LABC welcomes extension of CROSS to fire safety

From 29 March Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS), operated jointly by the Institutions of Civil and Structural Engineers, has expanded its remit to include reporting on fire and structural safety. 

LABC has welcomed the expansion which empowers built environment professionals and others to help make structures safer with the refresh of the collaborative and confidential safety reporting system.

Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety recommended that CROSS "should be extended and strengthened to cover all engineering safety concerns". 

As a result the reporting system for buildings and other structures now allows professionals and others to confidentially share their experiences and any concerns about fire as well as structural safety. CROSS then publishes safety information and supports continuous learning at all levels across the built environment, including individuals, organisations and regulators.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Dame Judith Hackitt said, "This is a really important step in changing the culture around buildings and structures to one of openness and transparency. Other industry sectors like airlines have shown how valuable this type of no-blame reporting of concerns can be in identifying potential causes of failure before they happen and ensuring that they are shared with the whole sector."