Nicola John, Managing Director of Fire Door Maintenance, part of UAP Ltd, discusses the importance of the 2018 Hackitt Report “golden thread” recommendation, exploring why businesses must address the risks of siloed construction practices as well as strategies for implementing the golden thread principle.
What is the golden thread?
The 2018 “Building a Safer Future” report, commissioned by Dame Judith Hackitt, noted that existing building and fire safety regulations and processes for constructing high-rise buildings were “not fit for purpose”.
The report’s primary recommendation was a move towards 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 is more than just a record-keeping tool. It is a framework for linking different parties within the construction industry. By connecting architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and building owners, the golden thread fosters transparency and collaboration. It ensures that all work not only meets regulatory standards but also enables the identification and management of any safety risks throughout the building’s lifecycle.
This approach is a fundamental shift in how the construction industry approaches safety. It provides a safeguard against siloed practices, where vital information could be lost or overlooked, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences.
By maintaining a comprehensive and integrated digital record, the golden thread helps ensure that safety remains at the forefront of every stage of a building’s life, protecting both the structure and its occupants.
Challenges for the industry persist
The report highlighted the shortcomings of the industry, with Hackitt’s foreword calling out cultural issues across the sector, including ignorance, indifference to implementation, lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities, and inadequate regulatory oversight and enforcement tools.
Six years on, and the problem remains. Recent research by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has shown a widespread lack of understanding within the manufacturing industry over the nature of keeping a digital record and how it could be achieved.
In fact, 92% of product manufacturers do not see digitisation as a major concern and more than half “see no need to digitise”.
85% of companies still provided product information largely via pdf or hard copy only and only 8% have ever made or commissioned a Building Information Modelling (BIM) object.
Just over half of respondents felt they were digitised to some extent, but even when provided with the definition of digitisation, few of the respondents fully grasped and understood what it meant in practice.
Even among those who consider themselves partially digitised, there is often a fundamental misunderstanding of what true digitisation is. Many equated digitisation with using computers or having online systems, rather than understanding it as a comprehensive approach to maintaining and integrating critical safety information throughout a building’s lifecycle.
It’s clear the industry is still not meeting post-Grenfell regulatory requirements to digitise product information, and widespread training to understand the golden thread is needed before we can put it into practice.
Digitisation is also set to form part of the requirements under the Building Safety Act 2023. Those working in the construction industry urgently need to implement the golden thread approach 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 stages of the building lifecycle.
This disconnection causes a lack of communication and oversight, with no “golden thread” to link all product information throughout construction. Without accessible product data, critical safety issues can remain hidden.
The consequences of siloed practices have been fatal. The Grenfell disaster was a stark reminder of this danger. Dr. Barbara Lane’s supplemental report on the Grenfell disaster revealed that none of the 106 fire doors replaced in 2011 complied with ADB 2013 Building Regulations. Alarmingly, fire door closers had been disconnected, potentially exacerbating the fire’s spread and obstructing residents’ escape routes – a tragic mistake that cost lives.
If a golden thread of information had been available, these flaws could have been identified and corrected, enabling the fire doors to perform their critical safety function.
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 ensure buildings are safe.
Implementing the golden thread
Technological advances now make it easier to maintain the golden thread of information. For example, fire doors can be fitted with BIM data pins that, when scanned, provide instant access to an online database with critical details like installation, inspections, and compliance. These fire-proof pins ensure that essential data remains accessible, even if the door is destroyed.
Despite this innovation, industry adoption remains limited. Full digitisation needs wider adoption by industry and the supply chain to keep fire safety data consistently updated and accessible throughout a building’s lifecycle.
However, digitisation alone isn’t enough. There is also a shortage of workers trained to understand the entire lifecycle of safety products like fire doors.
Fire Door Maintenance, part of UAP, is training the industry to bridge this knowledge gap. It’s the UK’s first practical fire door training centre, covering everything from regulation compliance to how and why components were chosen in product engineering and how products are ultimately installed for the end user.
By fostering a deeper understanding and ensuring seamless collaboration across the construction process, we can uphold the golden thread.
This commitment is not just about legal compliance – it’s about safeguarding lives and ensuring that tragedies like Grenfell never happen again.