COMPLIANCE & RISK ASSESSMENT
BRIDGING THE INFORMATION GAP
WHAT IS THE GOLDEN THREAD? The recent Phase 2 Grenfell report
has highlighted the failings of both the tower’s materials and those involved in its maintenance. The 2018 ‘Building a Safer Future’ report, commissioned by Dame Judith Hackitt, was a critical response to the Grenfell Tower fire. It noted existing building and fire safety regulations and processes for constructing high-rise buildings were “not fit for purpose”. Its primary recommendation was moving towards the digitisation of product information, dubbed the ‘golden thread’. It encourages effective and accurate storage and management of information concerning buildings’ designs, construction and uses.
“THE GOLDEN THREAD ISN’T ANOTHER LEGAL HOOP FOR THE INDUSTRY TO JUMP THROUGH: IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO ENSURE SECTORS WORK TOGETHER AND BUILDINGS ARE SAFE.”
This is a fundamental shift in the industry’s approach to safety. It safeguards against siloed practices, where vital information could be lost or overlooked. By maintaining a comprehensive and integrated digital record, the golden thread ensures safety remains at the forefront of every stage of a building’s life, protecting both the structure and its occupants.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES PERSIST The Phase 1 report highlighted the industry’s shortcomings, with Hackitt’s foreword calling out the sector’s cultural issues. Six years on, on-site product inspection and maintenance practices haven’t improved sufficiently. A recent survey by the Construction Leadership Council discovered 92% of product manufacturers did not see digitisation as a major concern, and more than half saw “no need to digitise”. Many understood digitisation as using computers, instead of a comprehensive approach to maintaining and integrating critical safety information.
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Nicola John, Managing Director of Fire Door Maintenance (FDM) by UAP Ltd, discusses the importance of the 2018 Hackitt Report ‘golden thread’ recommendation in light of the Grenfell Phase 2 report, and explores why the industry must address the risks of siloed construction practices.
The industry is clearly not meeting post-Grenfell regulatory requirements for digitising product information. Digitisation is set to form part of the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2023, so those in the industry urgently need to implement the golden thread to ensure they are complying with the new laws.
THE RISKS OF SILOED PRACTICES Manufacturers, installers, inspectors, and landlords often work in isolation, focusing solely on their tasks without considering the broader impact on other building lifecycle stages. This disconnect causes a lack of communication, with no ‘golden thread’ to link information throughout construction. Without accessible product data, critical safety issues can remain hidden.
Siloed practices have had fatal consequences. The Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report highlighted catastrophic failings in the tower’s fire safety practices. Inspection and maintenance regimes were inconsistently followed—not just for the building’s cladding, but for the very fire doors that were designed to protect lives. Self-closing devices either
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