Cladding Crisis – NFRC Echoes Committee Calls for Swifter Action

THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF ROOFING CONTRACTORS (NFRC) is echoing the Committee of Public Accounts calls for swifter action on the remediation of dangerous cladding.

NFRC agrees with the Public Accounts Committee’s conclusion that progress in identifying and remediating buildings with dangerous cladding “is far too slow.”

James Talman, NFRC CEO

NFRC Group CEO James Talman, said: “It’s a travesty that so many residents still live in fear, paying exorbitant insurance on homes they were told were safe. Slow and uncoordinated oversight is leaving them in limbo.”

Slow Efforts and Undermined Planning

NFRC members working in cladding remediation report that unclear timelines and fragmented responsibilities continue to slow cladding remediation efforts.

Meanwhile, the government’s inability to accurately gauge the number of buildings with unsafe cladding undermines the industry’s capacity for effective workforce planning and training.

Clarity and Stability

“The committee’s concern about skills and capacity shortages is justified,” Talman added. “NFRC and the cladding industry stand ready to accelerate remediation, but we need clear regulations, stable funding, and competency frameworks for more roles associated with high-rise buildings.”

NFRC is already addressing the issue by participating in a Construction Leadership Council (CLC) steering group, the WG2 Rainscreen Facade priority group, chaired by NFRC Head of Technical and Training Bob Richardson, to develop a competency framework for rainscreen operatives.

In partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), five short courses have been developed, and CITB will fund training for 60 operatives and 24 supervisors.

“This is a crucial step in building the training infrastructure demanded by the Building Safety Act,” said James Talman. “Government support must continue if we’re to ensure competent operators on higher-risk buildings.”

Finally, the committee’s warning that speeding up remediation may expose taxpayers to increased fraud underscores the need for thorough vetting.

“An essential part of any vetting process is ensuring personnel meet recognized competency schemes, something NFRC is already working with government to achieve,” James Talman said.

NFRC eagerly awaits MHCLG’s response to the Committee’s recommendations.

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