Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive at Electrical Safety First, commented: “We welcome the draft publication of this bill which recognises the fact that legislative change is urgently needed to ensure that tower block residents are safe. However, for the new law to be truly effective, it is imperative that it addresses the electrical causes of devastating tower block fires like Lakanal House and Shepherd’s Court.
Electrical Safety First recommends the bill, in its final form, includes mandatory electrical safety checks on homes in tower blocks, regardless of tenure type. It should also require all white goods (such as tumble dryers and fridges) present in tower blocks to be registered and kept on a register by the building’s management company to ensure this happens. Unless the bill includes these requirements, the legislation risks only addressing the spread of tower block fires and not their root causes.”
To view the draft Building Safety Bill, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-building-safety-bill