FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY BILLS ANNOUNCED IN THE QUEENS’ SPEECH

Included in the Queen’s Speech in December 2019 were measures to improve building safety. The measures the Government intends to take include a Building Safety Bill and a Fire Safety Bill.

Following the tragic Grenfell tower fire an independent review of building safety was carried out led by former HSE chair Dame Judith Hackitt. This review made 53 recommendations which the Government has said it intends to take forward, some of these will require legislation.

The proposed Building Safety Bill would loo to put in place new and enhanced regulation covering building safety and construction products. This will include an enhanced safety framework for high rise residential buildings giving residents a stronger voice.

The Fire Safety Bill will clarify that the scope of the Fire Safety Order includes the external walls of the building, including cladding, and fire doors for domestic premises in multiple occupancy, ensuring that building owners and managers are clear that they are responsible or assessing the risks of external walls and fire doors in buildings of any height.

This Bill will also strengthen the relevant enforcement powers.

Note: as building and fire safety policy are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales the provisions of these bills would mainly apply only to England, however some provisions regarding construction products will apply to the whole UK.

Please speak to your normal PIB Risk Management contact or get in touch using [email protected] if you have any questions regarding fire safety or would like to arrange a fire risk assessment for your premises.