Hackitt and beyond: Industry hears from the experts about building a safer future

At LABC’s Building a Safer Future Conference in Birmingham (Monday 18 June) over 200 construction industry professionals heard from experts about how the Independent Review of Fire Safety and the Building Regulations (aka ‘Hackitt review’) affects the sector and looked at best practice in implementing her recommendations.

Ben Stayte, a key member of Dame Judith Hackitt’s team – leading on duty holder responsibilities – told the conference: “Although the government has welcomed the report and its recommendations, implementation will take time, and some bits will require legislative change but a change in attitude and approach is something that can start now. Collaboration and partnership within and across industry will be crucial to ensuring the safety of end users and citizens.”

Many other speakers echoed Ben’s call for industry wide change to support the “golden thread” of building management throughout the life cycle of a building.

LABC has spent 18 months investing in standards, competencies and qualifications, drawing from this work LABC has developed a 10 point implementation plan to progress the recommendations put forward within the Hackitt Report.

The LABC 10 point plan to progress the Hackitt recommendations

1. Launched an all new National Standard and UKAS-accredited independent audit of LABC local teams. 
2. Introduced the first national survey of individual competencies in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton, CIOB and IFE.
3. Piloted surveyor competency validations for those working on higher risk projects which will be rolled out nationally in three waves starting with the core cities.
4. Established a national database of competencies.
5. Launched an insurance backed scheme for local authorities to share people with specialist competencies.
6. Updated the LABC Partner Authority Scheme to provide ‘primary authorities’ for multi-site developers.
7. Developed new performance standards for the functions only local authority building control teams undertake e.g. enforcement, dangerous structures, safety at sports grounds and demolition. 
8. Established a forum for the nations of the UK so that all UK public service building standards professionals can share technical policy, registered details, field research and policy development.
9. Developed new digital learning resources to enable self-study, distance learning and recorded CPD specific to building control standards.
10. Finally, creating a cross-industry, cross-profession practitioner’s committee to study and review building practices. 

Further information

• Find out more about LABC's new national standards
• Keep up to date with developments, conferences and events related to the Hackitt Report by visiting our Safer Future page.

See our full list of documents and articles relating to the Hackitt Report and building regulations since the Grenfell Tower tragedy