Are our Tower Blocks safe?

[xsf7]

Just to clarify - who are you referring to here as 'the victims'??

 

The victims are all of the people (including tax payers) who suffer as a consequence of private companies cutting corners to make a profit.

 

If it comes to a prosecution the people to blame for an offence are the people who commit the offence: not anyone else for failing to spot that they had been lied to or misled.

 

The council check samples before work commences and then inspect the work at the end to check that it complies with Building Regulations. Without testing every single element used you have to trust that if a contractor says they've used this product then they haven't substituted it for another product but this wouldn't be possible to tell just by looking - or else why have local authorities across the land gone to the expense of sending samples to be tested?

[Cyclone]

I doubt that they even check samples, if they're told that product X is being used which conforms to building regulations Y and Z, then they sign it off, as you would expect.

 

---------- Post added 28-06-2017 at 07:31 ----------

 

Dealing with what , if they are safe ?

 

Dealing with a breach of the building regulations at least.

[DerbyTup]

Dunno - I'm not a building inspector but I bet someone on here is? But a few years ago I project managed a sizeable extension to our house. I didn't really know what the hell I was doing - but I did it anyhow.

 

On the plans a certain type of breeze block had been specified for the garage.

 

When the building inspector came around he noticed that the breeze blocks used were NOT those specified on the plans. And that was that. Down tools. Work stopped. Men told to leave the site.

 

I had to go back to a structural engineer and get him to visit and recalculate everything because the fact the builders had used a different breeze block to those on the plans changed all the calculations for steel beams,supporting walls, roof, etc. So I had to get it all re-calculated and approved by the Building Inspector before we could lay another brick.

 

I would have thought that the same stringent checks are made to other buildings as well?

[samssong]

Dunno - I'm not a building inspector but I bet someone on here is? But a few years ago I project managed a sizeable extension to our house. I didn't really know what the hell I was doing - but I did it anyhow.

 

On the plans a certain type of breeze block had been specified for the garage.

 

When the building inspector came around he noticed that the breeze blocks used were NOT those specified on the plans. And that was that. Down tools. Work stopped. Men told to leave the site.

 

I had to go back to a structural engineer and get him to visit and recalculate everything because the fact the builders had used a different breeze block to those on the plans changed all the calculations for steel beams,supporting walls, roof, etc. So I had to get it all re-calculated and approved by the Building Inspector before we could lay another brick.

 

I would have thought that the same stringent checks are made to other buildings as well?

 

Years ago the building inspector had to inspect at every stage of construction , footings, dpc, chamber joist, pan, roof ,drains , window areas and so on .

When I watch construction now it amazes me that they finish one area of the job and carry straight on to the next immediately, often meaning that stuff has been covered without any inspection .

[BHRemovals]

I doubt very much if they are safe due to "lowest quote" mentality.

[Eater Sundae]

I doubt very much if they are safe due to "lowest quote" mentality.

 

This^^^^^^

 

However, it is hard or even impossible for any public or quoted company to choose anything other than the cheapest option, provided it meets the specification.

[choogling]

I had my tenants meeting last Tuesday. I asked the council rep when these safety checks were done and by whom. I was told that they are done by professional fire safety people, we had the fire service on the blocks testing the risers but nothing else. I also asked the rep why we don't have a proper pact test ie. testing all appliances rather than just the plug sockets and lights. I was told that it would take too long to test everything. after arguing for 5 minutes I was told to shut up and move on to the next issue. we have had our kitchens and bathrooms refurbished and a new electrical system put in. Due to the new system people are finding that they have faulty cookers, fridges. if the council had done proper pact tests we would have known about all these faulty appliances.

 

pat testing means portable appliance ie. those fitted with a plug not wired in fridges or cookers etc.

[Eater Sundae]

I can sort of understand how panels might be specified, and then fail because the actual operating conditions turn out to be different from those which were expected, and it really needed a higher performance panel.

 

What I find incredible is the situation that appears to have happened in Camden where fire doors were not installed. Fire doors are pretty basic, and an essential part of fire control.

[RabM]

Years ago the building inspector had to inspect at every stage of construction , footings, dpc, chamber joist, pan, roof ,drains , window areas and so on .

When I watch construction now it amazes me that they finish one area of the job and carry straight on to the next immediately, often meaning that stuff has been covered without any inspection .

 

An architect tells me that the building inspectors have been cut by reduced funding and the drive to cut "red tape" and allow more self-certification by builders and contractors. As the owner of a Barrat house from new I can categorically state this idea sucks.

[kal el]

Why do you think the council should PAT test all your appliances ?

 

We are currently having refurbishments done in our flats. We have had a new electrical system put in. Most of the tenants who have had their flat refurbished have found out that there are faults on their kitchen appliances IE cookers, mine included. on the old electrical system it didn't detect any faults. if the council did a proper pact test we would have known about these faults ages ago. So much for the council saying we are safe!