The WA Building Commission will audit all “high-risk, high-rise” buildings with cladding following the Grenfell Tower fire, expanding an initial probe that focused only on aluminium composite panels.

“Buildings are being assessed based on their degree of risk to public safety,” Commissioner Peter Gow said.

He says the Grenfell Tower disaster in London has “tragically reinforced the need to ensure buildings are safe and puts particular focus on refurbishments of old buildings”.

Apartments, hotels and other short-stay accommodation buildings will be prioritised for safety checks, to determine if cladding meets the Building Code of Australia.

The commission initiated checks on aluminium composite panels in apartments, hotels and public buildings above three storeys and built in the past 10 years following a major fire at Melbourne’s Lacrosse apartment block in 2014.