Solomonic’s Post

Solomonic data reveals over 100 claims have arisen over cladding and fire safety concerns and exceed £380 million in damages. As of late July, a government report identified over 4,600 UK residential buildings over 36 feet (11 metres) tall with unsafe cladding, opening up a lot of new litigation risk. It will be important to watch for new cases in the coming months, potentially spurred by the damning Grenfell Tower Inquiry findings and the recent introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Building Safety Regulator in April. Read the full insights article here: https://lnkd.in/ekViEjcD #grenfell #construction #buildingsafetyact

Delayed issue of #GrenfellInquiry phase 2 report - frustrating understanding of the root cause and compounding issues + implications for building & fire safety: Legislation, Inspection, Enforcement, Products, Design, Specifications, Construction, Maintenance, Warranties, Insurance, Priofesional practice, Competency, Not only in residential or high-rise buildings but across the built environment. Plus implications for emergency services and major incident responses Yes the inquiry needs to do it right but how long must #Grenfell families, community & stakeholders now need to wait? https://lnkd.in/e7yh2tPu

Today’s release of the report of the #Grenfell Tower enquiry has plenty of blame to go around across government, building contractors, antagonistic residential management, penny-pinching and contemptuous local authority officials, an unprepared fire brigade, and - most particularly - manufacturers and suppliers of unsafe and totally inappropriate building materials. The latter knowingly misled its customers and the market, specifically targeted gaps in the regulatory system to sell an unsafe product and misrepresented the safety testing results, all of which really must lead to criminal charges, in my opinion. But the article’s rimshot really stands out for me, now as much as it did 7 years ago when the disaster first occurred: “Everyone involved thought that responsibility lay with someone else.” Emma Wilson and I wrote extensively about this phenomenon — in which chains and layers of specialist contractors delivering a complex project results in no one having or accepting overall responsibility for the success of the project outcomes — in relation to the BP Deepwater Horizon catastrophe many years ago. Sadly, the inescapable conclusion is that in the case of Grenfell, nearly a decade after DH, the story is the same - but the loss of innocent lives was in fact far worse. I submit that the most important ingredient, too often missing in complex technical projects, is what Emma and I dubbed managerial responsibility. Any project, regardless of size, hazard level, location or complexity, is much more than a to-do list, with steps farmed out one by one to the lowest bidder. If no one is charged with both the responsibility and the power to ensure a successful outcome, no one will do it. There are salutary lessons that all organisations can draw from this disastrous compound human failure. I fervently hope that we will. https://lnkd.in/dguWPdpG

💚 The Grenfell Tower fire was a catastrophic failure of responsibility, safety, and leadership. Seventy-two lives were tragically lost due to a combination of negligence, cost-cutting, and active concealment of critical safety information. For those unfamiliar with the full details of the report or who have only seen parts of the analysis: 🟢 The Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) ignored multiple fire safety warnings, allowing dangerous, combustible materials to be used in the tower’s refurbishment. 🟢 Rydon, as the principal contractor, failed to ensure that Building Regulations were followed during the refurbishment, particularly in relation to fire safety. Rydon displayed a casual attitude towards critical safety aspects and failed to properly oversee sub-contractors. 🟢 Manufacturers Arconic, Celotex, and Kingspan knowingly supplied dangerous materials and concealed critical information about their fire performance, significantly contributing to the fire's rapid spread. 🟢 On the night of the fire, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) responded bravely, with firefighters risking their lives. However, the LFB leadership has faced heavy criticism for its prolonged reliance on the "stay put" strategy, even after it was clear that compartmentation had failed. This strategy was maintained for too long, leading to unnecessary loss of life. The Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations aim to bring major, necessary changes to both the construction and real estate sectors: 🟢 Ban on combustible materials: The use of combustible materials must be banned entirely. Fire-resistant alternatives should be mandatory for all future developments and refurbishments, setting a new standard for fire safety. 🟢 Stricter regulatory oversight: Developers, contractors, and manufacturers will face tougher regulations, including more rigorous testing, certification, and compliance requirements. This will address the gaps that allowed unsafe materials to be used unchecked. 🟢 Reforming evacuation strategies: Buildings must be retrofitted with improved evacuation routes and systems, providing safe alternatives to the "stay put" strategy when it is no longer viable. 🟢 Higher accountability: Mandatory fire safety inspections will be enforced more frequently, with greater scrutiny placed on property owners, management, and contractors to ensure they are meeting safety standards. Fines and legal action will be key in holding negligent parties accountable. These changes are essential to prevent future tragedies. Lives must come before profits.

