
![]() |
Brian Sims
Editor |
Home> | Fire | >Legislation | >Government moves to review building regulations |
Government moves to review building regulations
20 July 2018
THE GOVERNMENT has clarified building regulations fire safety guidance, following recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt, and is seeking views on the revisions.

The Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, has also said he will go further by conducting a full-scale review of the guidelines, known as ‘Approved Document B’, commencing in the autumn.
The technical review will assess, amongst other things, 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:
- 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
Secretary of State for Communities, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said: "There is nothing more important than ensuring people are safe in their own homes. That is why I am announcing a package of measures focused on improving building safety, having listened carefully to the concerns which have been raised.
"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.
- Mayor welcomes fire boats on Thames as part of Brigade “transformation”
- 24-hour helpline launched to tackle cyber attacks
- Mayor donates £50K to help Grenfell affected pupils
- Security Matters lends full support to International Security Officers’ Day 2020
- Abingdon landlord fined £20,000 for breaches of fire safety legislation
- New airport technology will enhance security
- Euralarm releases false alarm report
- New director of cybersecurity advocacy at (ISC)2
- Joint US and UK statement on terrorism prevention
- SIA prosecutes door supervisor
- Government outlines fire service reforms
- From the editor
- Fire safety returns home to NEC Birmingham
- Blog for FSM website
- Fire safety on the agenda in Scotland
- Visual alarm devices and the new EN 54:23 simplified
- Legal advice to top agenda at Fire Safety North
- Key fire figures keep seats despite hung parliament
- Sixty high-rise buildings fail fire risk tests
- FSF makes more key appointments