The Grenfell legacy: building safety ‘tunnel vision’ in the UK

Earlier this year the UK government announced new measures to improve building safety as a result of the Grenfell fire tragedy in 2017. Whilst these new laws are a step in the right direction, this is only one small part of addressing the risks of a lack-lustre approach to emergency lighting across the UK, and only means so much unless it’s enforced to the full extent of the law, says Anthony Martindale, Field Product Manager, Lighting at Eaton.

There is still inaction over emergency lighting Aside from the financial consequences of non-compliance –including past fines of £400,000 and 18-month jail sentences for serious offences – there is the more important consequence of endangering lives and showing a clear decision to focus on cutting costs instead of preserving human life.

Whilst no one wishes to see unnecessary constraints, additional costs or bureaucracy, the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, otherwise known as the Hackitt Review, made it clear that a significant change in UK construction culture needs to take place. We must evolve our ‘fit and forget’ culture, and revisit building safety measurements, particularly emergency lighting more regularly. Whilst cost is a factor, safety cannot be sacrificed to meet budgets.

Implications

The national conversation around dangerous cladding is an important one. However, it has left other important building safety issues in the dark in recent years. In 2020, we’ve seen a £3bn grant for ‘green’ homes, hospitals and schools to help boost green energy and drive employment. Yet still, there is inaction over emergency lighting – one of the most important elements of building safety that has the potential to save lives in an emergency.

This is particularly troubling when it comes to buildings at a higher risk, particularly from fires, including schools and hospitals. According to data from the home office, when it comes to residential dwellings in London, 20% of fires in ‘other dwellings’ (not houses/flats) in 2019 occurred in nursing/care homes or hospices and 14% occurred in student residence halls. Whilst many would assume a higher rate of risk would equal increased technologies to mitigate risk during emergencies, this isn’t always the case. According to a 2019 freedom of information request by Eaton, 70 out of the 76 universities to respond (92%) did not have adaptive evacuation signage in place, and only 12 (16%) said they would plan to implement adaptive evacuation signage in the coming three years.

The UK government needs to apply the same focus on emergency lighting as it has on cladding and other risks to life in buildings. And this doesn’t necessarily mean increased regulation either. Many individuals and organisations are instead calling on governments to better enforce existing laws to further discourage corner-cutting. It is only by walking the walk can governments affect real change.

Getting tough

Emergency lighting compliance is slipping off the government’s radar – and therefore industry agenda. This puts building occupants at huge risk and has already lead to the loss of life; for example, the building owner of an indoor market in Aberdeen was fined for not maintaining the lighting in a fire escape which led to the death of an 80-year-old man in 2018.

Emergency lighting is not a grudge purchase. It deserves comprehensive and regular maintenance to keep it at a high standard, ready for when an emergency may occur. Based on conversations with UK customers, approximately only 5% of buildings are investigated in a year, so some companies and owners are gambling with people’s lives by not purchasing the correct emergency lighting solutions. The need for this is clear after Grenfell Tower’s failure to upgrade emergency lighting, despite a report a year earlier warning that two-thirds of the tower’s emergency lighting units failed a routine inspection.

To properly address the issue of fire safety in UK buildings, the government needs to put in place a viable enforcement regime. For example, establishing an independent body that will investigate installations for compliance or moving to require better proof of maintenance would take us that much closer to compliant emergency lighting across the UK. Increased fines and a stronger threat of criminal prosecution will also help to support efforts to ensure increased building safety.

As the nature of risk changes in buildings across the UK, it’s important the government, alongside building owners and managers, don’t lose sight of the full picture and ensure every element of a building is compliant with regulations, and emergency lighting is a huge piece of the safety puzzle. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to simply set regulations. Only when proper enforcement is in play will those responsible be deterred from corner-cutting and truly understand the gravity of their decisions and the impact on the lives of occupants.

THE INCEPTOR OMNI V2

NOW FEATURING 600 LUMEN OUTPUT

Emergency lighting compliance is slipping off the government’s radar

Eaton, eaton.com