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Category: Grenfell Tower

Grenfell Tower – the Role of the Civil Servants before the fire. A Blog and Paper by Martin Stanley

The role of civil servants before the Grenfell Tower fire is important because it highlights deficiencies within the highest levels of the civil service. MHCLG civil servants seem to have responded to ministerial pressures by degrading their working practices until they became unrecognisable to those who worked in government 20 or 30 years ago. 

The LFB Review of Culture: A quick blog…

Someone I spoke with today spent nearly 5 years in a Fire Service but took 15 years to get over it. She told me that the actions of her colleagues… Read more The LFB Review of Culture: A quick blog…

Grenfell: Governance, Accountability and Political Agendas

Background Systemic failings in governance, accountability and the role of political agendas are integral to understanding the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Given the extraordinary evidence we have seen in the Grenfell… Read more Grenfell: Governance, Accountability and Political Agendas

The 3 Cs of Resident Engagement

Despite the many post-Grenfell promises we continue to see terrible examples of a failure to engage effectively with residents. This blog explores the difference between consultations, collaboration and co-design and suggests that moving away from tick-box consultations may help restore trust.

In memory… The Lakanal House Fire

On 3 July 2009, 3 week old Michelle Udooka died with her mother, Helen, in the Lakanal House Fire. Lessons were not leaarned and on 14 June 2017, the youngest victim t Grenfell was Logan Isaac Gomes, still-born at seven months.

Grenfell and the tacit knowledge of those at the sharp end – Ed Daffarn speaks to LBC’s James O’Brien.

LBC’s James O’Brien speaks to Ed Daffarn the author of the blog that predicted a catastrophic event at Grenfell.

An Analysis of the Design, Installation & Materials of the Rainscreen Cladding System at Grenfell Tower:

A technical analysis of what happened at the Grenfell Tower Fire.

This report looks objectively at the design of the cladding system and the way in which it was installed, whilst explaining some of the evidence heard at the Inquiry.

The danger of the narratives we use to silence: Grenfell and the Rebel Residents

Evidence by main contractor #Rydon at the #Grenfell Tower Inquiry reveals the narratives used to silence the voices of residents.

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Power and Accountability: The psychological contract & responding to catastrophic event

Power and Accountability. The failure of politicians to be accountable for the psychological contract in the face of catastrophic events such as Grenfell, COVID19 and Hillsborough.

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Cummings & our unwritten Psychological Contract: Are we asking the right questions?

This blog explores the Cummings’ crisis through the lens of a failure to attend to and restore an unwritten psychological contract in the aftermath of catastrophic events.

Rather than asking ‘how can we ‘move on’ from the Cummings’ crisis?’ those in power might instead seek to understand what a country in grief needs from them, to understand what it would take to restore the psychological contract and build trust.

COVID-19 Unheeded Warnings #2: Centre for Health and Public Interest 2013 Report

Adaptive capacity is a cornerstone of resiliance. Those that failed to ensure this capacity whilst listing a pandemic as a top civil risk need to be held to account.

A 2013 Report by the CHPI warns that the new NHS structure would impact the ability to fight a pandemic.

A Mix of Positives and Negatives: Reflections on the Ministry for Housing, Community & Local Government’s recent advice for building owners

Chartered Architectural Technologist and Fire Engineer, Frances Maria Peacock gives her view on the recent advice for building owners issues by. the MHCLG

Grenfell, Leadership & the Symbolic Dance: Lessons from Mehra; Barwell; Jenrick & others…

Recent decisions about Benita Mehra, Gavin Barwell and Robert Jenrick are perplexing in the symbolic dissonance with the intent for learning and change.

Grenfell narratives displacing our ability to learn

Heroes and Villains – The narratives displacing our ability to learn from Grenfell

This blog looks at the failures of the LFB in preparing for Grenfell and explores the narratives displacing our ability to learn from Grenfell.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Key facts…

In preparation for the publication of the Phase 1 report, I’ve attempted to pull together some key facts about the Inquiry. Please forgive any errors or omissions. I look at:… Read more The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Key facts…

Grenfell; Space Ships and the Shard – the problem with the London Fire Brigade Commissioner’s statement.

LFB Commissioner Dany Cotton said that preparing for Grenfell would be like a space shuttle landing on the shard. This article explores why this statement is problematic.
It looks at the failures of the LFB to understand and mitigate catastrophic risk and to create a learning culture.

Grenfell: Building reform consultation fails to ensure strong voice from residents.

In another bizarre and ironic twist post-Grenfell, the MHCLG has issued a consultation on the proposed regulatory reform based on the Hackitt review. It calls for a stronger resident voice but fails to ensure this through the consultation process.

Protest art post-Grenfell: Graffiti Jam & the spoken word

As we mark the second anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire, I thought I’d post some examples of protest art that marked the event. I find the art haunting and deeply expressive of what the community feels.

Grenfell – Creating a bias toward safety: Practical lessons for change from Piper Alpha

Dr Stan Schofield offers ways the approach taken with Piper could be applied to Grenfell. Stan spent 16 years in HSE’s Offshore Safety division in the wake of Piper Alpha.

Grenfell – Are firefighters to blame? Understanding human error

We cannot allow firefighters to be blamed for actions whilst those with accountability at senior levels in the fire brigade, government and contracting firms ‘seek refuge in a judicial cocoon’.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: learn lessons & implement changes (University of Manchester Blog)

Uploading a blog Martin Stanley and I wrote in September 2017. I believe this thinking will be important for Phase 2 of the Grenfell Public Inquiry.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry

Submission to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry re including the thinking and learning from Major Accidents

The first submission I made to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Arguing for including the thinking of Major Accidents in understanding what happened at Grenfell.

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