Cladding Remediation Programme: Single Building Assessment specification

5 Summary

5.1 Overview

5.1.1 The completion of the FRAEW and the FRA shall culminate into a single SBA report on any Risk to Human Life for the in-scope Building.

5.1.2 Each assessment section shall clearly state the recommendations for remediation to be undertaken, if any. The report shall be clear and concise. A summary of the findings relating to Risk to Human Life shall be included within the SBA report. The summary shall also provide insights on how the Risk to Human Life was determined, alongside any next steps.

5.2 Next Steps

5.2.1 If the outcome of an SBA is such that further remediation is required to reduce Risk to Human Life, to a tolerable level, a number of steps, as detailed in this section, shall be undertaken to fulfil these recommendations. If the outcome of the SBA is such that there is a substantial or immediate Risk to Human Life, the SFRS shall be informed.

5.2.2 In order to ensure clarity over the recommendations a ‘Risk Mitigation Matrix' should be inserted into the SBA report. The Assessor will use the below image to outline, in the forms in Appendix H, where the recommendations resulting from the FRAEW and FRA fall in relation to Risk to Human Life.

5.2.3 There may be various risk mitigation measures that are dependent on the outcome of the building’s assessments. Intolerable risks created by the EWS, or internal issues indirectly exacerbated by the EWS fall under the CRM. Tolerable risks do not fall under the CRM but are still to be raised in the form in Appendix H for information to homeowners.

Remediation Design

5.2.4 All recommendations which are identified as requiring implementation Assessor to address Risk to Human Life shall be remediated as part of the Cladding Remediation Programme. All of these should be included in Appendix H.

5.2.5 All recommendations which are identified to address any other risks, including fire safety non-critical risks, shall be included in Appendix H, and handed over to the relevant dutyholder(s) for their consideration.

5.2.6 Once the initial SBA report is final and agreed by the commissioning authority, a design team shall be procured to design the remediation works.

5.2.7 Note that the aim of an SBA is not to bring a building into compliance with current Building Regulations, but to assess the Risk to Human Life. The focus of the remediation is to follow the in-scope SBA recommendations which address mitigation of Risks to Human Life, therefore bringing the building into this low, or tolerable, fire risk level.

Urgent Interim Measures

5.2.8 In the instance where the Assessor deems the existence of an immediate Risk to Human Life, UIM shall be planned and implemented.

5.2.9 In cases where there is substantial or immediate risk to occupants, a consideration may be given to moving residents out of the building and into temporary accommodation. As detailed in the Bill, Scottish Ministers may require the occupants of premises to be removed from the building if there is a substantial risk to the occupants’ lives or the lives of occupants of other premises due (directly or indirectly) to the EWS of an in-scope Building that is undergoing, or has undergone, an SBA.

5.2.10 Where an Assessor has deemed that the current ‘Stay Put’ evacuation strategy is no longer appropriate, a possible solution is the reconfiguration of the fire alarm system so that the evacuation strategy is changed from a ‘Stay Put’ to a Simultaneous Evacuation Strategy throughout the building. The proposal of a Simultaneous Evacuation Strategy may require the installation of a new alarm and detection. The National Fire Chiefs Council’s ‘Guidance to support a temporary change to a Simultaneous Evacuation Strategy in purpose-built block of flats’ may be used as guidance for this where a temporary change to simultaneous evacuation is deemed necessary. These proposed measures may be discussed, and agreed, with the SFRS before implementation.

5.2.11 In line with the National Fire Chief’s guidance, in the instance where a Simultaneous Evacuation Strategy is not possible, or if it will take time to implement an alarm system for simultaneous evacuation, a ‘Waking Watch’ may be implemented with suitably trained personnel constantly observing the building for a possible fire, and supporting the simultaneously evacuation, if required.

5.2.12 The above examples of UIM are a non-exhaustive list, and assessors should use their expertise and judgement in recommending UIM that are proportionate to the risk present.

Additional Work Assessments (AWAs)

5.2.13 Once remediation is underway, and further opening up works has taken place on site, there may be situations where an unexpected situation or material is found that was not evident during the initial SBA report preparation. If it is deemed that the findings would have an impact on the outcomes detailed in the SBA then an additional work assessment(s) (AWA(s)) is required.

5.2.14 Upon the determination of a potential impact to the outcome of the SBA, the Assessor that undertook the FRAEW will be contacted to give their competent judgement on what impact the findings pose, and whether or not these lead to a different outcome for the SBA. This may involve the Assessor attending site to inspect the findings for a greater understanding, and will require review of the existing SBA report (FRAEW and FRA).

5.2.15 An AWA will be a report that sets out what has been discovered and how this will impact the SBA recommendations, whether this is changes, removal or additions to the SBA outcome. Adjusted or new recommendations will be agreed between the contractor and competent person and then clearly recorded. This will form the AWA.

5.2.16 During the AWA process, cognisance should be had for whether or not the works required by an AWA requires a change to the remedial work’s warrant and whether any statutory updates are required.

5.2.17 The Cladding Assurance Register will be updated, as soon as reasonably practicable, after an AWA has been carried out to include when the AWA has been undertaken and what additional work the AWA report has identified as being needed to eliminate or mitigate a Risk to Human Life. A copy of the SBA report and any AWA additions are to be shared with SG.

Final Step

5.2.18 Following the completion of remedial works to an in-scope Building, the commissioning party should have the SBA updated to reflect the remedial works that have been undertaken and conclude the tolerable risk that is now present. This process should be undertaken by the Assessor who undertook the SBA, or another industry professional who meets the competency requirements set out in Section 2.8 if the former is not available.

5.2.19 The Cladding Assurance Register will be amended, as soon as reasonably practicable, after any remediation to reflect the work that has been undertaken and the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the work identified in the SBA, or any AWA, has been completed.