The Grenfell Tower fire was not just a tragic accident – it was a systemic failure of oversight, accountability, and ethics. Seventy-two people lost their lives in one of the UK’s worst modern disasters. With the release of Grenfell: Uncovered on Netflix, the construction industry, specifiers, and manufacturers are once again confronted with difficult but necessary questions:
- Are the products we specify truly tested for the risks they claim to address?
- Is certification current and valid, or based on expired or withdrawn standards?
- Do we as an industry rely on marketing spin rather than rigorous evidence?
- Who is ultimately responsible when products fail – the manufacturer, the specifier, the contractor, or everyone?
The Grenfell Inquiry revealed deep flaws in the culture of product testing and marketing. Fire tests were misrepresented. Reports were selectively edited. Standards loopholes were exploited. And the consequences were catastrophic.
Certification Must Be Valid – and Transparent
One of Grenfell’s clearest lessons is that certification is only as good as its relevance and honesty. A test passed under outdated or withdrawn standards cannot be used to demonstrate safety today. Relying on old certificates is not just poor practice – it can put lives at risk.
At Adexon, we have taken this lesson to heart. Every fire curtain system we offer is tested and certified under current, active standards. We never rely on expired standards or use certificates whose scope no longer applies.
Compliance Cannot Be a Marketing Slogan
Grenfell showed how marketing can obscure reality. Safety claims were often made without supporting evidence. Test results were selectively quoted or misused. The construction ecosystem became vulnerable to misunderstanding and misrepresentation.
At Adexon, we’ve built our approach around a simple principle: full traceability and clear communication. Our CPDs educate architects and consultants on exactly how fire and smoke curtains are tested, certified, and maintained – not just glossy images.
Manufacturers Must Lead By Example
Responsibility for product performance begins at the factory. Manufacturers must not hide behind disclaimers or rely on downstream contractors to “make it work.” Our 10-year warranty, reflect our commitment to proving, not just claiming, durability.
We also maintain full technical support during specification, installation, and commissioning – because we know a certified product must remain compliant through every stage, not just in the lab.
The Building Safety Act Demands Better
The Building Safety Act 2022 emerged directly from the Grenfell tragedy. It enshrines stricter accountability on duty holders and drives adoption of modern standards. But compliance is more than a checkbox: it must become a culture of responsibility.
Manufacturers, specifiers, and contractors all share the duty to understand the latest regulatory expectations – and to select products that align with them.
We owe it to the memories of those lost at Grenfell – and to every future resident of the buildings we help create – to ensure rigorous, honest, and current product certification.
At Adexon, we pledge to:
- Certify to active, relevant standards
- Educate the industry through open CPDs, not ambiguous marketing
- Provide clear technical data and transparent documentation
- Support specifiers with compliant, future-ready solutions
Product responsibility is not optional. It is our duty.
Find out more on a CPD on fire and smoke curtain compliance.