October 14, 2002—A free, Department of Trade and Industry-funded leaflet advising building owners and occupiers on legal liability and damage limitation in respect of building faades, has been produced by BRE building research and consultancy, along with industry partners.
Owners and occupiers have a legal responsibility to ensure their buildings are safe. If injury or damage is caused, for example by part of the faade falling, then liability arises.
The faade forms the external weatherproof envelope. In modern buildings it is often attached to the building frame, making no contribution to structural stability. Many different types of construction can be used, such as profiled metal sheets, cladding panels, or glass and aluminum curtain walling.
Risk management involves understanding the risks and implementing a practical plan for dealing with them. Proper management procedures will help owners and occupiers to demonstrate to insurers (and if necessary the courts) that they have taken reasonable steps towards discharging their legal responsibilities.
The leaflet advises on liabilities and obligations, and on aspects of the different risk management strategies that should implemented at different times in the life of a building: condition surveys, planned inspection and maintenance, component durability, inspection frequency, and whole life performance. The guide can be downloaded from the BRE Web site.
