Report calls for qualifications

Xact has welcomed the Grenfell Tower Interim Report (see below), noting that its initial recommendations place the emphasis on a requirement for suitably qualified practitioners.

The report is critical of building regulations guidance, stating: “The current regulatory system for ensuring fire safety in high-rise and complex buildings is not fit for purpose.”

Attention is also focused on the competency of those involved in fire safety and its regulation: “There is a need to raise levels of competence and establish formal accreditation of those engaged in the fire prevention aspects of the design, construction, inspection and maintenance of high-rise residential and complex buildings.”

The report also includes a statement that engineers; those installing and maintaining fire safety systems and other safety-critical systems; fire engineers; fire risk assessors; fire safety enforcing officers and building control inspectors need to be suitably qualified.

Operations Manager Trevor Norwood said: “Xact is pleased that the value of high quality training has been acknowledged. We will continue to follow the report closely as it unfolds into the investigation of the Grenfell Tower tragedy to learn all we can about how such tragedies can be avoided in the future.”