Construction and fire industries set out sweeping proposals to raise competence and make buildings safer

A radical and wide-ranging set of measures to improve the competence of those who design, construct, inspect, maintain and operate higher risk residential buildings (HRRBs) and make them safer for the public has been set out by a cross-industry group backed by Government, the Industry Safety Steering Group and Dame Judith Hackitt.

The measures are being proposed by the Competence Steering Group (CSG), set up by the Industry Response Group (IRG) to tackle competency failings identified in the Hackitt Review, Building a Safer Future, following the Grenfell Tower fire. The CSG has brought together more than 150 institutions and associations across the full spectrum of construction, built environment, fire safety and building owner/manager sectors; all working towards the common purpose of raising competences to improve life safety.

Raising the Bar

In its interim report Raising the Bar, published today, the CSG is urging all life-safety-critical disciplines working on HRRBs, including designers, engineers, building standards officers, site supervisors, fire safety enforcement officers and fire risk officials, to adopt the measures.

It is also calling on Government to play its part by requiring that any company or individual working on a central Government construction project, including those to retrofit existing HRRBs must meet the competence frameworks set out within this report. Local authorities and the wider public and private sectors are also being urged to follow suit.

Read the full press release on the Construction Industry Council website

Further information

• Raising the Bar Interim Report
• Raising the Bar Executive Summary
• Raising the Bar Appendix A (Working Group 1-3)
• Raising the Bar Appendix A (Working Group 4-12)
• Raising the Bar Appendix B – Building Safety Coordinator