High-rise fire evacuation policy
Absence of clear policies and procedures for managing a transition from 'stay put' to 'get out' in high-rise building fire emergencies.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 4 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
34 inquiry recs
6 PFD reports
9 committee recs
1 LGO/SPSO decision
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry recommendations(34)
P1-36 — Require understandable fire safety instructions
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings (whether or not it is a high-rise building) be required by law to provide fire safety instructions (including instructions for evacuation) in a form that the occupants of the …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-35 — Require clear floor number markings in high-rise buildings
Recommendation: In all high-rise buildings floor numbers be clearly marked on each landing within the stairways and in a prominent place in all lobbies in such a way as to be visible both in normal conditions and in low lighting or …
Gov response: Sir Martin’s report found that the landings in Grenfell Tower were not clearly marked, which hindered fire fighters’ ability to find floors. As a result, he recommended that all high-rise buildings’ floor numbers are clearly …
Accepted in part
P1-33 — Require PEEP information in premises information box
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to include up-to-date information about persons with reduced mobility and their associated PEEPs in the premises information box.
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-32 — Require personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to prepare personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for all residents whose ability to self-evacuate may be compromised (such as persons with reduced mobility or cognition).
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-31 — Require evacuation alarm systems in high-rise buildings
Recommendation: All high-rise residential buildings (both those already in existence and those built in the future) be equipped with facilities for use by the fire and rescue services enabling them to send an evacuation signal to the whole or a selected …
Gov response: Sir Martin’s report found that the landings in Grenfell Tower were not clearly marked, which hindered fire fighters’ ability to find floors. As a result, he recommended that all high-rise buildings’ floor numbers are clearly …
Accepted in part
P1-30 — Require evacuation plans for high-rise buildings
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to draw up and keep under regular review evacuation plans, copies of which are to be provided in electronic and paper form to their local fire and …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-29 — Fire services develop evacuation policies and training
Recommendation: Fire and rescue services develop policies for partial and total evacuation of high-rise residential buildings and training to support them.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
P1-28 — National guidelines for high-rise evacuations
Recommendation: The government develop national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings, such guidelines to include the means of protecting fire exit routes and procedures for evacuating persons who are unable to use the stairs in …
Gov response: The Chairman recommended that Government should develop national guidelines for carrying out evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. To do this, the Home Office and MHCLG have already formed a steering group together with the National …
Accepted in part
P2-11 — Develop new test methods for evacuation strategy assessments
Recommendation: Assessing whether an external wall system can support a particular evacuation strategy is difficult because the necessary information is not always available. We therefore recommend that steps be taken in conjunction with the professional and academic community to develop new …
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. We will work with the professional and academic community to address this recommendation through the ongoing Approved Document B review led by the Building Safety Regulator which will consider any …
Accepted
P2-2 — Review Building Safety Act higher-risk building definition
Recommendation: That the definition of a higher-risk building for the purposes of the Building Safety Act be reviewed urgently. (113.7)
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. The Building Safety Regulator has conducted an initial review of the definition of a higher-risk building. Plans for an ongoing review, which will help strengthen the building system, reassure residents …
Accepted
P1-18 — Develop stay put to evacuation transition policies
Recommendation: Policies be developed for managing a transition from 'stay put' to 'get out'.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
RONA-30 — Strengthen blocks judged susceptible and turn off the gas
Recommendation: In blocks that are judged to be susceptible to progressive collapse, measures must be taken to strengthen them to eliminate this risk, and the gas supply should be turned off until this has been done (paragraph 191).
Unknown
RONA-29 — Structural appraisal of all blocks over six storeys
Recommendation: All blocks over six storeys in height should be appraised by a structural engineer who should consider: (a) whether they are susceptible to progressive collapse (paragraph 191); (b) whether they have been designed to resist adequately the maximum wind loadings …
Unknown
RONA-22 — Review storage rules for explosive materials in high blocks
Recommendation: The Regulations governing the storage of other potentially explosive materials in high blocks of flats should be reviewed (paragraph 173).
Unknown
RONA-19 — Disconnect gas from tall buildings liable to progressive collapse
Recommendation: Gas supplies should be disconnected from those existing tall buildings, the design of which renders them liable to progressive collapse, until they have been strengthened (paragraph 161).
Unknown
RONA-13 — Disconnect the gas supply until Ronan Point is strengthened
Recommendation: Until the building has been strengthened the gas supply to it should be disconnected (paragraph 131).
