The release of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report on Wednesday should be a watershed moment for the UK construction industry.
There is some difficult reading for the sector in the 1,700-page report, which dissects the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The use of phrases such as “systemic dishonesty”, “unacceptably casual approach” and “buck passing” paint the picture of a sector that had knowingly sacrificed quality and safety in pursuit of better margins.
If this wasn’t chastising enough for construction leaders, it was followed by statements in the House of Commons from the Prime Minister that pledged to grasp the bull by the horns to ‘reform the construction products industry’, and a commitment to look at implementing all 58 recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry Panel.
This will include the introduction of a powerful and independent industry regulator, ending the self-regulation the industry has enjoyed for decades.
Head of the Inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick stated that some steps have already been taken to respond to failures identified, but he also noted more should be done to “bring about a fundamental change” in the construction industry.
Grenfell Inquiry panel member and architect, Thouria Istephan held back tears during her final statement on the report, but her message to the sector was clear:
“If you work in the construction industry and do not feel the weight of responsibility to keep people safe, you are in the wrong job.”
The Construction Products Association was quick to acknowledge this weight of responsibility and accepted that there was more work to be done:
“The recommendations from all these reports provide a clear picture about what needs to change in the industry. They also reflect the guiding principles that have shaped the CPA’s work since the Grenfell tragedy over seven years ago, and we have accepted them all.
“We continue to work closely with manufacturers, government, the regulators, and industry to develop and introduce new standards and legislation that will drive reform.
“This is not ‘job done’. The Inquiry report is the most powerful reminder, if we needed one, that we must double-down on safety. The CPA is committed to continuing this important work.”
The industry must face up to the reputational hit it has taken at a time when we need more people to join the sector. The Grenfell United group, representing some victims of the fire, blamed the “greed of an industry” and a “fundamental failure of the most basic duties of care” for the disaster.
Dishonesty, greed and incompetence are three words now attached to how the wider public view the construction sector with our trade media also highlighting the reckoning the industry faces.
“We all heard the shocking evidence during the hearings and today we have the damning findings of the Grenfell Inquiry’s final report. We should feel that sense of shock all over again because it lays bare the sheer scale of incompetence and the level of deceit that took place in the lead up to the disaster that killed 72 people.
“Today is a watershed moment for the entire construction industry – it needs to take stock of this final report and take a hard look at itself”. – Chloe McCulloch, Editor, Building.
This week’s publication of the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry should wake the sector from its apathy. The UK state shares its blame for the complacency, regulations cutting, and societal circumstances that led to the disaster in June 2017, and as a result the state now has the imperative to ensure it cannot happen again.
With so much of the new government’s agenda reliant on an effective, thriving construction sector, the industry should expect a greater interest in its operations in the coming years.
Our industry builds the homes that make us feel safe, the infrastructure that allows us to work, and the places – from stadiums and parks to arenas and civic buildings – that allow us to live fulfilling lives. But these places can quickly turn into traps because of a lack of care, poor design, and slapdash workmanship.
Sir Keir Starmer summed up this sentiment in his statement to the House of Commons, and his words should leave the construction sector in no doubt that it won’t be allowed to go back:
