Construction ‘sleepwalking’ to repeat of Grenfell due to ‘culture of silence’, says industry organisation

The construction sector is “sleepwalking” towards the next cladding tragedy because of a “culture of silence”, according to a non-profit organisation tasked with raising standards in the industry.

The Considerate Constructors Scheme makes 10,000 monitoring visits to construction sites every year in an effort to raise standards, and its logo is seen on the hoardings of thousands of construction sites across the country.

Today (Tuesday), its executive chair has come out with a dire warning that frontline construction staff are being deterred from speaking out about dangerous or sub-optimal materials.

“We want to sound the alarm that we are still sleepwalking towards the next industry tragedy. The Grenfell fire occurred because of a culture of chasing profits over performance and speed of delivery over safety,” said Amit Oberoi, executive chairman of the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS).

“But also - beyond this - a culture of silence in the industry, which deters frontline construction staff from speaking out about dangerous or sub-optimal materials they are being asked to use in builds.”

The Grenfell Phase 2 Report, which was published on 4 September this year, found that “incompetence” in the construction sector and a “casual” approach to contractual relations had paved the way for the disaster in which 73 people lost their lives.

The inquiry also determined that the failures in the refurbishment job that led to the fire were “likely widespread” in the construction industry at that time.

>> Read more: Three in five buildings with dangerous cladding have yet to be identified, warns watchdog 

Oberoi said that “every week” since the report was published, CCS had been approached by “workers of all backgrounds” to tell them that there were “concerned and even frightened about the poor quality of materials they are being asked to use, either because of cost-cutting or simply trying to build more with less”. 

“These are good people trying to deliver high quality buildings that will last safely for generations,” he said.

“But many cannot - in good faith - carry on in an industry which does not want to raise standards.

“These issues of quality and safety impact way beyond the public good, but also speak to why many skilled people are leaving the building industry at the very moment we need them the most.”

He urged the government to heed the recommendations of the Grenfell Phase 2 Report and create a single independent body to oversee the sector, headed by a construction regulator.