ICE Strategy Sessions: Reassuring the public that infrastructure is safe

Overview

This event is the first in the ICE Strategy Session series. It will explore what ICE should be doing to reassure the public that the infrastructure they use, is safe.

In the wake of recent high-profile failures such as the Grenfell Tower fire and collapse of the Polcevera viaduct in Italy, the first of the ICE Strategy Sessions will ask how civil engineers and infrastructure professionals can best reassure the public that buildings and structures remain safe throughout their lifecycle.

This session builds on the work from the ICE’s In Plain Sight: assuring the whole-life safety of infrastructure report, published in 2018. It seeks to respond to the public perception of safety toward infrastructure, and the professionals who build, design, manage and maintain these assets.

Industry experts will discuss whether the public’s confidence in the resilience of buildings and structures has been shaken in recent years. They will consider how ICE should be driving changes to certification models to improve decision-making and oversight at all levels within the industry, and consider whether we should be reviewing existing codes, standards and professional guidance to minimise the risk of failure. Using Bentley’s digital platform, audiences will be able to interact and ask questions in real-time. They will also have access to a range of additional resources via ICE’s website.

The event will be chaired by ICE president Paul Sheffield.

Dame Judith Hackitt, Government’s Independent Advisor on Tall Building Safety will outline her work to advise the Government on how best to establish the powerful new Building Safety Regulator. She will also challenge whether the civil engineering profession is doing enough to take responsibility for ensuring safety of the public.

Dr Hazel McDonald, Chief Bridge Engineer, Transport Scotland will talk about the challenge of maintaining Scotland’s ageing rail and trunk road bridge assets, and efforts to establish an international certification scheme for bridge inspectors.

Dr Julie Bregulla, Director of Fire & Building Technology, BRE, will discuss ongoing work within the ICE to embed the findings of the 2018 In Plain Sight report. The report made 11 recommendations to ICE and the wider industry, across the areas of lesson-sharing, competence and governance.