Despite Grenfell, London councils are still ignoring fire risk assessments!

Fire Risk Assessments are the only legally required means of assessing Fire Safety across all multi occupancy residential properties of all heights. The Fire Service is the regulator under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Between 8th and 12th March 2021 the Building Safety Register analysed 2,217 FRAs published to the open internet by 10 London councils.

Key Findings:

• 79% (1,744 FRAs) were Expired*
• 22 of 32 London councils do not publish their FRAs
• Approach to FRA publication is inconsistent between councils
• London councils have not consistently adopted the findings of Dame Judith Hackitt or the Grenfell inquiry

Commenting on the research Matt Hodges-Long, Co-Founder of the Building Safety Register, said  “We were shocked but not surprised by the findings of this research. Despite being nearly 4 years beyond the Grenfell tragedy, the basics of Fire Safety and the importance of Fire Risk Assessments are still not being taken seriously by Government, Regulators and Landlords.”

The research project was focussed on London due to the ongoing calls from Caroline Pidgeon AM to the London Mayor for him to trial a London wide register of FRAs. There is an urgent need to check the current state of Fire Safety across London’s council housing portfolio, which includes some of the highest risk, high rise blocks. (https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/mayor-urged-to-trial-public-register-for-fire-risks-in-the-wake-of-grenfell-tragedy/ )

Steve Mackenzie, Independent Fire Safety Consultant, says: “Fire Risk Assessments have been a statutory requirement in the UK since 1997. This research clearly shows that Fire Safety is not being taken seriously, despite Lakanal House, Grenfell Tower and countless other residential tower fires.”

The Building Safety Register believes this research can be used as a springboard to launch a national initiative to urgently locate and review Fire Risk Assessments.

Matt Hodges-Long continues: “with the Fire Safety Bill coming back to Parliament on Monday, this is the perfect opportunity to reboot our approach to Fire Safety and give the Fire and Rescue services the budget they need to regulate effectively.”

Please download the survey findings below and let us know what you think.