Work to replace unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding on high-rise buildings remains a priority for the government, it has confirmed.
In an update to its Building Safety programme following the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said that remediation work on high-rise buildings was “critical to public safety”.
It said the additional project management support it had put in place to oversee remediation would work with the department to understand the impact of coronavirus on remediation protects and identify ways to reduce the impact on pace.
It also stressed that construction sites have not been asked to close, so work can continue if it is done safely.
MHCLG said: “It is, therefore, possible for construction work to continue in the current context. Those responsible for commissioning building safety work, such as the remediation of high-rise buildings with unsafe ACM cladding, and the construction companies undertaking the work, should consider how best to proceed and/or mitigate the risks arising from such work being paused.”
It added: “Employers should ensure their workers on-site are able to follow the public health guidance, and they should consider responsible arrangements for ensuring their workers can travel in line with this advice, such as through staggering site hours to reduce public transport use during peak periods. We will keep these arrangements under constant review and take any steps required.”
