The government announced that it will launch a full-scale review of Approved Document B, the part of the Buildings Regulations guidance in England covering fire safety, in the autumn.
The news came as part of an announcement that the government has attempted to simplify and clarify Building Regulations fire safety guidance, following recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt, and has put the revisions out for consultation.
But communities secretary James Brokenshire said he wanted to go further by conducting a full-scale review of Approved Document B.
The technical review will assess whether the underlying policy should be updated to reflect modern building practice, the latest understanding of fire risks and technical and scientific innovations.
Alongside the consultation and review of Approved Document B, the government has also announced a package of additional measures to strengthen safety including:
- establishing a panel, made up of residents, to ensure proposed safety improvements are grounded in the experience of those who live in high-rise buildings;
- Dame Judith Hackitt will chair a soon-to-be established Industry Safety Steering Group to drive the culture change needed to improve safety and hold industry to account;
- working with a small group of organisations from industry to pilot safety improvements in line with Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommendations, demonstrating early leadership on building safety reform;
- introducing a mandatory requirement on landlords in the private rented sector to ensure electrical installations in their property are inspected every five years.
Brokenshire said: “Dame Judith’s report sets out the right framework to improve safety but I will not hesitate to go further than the recommendations where I deem it necessary. That is why I am going further than my original commitment to simply clarify the guidelines, by commencing an end-to-end technical review of the fire safety aspects of building regulations in the autumn.”
