The UK government has recently published the Construction Products Reform White Paper, setting out a major overhaul of how construction products are regulated. The reforms are a direct response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and are designed to ensure that all construction products on the market are safe, transparent, and properly regulated.
Why Is Reform Required?
At present, only around 37% of construction products are regulated under the existing framework. This leaves significant gaps, particularly for products that are safety-critical but not covered by designated standards.
Independent reviews following Grenfell identified serious weaknesses across the system. Unsafe products were able to enter the market, product information was often unclear or misleading, testing and certification lacked consistency, and enforcement was limited. In some cases, products fell outside regulation entirely, meaning regulators were unable to act even where risks were known.
The proposed reforms are intended to address these failures by putting safety first, improving the quality and clarity of product information, and ensuring that manufacturers and others across the supply chain are accountable for the products they place on the market.
What Is Changing?
A core change is that all construction products will now be subject to regulatory oversight. Products will either fall under designated standards or be covered by a new General Safety Requirement (GSR), which applies where standards do not exist. This closes long-standing gaps that previously allowed some products to escape regulation altogether.
Manufacturers will also be expected to provide clearer, more accessible product information. Safety-critical performance, intended use, limitations, and installation requirements must be explained honestly and supported by appropriate evidence. The aim is to support safe selection and use, rather than relying on assumptions or implied assurances.
Alongside this, the government is strengthening oversight of testing and certification. Testing bodies and certification schemes will be subject to tighter regulation, with greater transparency around test evidence and clearer expectations around competence and independence.
What This Means For Organisations
Rooflights are safety-critical elements of the building envelope. Demonstrating that products are safe for their intended use, clearly explaining performance, and providing robust installation guidance are not new concepts for us, they are fundamental to how we design and manufacture our rooflights and roof windows.
Under the new regime, manufacturers and others placing products on the market will have clearer and more explicit responsibilities. This includes determining whether a designated standard or the General Safety Requirement applies, ensuring products comply with the relevant route, assessing safety risks where the GSR applies, and deciding what mitigations or additional assurance may be appropriate.
A culture where accountability for ensuring safe construction products that are safely used is paramount. Clear accountability is needed across all stages of the project, including the building owner, who undertakes the responsibility to maintain the products and replace them when deemed necessary.
Architects, designers, and specifiers will be expected to assure themselves that the products they select are appropriate and safe for their intended use, particularly in safety-critical applications. Product selection must align with building regulations and take proper account of performance limitations and installation requirements.
Contractors, subcontractors, and installers will be responsible for ensuring that building work is carried out in a workmanlike manner by competent individuals. This includes ensuring the competence of subcontractors, installing products in accordance with manufacturer guidance, and managing substitutions appropriately through the principal designer. Enhanced requirements may apply where products are critical to safe construction, including the potential use of approved installer schemes.
What This Means For Customers
For end clients, these reforms should mean improved confidence and lower risk. Clearer regulation and more consistent information make it easier to compare products properly, understand their suitability for specific applications, and avoid costly issues later in a project.
A stronger regulatory framework also helps create a more level playing field, where manufacturers who invest in quality, testing, and transparency are recognised, and poor practice is less likely to slip through the cracks.
Looking Ahead
The whitepaper detailed an ambitious programme of long-term system-wide reform of the construction products sector, and the roll out will be logically phased to allow for time to scale-up, developing processes, and training colleagues.
Secondary legislation is expected to be available later this year with all changes to be introduced “as soon as parliamentary time allows” - Whilst these change will take time, the direction is clear: a construction products system that prioritises safety, supports better decision-making, and restores trust across the industry.