When a building owner refuses a request for security, a dispute will arise under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Party wall surveyors will be appointed, whowill then determine whether security for expenses is reasonable for the situation. The surveyors will consider whether security is required, how much security is reasonable, how the security will be held and the control mechanisms and timelines for using the security or releasing the funds back to the building owner. The surveyors’ role is to calculate foreseeable damage and they may obtain cost estimates from contractors or other professionals to assist in their determination. Once these have been considered, the surveyors will document this in a party wall award. #southamptoncharteredsurveyor #buildingsurveyor #partywall #harrisonclarke #surveyworld

This weekend marked seven years since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, a catastrophe that has left an indelible mark on the UK's building regulations and the practice of building surveying. The aftermath has seen a concerted effort to address fire safety and cladding issues across residential buildings nationwide. However, as highlighted by a recent article, thousands of residents are still living in buildings with unsafe cladding, raising significant concerns about fire safety. Building surveyors have been pivotal in the inspection and remediation processes, identifying at-risk buildings and guiding the safe replacement of hazardous materials. Despite these efforts, progress has been slow, and many buildings remain non-compliant with updated safety standards. The complexities of funding, legal responsibilities, and technical challenges have contributed to the prolonged timeline for ensuring all buildings meet the necessary safety criteria. For more detailed insights into the current state of building safety and ongoing efforts, you can read the full article here:

An important industry alert has been published by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) requiring building surveyors to familiarise themselves with the application of the Minister’s Guideline 15 (MG-15). MG-15 was issued by the Minister for Planning under the Building Act 1993 to provide guidance to Municipal Building Surveyors (MBS) and private building surveyors (PBS) when considering the suitability and risk of existing combustible external cladding. MG-15 reflects the Victorian Government’s policy for the adoption of a risk-based approach to the reduction of fire risk associated with combustible cladding. Read the VBA’s industry alert: https://lnkd.in/gFHEUkTk #Cladding #CladdingSafety

With a well known shortage in housing, especially affordable housing; there has been another fire loss to apartments under construction here in Apex, NC. It was reported to have been contained in about thirty minutes along with no injuries. Hopefully due to the quick control time, the damages are limited in size and complexity. This was one of the first 100% affordable apartment complex in the area over the last 25 years. The fire is under investigation by public authorities and there will soon my multiple private investigators involved. Does your retained private fire investigator have the ability to go beyond just the origin and cause and also opine on the standard of care of a construction site? Although no details to indicate the specific cause or failure, there are some general best practice tips that should be followed on every site: * Ensure temporary fire alarm notification and evacuation devices are in place * Ensure standpipes are charged * Establish no smoking for the entire job-site * Ensure Hot Work Permits are filed each day and completed each day * Hot work post observation period timelines are observed * Hot works are checked not only by fire watch personnel but also TIC's * Have a fire prevention management plan in place * Have a qualified manager to oversee the plan #NFPA241 #fireinvestigation #insuranceclaims #subrogation

Our thoughts are with the families, friends and wider communities of those who were killed in the Grenfell Tower fire.   Today's inquiry concludes that the 72 people who lost their lives were the result of failures by governments, the construction industry and systematic dishonesty.   The government was aware of the risks posed by combustible cladding and insulation before the fire.   The views of residents before the fire were consistently ignored.   Our homes are the foundations of our lives, and everyone deserves a safe and decent home. For too many people, this isn't the case. Thousands of families are still living in buildings that are a fire-safety risk. Thousands more in poor quality homes.   Every single loss of life was avoidable. This inquiry must be an opportunity for change.   Residents living in unsafe homes need to be listened to and action must be taken to ensure everyone has a decent home where they can build their lives.   All those responsible for building safety and management must act now so that residents can be sure that their safety, not corporate interest, is the priority.

🌧️ Tip #6: Leak Lookout! 🔍 Don't let leaks lurk unnoticed. Inspect your attic and ceilings for water stains or leaks, especially post-rain. Spotting trouble early with RCR means safeguarding your sanctuary from the top down. Swift action keeps your home dry and damage-free. Trust Revere Construction & Roofing for vigilant protection. #LeakPrevention #HomeInspection #RevereRoofing #RCR