Grenfell: Building a Disaster - Ep 5: Single Point of Failure

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Podcast

Why didn't the civil service act on warnings about combustible building materials?

You’ve probably not heard of Brian Martin but he’s central to the story of Grenfell. The civil servant responsible for the fire safety section of the building regulation guidance, he has described himself as the “single point of failure”.

Kate talks to someone who tried to raise the alarm with him, and asks why he didn’t act on warnings about dangerous cladding.

Under the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, this was a time of deregulation and cutting red tape. Did these attitudes to health and safety prevent action being taken?

Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Josephine Casserly Production coordinator: Janet Staples Audio engineers: James Beard and Gareth Jones Story consultant: Simon Maybin Editor: Penny Murphy