New Construction Products Safety Regulator Announced

A NATIONAL REGULATOR to ensure construction products are safe, has been announced.

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 the recent evidence given at the Grenfell Inquiry that some construction products manufacturers had deliberately gamed the system and rigged the results of safety tests.

Construction Products Safety Regulator

The regulator’s enforcement powers will include the ability to conduct its own product-testing when investigating concerns.

This follows publication of the draft Building Safety Bill and the establishment of a new Building Safety Regulator.

Housing minister, Robert Jenrick, 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.”

The regulator will operate within the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) which will be expanded and given £10 million in funding to establish the new function. It will work with the Building Safety Regulator and Trading Standards to encourage and enforce compliance.

The government has also commissioned an independent review to examine weaknesses in previous testing regimes for construction products, and to recommend how abuse of the testing system can be prevented.

It will be led by a panel of experts with regulatory, technical and construction industry experience and will report later this year with recommendations.

>> Read more about the Building Safety Regulator in the news