Statewide Cladding Audit Update Matt Vincent Executive Director, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Statewide Cladding Audit Update

Matt Vincent Executive Director, Corporate Governance and Major Projects Head, Statewide Cladding Audit

Lacrosse

• 25 November 2014
• 23 storeys
• Rapid spread of fire up

façade

• Evacuation of more than

400 residents

Grenfell

• Grenfell fire on 14 June

2017 claimed 72 lives

• Combustible cladding fires

have also occurred in Dubai, Malaysia and France

Source: Natalie Oxford, Wikimedia Commons

The Victorian Cladding Taskforce

Launched by the State Government on 3 July 2017 Co-Chaired by former Premier Ted Baillieu and former Deputy Premier John Thwaites Reviewed previous VBA audits Developed an audit methodology and piloted a program in 5 municipalities

Taskforce Interim Findings

Systems Failings

• Supply and marketing of

inappropriate materials

• Confusion about what could

be used

• Over-reliance on building

surveyor for assurance

• Poor culture of compliance
• Failure of regulatory system
• Infrequent audits
• Inadequate on-site

inspections

Taskforce Interim Recommendations

• Complete audit of at risk

buildings

• Audit government buildings
• Develop a rectification

standard

• VBA significantly increase

compliance and enforcement

• Increase practitioners

understanding of NCC

• Explore options for low cost

financing

• Consider longer term reforms

(e.g. shared responsibility legislation)

Statewide Cladding Audit by VBA

Audit methodology

Initial visual assessment Onsite inspection by the VBA and MBS Risk assessment & expert review Emergency

• rders where

necessary Rectification

Risk Assessment Tool

The tool considers:

• The kind, extent and

configuration of cladding

• Potential sources of ignition
• Distance from adjacent

buildings

• Cladding near openings and

exits

• Occupancy type
• Presence of fire suppression

systems

Privately owned buildings Audit status as at 31 May 2019

Inspections Total Inspected 1832 Expert Panel 1134 Risk ratings Highest 72 (7%) High 373 (37%) Moderate 370 (37%) Low 191 (19%) Building orders Evacuation orders 1 Emergency Orders 49 Building notices 368* Building orders 27*

End-to-end Audit Process

• 1. Inspect &

risk assess

• 2. Issue
• rders and

notices

• 3. Rectify

Ministerial Guideline 14

• MG 14 restricts the use of

combustible cladding materials

• The guideline specified the

functions of building surveyors when granting a building permit where these products were specified on external walls and systems.

Legislative changes

• Cladding Rectification

Agreements

• Ministerial power to ban

high risk cladding products

• VBA power to destructively

test products whilst inspecting

• VBA power to immediately

suspend practitioners in the public interest

VBA as MBS for higher risk buildings

• VBA is performing MBS

functions for more than 300 buildings

• VBA will bring consistency

and coordination to rectification

• Ease pressure on local

government

Key audit findings

• MG 14 restricts the use of combustible cladding

materials

• The guideline specified the functions of building

surveyors when granting a building permit where these products were specified on external walls and systems.

• Apartment buildings
• Inadequate alarm systems
• Essential safety measures not well

maintained

• Extended travel distances
• single exit stairs, non fire or smoke isolated
• Combustible cladding adjacent to ignition

sources

• Multiple departures from DTS requirements

compounding safety risks

• Consistent issues across all high risk buildings

Insurance industry response to rectification

• Tightening Professional

Indemnity insurance market for designers and surveyors

• Will mean that rectification

is more challenging

• Surveyors required to

maintain insurance without exclusions

Audit methodology

Builder exercised reasonable care by engaging other qualified building practitioners VCAT found the architect, RBS and fire engineer failed to exercise due care and skill Proportions:

• RBS

33%

• Architect

25%

• Fire engineer

39%

What next?

The VBA will continue to pursue compliance Statewide Cladding Audit will continue

• ver the next 18-24

months The VBA will increase focus on compliance and rectification in the coming months The Municipal Building Surveyors will continue to play a key role in keeping people safe