are required by law. No training is required by law. There was and is no bar whatsoever to anyone seeking to go into business as a fire risk assessor.” Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Day 114, March 29, 2021 (Opus 2 - Official Court Reporters Transcript).

UKAS Accredited Third-Party Certification

Following the fire key figures and organizations within the industry, notably Jonathan O’Neill OBE - Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association, publicly called for UKAS Accredited Third Party Certification to be mandated by the Government (most notably in his speech demanding the Government “get on with it” at the Fire Sector Summit in 2019).

BAFE fully supports this, and the industry is primed to be part of the solution in raising the overall level of quality and accountability for specific fire safety services available.

Importance of building safety

BAFE commends the work undertaken by the fire safety and construction sectors following the Grenfell Tower fire and ourselves have been actively involved in development. Fully aware and share frustrations in witnessing the long timeframe it is taking to fully implement stronger measures. 

Fourth anniversary of this tragic event continues to highlight the importance of building safety

Requirements for critical life safety work to be performed at a high quality and third-party certified level should be mandatory but are confident this is going in the right direction. The fourth anniversary of this tragic event continues to highlight the importance of building safety, including the quality life safety systems and provisions within it (maintained efficiently to ensure they remain ready in the event of fire).

BAFE continues to believe that UKAS Accredited Third-Party Certification is the best quality and robust method of evidencing that an organization has the right systems and expertise in place to perform specific life safety work. This opinion is the best option available to regularly monitor competency within the industry. It is all responsibility to ensure such an event like Grenfell does not happen again.

 Expect the Building Safety Regulator (HSE) to introduce stronger guidance and focus on using evidentially competent organizations moving forward and BAFE will continue to be part of establishing a safer built environment with responsible premises management.