In the news

From the Omnis 'Contact Us' page; 'Omnis provides complete exterior building solutions. We work with all members of the project team; Architects, Main Contractors, Sub Contractors and Distributors.'
Omnis will probably have a separate sales force attempting to persuade all those involved in specifying materials, even offering CPD,
http://omnisexteriors.com/training-and-cpds/

and, a field sales force dealing with the specialist sub-contractors who actually bolt the cladding to the building exterior.
There is probably also a Field Tech Service function to help the sub-contractor when the proposed solution proves problematic on-site.

Every project will be tracked from initial notification, through the specification, through to the Tender through to the physical Supply of material.
To think the first that Omnis heard of the Grenfell Towers refurb project was when they received a phone call for '2500M2 of generic cladding', is to misunderstand the Construction Industry supply chain.

I could easily have missed that.
Did 'we' get back all that Boris paid for them?

Ha no, they cost over £200,000 for the 3 because of all the work that had to be done to be usable in the Low Emission Zone and that, even though they weren't legally allowed to be used at all. Not sure if they sold yet but they're worth £30k -£40 each.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/boris-johnsons-water-cannon-up
-for-sale-after-322000-spend-and-no-use-at-all-a3419796.html

As Tories surely the setting up of a standalone TMO, in 1996, for RBKC was on-trend for the continuing Tory mantra that all public sector employment is bad.

Building control and the project managers / QSs should have specced / checked it right. What responsibility they have to exceed building regs is another matter. Building regs are the responsibility of government and seem to be lacking.

Er, whilst project managers and quantity surveyors may control the cost and overall management of a project, they very rarely have design responsibility for the specification of products. So even if they may insist that 'value engineering' is carried out on the specification of products, i.e. finding cheaper alternatives that meet the contract specification, the contractor (and their subcontractors) will carry design responsibility. Building control have zero input, their only concern is the approved documents. You are right that the regs may be lacking, but in reality even local council inspectors visit site so infrequently it is easy for them to miss fundamentals like fire stopping.

This type of refurbishment work is usually carried out under design and build contracts, which offer clients fixed costs and timeframes, hence their popularity. It goes without saying that such contracts encourage cost reductions wherever possible. As architects and specifiers are employed by the contractor they often find themselves overruled by contractors, because if products meet the performance criteria laid down in the contract and building regulations, they have no basis to reject changes in specification. I would imagine on a project such as this it was ultimately the cladding subcontractor who proposed the specification of the product.

Regardless of the form of Contract used for the project, a public enquiry should scrutinise the following parties involved in the refurbishment and maintenance of the building. There should be an audit trail for all decisions made as well a Quality Management Plan

Architect (Specifier)
Principle Designer (CDM 2015 )
Principle Contractor (Main Contract)
Cladding Contractor (Installer)
Cladding Supplier
Services Engineer (Fire Safety Systems)
Fire Engineer
Employer's Agent
Health and Safety Advisor
Maintenance Contractor

Sadly but absolutely necessary each of these parties must have either Professional Indemnity or Public Liability Insurance. Contractors tend to have a longer list on their insurance policies simply because of the nature of their work, this is what we learn in the Construction Industry. We are taught that life safety must be prioritised above all other objectives. From designing out risks in buildings to daily site activities during construction.

If the Contract was PFI based, what usually occurs is the Pre Qualification Questionnaire at first stage, then the Design and Build Process starts. How thorough this process is with regard to reviewing of Contractors Proposals really is down to the way the Project is managed, who is novated to the Principle Contractor etc.

No of this will be of any comfort for the residents of Grenfell Tower and their families.

Utterly appalling situation :(

From today's Times (of all places).

1 Attachment

The Mail has turned on May
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4612598/Theresa-slammed-inhuman-Newsnight-interview.html

The comments are susprisingly defensive, though.

This one made me lol

It isn't big brother you can't just vote somebody out if you don't like them.

Erm. You don't get this democracy lark thing, do you?

Oh, and they're also surprisingly receptive to the empty homes line.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4612036/Sprawling-abandoned-mansions-Grenfell-Tower-s-doorstep.html

The fact that the Mail has swung about like this makes it feel like change is very much in the air, IMHO.

Their readership would still incinerate the survivors for 5% off their income tax bill though.

John Sweeney got shouted at in West London reporting for newsnight, he said the BBC is not popular. What's that all about?

there was another tower block fire in shadwell yesterday raging fires up 2 storeys or so by the looks of it

news blackout or just not enough room to fit it in ?

https://www.facebook.com/ReelNews/videos/10155444069549605/
This might be the reason.

In a "private capacity" though so may not be any video, although likely to be stills

I hate to say anything positive about TM, but I have it on good authority that she went to visit the Manchester victims in hospital out of hours and off camera.

A favourite slogan of the right was the promise of “a bonfire of
regulations”. Well, they got their bonfire all right.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/16/grenfell-tower-rebuke-right-rampant-inequality

Her words on the newsnight interview responded to the questions. It's a matter of Style and lack of empathy and the realisation her policies and time in home office are partly/mostly responsible. And now she's pm she's head of a govt responsible for austerity. She's got a shitty stick.

By her own choice, and, in particular, by deliberate stealth during the referendum campaign (hence her apparent nickname 'submarine May').

They're owned by forrins though.

It appears they have closed tube services to the area. People are assuming this is to stop people going and protesting. This I reckon will only heighten tensions, the whole response reeks of incompetence and couldn't give a f**k attitude.
https://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/#

Fucking hell. This is making an unbelievable tragedy into something ever increasingly more unbelievable.

I'm really not sure she did respond to the questions asked.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/theresa-may-criticised-inhuman-newsnight-interview-grenfell-fire-response-meeting-victims-latest-a7794506.html

I know this because friends & family are on there way to a memorial service for the victims!

Looked bigger than it was
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/LatestIncidentsContainer_shadwell-maisonette-fire-16-june-2017.asp

I wonder if the Tube closure is actually to stop the vibrations bringing the block down.

Way off topic but fascinating story on how Putin's hitmen are free to go about their killings in Britain as our soppy government are shit scared.
Long but well worth a read:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/heidiblake/from-russia-with-blood-14-suspected-hits-on-british-soil?utm_term=.wuavNBQyWe#.joEvwJjpGP