By Andrew Northage, Stuart Ponting, Robert Starr
On 19 July 2018, the government issued a consultation on proposed revisions to clarify building regulations fire safety guidance, known as ‘Approved Document B’, in the wake of Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety. Her final report was published on 17 May 2018. The stated aim of the consultation is to improve usability and reduce the risk of misinterpretation by those carrying out and inspecting building work. It closes on 11 October 2018.
In a press release, the Secretary of State for Communities said that he will go further by conducting a full-scale end-to-end technical review of Approved Document B. A call for evidence will be published in the autumn. The review will assess, among 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.The clarified Approved Document B and a roadmap for wider technical policy changes will be published early in 2019.
