The Scottish government has confirmed that, starting next year, it will impose changes to prevent the use of combustible materials on certain high-rise buildings.

The changes will be introduced by adapting the building regulations and to the oversight and enforcement regime.

"The recommendations of the Cole review of compliance and enforcement, and the Stollard review of fire safety, unsurprisingly echoed many of the themes from the Hackitt Review, commissioned by the UK government," said health and safety law expert Katherine Metcalfe of Pinsent Masons.

The Scottish ban appears to go even further than the current UK government ban: it will apply to high-rise buildings over 11m, compared with 18m in England and Wales.

The proposals also include extending the compulsory installation of sprinklers in flatted accommodation, multi-occupancy dwellings and places of care.

The announcement also confirms that owners or developers of new high-rise buildings in Scotland will be required to prepare and maintain a documented compliance plan for the building, from pre-application phase to completion. This plan will set out the verifier planned inspection regime.

Owners of existing high-rise buildings will be required to capture and maintain safety critical information in an electronic database and new fire safety guidance and fire risk assessments will be developed for residents of high-rise domestic buildings.

Original Source
Out-Law