• The Inquiry formed the view that there was a common misconception as to the extent of the reliance that can be placed on the quality of construction of a building because it had successfully gone through the statutory Buildings Standards process.
• The typical frequency of site visits and the level and nature of inspections undertaken, as provided in evidence, can only confirm that buildings are being built generally in accordance with approved warrants.
• It would not appear to be either practical or appropriate for Building Standards Departments to be expected to undertake the type and level of detailed inspection that would be necessary to identify the risks to user safety that have been identified in this Report. However, an underlying core objective of their function as expressed in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 is 'securing the health, safety, welfare and convenience of persons in or about buildings'.
• To resolve this issue, there is a need for Government and the construction industry to consider the introduction of methods that would provide Buildings Standards with the required level of assurance in risk areas.
• In this regard, it is recommended that consideration be given to the practicality of extending the concept of mandatory inspection and certification of construction by approved certifiers to elements of the building that could potentially pose significant risk to users if not constructed properly and which level of inspection cannot practically be undertaken by Building Inspectors themselves.