Two buildings in Peel found with high risk cladding

TWO private buildings in the Peel region have been found with high-risk cladding.

The City of Mandurah has now started enforcement action which can include a notice, building order or building permit.

The high-risk cladding was uncovered as part of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) State-wide Cladding Audit.

The audit is part of an Australia-wide initiative to check the cladding on high-risk buildings following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London. In the early hours of 14 June 2017, fire engulfed the 24-storey apartment block, causing 72 deaths and many injuries.

While British authorities are yet to announce the results of their inquiry into the cause of the fire and its rapid internal and external spread, initial indications suggest that recently installed external wall cladding contributed to the fire’s vertical and lateral spread.

The Grenfell Tower fire reinforced the need to ensure buildings are safe from the risk of rapid fire spread not only in the UK but worldwide including Australia. The tragedy put a particular focus on the installation of potentially combustible cladding products including in the refurbishment of old buildings.