Building Safety Act: Knowledge hub

[edit] Summary

The Building Safety Act 2022 is intended to improve the safety of buildings, in particular high-rise and multi-occupancy residential buildings. It was developed in response to the 'Independent review of the building regulations and fire safety', also known as the 'Hackitt review', which followed the tragic 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. The Act came into effect on 2 April 2023. It provides a legal framework for secondary legislation and guidance which set out duties and responsibilities for owners, managers, designers, contractors and developers in England and Wales.

[edit] Key aims of the Building Safety Act

The key aims of the Act and its supporting regulations include improved transparency and accountability, through clearer definition of the roles of Responsible Persons (RPs), their level of competency, coordination and co-operation. It requires that accurate records of all fire safety information and processes are kept throughout a building’s lifespan in what is known as a golden thread of information, and that the information is transparent and accessible, including to building users. It also gives enforcement authorities powers to take direct action against any entities involved in the process that are non-compliant.

The Act creates three new bodies to provide oversight of the new regime:

• The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to oversee the safety and performance of all buildings, with a particular focus on high-rise buildings.
• The National Construction Products Regulator (NRCP) to oversee more effective construction products regulation and co-ordinate market surveillance and enforcement.
• The New Homes Ombudsman Service to allow improved complaint procedures.

[edit] Building Safety Regulator

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is responsible for: 

• Overseeing the safety and compliance of higher-risk buildings.
• Maintaining a register of higher-risk residential buildings.
• Assessing building control applications for higher-risk buildings in England.
• Supervising all other building control bodies.
• Setting professional standards and maintaining a register for building control approvers and inspectors. 
• Improving the skills and capabilities of professionals and trades in the built environment industry in England and Wales.
• Reviewing the safety of people in, or about, higher-risk buildings and the standard of all buildings in England.

Higher-risk buildings are buildings that have at least:

• 7 storeys or are at least 18 metres high.
• 2 residential units or are a hospital or a care home.

[edit] Key articles relating to the Building Safety Act on Designing Buildings

[edit] Legislation and standards

• Building Regulations – Part B
• Building Safety Act 2022
• Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
• Higher Risk Buildings
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• Secondary legislation linked to the Building Safety Act
• The Fire Safety Act 2021
• Building safety in Northern Ireland
• Building safety in Scotland
• Building safety in Wales

[edit] Dutyholders and competencies

• Accountable Person
• BSI Built Environment Competence Standards
• Client responsibilities
• Competence standards (PAS 8671, 8672, 8673)
• Industry Competence Committee
• Industry Competence Steering Group
• Principal Accountable Person
• Principal Contractor
• Principal Designer

[edit] Regulators

• Building Safety Regulator
• National Regulator of Construction Products
• New Homes Ombudsman

[edit] Background

• Building a Safer Future - Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety (Hackitt Review)
• Golden thread
• Grenfell Tower tragedy
• Higher risk buildings
• Independent Grenfell Tower Inquiry
• Glossary of terms

[edit] All other articles about building safety

There are more than 600 articles about building safety on Designing Buildings. A full index is available here. You can find out more on our special subject hub - Building Safety Wiki.

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