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Victoria Bans Lethal Building Cladding (Read 482 times)
whiteknight
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Victoria Bans Lethal Building Cladding
Mar 10th, 2018 at 1:57pm
 
Victoria bans lethal building cladding   Smiley
The Age
9 March 2018



Victoria will ban the use of flammable building cladding as part of its response to the fire that killed 71 people in London's Grenfell Tower last year.

The ban will also include the aluminium panels that caused a fire to engulf the Lacrosse apartment building in Melbourne's Docklands, nearly three years ago.

The government has also confirmed that the number of buildings in the state at risk from their cladding material had been significantly overstated.


Of the 1369 structures in Victoria first thought to be at risk in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy,  608 have not begun construction, and a further 188 are only partially built, Planning Minister Richard Wynne's office confirmed on Friday.

The government says those buildings under construction will not be allowed to be finished using the now-banned cladding materials.   Smiley


Under new ministerial directives, surveyors in the state will only be able to be allowed to grant development approval for projects using cladding products that are not on the banned list.

The dangerous aluminium cladding with a polyethylene core of more than 30 per cent and expanded polystyrene panels will be banned on all multi-storey buildings.

In December the Victorian government banned polyethylene cladding in towers above two levels, after a taskforce deemed it a major safety risk.

On Friday the minister said the new rules would provide clarity for suppliers, builders and developers about what can and cannot be used on sites in Victoria, spelling an end to the use of dangerous, flammable materials.

Mr Wynne said the Victorian Building Authority would issue a product safety alert, adding that builders who ignored the guidelines could face disciplinary action from the VBA.

The government established the Victorian Cladding Taskforce last year, chaired by former Premier Ted Baillieu and Deputy Premier John Thwaites, to investigate the extent of non-compliant cladding on Victorian buildings.

Acting on the taskforce's recommendations, the Building Authority has already done safety checks on 87 buildings as part of a state-wide audit.

The VBA and local government Municipal Building Surveyors are issuing emergency orders and building orders or notices on properties found to be non-compliant.

Mr Wynne said builders were "now on notice", with the government directing the VBA to inspect more of Victoria’s buildings each year, from less than two per cent annually to 10 per cent.

"We’re putting a stop to dangerous combustible cladding being used on Victorian buildings," he said.

"This has been allowed to go on for too long and we’re ending it.

"The rules are clear: if builders use these dangerous flammable products, they’ll face disciplinary action from the VBA.

"There is nothing more important than public safety.
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