London, United Kingdom - A leading construction figure warned that new fire safety legislation in the UK could still leave multi-story residential buildings vulnerable to major fires. David Jones, president of the Institute of Construction Management, criticized the proposed law as "spineless" and open to interpretation. He believes it allows developers to exploit the system by tolerating flammable materials.

Jones, a veteran with over 50 years of experience, voiced his concerns publicly amid ongoing consultations on the government's plans. He specifically cited the allowance of flammable materials in window systems and between floors as potential fire hazards. Jones argues this could enable fire to spread rapidly.

The government defended the guidelines as a proportionate response to the flammable cladding crisis, aiming to bring clarity to fire safety decisions. Ministers maintain the legislation will provide much-needed certainty. The criticism comes after fire safety issues were identified in blocks of flats in Stratford's East Village, some of which have since been addressed.

The UK government initiated the review of fire safety regulations following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, a tragedy that exposed systemic failures in building safety standards. The proposed law seeks to codify fire safety guidance for multi-story residential buildings.

The government will likely address Jones's concerns as the consultation period progresses. The future of the legislation remains uncertain.