The Fire Protection Association’s Post

And it will continue until the financial models that drive the industry change. DJH can moan all she likes but until that is changed 'cheapest wins' (to paraphrase) will prevail.

Directors have a responsibility to understand the impact of the BSA on their organisations and to drive a CULTURE committed to change.

Associations are dragging their feet and still in breach of the act in so many ways.

Dame Judith Hackitt said: “I feel strongly that it is time for us to name and shame those who continue to try to game the new system.” which is true enough! ... and in her lecture she called on construction professionals and industry leaders to take their building safety responsibilities more seriously amidst an “appalling attitude [that] continues to prevail” which is also true enough -but- for different reasons so, let me suggest first to separate the empowered appointed influencing leadership chairs from the body of professionals and industry they seek to lead ... • there are influential chiefs and chairs with 'hidden agendas' hoping for a workaround for their own commercial businesses while, at the same time, keeping their long-held seat warm and cosy with their support peers pulling the wagons round bad-actors that might serve their purposes better [no names yet, but may challenge them to step aside soon!] ... • there are commercial construction cartels gaming the system (because they can!) selling the myth that competence derives from a piece of plastic with a logo to wave ... hmm, a Green Card is no better than those RFID cards that open budget hotel bedroom doors - that doesn't take competence to open the door either

Is it a surprise! Just look at the response to something as simple as CSCS cards changing and removing industry accrreditation! Whether you agree with NVQs or not they are a baseline level of demonstrating competency. I was remember being at school, half my school year were farmers and by 14 the majority could drive numerous vehicles! But I always remember one guy who failed his driving test because he kept resting one arm on top of his door and only having one hand on the wheel, a bad habit picked up through years of driving on the farm! That’s the trouble with construction we seem to hold experience high as single measure of competency. However I also don’t know how we change such a deep rooted culture, it seems for some even a tragedy like this isn’t enough.

It is important to remember that Judith came into head the HSC and the HSE in 2007 when the original CDM regs were replaced, and she was still head of the HSE when the current 2015 fix for CDM was introduced. Judith has been scathing of the construction industry's attitude to CDM, the deliberate subverstions and deliberate refusal to accept responsibility (especially by designers and large companies passing off to contractors). The expression of frustration in this article shiuld be understood as a warning that the industry will not be given over 21 years to ignore the law as it was with CDM. If changes don't start very soon, expect legal actions in quantity, and with the new attitudes to sentencing powers and guidance to Courts, the fines will be big.

The industry is in disarray. reams of paperwork. millions wasted cladding remediation works and surveys NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE

Testing which is not fit for purpose Testing which numerous bodies and anachronisms have acknowledged to me in writing is inadequate, ie doesn’t apply sufficient load relative to real world applications. This is the testing Dame Hackitt is calling for?