The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) has published its formal industry responses to the Government’s Construction Products Reform White Paper consultation and the proposed General Safety Requirement (GSR) consultation.
The consultations represent one of the most significant proposed overhauls of construction products regulation in recent years, with wide-reaching implications for product safety, testing, certification, competence, accountability and regulatory enforcement across the built environment sector.
Developed following Technical Committee analysis, member feedback and consultation across the architectural ironmongery sector, the submissions outline the GAI's position on a range of proposals expected to significantly reshape the future regulation of construction products in the UK.
The Government’s Construction Products Reform programme forms a key part of the wider response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and subsequent regulatory reviews, with proposals covering areas including product safety, testing and certification, competence, accountability, product information and regulatory enforcement.
Within its responses, the GAI strongly supports the overall direction of reform while highlighting several important considerations for the architectural ironmongery sector, particularly around safety-critical products, competence, specification responsibilities, system-based fire door performance and the practical implementation of the proposed General Safety Requirement.
The submissions also reinforce the importance of competence and accountability across the construction products supply chain, including support for frameworks such as BS 8670-2 and the need for demonstrable competence among those specifying, supplying, installing and inspecting products.
GAI would like to thank all members and industry contributors who provided feedback and insight throughout the consultation period. The breadth of engagement has helped ensure the architectural ironmongery sector’s voice has been clearly represented within these important industry discussions.
Members and wider industry stakeholders can now read both submissions in full below:
GAI Industry Response to the Construction Products Reform White Paper
GAI Industry Response to the General Safety Requirement (GSR) Consultation