BUILDING SAFETY ACT
How will the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) affect the industry’s future? asks FMB Director of Membership Services Hayley Lorimer SAFER FUTURE
W hat does the BSA mean for construction? This was the question posed at a conference organised by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Speaking at the event was Jon Vanstone, Chair of the Industry Competence Committee. He said: ● the construction industry cannot deliver safety without competence; ● the industry cannot deliver competence without clear expectations; and ● competence can no longer be assumed; it must be demonstrated. But how must that be achieved without shouldering a significant administrative burden? After all, if competence is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching – then we need an industry culture of safety – and no amount of paperwork can change that. Vanstone said competence means different things for different parts of the industry so clear guidance is required. How FMB is supporting you The FMB is involved in several industry working groups that connect different parts of the sector to provide practical you with tools to use – and these will be available over the next few months. Coming soon, these include: ● The BSI’s competence hub. ● The FMB’s guidance and tools.
Why this is important Soon, building contractors who find themselves in court will be asked to show the steps they took to ensure workers and subcontractors were competent to carry out work. To be safe, contractors need to: ● document these steps in a simple way to protect them from losing claims as a result of documentation not being properly organised; and ● keep records of what was installed, where and when, as well as product information, certificates and agreements about any changes. The BSA extends the time during which building owners can bring claims for defective work, which will be up to 15 years for most claims – and this applies to all buildings, not only those deemed high-risk. Courts may extend liability beyond the original contracting party or entity to any companies associated with the project –
even if the original business has dissolved. This means traditional insurances may be inadequate, and insurers are developing new approaches to deal with this. What members can access now ● Competence statements: The FMB’s competence statements are a good first
step to take, but additional safeguards will be needed. Scan the QR code for more information. ● Management guidance: A recent FMB webinar
explains the guidance produced for the industry. Sofie Hooper of the Association of Project Management and Sean Lundy, technical author who wrote the guidance, discuss practical measures you can take to demonstrate that you are a professional business with sensible procedures in place to manage a competent team.
For members interested in being kept informed, please scan the QR code to pre- register for information about the BSI hub.
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