Grenfell Inquiry final report highlights systemic failings

The final report of the Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry has been published, outlining a range of systemic failures across government and the private sector that contributed to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

In 2017, a fire in a tower block in London, UK, killed 72 people. The main factor in the rapid spread of the fire was considered to be the flammable cladding and insulation material.

The investigation was led by retired judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Martin James Moore-Bick.

The first phase of the investigation, the results of which were published on 30 October 2019, covered the events of 14 June 2017 and focused on establishing how the fire started, broke out of the first flat and spread throughout the building.

The second phase investigated the underlying causes of the problem and analysed where mistakes had been made.

The report found that the Grenfell fire was the result of long-term failure by central government and industry to address the risks associated with the use of combustible materials in tall buildings.

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The document notes that despite warnings received between 2012 and 2017 regarding the risks associated with polymer insulation and aluminium composite panels with unmodified polyethylene cores, no action has been taken to update the guidance in Approved Document B.

Contractors and the Tenant Management Organisation (TMO) responsible for social housing in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea were found to have failed to properly manage the project.

There was a breakdown in trust and communication between the TMO and residents, leading to failure to deliver on its obligations.

In addition, architects Studio E, main contractor Rydon and subcontractor responsible for the facades Harley Facades were commended for their lenient approach to contractual obligations.

The report found that all three either misunderstood the scope of their duties or failed to give them due consideration, which further contributed to the incident.

It is recommended that the government consolidate all functions of the construction industry under one regulatory body to avoid another incident.