Unknown
RONA-12 — Strengthen Ronan Point and make the joints continuous
Recommendation: Ronan Point should be strengthened, in particular by making the joints tougher and more continuous, so that local damage to the load-bearing walls from whatever cause will not lead to progressive collapse; and so that the building is capable of …
Unknown
P2-24 — Create cladding materials library for designers
Recommendation: We have referred to the Cladding Materials Library set up by the University of Queensland, which could form the basis of a valuable source of information for designers of buildings in general. We recommend that the construction regulator sponsor the …
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. We accept the premise of better access to information, resources and test results through a digitally based library. In line with this we are considering options to best support access …
Accepted
P2-21 — Introduce licensing scheme for principal contractors
Recommendation: That a licensing scheme operated by the construction regulator be introduced for principal contractors wishing to undertake the construction or refurbishment of higher-risk buildings and that it be a legal requirement that any application for building control approval for the …
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. We will review the impact of the new dutyholder regime in relation to higher-risk buildings, working with the sector to determine how we can go further, including introducing a licensing …
Accepted
P2-20 — Require principal designer compliance statement at Gateway 2
Recommendation: That it be made a statutory requirement that an application for building control approval in relation to the construction or refurbishment of a higher-risk building (Gateway 2) be supported by a statement from a senior manager of the principal designer …
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. We intend to make it a statutory requirement to include such a statement with building control approval applications requiring the principal designer to confirm they have complied with their existing …
Accepted
P2-10 — Require fire safety strategy from registered fire engineer at Gateway 2
Recommendation: That it be made a statutory requirement that a fire safety strategy produced by a registered fire engineer to be submitted with building control applications (at Gateway 2) for the construction or refurbishment of any higher-risk building and for it …
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. A fire safety strategy is already required with building control applications for the construction of and significant work to higher-risk buildings. The Building Safety Regulator will consider how to make …
Accepted
P1-39 — Require compliant flat entrance doors where unsafe cladding exists
Recommendation: All those who have responsibility in whatever capacity for the condition of the entrance doors to individual flats in high-rise residential buildings, whose external walls incorporate unsafe cladding, be required by law to ensure that such doors comply with current …
Gov response: The Home Office’s upcoming Fire Safety Bill will aim to clarify the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – the ‘Fire Safety Order’ – to put beyond doubt that building owners or …
Accepted in part
P1-38 — Require quarterly fire door checks
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings (whether or not they are high-rise buildings) be required by law to carry out checks at not less than three-monthly intervals to ensure that all fire doors are fitted …
Gov response: The Home Office’s upcoming Fire Safety Bill will aim to clarify the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – the ‘Fire Safety Order’ – to put beyond doubt that building owners or …
Accepted in part
P1-37 — Urgent fire door inspections required
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings (whether or not they are high-rise buildings) carry out an urgent inspection of all fire doors to ensure that they comply with applicable legislative standards.
Gov response: Sir Martin recommended that building owners or the responsible persons carry out urgent checks to ensure fire doors complied with current standards. MHCLG has recommended that all fire doors, including their closers, should be routinely …
Noted
P1-34 — Equip fire services with smoke hoods
Recommendation: All fire and rescue services be equipped with smoke hoods to assist in the evacuation of occupants through smoke-filled exit routes.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
P1-26 — Equipment for BA communication in high-rise buildings
Recommendation: The LFB urgently take steps to obtain equipment that enables firefighters wearing helmets and breathing apparatus to communicate with the bridgehead effectively, including when operating in high-rise buildings.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
P1-19 — Train control room staff on evacuation advice changes
Recommendation: Control room staff receive training directed specifically to handling such a change of advice and conveying it effectively to callers.
Gov response: The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action …
Accepted
P1-9 — Require monthly lift control mechanism tests
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to carry out regular tests of the mechanism which allows firefighters to take control of the lifts and to inform their local fire and rescue service at …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-8 — Require monthly firefighter lift inspections
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to carry out regular inspections of any lifts that are designed to be used by firefighters in an emergency and to report the results of such inspections …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-6 — Require premises information boxes
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to ensure that the building contains a premises information box, the contents of which must include a copy of the up-to-date floor plans and information about the …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-5 — Require building floor plans for fire services
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to provide their local fire and rescue services with up-to-date plans in both paper and electronic form of every floor of the building identifying the location of …
Gov response: Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Phase 1 report was exhaustive in detail and made a series of findings and recommendations relevant to government. As the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local …
Accepted in part
P1-1 — Require external wall information for fire services
Recommendation: The owner and manager of every high-rise residential building be required by law to provide their local fire and rescue service with information about the design of its external walls together with details of the materials of which they are …
Gov response: The Home Office’s upcoming Fire Safety Bill will aim to clarify the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – the ‘Fire Safety Order’ – to put beyond doubt that building owners or …
Accepted in part
P2-23 — Consider national building control authority
Recommendation: We recommend that the same panel consider whether all building control functions should be performed by a national authority. (113.38)
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. See recommendation 22.
Accepted
P2-22 — Independent panel review of building control commercial interests
Recommendation: That the government appoint an independent panel to consider whether it is in the public interest for building control functions to be performed by those who have a commercial interest in the process. (113.37)
Gov response: The government accepts this recommendation. An independent panel will be established to review the building control sector and will recommend which bodies should carry out certain functions, as well as whether all building control functions …
Accepted
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(6)
Grenfell Tower
Concerns: The coroner identified the lack of a structured health screening programme for Grenfell Tower survivors, first responders, and site workers exposed to smoke, dust, and potential asbestos. Concerns were raised about illnesses going unnoticed and the need for comprehensive mental health support.
