3.4.26 The final concern of the Inquiry, in relation to the certification and Inspection processes, is the level of recorded breaches in the fire-stopping of the schools that were identified in surveys carried out during the last few months. Fire-stopping is the process of sealing any spaces or holes in fire-rated walls or enclosures with approved fire resistant materials in order to protect means of evacuation, and prevent the spread of smoke or flame from one area to another that could otherwise lead to avoidable risk to life and unnecessary damage to property. From the photographs provided in the survey reports, it would appear that a proportion of these breaches are likely to have dated from the time of the original construction but they had not been detected until the recent surveys.
3.4.27 At the time of writing this Report, the Council have been advised by ESP that the necessary fire-stopping remedial work is complete or nearing completion. It has been agreed that this work will be subject to inspection by a fire-safety expert jointly appointed by the Council and ESP to confirm that all necessary remedial work has been done and that it has been done to the required standards.
3.4.28 The mandatory provision of prescribed fire-stopping is an aspect of construction that must be treated with the importance that it deserves, due to the potential implications for the safety of building users and the protection of property as a result of defects in this area. On the evidence of the surveys of the PPP1 project, it is the view of the Inquiry that the Council should review its approach in terms of the degree of reassurance provided on fire-safety aspects of the construction of all their facilities.
3.4.29 Given that, for some considerable time, there has been relatively widespread knowledge within the PFI industry that defective fire-stopping had been discovered to be a potentially problematic issue in PPP schools and hospitals, it is surprising that ESP had not taken a more proactive approach at an earlier stage to establish the condition of fire-stopping in the PPP1 schools.