WOBO recognises that the Grenfell Fire and Hackett review have identified significant issues relating to construction products, testing, installation and inspection and that the new regulator will address many of these issues.

The Government has committed to establish a national regulator for construction products as part of wider reforms to address systemic failings identified by the Hackitt Review.

It will operate within the Office for Product Safety and Standards which will be expanded and given £10m in funding to establish the new function.

The move is part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s work to address the culture within the construction industry.

www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-construction-products-regulator-announced

More information on the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government webpages

Residents will be protected through the establishment of a national regulator which will ensure materials used to build homes will be made safer, the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced today (19 January 2021).

The regulator for construction products will have the power to remove any product from the market that presents a significant safety risk and prosecute any companies who flout the rules on product safety.

This follows recent testimony to the Grenfell Inquiry that shone a light on the dishonest practice by some manufacturers of construction products, including deliberate attempts to game the system and rig the results of safety tests.

The regulator will have strong enforcement powers including the ability to conduct its own product-testing when investigating concerns. Businesses must ensure that their products are safe before being sold in addition to testing products against safety standards.

This marks the next major chapter in the government’s fundamental overhaul of regulatory systems. The progress on regulatory reform includes the publication of an ambitious draft Building Safety Bill, representing the biggest improvements to regulations in 40 years, and a new Building Safety Regulator that is already up and running in shadow form.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

“The Grenfell Inquiry has heard deeply disturbing allegations of malpractice by some construction product manufacturers and their employees, and of the weaknesses of the present product testing regime.

We are establishing a national regulator to address these concerns and a review into testing to ensure our national approach is fit for purpose. We will continue to listen to the evidence emerging in the Inquiry, and await the judge’s ultimate recommendation – but it is already clear that action is required now and that is what we are doing.”