Overdue
Kevin Branton, Richard Smith, Audrey Cook, Alfred Cook and Maureen Cook
Concerns: The coroner identified the absence of a national database for gas appliances, noting that a lack of mandatory recording hinders communication between parties and makes tracing potentially dangerous items difficult and time-consuming.
Response (MP BEIS): • The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has established a national Product Safety Database. • OPSS has commissioned research to encourage greater registration of products to facilitate corrective … (AI summary)
Overdue
Zainab Hashim and Tafaoul Abdulkarim
Concerns: The coroner noted residents were unaware of the 'Stay Put' fire policy in council-owned flats, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council had not changed its communication methods for this policy. This lack of resident awareness was identified as a risk of future deaths.
Response (Stoke-on-Trent City Council): • The Council communicates its Stay Put Policy through translated Fire Safety Notices provided to residents, displayed in communal areas, and verbally reinforced during annual Tenancy Audit Visits. • Housing … (AI summary)
Responded
Henry Boddy
Concerns: The coroner noted a gap in enforcement powers to address fire risks in residential properties, particularly those arising from hoarding behaviour.
Response (Home Office): • The Home Office stated that the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to communal areas of residential buildings, and Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) can issue prohibition notices … (AI summary)
Overdue
William Erskine
Concerns: The coroner noted that current Building Regulations do not require fixed window restrictors in high-rise residential buildings, nor is there a requirement to retro-fit them for existing window designs.
Response (Ministry of Housing): • The Government is committed to bringing forward secondary legislation to bring Awaab’s Law into force in the social rented sector and apply it to the private rented sector through … (AI summary)
Responded
Liam Allan
Concerns: Concerns were raised regarding inadequate lighting and inconsistent reflective markings on riverside buoyancy aids, hindering their rapid deployment. Additionally, the communication process between the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade relies on a slower telephone system instead of faster electronic transfer, potentially delaying emergency response.
Response (London Fire Brigade): • The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has made significant changes to its radio system and is upgrading systems for electronic incident data sharing with the Metropolitan Police Service. • LFB … (AI summary)
Response (National Fire Chiefs Council): • The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) confirmed that a Multi-Agency Information Transfer (MAIT) system, which facilitates electronic information exchange between agencies, is currently being implemented in all fire control … (AI summary)
Response (London Borough of Barking and Dagenham): • The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham stated it would initiate a borough-wide survey of waterbodies and riverside locations to identify safety infrastructure and assess risks. • The Borough … (AI summary)
Response (London Borough of Havering): • The Council stated it would not take action regarding communications between emergency services, considering it a matter for those services. • Risk assessments for life buoys at inland water … (AI summary)
Response (City of London): • The City of London Corporation has committed to improving the lighting and reflective markings on all riverside buoyancy aids within its jurisdiction. • A project plan is being developed … (AI summary)
Responded
Select committee recommendations(9)
#1 —
Recommendation: On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (the Department) about the remediation of dangerous of cladding on high-rise buildings.1
Response attribution not verified
#20 —
Recommendation: Given that the introduction of the PAS 9980 will not result in the elimination of EWS1 forms, we remain concerned that uncertainty will remain about the safety of buildings and will continue to stymie those trying to sell their homes. …
Response attribution not verified
#2 —
Recommendation: In the absence of PAS-79 guidance which was withdrawn in August 2021, it is imperative that the British Standards Institute publish its new standard as soon as possible. We urge the Government to report on its consultation on Personal Emergency …
Response attribution not verified
#10 —
Recommendation: The Department said it was unacceptable that buildings of any height had unsafe cladding, not just high-rise buildings (i.e. those above 18 metres in height). Nevertheless, it said it was not funding the replacement of cladding in buildings below 18 …
Response attribution not verified
#3 —
Recommendation: The Department has no knowledge of how many care homes below 18 metres in height have dangerous cladding. The Department has published advice that the risks of unsafe cladding are increased for buildings, such as care homes, where there are …
Response attribution not verified
#21 —
Recommendation: The evidence we received clearly indicates that it should be the regulator—and not building owners—who decides whether a building needs a fire risk assessment. As such, we recommend that the Building Safety Regulator decides whether a building needs a fire …
Response attribution not verified
#32 — Insurance premiums will remain high without full property protection alongside life safety.
Recommendation: In written evidence, the ABI called on government to adopt an approach that priorities property protection and building resilience alongside risk to life. It said that without a standard requiring the removal of combustible material in external walls (insulation and …
Response attribution not verified
#13 — Government funding programmes exclude non-cladding fire safety defects, burdening property owners and leaseholders.
Recommendation: In their written evidence to us, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and The Property Institute also raised concerns about the exclusion of non– cladding defects from government funded programmes. The NFCC told us there was a “large proportion” of …
Response attribution not verified
#21 —
Recommendation: The post-Grenfell prohibition on the use of combustible materials in external walls has had a disproportionate impact on the use, innovation and testing of structural timber. Material safety perceptions have also affected the availability and cost of insurance, making it …
Response attribution not verified