Schools and hospitals face panel fire hazard

More than 10,000 public buildings - including schools and hospitals - could contain combustible sandwich panels that present a fire hazard.

MPs are now calling for buildings at risk to be surveyed and the materials to be ripped out and replaced.

The combustible sandwich panels have been mistakenly installed over the past five years because of a "misinterpreted" guidance note from the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

The guidance was used to endorse the use of combustible PIR plastic foam-filled composite panels in areas where non-combustible panels were safer.

MPs this week welcomed the ABI's removal of the misleading sentence in its notes and called for a major assessment of all suspect panels.

MP Alun Michael said the revision by the ABI could result in building safety checks to rival asbestos assessments in the 1980s.

He said: "I hasten to leap into the future too far, but the ABI's revision is a step in the right direction to ensure that risks are understood and assessed. I hope people respond quickly to this advice and assess their buildings.

"People who own buildings have to take account of the known risks."

Michael stressed not all combustible panels were necessarily dangerous and that many were effective insulation products.

He said talks would now commence with the government and local authorities to introduce an assessment programme.

Michael said: "Advice is being given to all public bodies to scrutinise their buildings. It is also important that the use of this material is carefully scrutinised at the planning stage."