Dame Judith Hackitt talks the UK Building Safety Act and sector-wide competence issues

Failures at Grenfell reflected broader system breakdown

SFG20 has published an interview with Dame Judith Hackitt, former Chair of the Health and Safety Executive, focusing on the regulatory and cultural challenges facing the UK built environment.

The interview, released on 13 May 2025, reflects on sector-wide problems exposed by the Grenfell Tower fire and the systemic flaws identified in her 2018 independent review.

Dame Judith told SFG20 that the regulatory system was already known to be failing prior to the Grenfell tragedy and that poor safety practices were widespread across the industry.

She stated: “None of the specific findings associated with Grenfell that came out of the public inquiry should have come as a surprise to people, because I had identified six years before then that those things were happening.”

She added: “Grenfell was by no means a one-off, and neither was it just about cladding.”

Compliance with the Building Safety Act remains inconsistent

Responding to questions about the sector’s current state of readiness, Dame Judith said the response to the Building Safety Act was inconsistent.

She noted that while some organisations had actively embraced the Act, others were avoiding action by waiting for further direction.

She said: “I see lots of examples of people who have embraced it and are doing the right things.

“I also see a lot of people who are still playing ostrich.”

Dame Judith added that many dutyholders were unsure where to seek appropriate guidance, and that some were acting on poor advice or misapplying requirements.

Clear responsibilities for maintenance under new regulations

Dame Judith said the Act had brought clarity to previously fragmented lines of responsibility, particularly for maintenance teams.

She explained that under the new framework, there is now a statutory expectation for individuals and organisations to act responsibly.

She said: “What’s clear is there’s been no proper line of responsibility and accountability in the past, and what we’ve put in place is exactly that.”

She added that this was directly aligned with principles from the Health and Safety at Work Act, placing responsibility across all those involved in building management.

Building owners must understand and audit their assets

Asked what building owners should focus on in complying with the Act, Dame Judith said that a comprehensive understanding of the building is the starting point.

She noted that legacy buildings pose particular challenges due to a lack of recorded data.

She said: “One of the biggest challenges, of course, is that golden thread that I called for in all new buildings.”

She added: “Trying to fill those gaps to the best of your ability is the next, and then having the courage to go and look and find what problems there are.”

Building regulations guidance seen as overcomplicated

Dame Judith said that existing guidance documents had been overly prescriptive and fragmented.

She noted that Approved Documents were developed in silos, contributing to inconsistent understanding and implementation.

She said: “There is far too much prescription and not enough joining up of how all of those things are interdependent.”

Height-based definitions of high-risk buildings under review

Commenting on the current definition of ‘higher risk’ buildings, Dame Judith acknowledged that using building height as a primary metric was too simplistic.

She highlighted the need to consider use and occupancy characteristics.

She said: “What’s really interesting is how… people now start to think much more about buildings as complex systems than they did before.”

She added that different types of occupancy – such as care homes or student housing – brought different risk factors that should be reflected in regulation.

Sector-wide competence remains a critical concern

Dame Judith said that improving building safety depends heavily on the competence of those involved.

While competence frameworks have been developed, she said that uptake has been slow.

She said: “We know that this isn’t just about the guidance, but is also about a lack of overall competence throughout the sector.”

She added that while guidance is important, competence is needed to make effective judgments about safety.

Future outlook connects safety and quality

Looking ahead, Dame Judith expressed hope that safety and quality would become integrated objectives.

She compared the industry’s shift in mindset to earlier changes driven by the Health and Safety at Work Act.

She said: “Once people get over the ‘I don’t know what to do, I’m scared’… we’ll look back on this period and think, ‘Wow, not only did we build safer and better quality buildings, but our productivity went up at the same time’.”

Dame Judith Hackitt on UK Building Safety Act and sector-wide competence issues: Summary

SFG20 has interviewed Dame Judith Hackitt, former Chair of the Health and Safety Executive.

She said poor safety practices were common before the Grenfell Tower fire.

She explained that the Building Safety Act provides clearer accountability.

Dame Judith said some organisations have embraced the Act, while others are reluctant.

She noted that maintenance teams now have defined responsibilities.

She said building owners must understand the assets they manage.

She described current guidance as overly complex and fragmented.

Dame Judith stated that building height alone is not an adequate risk measure.

She said there is still a lack of competence across the sector.

She predicted a shift toward combining safety and quality in construction practices.

The full interview and Building Safety Act Checklist are available at SFG20’s website.