'Rotten culture': reckoning in construction sector over failures across supply chain
The Guardian|September 06, 2024
After the damning findings of the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, the construction industry is facing a moment of reckoning.
Julia Kollewe
'Rotten culture': reckoning in construction sector over failures across supply chain

The 2017 fire stemmed from a "rotten culture in the construction industry", where failures occurred across the supply chain, according to Dame Judith Hackitt, an engineer who led a review on building safety after Grenfell.

She said the inquiry report, which was published on Wednesday and chronicled failures in the construction industry, the council, regulators and central government, "provides all of the evidence and more to reinforce the messages that I gave about the state of that culture in the industry back in 2017".

She added: "This whole issue is about much more than cladding and insulation. It is about an industry that does not assure quality in the building of homes for people to live in, in the way that it should." The 1,700-page report by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chair of the public inquiry, found a chain of failures over decades that ultimately contributed to the fire, including "systematic dishonesty" on the part of the makers of the cladding panels and insulation products Arconic, Kingspan and Celotex. The architects Studio E, the builders Rydon and Harley Facades, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's building control department all bore some responsibility for the blaze, the report said.

The findings laid bare some of the deeper structural issues at the heart of the construction industry - not least its highly fragmented, competitive and blame-shifting nature. Operating on wafer-thin margins, contractors and subcontractors are interdependent while also trying to squeeze out their share of the profits.

The number of subcontractors on building sites has steadily risen since the 1980s, although specialist work has always been subcontracted to expert firms.

この記事は The Guardian の September 06, 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は The Guardian の September 06, 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

THE GUARDIANのその他の記事すべて表示
Consumer champions
The Guardian

Consumer champions

BT has left my father, 80, with no phone for months.

time-read
3 分  |
November 09, 2024
Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes
The Guardian

Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes

Charity shops can be a goldmine for bargains - use the Charity Retail Association's online search page to find ones that stock children's clothes, or in London, head to one of FARA's 14 stores that specialise in kids' clothes.

time-read
4 分  |
November 09, 2024
University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?
The Guardian

University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?

The government has announced fees in England will rise to £9,535 in 2025. Shane Hickey gives you the lowdown on the changes

time-read
3 分  |
November 09, 2024
British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%
The Guardian

British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%

Strong demand for transatlantic travel has bolstered the profits of International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, with the UK national carrier outperforming rivals despite widespread European flight delays.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank
The Guardian

Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank

You certainly don't need to spend a fortune to have a fun and romantic time, whether it's your first date or the 101st.

time-read
2 分  |
November 09, 2024
The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?
The Guardian

The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?

Hinge+ costs £14.99 for a week, £24.99 for one month, £49.99 for three months and £74.99 for six months. One week of HingeX costs £24.99, a month is £44.99, three months £89.99 and six months comes in at £129.99.

time-read
4 分  |
November 09, 2024
The Guardian

China offers £646bn to local government but balks at big stimulus

China has announced 10tn yuan in debt support for local governments and other economic measures, but stopped short of a \"bazooka\" stimulus package many analysts expected.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth
The Guardian

Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth

An anonymous producer writes about their experiences of the brutal hours, low budgets and high stress of television production

time-read
3 分  |
November 09, 2024
The Guardian

Shares plunge for housebuilder Vistry after new profit warning

Shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024
Families may get post office compensation, says minister
The Guardian

Families may get post office compensation, says minister

The postal minister has said that family members and employees of post office branch owners who have not been eligible to make claims over the Horizon IT scandal may be allowed to apply for compensation.

time-read
1 min  |
November 09, 2024